CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND AND DRAUGHT CARRIAGES FOR COMMON ROADS
Year: 1853

page_text: Sealed the 18th January 1854, and dated the 17th November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Burton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition.
on the 17th November 1853.
I, CHARLES BURTON, of No. 487, (New) Oxford Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Carriage Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND AND DRAUGHT
CARRIAGES FOR COMMON ROADS" to be as follows:-.
My Invention consists, in the first place, in adapting & applying
to such hand carriages, as portable chairs or couches for invalids
or others, and trucks for carrying goods, a certain kind of leverage
by which the carriage may be propelled and guided from behind in
such a manner as to give increased power of action to the hand.

page_text: The leverage referred to consists of a long bent arm on each side of
the carriage, connected to the frame thereof, and united at the upper
part by a rod or handle extending across from one to the other. These
bent arms or levers extend a considerable distance beyond the hinder
axle of the carriage, and thereby form a leverage by which the front
part of the carriage may be raised or turned on the hinder wheels and
axle as a fulcrum. The front axle is fixed in the frame of the carriage
so as to be incapable of being turned obliquely thereto, except when
acted upon by means of the bent arms or levers, and there is a single
guiding wheel on this axle.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in constructing hand
carriages for children in such a manner as to admit of their being
packed with more facility. For this purpose the back of the carriage
is made to fold down upon the seat, and the sides above the seat like-
wise. to fold down in both cases by means of hinges. The two bent
arms or levers are also jointed, so that portions of them may be
detached. And these arms or levers are connected to the frame of
the carriage by a hinged or a pin joint, so that on the removal of a
fixing screw on each side the frame of the carriage may be folded
close under the body. The wheels on, the hinder, axle are also easily
removeable.
And my Invention consists, in the third place, in constructing light
draft carriages with bent arms, at the sides, fixed at their lower ends
to the frame work in front, such bent arms serving to support the
body of the carriage instead of the ordinary springs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Charles Burton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES BURTON, of No. 487, New Oxford Street, in the County of
.Middlesex, Carriage Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Burton, Her special
license, that I, the said Charles Burton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Burton, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAND AND DRAFT CARRIAGES FOR COMMON ROADS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the, said Charles Burton, by an instru-
ment 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 perfornied, 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 Charles Burton, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
4
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Hand and Draft Carriages
for Common Roads," has reference, in the first place, to such hand
carriages as portable chairs or coaches for invalids or others, and also
to trucks for carrying goods, and it is intended that such carriages
should be so constructed as to admit of their being impelled in a
straight course on a road, and guided as required with increased
facility from behind. The means by which this result is attained
consists in adapting and applying to such carriages a certain kind of
leverage, herein-after described, which has heretofore, been applied

page_text: only to hand carriages for children, or carriages of a smaller descrip-
tion, and constructed to carry lighter weights than those carriages to
which the said leverage is now to be applied. The leverage referred
to consists of a long bent arm or lever on each side of the carriage,
connected to the frame thereof, the two arms or levers being united
at the upper part by a rod or handle extending across from one to
the other. These bent arms or levers extend à considerable distance
beyond the hinder axle of the carriage, and thereby form a leverage by
which the front part of the carriage may be raised or turned with
increased facility on the hinder wheels and axle as a fulcrum. The
carriage is at the same time rendered incapable of turning except by
means of the said leverage, by fixing the front axle so as to be con-
stantly in a direction parallel with the hinder axle, instead of being
liable to be turned obliquely thereto.
My Invention has reference, in the second place, to hand carriages
for children, and is intended to diminish the space required for packing
such carriages, so as to admit of their easy and safe transmission from
place to place. For this purpose the back of the carriage may be
made to fold down upon the seat, and the sides above the seat likewise
to fold down. The two bent arms or levers may also be jointed so that
portions of them may be detached. And they may be connected to the
frame of the carriage, and the frame itself constructed in such a manner
that on the removal of a fixing screw on each side the said frame may
be folded close under the body. The wheels on the hinder axle may
also be so applied as to be readily removable therefrom. Carriages so
constructed, when unfolded, and the parts screwed or otherwise fixed
together, become available for use in the manner in which children's
carriages with the leverage above described have heretofore been used.
And my Invention has reference, in the third place, to light draft
carriages, and consists in the substitution of bent arms fixed at their
lower ends to the framework of the carriage in front for the ordinary
springs to support the body.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying

page_text: Drawing, in which are represented certain different kinds of carriages
constructed in the manner above referred to.
.
Fig. 1, represents an invalid's carriage or portable couch. Fig. 2,
is a kind of sedan chair. Fig. 3, is a truck for light goods. Fig 4
and 5, represent a truck for heavier goods. The carriages shewn in all
these Figures are constructed according to the first part of my Inven-
tion, or with the above-mentioned leverage applied to them. Fig. 6,
represents a carriage for children, constructed so as to admit of its being
partly taken to pieces and partly folded together, for the purpose of
being packed within a smaller compass than heretofore. Fig. 7, is a
view of the same carriage put together. These two Figures illustrate
the second head of my Invention. Fig. 8, is a front view; and Fig. 9,
a side view of a light draft carriage, which may be either drawn or
pushed from behind. This carriage is so constructed that the body is
supported by means of the armis, which form part of the leverage for
pushing and turning the carriage instead of the ordinary springs. This
mode of construction constitutes the third head of my Invention.
In all these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
a, a, are two bent arms or levers composed of ash, lancewood, or
other suitable material (of more or less elasticity and strength), united
at their lower end to the frame b, of the carriage, and extending a con-
siderable distance beyond the hinder axle c, being united at their upper
part by a cross rod or handle d.
The connection between the arms or levers a, and the body of the
carriage may be varied, according to the purpose for which the carriage
is required, and various additional means of support for the said body
may likewise be employed. In the case of an invalid carriage, as at
Fig. 1, the body may be adjustable to different angles of inclination by
means of a rack e, and pall f, extending from a link g, of a jointed frame,
be any
other
or the mode of varying the inclination of the body, may
which may be conveniently applied to the carriage. The body may
be also supported by a spring (or in some cases by a strap), as at h.
The frame b, may be strengthened by cross pieces i, and it is made to

page_text: rest upon the front and hinder axles. This frame may also be formed,
as shewn, with a guard b*, for the front wheel.
In the case of a sedan chair, as at Fig. 2, the body may be of any
convenient form and construction, but I prefer that it should be made
with glazed frames or shutters, as shewn, being formed with hinges at j,
and k, and with a tongue at each side fitting a groove 7, in the front
part of the carriage body, such frames or shutters being made to rest
in any required part of the grooves 7, by means of a spring or a
screw.
.
Trucks for light goods, as at Fig. 3, may be variously' formed, and
the mode of supporting the body of the carriage varied; but the form
and arrangement of the parts as shewn in the Figure will be found
convenient in many cases.
Trucks, as shewn in side elevation at Fig. 4, and in plan at Fig. 5,
are constructed on the same general principle, although of a different
form. In this case it may be found necessary to support the frame of
the carriage in front by means of a kind of scroll or other suitable piece
m, fixed to the under part of the frame on each side of the front wheel,
so as to reach within a short distance of the ground, and be made to
'rest thereon when the frame of the carriage became pressed down on
either side by a heavy weight put upon it. In some cases, also, it
might be desirable to have two wheels on the front axle instead of only
one, the axle being still fixed in its position across the body of the
carriage. And this arrangement might also, if preferred, be applied to
other carriages herein-before described.
In the child's carriage, shewn at Fig. 6, the side arms or levers a, a,
are made in portions, which may be separated as at n, so that the
portion of the arms extending beyond the back of the carriage body
may be removed and placed as shewn. The arms a, a, are also con-
'nected to the frame b, by a pin joint o, and screw p (see Fig. 7), so
that by unscrewing the latter the arms-may be made to fall down upon
the hinder axle. The hind wheels are put upon their axle in such a
manner as to be easily removeable by withdrawing a screw from the
axle box. The front wheel may also be applied to its axle so as..to be

page_text: 'capable of being withdrawn if requisite, but this would not usually be
required. The sides and back:of-the carriage are made to turn upón
hinges at q and r, so as to fold down, as shewn at Fig. 6.
L
On reference to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the carriage may be put
together by placing the hind wheels on their axle, and fixing them by a
screw passed into the axle box, by raising the sides and back, on their
hinges and r, and securing them by nieans of a button or other con-
trivance; also by raising the lower portions of the arms a, on the pin
joint o, and screwing up the screw 9; then uniting the upper portions
of the arms a, to the lower portions at n, and fixing them by a screw.
By constructing carriages in this manner they may be easily taken to
pieces and conveniently packed, and also may be readily put together
as required..
In the light draft carriage, shewn at Figs 8 and 9, it will be seen that
the body is supported by the side arms a, a, instead of by the ordinary
springs. In other respects the carriage may be varied; but I prefer
constructing it as shewn with a scroll m, on each side, to take the
ground in case of need, and a break s, working on a centre t, which
breaks will be brought against their respective wheels by the pressure
of the foot on the step u. The front wheel may be mounted on a swivel
like a castor. This carriage may be drawn by a pony, or it may be
pushed from behind.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise forms of the parts
represented and described, neither do I claim as of my Invention any
of the well-known parts of carriages which have been necessarily
referred to in the foregoing description; but what I do claim as of my
Invention is,
First, the application of the above described leverage to hand
carriages of the kind herein-before described under the first head of my
Invention.
Secondly, the mode described of constructing hand carriages for
children, so as to admit of their being taken to pieces and conveniently
backed.

page_text: And lastly, the construction of light draft carriages with the body of
the carriage supported by bent arms or levers instead of by the ordinary
springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Burton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
B. NANCARROW.
C. BURTON. (L.S.).