Improvements in Perambulators, Invalid-chairs, Milk-trucks, and . other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perambulators, Invalid-chairs, Milk-trucks, and .
other similar Vehicles.
I THOMAS MADDOX of 13 Northcote Road Wandsworth in the county of Surrey
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this my invention is to produce a perambulator or an invalid chair or
a milk truck or other similar vehicle in which the body of the vehicle shall be
sensitively suspended to the great comfort of the occupant or benefit of the articles
or substances carried while at the same time my method of construction is simple
and cheap and not liable to get out of order.
To carry out this object I form a backbone for the vehicle which is secured in any
convenient manner to the axles of the wheels in the middles of their lengths or when
only three wheels are used to the middle of the axle of the hinder wheels and to the
fork or other bearing of the leading wheel and this backbone is preferably a metallic
tube. The backbone is turned up at each end vertically and one end thereof the rear
end is so prolonged and bent that it can terminate with a suitable handle by which the
vehicle can be pushed along while the other end may terminate at any level that may
be desired preferably at the level of the body of the vehicle in this place and may
there be fitted with an handle for convenience of lifting the vehicle up bodily and both
these ends may be prolonged up or may have light rods attached to support an awning
or covering for the vehicle. To the top preferably of the body of the vehicle and in
the central line thereof. at each end is attached a bracket the ends of which are so
formed as either to enter into the backbone through slots in the walls thereof or to
loosely surround the backbone. In the former case the ends of the brackets are
preferably ball shaped and these balls rest on springs preferably coiled metallic springs
placed in the proper positions inside the backbone and in the latter case the ends that
surround the backbone are preferably jointed to the brackets and these ends also rest
on springs preferably coiled metallic springs placed in the proper positions round tho
backbone.
While the body of the vehicle is so susponded as aforesaid it can obviously be rocked
or swung and to prevent this when desired I hinge or joint preferably to the bottom
of the body a forked bar which can be turned into position to clasp the backbone which
forked bar can be so fitted at one or both ends.
Instead of the springs being below the brackets in compression as aforesaid they can
also be fitted in a similar manner above the same in tension.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perambulators, Invalid-chairs, Milk-trucks, and
other similar Vehicles.
I THOMAS MADDOX of 13 Northcote Road Wandsworth in the county of Surrey
Engineer 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:-
The object of this my invention is to produce a perambulator or an invalid chair or
a milk truck or other similar vehicle in which the body of the vehicle shall be very
easily and sensitively suspended to the great comfort of the occupant or occupants
of the vehicle or to the great benefit of the articles or substances carried therein or
thereby while at the same time my methods of construction of the vehicle and of

page_text: suspension of the body thereof are simple and cheap and not liable to get out
of order.
In order the more clearly to explain, this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein I have shewn
a side elevation partly in section of an ordinary four wheeled perambulator as
constructed according to and fitted with my invention.
I form a central longitudinal backbone A for the perambulator which backbone A
is preferably a metallic tube somewhat of the same description as and similar to
the backbone of a bicycle and this backbone A in any usual or convenient manner is
secured to or mounted on the axles B of the wheels in the middles of their lengths
it may be by suitable brackets C as shewn in the drawing. The backbone A at both
ends beyond the axles B is turned up or bent round and upwards until at the level
where the body D of the perambulator is to be and remain suspended both these ends
of the hackbone A are vertical or thereabouts leaving room for this body D between
them and above this aforesaid level one end the rear end of the backbone A is so
prolonged upwards and bent outwards from the body D that it can terminate with a
suitable handle E by which the perambulator can be pushed along while the other end
the front end of the backbone A may terminate at any level that may be desired
preferably as is shewn in the drawing just above the body D where it can be fitted
with a suitable handle F for convenience of lifting up the perambulator. To the top
or upper rim G preferably of the body D of the perambulator and longitudinally in
the central line thereof at each end is attached a bracket H by which the body D of
the perambulator can be and is suspended in the proper position from and by the
backbone A.
According to one method of constructing and fitting the brackets H which is
perhaps the most convenient and suitable and which is shewn in the drawing the ends h
of these brackets H are ball shaped or spherical and are so formed as to enter into the
backbone A through vertical slots K formed therefor in the walls of the backbone A
and therein rest on springs L preferably coiled metallic springs placed in the proper
positions inside the backbone A and there supported and secured in any usual or
convenient manner.
According to another method of constructing and fitting these brackets the ends
thereof may loosely surround the backbone either entirely or only partially which ends
would preferably in the usual manner be jointed to the brackets with and by universal
or other joints and these ends also would rest on springs preferably coiled metallic
springs placed in the proper positions round and outside of the backbone and there
supported and secured in any usual or convenient manner.
Instead also of arranging the springs below the brackets in compression as is
herein before described I can arrange the same in a similar manner above the brackets
in tension.
In both these methods of constructing and fitting the brackets and in both these
arrangements of the springs that engage therewith as hereinbefore described it is very
obvious that the body of the perambulator will be very easily and sensitively suspended
as is desired.
While the body D of the perambulator is so suspended as hereinbefore described
it can obviously be rocked or swung and to prevent this rocking or swinging when
desired I hinge or joint preferably to the bottom or lower part of the body D a forked
bar M which can be turned down into an horizontal position or thereabouts as is shewn
in the drawing to clasp or engage the backbone A when the body of the perambulator
obviously cannot be rocked or swung and also can be turned up parallel or thereabouts
with the body D as also is shewn by dotted lines in the drawing when the body of the
perambulator obviously can be rocked or swung and this forked bar M can be so
fitted as aforesaid at one end or at both ends of the body D.
In the same manner I can suspend the body of an invalid chair milk truck or other
similar vehicle and in each and every case the central longitudinal backbone and
especially the lower part thereof or that is to say that part thereof that is beneath the
body of the vehicle would be so formed and bent and constructed as might be necessary

page_text: or expedient or convenient in each particular case having regard especially to the
shape and style of the body and when the vehicle has four or more wheels no further
description or explanation is or can be needed.
When the vehicle has three wheels the body thereof would be suspended in
a similar manner from and by the backbone and the backbone would similarly be
secured to or mounted on the middle of the axle of the pair of wheels while the bracket
that supports the other part of the backbone would or could form a fork like the fork
of a velocipede for the axle of the single wheel.
When the vehicle has two wheels the body thereof would be suspended in a similar
manner from and by the backbone and the backbone would similarly be secured to or
mounted on the middle of the axle of the pair of wheels but it would be convenient to
fit to the backbone or to the body of the vehicle a crutch or strut which could support
the body in an horizontal position or therabouts when the vehicle is not in use or when
the handle of the backbone thereof is not being held by the user or on other occasions
when necessary or desirable and this crutch or strut could be fitted on one side or on
both sides of the central transverse axle of the wheels in any usual or convenient
manner.
The ends of the backbone also in all cases could if desired be so prolonged upwards
or thereto could be attached such light rods as to support an awning or covering
for the vehicle and for the occupant or occupants thereof or the articles or substances
therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a perambulator or other vehicle the combination with a central longitudinal
bent backbone secured to or mounted on the axle or axles of the wheels of the body of
the vehicle having two longitudinally central brackets by which this body is suspended
from and by the backbone substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. In a perambulator or other vehicle a central longitudinal bent backbone secured
to or mounted on the axle or axles of the wheels and provided with one or more
handles and a body for the vehicle having two longitudinally central brackets in
combination with springs on or in the backbone to engage the brackets and suspend
the body and an hinged forked bar on the body to engage the backbone and prevent
the rocking of the body substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The perambulator or other vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawing.
Did this 50th ... $ Doaamhan 1000