Improvements in Side Lights of Hansom Cabs, and in other similar Lights for Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Side Lights of Hansom Cabs, and in other similar
Lights for Vehicles.
We, FREDERICK FORDER, CHARLES FORDER and ALFRED FORDER, trading together
as Forder Brothers and Company, of Charles Street, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, and 121 Long Acre in the County of London, Hansom Cab and Carriage
Builders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention refers more especially to the side lights of Hansom cabs which are
required to be fitted so that they may be opened or partially opened for ventilation,
but refers also to other lights used in carriages under similar conditions. The inven-
tion has for its main objects to give greater width or room inside the cab without
increasing the external dimensions, and to prevent or greatly lessen the tendency
which is found to exist, in the case of such lights as usually fitted, of water splashing
or leaking through between the sashes and frames, more especially when the vehicle
is being cleaned.
Each such light as usually constructed is formed in one sash, and is opened by
being dropped down the required distance into a pocket formed in the framing of the
vehicle in the manner of carriage door lights, and is held up on the edge of a water-
bar as in the case of such lights. The side grooves in which the lights slido are
consequently a considerable width from front to back to allow of the sashes being
moved back clear of the water-bars, and thus when the lights are fitted (as is usually
the case,
and is preferred) to a cab of the same exterior width as a cab having fixed
lights, the inside width at elbow height is necessarily somewhat restricted; moreover
the lights are very loose in their grooves and thus allow leakage of water past their
edges.
Now, according to this invention, the light is divided horizontally into an upper
and lower sash. The lower sash is fixed, and the upper is fitted to be capable of being
moved up into a boxing or inverted pocket formed in the portion of the framing of
the cab which is immediately over the light. It is preferred that this upper sash be
about the depth of the boxing into which it is moved up to open it, so that when open
it is concealed. The lower sash may be advantageously fornied without a top rail or
with merely a very light narrow metallic bar in lieu of the ordinary top rail, and the
bottom rail of the upper sash be formed with a groove which passes down over and
conceals the exposed upper edge of the glass of the lower sash or the narrow metallic
bar therealong when the upper sash is closed; or the upper and lower sashes may be
constructed in the manner of the upper and lower front sashes of Hansom cab windows
substantially as described in the Specification of Patent No. 14,688 of 1888 granted
to us, that is to say, the upper sash may be constructed without a bottom rail and the
lower sash without a top rail (or light metal bars may be used in lieu of such rails)
with the glasses overlapping somewhat as described in such Specification and with a
space left between them for ventilation when the light is closed. When, however, an
edge of glass is left unprotected by a rail or bar it is preferred that it shall be rounded
or bevelled to avoid the exposure of sharp edges. The upper sash may be in the same
plane as the lower sash, but when the glasses are to overlap as above described it is
niore convenient to carry the upper sash in a plane slightly outwards from the plane
of the lower sash.
As the lower sash is fixed, no extra width is required in the framing to receive it
than in the case of ordinary fixed side lights, and no leakage of water can take place
between it and the frame. The upper sash simply slides up vertically into its boxing
and requires therefore grooves of the width merely of its own thickness, and being

page_text: comparatively shallow and in position where water is less likely to be dashed against
it than against the lower fixed sash little or no leakage takes place.
Any convenient means may be adopted for raising the upper sash and retaining it
open, such for instance as a short arun pivotted to the sash and carrying a spring
catch for engagement with a catch head fixed in the boxing, and from which head the
catch can be disengaged by turning the arm. The upper sash may, of course, be
balanced by suitable weights and cords, or in other manner, to prevent it slamming
down.
Dated this 19th day of February 1900
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Side Lights of Hansom Cabs, and in other similar
Lights for Vehicles.
We, FREDERICK FORDER, CHARLES FORDER and ALFRED FORDER, trading together
as Forder Brothers and Company, of Bilston Street, (previously of Charles Street)
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, and 121 Long Acre in the County of
London, Hansom Cab and Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention refers more especially to the side lights of Hansom cabs which are
required to be fitted so that they may be opened or partially opened for ventilation, but
refers also to other lights used in carriages under similar conditions. The invention has
for its main objects to give greater width or room inside the cab without increasing the
external dimensions, and to prevent or greatly lessen the tendency which is found to
exist, in the case of such lights as usually fitted, of water splashing or leaking through
between the sashes and frames, more especially when the vehicle is being cleaned.
Each such light as usually constructed is formed in one sash, and is opened by being
dropped down the required distance into a pocket formed in the framing of the vehicle
in the manner of carriage door lights, and is held up on the edge of a water-bar as in
the case of such lights. The side grooves in which the light slides are consequently a
considerable width from front to back to allow of the sash being moved back clear of
the water-bar previously to being dropped down into the pocket, and thus when the
lights are fitted (as is usually the case, and is preferred) to a cab of the same exterior
width as a cab having fixed lights, the inside width at elbow height is necessarily
somewhat restricted; moreover the lights are very loose in their grooves and thus
allow leakage of water past their edges.
Now, according to this invention, the light is divided horizontally into an upper and
lower sash. The lower sash is fixed, and the upper is fitted to be capable of being
moved up into a boxing or inverted pocket formed in the portion of the framing of the
cab which is immediately over the light.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood we have appended hereto
two sheets of drawings, of which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the body of a Hansom cab with our
invention applied thereto. The lower portion of the body of the cab is broken away
for convenience of illustration.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through one side of the cab body taken on line x x of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a corresponding view to Figure 2, but shews the bottom sash of the
light to be removed and the upper sash to be drawn up into the pocket ;
Figure 4 is a corresponding section to Figure 2, but shews a different modification
of the invention; and
Figure 5 is a view, to an enlarged scale at right angles to Figure 4, shewing the
junction of the sashes of such modification when the light is closed.

page_text: For the sake of clearness and simplicity in the illustrations the trimming and internal
fittings of the cab are omitted.
The side light is divided into an upper sash a which is capable of being drawn
up, as shewn by Figure 3, into a pocket b, and a lower fixed sash e which is carried
within grooves d on each side of the window frame e. The upper sash a slides within
grooves fon each side of the frame, these grooves being carried up into the pocket.
A board 9, which forms the side of the pocket on the inside of the cab, is omitted in
Figure 1, as are also the fillets forming the inner sides of the grooves d and f, so as
to more clearly shew the sashes, and also shew the grooves, in inside elevation. The
upper sash is, preferably, about the depth of the pocket & so that when open it is
concealed entirely, or almost entirely, by the pocket. The upper sash is conveniently
drawn up, and held in its upward position within the pocket, by means of a cord i
which passes over pulleys kk carried in frames fixed to the side of the cab immediately
beneath the roof, the said cord terminating in a ring 1 by which it is pulled down to
draw up the sash and which is passed over a knob or button m, fixed to the side of the
cab, in order to retain the sash in its upward position within the pocket.
The sash frames are shewn to be constructed in the manner of the upper and lower
sashes of the Hansom cab front lights substantially as described in the Specification of
Patent No. 14688 of 1888 granted to us, that is to say, the upper sash is constructed
without a bottom rail and the lower sash without a top rail with the glasses overlapping
somewhat as described in such Specification, and with a space left between such over-
lapping portions for ventilation when the light is closed. Rails may, of course, be
used for the top of the lower sash and bottom of the upper sash, respectively, and a
space for ventilation be left between them if desired; or the edges of the glass may
be protected with light metal bars. When, however, the edges of the glass are left
unprotected by a rail or bar they are, preferably, rounded or bevelled to avoid the
exposure of sharp edges.
Referring now to the modification shewn by Figures 4 and 5, the upper and lower
sashes are in the same plane with one another, instead of the one being set outwards
from the other as in the previously described modification. The upper sash is provided
with a bottom rail n. The glass of the lower sash projects somewhat above the tops
of the vertical bars o forming the sides of the sash. The bottom rail n is grooved
along its underside so that, when the upper sash is let down upon the lower sash, the
groove at the bottom of the rail n passes down over and conceals the upper edge of the
glass of the lower sash. The upper sash rests, when down, upon the tops of the vertical
bars o of the lower sash. According to this modification, the lower sash may be
placed somewhat more outwards than in the previously described modification, as the
upper sash may be carried exactly as in such modification and the lower sash is placed
immediately under the upper. The cab may be thus made somewhat wider inside, for
the same external width, than when the previously described modification is adopted,
but at the sacrifice of the method of ventilation between the sashes which is obtained
in the previously described modification. The upper edge of the glass of the lower
sash may, in this modification also, be protected, if desired, by means of a narrow
metallic bar over which the groove in the rail n will pass when the upper sash is
lowered down.
As the lower sash is fixed, no extra width in the framing is required to receive it,
in the case of the latter described modification, than when the ordinary fixed side
lights are used; and, in the case of the first described modification, very little extra
width is required in the framing for such purpose, and considerably less than when the
ordinary opening side light is used; and in neither case, of course, can any leakage
of water take place between the lower sashes and the frames. The upper sash also,
according to either modification, simply slides up vertically into its boxing and requires
therefore grooves of the width merely of its own thickness, and being comparatively
shallow, and in position where water is less likely to be dashed against it than against
the lower fixed sash, little or no leakage takes place; moreover, there is no downward
pocket, such as is used in the ordinary opening side light, into which the water can
leak and tend to rot the woodwork as it commonly does when such pockets are used.

page_text: It is not, of course, essential, in either modification, that a pocket be formed to
receive the upper sash, as such sash may be simply moved up in its guides and be still
exposed in the interior of the cab.
This invention has been described specially with reference to the side lights of
Hansom cabs, but it will be obvious that it is applicable also to lights used under
similar conditions in other vehicles, such for instance as the side lights of a covered
waggonette.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Side lights of Hansom cabs and other similar lights for vehicles, each formed
with a lower fixed sash or division and with a moveable upper sash or division fitted
to be capable of being raised into a boxing or inverted pocket, or simply raised within
its guides so as to be still exposed within the interior of the vehicle, substantially as
described and shewn, for the purpose set forth.
2. The improvements in side lights of Hansom cabs and other similar lights for
vehicles, substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith (illustrating
the invention specially with reference to a Hansom cab), for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 12th day of November 1890.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.