Improvements in Wheel-chairs.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
Improvements in Wheel-chairs.
I, NATHANIEL DAVIS of Cycle Works, Sherbourne Place Cheltenham in the
County of Gloucester Cycle Maker do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in wheel-chairs whereby greater
ease and comfort for the occupant is attained.
I make my wheel-chair in the following way. One long bent tube is the main
feature from the handles to the front wheel this bent tube has a cross piece at tho
handle side and upon this cross piece I attach two strong coiled springs which
have a spindle running through their centre threaded onto the top of these springs
on the spindle I have an L piece which is attached to the body of the wheel chair
and when the weight of the person in the chair comes on this piece would of
course press upon the coiled springs. I have exactly the same arrangement of
cross piece and springs at the front end of the chair the axle of the chair being also
attached to the bent tube upon which the chair is slung. The effect of this mode.
of suspension is very evident as it will be seen that all jerky movement is done
away with.
Dated this 6th day of Anřil 1893
NATHANIEL DAVIS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel-chairs.
I, NATHANIEL DAVIS of Cycle Works Sherbourne Place Cheltenham in the
County of Gloucester, Cycle Maker 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 :-
My invention has for its object improvements in wheel chairs whereby greater
ease and comfort for the occupant is attained.
I make my wheel chair in the following way-One long tube is the main
feature from the handles to the front wheel; this tube is bent to the desired
shape and has a cross piece at the handle end and upon this cross piece I attach
two strong coiled springs which have-a-spindle-running through their centre
threaded on to the top of these springs, on the spindle I have an L-piece which is
attached to the body of the wheel chair and when the weight of the person in the
chair comes on this L-piece would press upon the coiled springs and so suspend the
body of the chair. I have exactly the same arrangement of cross pieces and springs
at the front end of the chair, the axle of the chair being also attached to the bent
tube, upon which the chair is slung. The effect of this mode of suspension is very
evident as it will be seen that all jerky movement is done away with.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which
and
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a bath-chair made according to my invention
Figure 2, is a view of the before mentioned tube or backbone upon which the
chair, is suspended and showing the axle and springs.
Figure 3. is a side view of the springs D and 1 -niece L.

page_text: Figure 4, is a sectional view on line 1-2 showing springs C attached to the
body of the chair B and platform F.
I will proceed to describe my invention with the aid of these drawings:-1 first
make a substantial tube A bending it to the required shape and then attach in any
-desirable & effective manner the cross piece G upon which are two upright pins or
spindles d¹ and d around which I coil springs of steel or india-rubber then upon
these I place pieces of L-shaped brackets L which are for the purpose of bolting
the chair B to as seen in Figure 1 by means of bolts plate either in one or
more places. Another cross piece is secured to the tube for the purpose of forming
the axle for the wheels of the chair. A third cross piece F is attached as desired
and this is for the purpose of supporting the springs C which support the carriage
-or chair B at the front wheel end by means of spindle c and c' passing through the
.bottom of the carriage & bolted.
It will thus be seen that a bath chair so constructed will be very light whilst at
the same time being very easy & comfortable for riding in, the springs doing away
with all jolting whilst the whole is very strong and durable.
I do not confine myself to the exact way in which I attach the cross pieces G, H
and F to the backbone A but what I claim is
1st. The construction of a bath chair having one central backbone and made
substantially as herein described and set forth.
2nd. The construction of a bath chair made suspended by springs upon a central
backbone substantially as herein described & set forth.
Dated this 5th day of January 1894.
NATHANIEL DAVIS.