IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richardson Gorst, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Carriage Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 9th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richardson Gorst
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th March 1863.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON GORST, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Carriage Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of carriages in such a
manner as to facilitate their draft by the use of wheels of increased diameter,
and to admit of the centre of gravity of the carriage being lower than usual.
For this purpose the shank of the axletree is lengthened as required, and is
made to form, either with or without the aid of a pieced crank, a fixed vertical
guide for a grooved slide, which carries a box in which the upper part of
the said shank is enclosed in such a manner as to give stability to the said
shank, and prevent the box and slide from moving thereon in any but a
vertical direction limited by the length of the slot in the box and by fixed
stops.
The upper part of the shank of the axletree where the axle is inserted is
strengthened by two side pieces which fit the hollow space in the box, and are
brought in contact with the said fixed stops as the box is pressed upwards to

page_text: its extreme height by the springs, or downwards by the weight upon the body
of the carriage.
At the lower end of the shank of the axletree there is a cross piece, to which
is fixed a spring which extends to a corresponding cross piece at the bottom
of the shank on the opposite side of the carriage. This spring is intended to
take the smaller weight. And there are two side springs fixed between the
bottom plate of the box and a cross piece fixed on to the shank of the axle-
tree, which are intended to take any greater weight put upon the carriage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Richardson Gorst in the Great Seal Patent Office on 1
the 9th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RICHARDSON GORST, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Carriage
Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Richardson Gorst, Her special license, that I, the said John Richardson
Gorst, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Richardson Gorst, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Richardson Gorst, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 John Richardson Gorst, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: My Invention of "Improvements in Carriages" has for its object the
construction of carriages in such a manner as to facilitate their draft
by the use of wheels of increased diameter, and to admit of the centre of
gravity of the carriage being lower than usual. For this purpose the shank
of the axletree is lengthened as required, and is made to form (either
with or without the aid of a pieced crank) a fixed vertical guide for a
grooved slide, which carries a box in which the upper part of the said
shank is inclosed in such a manner as to give stability to the said shank,
and prevent the box and slide from moving thereon in any but a vertical
direction to an extent limited by the length of the slot in the box and by
fixed stops.
The upper part of the shank of the axletree where the axle is inserted is
strengthened by two side pieces which fit the hollow space in the box, and are
brought in contact with the said fixed stops as the box is pressed upwards to
its extreme height by the springs, or downwards by the weight on the body
of the carriage.
At the lower end of the shank of the axletree there is a cross piece or crutch,
to which is or are fixed a spring or springs which extend to a corresponding
cross piece or crutch at the bottom of the shank on the opposite side of the
carriage. This spring or springs is or are intended to take the smaller weight
(that is to say) the weight of the unloaded carriage. And there are two side
springs (one on each side of the carriage) fixed at their ends to the body of the
carriage, and bolted in the middle to a cross piece fixed on to the shank of the
axletree, which springs are intended to take any greater weight put upon the
carriage; or there may be two springs on each side fixed between the bottom
plate of the said box and the said cross piece for the same purpose.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which the parts above referred to
are represented in combination.

page_text: moving upwards or downwards to a limited extent on the shank A as on a
vertical guide. C is a box fixed to the slide B, which with the slide forms an
enclosure for the upper part of the shank A, as shown in Fig. 3, from which it
will be seen that the part of the shank in which the axle D is inserted is solidly
enclosed so as to prevent any lateral movement of the same in the box.
In Fig. 3 the section in the line 1, 2, is taken through the two side pieces
A, A, of the shank, which are shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 1. These side
pieces fill up the internal space between the box C and the slide B, and they
are brought in contact with fixed stops, shewn in dotted lines at E (Fig. 2)
when the slide is at is highest elevation, and at F when it is at its lowest ;
the lowest point to which the slide can be pressed downwards is also limited
by the part of the box C, at the end of the slot, being thereby brought in
contact with a projecting part G of the shank. His a cross piece or crutch
at the lower end of the shank A at each side of the carriage, to which is fixed
a spring I. The form of this spring may be varied from that shewn, or more
than one spring may be used if preferred. The use of this spring or springs
is to take the weight of the carriage when it is not loaded. K is a spring
fixed in the middle to a block L bolted to the shank A, and connected at its two
ends to the body of the carriage. One of these springs is applied to each side
of the carriage, and is intended to take the weight of the same when loaded.
This arrangement of springs may also be varied if preferred, as, for example, a
pair of springs might be fixed in their middle, one to the block L on the shank
and the other to the bottom of the box C of the slide, being connected
together at their ends, and thus forming an ordinary elliptical spring; or a
spiral spring might be fixed to the same parts at each side of the shank.
M is a metal strap bolted to the lower part of the slide B on each side of the
shank A, by which this part of the slide is kept always close to the shank as it
moves upwards and downwards thereon; N is a cap or cover for the top of the
box C, having a hinged oil cup in it as shewn.
It will be evident from the foregoing description, that by the lengthening of
the shank A of the axletree the body of the carriage may be suspended thereto
in such a manner as to admit of the use of wheels of increased diameter, and
also that by enclosing the said shank in a box, in so solid a manner as is
described, the tendency to lateral movement of the same therein incident to
the use of such wheels will be obviated as required. It will also be evident
that the centre of gravity of the carriage will be lower than in those of the
ordinary construction.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as of my

page_text: Invention is, the construction of carriages with an elongated shank for the
axletree, combined with a grooved slide connected to the body of the carriage,
such slide carrying a box in which the shank is inclosed in such a manner
as to be capable of resisting its natural tendency to lateral movement, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Richardson Gorst, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN RICHARDSON GORST. (L.S.)
0 Witness,
WILLIAM RICHARDSON GORST,
48, Cumberland Street,
Steam Saw Mills & Timber Yard.