AN IMPROVE. MENT IN HANSOM' CABS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Evans, of Tarlton Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Coach Builder, for the Invention of " AN IMPROVE.
MENT IN HANSOM' CABS."
Sealed the 29th April 1859, and dated the 11th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Evans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th February 1859.
I, JAMES EVANS, of Tarlton Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Coach Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN HANSOM CABS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is intended to make such cabs much lighter and easier both
for the horse and for the person or persons riding in the same. The means
which I employ for effecting this object are as follows:-Instead of connecting
the scroll ends on the front part of the floor of the cab to the shafts, by
means of rigid iron stays, I connect them thereto by springs, the tail end
of the said springs being attached to scroll loops, fixed upon the under side
of the shafts. The back stay also, which connects the floor of the cab to the
heel of the shaft, instead of being rigid is furnished with a butt hinge joint at
or near its centre, having only a very slight amount of movement, but still
sufficient to allow of the play of the springs.

page_text: By the use of this improvement such cabs will be found to be much easier
to the rider and also to the horse, and a great saving will be effected in the wear
and tear of the horse, the tugs, and the shafts, which is occasioned by the
"swagging" of the cab when connected in the ordinary rigid manner to the
shafts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Evans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th August 1859.
...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EVANS, of Tarlton Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Coach Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Evans, Her special licence that I, the said
James Evans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Evans, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and. vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN HANSOM CABS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Evans, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Evans, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
•
This Invention, although described only as relating to "Hanson" cabs is
equally applicable to other forms of two-wheeled cabs or vehicles and is
intended to make such cabs or vehicles much lighter and easier of traction

page_text: both for the horse and for the person or persons riding in the same. The
means which I employ for effecting this object are as follows:-Instead of
connecting the scroll ends on the front part of the floor of the cab to the
shafts by means of rigid iron stays, I connect them thereto by springs of
steel or other suitable metal, the tail end of the said springs being attached to
scroll loops or other connections fixed upon the under side of the shafts.
The back stay connecting the floor of the cab to the heel of the shaft, instead
of being rigid, is furnished with a butt hinge joint or other mechanical con-
trivance at or near its centre, or at any other convenient point, having only
a very slight amount of movement, but still sufficient to allow of the play
necessary for the full development of my Invention as aforesaid.
By the use of my Invention such cabs or vehicles will be found to be much
easier of traction to the horse, and also to the rider, and a great saving
will be effected in the wear and tear. of the horse, the tugs, and the shafts,
which is occasioned by the "swagging" of such cabs or vehicles when connected
in the ordinary rigid manner to the shafts.
In order that my Invention may be perfectly understood, I have annexed
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a "Hansom " cab, with my
Invention applied thereto, and Figure 2 is a detached view of the improved
parts drawn to a larger scale. A, A is the body of the cab; B, B, the floor;
C, C, the scroll ends, and D, D, the shafts. In "Hansom" cabs, as hitherto
constructed, the shafts are attached to the scroll ends by two rigid curved bars,
and to the centre part of the floor by another rigid bar (nearly vertical) and
the consequence has been, that the movement of the horse has imparted an
unpleasant "swagging" motion to the cab, which at the same time occasions
an unnecessary strain upon the shafts, the tugs, and the horse itself.
Now this Invention is intended to remedy this defect, and consists in the
employment for that purpose of two springs E, E, one end of each being
attached rigidly to the scroll end C, C, and the other jointed to the scroll
loop F, F, which is fixed to the under side of the shaft. And in order to
allow of the play of this spring, the back stay G, G, which connects the heel
of the shafts with the centre of the floor, is furnished with a butt hinge near
the centre, having only just sufficient movement to allow of the requisite play
of the springs E, E.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"An Improvement in 'Hansom' Cabs," together with the manner of carrying

page_text: the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood, that what I claim aş
my Invention, is attaching the shafts to the body of such cabs or vehicles as
aforesaid by springs instead of connecting them together by rigid means as
hitherto practised.
In witness whereof, I, the said. James Evans have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty nine.
Witness,
JAMES B. REAY, Patent Agent,
Commerce Court, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
JAMES EVANS. (L.S.)