Improvements in and connected with Light One-wheeled Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Light One-wheeled Road
Vehicles.
CHARLES FREDERICK STEBBING, Inspector. of the Norfolk and Norwich Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 4, Cathedral Street South, Norwich,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A useful & novel improvement in one wheeled road vehicles to carry one or
more persons, on one shaft shall be attached (& preferably without collar &
drauglits) & a saddle constructed in such a manner that it may be adapted to bear
the draught by the horse & the balance of the vehicle to be maintained by the
horse from the position of the shaft in the coupling & coupling on spire or axlo
of the saddle & the axle being firmly fitted to or a part of the saddle which is
securely strapped to the horse. The shaft shall be so arranged by a coupling (or
couplings) attachable to the axle of the saddle as to preferably partly or wholly
to rotate thereon, the horse will be able thereby to turn either ways beneath the
shaft & turn the whole affair in a very small space; the draught of the vehicle
by the horse, shall from the position of the shaft or its couplings on the spire
cause the pressure to come mostly on the hinder part of the saddle & the
saddle on the horses back, resulting in the tightening & pressure of the girths
under the body of the horse & thereby maintaining the rest of the draught. The
rear end of the shaft shall be firmly fixed to the frame in which the wheel revolves,
the driver facing the horse & his partner the opposite direction, both in a direct
line more or less over the wheel.
Following are the details:-
A saddle very similar to an ordinary riding saddle, but of any suitable size, or
shape, shall be firmly strapped to a horse of any suitable size or shape & shall
have any various fittings attached to help to maintain the balance of the vehicle
with one wheel & one shaft. A spire or spindle firmly fitted in the saddle, or
the spire or spindle shall be if desired a part of the saddle standing somewhat
perpendicular at any suitable height or size on the front part of the saddle, &
either hollow or otherwise, upon & around which are fitted above & beneath, the
coupling of the shaft (which forward end is to be around the spindle) two curled
springs which also surround the spire & prevent vibration from the action of
the horse through the coupling of the shaft being able to play up & down on
the spindle between these springs. The coupling is to be of any suitable size, &
partly or wholly to revolve on the spindle as may be desired & checked by side
spires or bars if req'd & the coupling is also to admit the shaft in its rear
end.

page_text: The spire together with the saddle & its belongings firmly strapped to the
horse will bear the draught by the horse principally on the horses back, the
strain from the shaft & coupling when the horse is in motion & drawing the
vehicle, will cause the girths to tighten & the pressure be thrown on the hinder
part of the saddle & down tightly on the horses back, viz., at about the spot
where a man would sit, provided he rode a horse hence at that spot assisted by
the girths, under the horses body the vehicle shall be drawn, & in case of any
accident that the saddle should slip back, an ordinary breast plate shall always
be worn around horses neck & attached to the saddle above & between horses
leg to the girths below the horses body. The coupling is made in a manner to
admit the spire in its forward end, to be of such strength hollow or otherwise &
supported if necessary from any suitable manner from the sides of the saddle to
to help to maintain balance or to check the vehicle in turning around, & in its
rear end will be a socket to admit the forward end of the shaft which will be
fastened by a bolt passing quite through the two cheeks of the coupling & the
forward end of the shaft, & by this bolt or in any other suitable way the horse
shall be put to or taken off.
The shaft shall have liberty regarding the up & down motion of the horse by
playing on the bolt in case of rearing or kicking. The method of fixing together
the shaft, & coupling, (or couplings) bolt, bolts spire or spires such as may be
necessary to the saddle & to the horse shall maintain the upright position of
the vehicle, but at the same time give full liberty regarding up & down motion of
horse in kicking & rearing as well as in turning round under the shaft, & pre-
ferably by the above method, well fitted together. The fore end of coupling so
as to allow motion round the spindle, yet without side balance liberty, also the
shaft shall have motion up & down in the socket & on the bolt in the rear end
of the coupling, yet without side balance liberty. The frame of the vehicle is
firmly attached to the rear end of the shaft, by cross bars well bolted together &
with stays to the rear end of shaft, so that the frame & shaft are rigidly attached
& the shaft is to be of any suitable length for different sized horses."
The shaft or the vehicle shall be of steel, iron or suchlike, & hollow or other-
wise, or of wood, & carried from the parts attached to the saddle, along over horses
back, & around over horses rump sufficiently high, & down & firmly fitted to
the frame of the vehicle which is of any suitable length & about 2 feet wide
more or less; the wheel about 2½ feet more or less in diameter to revolve therein.
A crouper attached to the rear end of the saddle & extending to & around under
the horses tail, & assised by the brake on the frame of the vehicle, presents it from
running on the horse. There are bars one each side of the vehicle (corresponding)
extending from the front corners of the frame & carried up sufficiently high to
carry the seats between them clear of the wheel & down to the rear corners of the
frame & upon which is attached in a movable way, between the seats, the back
rest, for the occupants who sit one in front & one directly behind, with her back
to the driver's back, & also upon these bars bang the seats also movable (& suit-
able for one or more) from their springs which are arranged along the bar & by
their movement the balance is maintained. There is a box for luggage under the
hinder part of the vehicle. There are splash boards fitted around under the
occupants legs to the bars & frame keeping out wind & splashes. This vehicle is
specially adapted for doctors, veterinary surgeons & others who study the com-
fort & case of their horses & their own safety in crouded & narrow streets, as
well as for sporting & show purposes, the horse being able to turn under the shaft
will take less space, the total width of the vehicle will be about 2 feet more or less.
Dated this 24th day of August 1898.

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Light One-wheeled Road
Vehicles.
CHARLES FREDERICK STEBBING, Farm Manager, Letton, Thetford, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists of one shaft being attached to a one wheeled road
vehicle & that shaft shall be fitted to a spire, which is firmly attached to a saddle
which is tightly strapped to a horse; the spire standing preferably erect with its
coupling attached, and will admit the forward end of the shaft by means of the
coupling & the coupling will rotate upon the spire, by the method of fixing these
in any suitable way upon the saddle the balance of the vehicle & the draught shall
be maintained; the horse will turn under the shaft, the coupling shall be made
to allow the horse to rear or kick, & the springs spiral or otherwise in any suitable
way around the spire above & beneath the coupling will arrest the jar through the
action of the horse; the pressure of the draught by the horse of this vehicle, shall
be born principally upon the horses back under the hinder part of the saddle &
assisted by the girths around & under the horses body, through the position of
the shaft or its coupling upon the spire of the saddle, the whole vehicle being
about two feet wide, will take a very narrow space in the streets & to carry one or
two persons who sit directly or indirectly over the wheel & in a line with the
wheel one facing the horse & one facing behind each with back to back.
Following are five figures of the above vehicle:-
(Fig. 1) is a general view of the whole concern attached to the horse as ready
for work which is herein described by the letters as corresponding with those
on the drawings.
(Fig. 2) is the coupling E & the spire A.
(Fig. 3) is the forward end of the shaft F.
(Fig. 4) is the coupling E & the spire A, also the shaft F, combined as in
action supposing the horse to be rearing, kicking, or galloping.
(Fig. 5) is the firm attachment of the rear end of the shaft 1', at 1, to the forward
end of the frame at T.
A, relates to the spire firmly fitted in the saddle B, or preferably a part of the
saddle, standing directly perpendicular at any suitable height; or size & either
hollow or otherwise, upon & around which are fitted above & beneath two curled
springs (ciz. above & beneath coupling E) C, & D all of which surround the
spire A which spire is to be in any most suitable part of the saddle to maintain
the draught &c. but preferably upon the fore end of the upper part of the saddle B.
Coupling E, is to be of any suitable size & depth & placed as desired high or
low upon the spire A (between the springs) & partly to revolve on the spire A
preferably deeper than that on the drawing viz., more width of coupling between
the 2 curled springs C, & D, as altered upon drawings viz., E a part of E.-riz.,
E made larger (see 1) the above springs will check the vibration caused by
the action of the horse the spire together with the saddle & its belongings firmly
strapped to the horse will bear the draught under the hinderpart of the saddle B
through the position of the shaft (or the coupling E) upon the spire A, this
causing the girths H to tighten (that is to say when the horse is in action) & hence
prevent the saddle from slipping back, viz., the weight of draught upon the spire A
will draw this spire slightly from its perpendicular in a backward direction, bence

page_text: tightening the girths H, the weight will then by thrown upon the horses back
under the hinder part of the saddle at Z remembering that shaft F & coupling E
are hinged by bolt G (see Fig. 2,) the horse will thus have free use of his
shoulders. Coupling E is made in such a manner as to admit the spire A in its
forward end at V & to be of such strength hollow or otherwise as may be desired,
in the rear end of coupling E is a socket to admit the forward end of the shaft
which will be fastened by a bolt G passing quite through the two cheeks U of the
coupling & the forward end of the shaft & by this bolt or otherwise suitabl the
horse shall be attached to the vehicle; the shaft shall have liberty regarding up
& down motion of the horse that is to say rearing or kicking by the shaft playing
upon bolt G that is to say the bolt G, in the coupling E shall act as a hinge for
the shaft. The cheeks U of the coupling E maintaining the upright position of
the vehicle. The vehicle is firmly attached to the rear end of the shaft by
cross bars P, & T, well bolted together so that the shaft & the vehicle are rigidly
attached & the shaft to be of any suitable length for different sized horses.
Coupling E is well fitted on spire A to maintain the balance of the vehicle. On
the forward end of coupling E is a hole V perpendicular to admit the spire A
upon which coupling E turns.
Fis the shaft of the vehicle preferably hollow or otherwise & made of any suit-
able material & carried from the part attached to the saddle, along over horses
back & around over horses rump sufficiently high & down to the frame O of
the vehicle to which it is firmly fitted.
B is the saddle tightly strapped around the horses body by the girths H, the
horse shall bear the draught upon its back under the rear part of the saddle %
assisted by the girths below the body. There is a strap I around horses neck &
attached to the saddle above & below on the girths beneath the body (below) to
check the saddle from slipping back in case of accident.
Jis the crouper extending from & attached to the rear end of the saddle B, to
& around under horses tail which assisted by the brake K on the frame of the
vehicle prevents it from running on the horse. L, & M are two flat seats hanging
from the two parallel top bars Q of the vehicle by means of curled springs, these
seats are movable backwards & forwards each seat between each four spiral
springs, these springs together with Dunlop or other suitable tyres N of any suit-
able size & the springs C, & D) on the spire A of the saddle B give case to the
occupants.
O is the near side of the rigid frame which is about
feet wide in which the
wheel preferably about 2 feet in diameter (more or less) revolves.
I', is the cross bar about 2 feet long (on the rear end of the shaft F) which is
firmly attached to the cross bar T on the forward end of the frame O making the
whole frame & shaft rigid.
Ware two stays attaching the shaft F to its cross bars l' which is firmly fitted
to the forward end of frame O at T.
Qare bars one each side of the vehicle extending from the front corners of
the frame & upon which is attached in a movable way between the seats the
back rest R for the occupants who sit one in front & one behind both facing in
opposite directions & upon which also movable hang the seats from their springs
which are arranged along the bar as dotted & by their movement the balance is
maintained for one or more persons.
S is a box for luggage.
U are the cheeks of the coupling E.
X are frames fitted around under the occupants legs & to the bars Q keeping
out wind & preventing splashes from the wheel.
This vehicle is especially adapted for doctors, veterinary surgeons, & others
who study the comfort of their horses & their own safety in crowded & narrow
streets as well as for sporting & show purposes, the horse being able to turn under
the shaft will take less space, the total width of the vehicle will be about two feet.
I disclaim the vehicle itself independent of the shaft & its forward attachments.

page_text: Having now particularly described the nature of this my invention & in what
manner the same is to be performed I, declare that what I claim is:-
1. The manner as described of fixing a single shaft to the saddle on a horses
back in a one wheeled road vehicle.
2. The method described of fixing the coupling to the spire in the saddle for
the purpose of throwing the weight of the draught upon the horses back in a one
wheeled road vehicle.
3. The method described of fixing a spire in a saddle & a coupling to the spire &
a shaft to the coupling to maintain the balance of a one wheeled road vehicle.
August 23rd 1899.
CHARLES FREDERICK STEBBING,
Letton, Thetford.