ANY VAR THE TRANSPORT OF CAMP BAGAGE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Allen, of the Athenæum Club, Pall Mall,
in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy, for the Inven-
ANY VAR THE TRANSPORT OF CAMP BAGAGE"
Sealed the 22nd January 1856, and dated the 27th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Allen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th July 1855.
I, WILLIAM ALLEN. do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW VEHICLE FOR THE TRANSPORT OF CAMP BAGGAGE," to be as follows:-
I construct the vehicle in such manner that some of the parts of the vehicle
form the supports or framework of a tent. The vehicle consists of a wheel of
iron or other suitable material, having a broad tire which is composed of sepa-
rate felloes, bolted or otherwise fixed together, but capable of being easily
separated when required. The wheel forms a sort of circular box or barrel.
which serves to contain the canvas of the tent, and also, if required, a pro-
portion of aminunition, provisions, and baggage. The ends are secured by
two other wheels fitted to them. These wheels are also capable of being
taken to pieces when required. An axle passes through the whole, and the
vehicle is propelled by a man at each side, or otherwise, so that it rolls along
on the ground with its contents, and is thus easily propelled. A case for
Price St 1

page_text: ammunition or other articles may be suspended from the axle, if desired. To
erect the tent the wheels are taken to pieces, and the spokes, with the felloes
on their ends, are placed upright in the ground, and the canvas is stretched
over them, and secured by pegs or otherwise in the ordinary manner. A low
tent, capable of affording shelter and sleeping accommodation to a considerable
number of men, is thus obtained.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ALLEN, of the Athenæum Club. Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex,
Captain in the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Allen, Her special licence that 1, the said William Allen, my
executors, administrators, and assigns. or such others as I. the said William
Allen, 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 "A NEW VEHICLE FOR THE TRANS-
PORT OF CAMP BAGGAGE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Allen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Allen, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: I construct the vehicle in such manner that some of the parts of the vehicle
form the supports or framework of a tent. The vehicle consists of a combi-
nation of two or more wheels, as herein-after described.
Figure I. of the accompanying Drawing is a longitudinal section of a
vehicle constructed according to my Invention; Figure II. is a transverse
section of the same; Figure III. is a side view of the framework of a tent
made of the spokes and felloes of the vehicle; Figure IV. is an enlarged view
of a portion of the section shown in Figure 11.; Figure V is an enlarged
view of the nave or stock of the wheel, and Figure VI. is a plan of the same;
Figure VII. is a socket for receiving the stretcher for the tent, if required.
The same letters refer to similar parts in all the Figures.
This vehicle consists of two wheels united by a hoop, or band, or tyre o.
The felloes f, f, of the wheels are of angle iron, and in three equal segments,
united at S, S, S, and subdivided into half segments at H, H. H. The spokes
k, k', are also of angle iron, and are secured to the longitudinal flange of the
felloes by rivets r, r, at one end, while the other ends fit into grooves g, g, in
the nave or stock n. The felloes are secured together so as to form a circle
by plates of iron p and j. The plates p joining the segments at S have cach
two bolts and nuts b, b, to secure them in such manner that they may be
removed when required. The joint plates for joining the half segments at H
have also two bolts and nuts b. b, but they are made longer than the plates p,
and are secured at their ends by rivets r, r, which serve as hinges, when the
two bolts and nuts in the middle are removed.
The nave or stock of cach wheel is formed of two parts, being cut trans-
versely at the grooves g to facilitate the insertion of the spokes. Three long
bolts secure these parts together, and the bolts of either nave being screwed
into the other, the wheels are firmly joined together so as to form one wheel.
A circular hoop or band o of sheet iron is connected to the flanges of the
felloes, and this hoop and the nave serve to separate the two wheels in such
manner as to afford the requisite space between them for containing the tents
or other baggage.
The transverse flanges of the felloes of the two wheels are turned towards
each other, as shown in the Drawing. The spokes k, h, are rivetted inside the
angle irons of the felloes, and their transverse flanges are also turned towards
the other wheel. The spokes k', k'. are rivetted on the outside of the felloes.
and their transverse flanges are turned away from the other wheel. Each
spoke is capable of turning on the rivet which connects it with the felloe. То
erect the frame for the tent, the spokes are released from the naves by taking
out the bolts 1. The segments of the felloes are detached from each other by

page_text: taking out the bolts b, b, from the plates p at S. The bolts b, b, are also
removed from the joint plates at H. The spokes h, k, are then turned back
on their rivets to the flange of the felloe, to which they will form tangents, and
they are secured there by the bolts and nuts belonging to the plate p, which
may also be fastened on at the same place to prevent its being lost. The two
half segments are moved on the joint j at H, so as to form a gothic arch, and
the spokes k¹, k, are turned back on their rivets until they meet above the
apex of the arch, where the socket or forked piece of iron s is placed over their
ends, and secured together by the bolts and nuts that were taken out of the
joint plate at H.
Two or more of these frames placed in a row serve for a marquee, and a
single one or two placed together across one another serve for a bell tent. For
a marquee, a pole or stretcher or a rope may be passed through the sockets s.
Six of these frames can be constructed from the one vehicle. The canvas is
placed over them, and stretched and secured by cords and pegs in the ordinary
way. The socket s may be made longer than represented in the Drawing,
when greater height is required. For a low tent, the socket may be attached
to the felloes f. f. at the point 11, in Figure III., and the spokes k. k, may be
turned down and bolted to the spokes k, k, so as to strengthen the frame.
The vehicle is set up or fitted for marching in the following manner:-One
wheel is put together and laid horizontally, with the hoop o placed within the
flange of the felloes or bolted outside to the transverse flange, like the tyre of
a wheel. The tents, blankets, clothing, or other articles are rolled up tightly
in convenient lengths, and laid round the nave n in the space marked c in
Figure II., and secured there. The other wheel is then fitted on so that the
hoop o is included within or bolted outside its flange, as in the first wheel. and
both wheels are then firmly secured together by the bolts 1. An axle of iron a
is passed through the naves of the united wheels. and secured by a shoulder
The
on one side and a linch pin on the other, or by a linch pin on each side.
vehicle thus formed is easily propelled over smooth ground by one or more
men pushing at the axle on either side. For passing over difficult or rough
ground, a rope may be attached to each end of the axle for other men or
animals to assist in pulling it along. This vehicle can thus travel on narrow
pathways, where ordinary carriages cannot pass. Two or more of these
On an ordinary
vehicles may be placed close together upon the same axle.
road, two of these vehicles may be placed at the two ends of the same axle. on
which a body or case for ammunition or other burdens may be suspended
or supported. The vehicle may be made of various widths and dimensions.
When made of considerable width, it may have one or more additional inter-

page_text: mediate wheels introduced to support and strengthen the hoop o, and to furnish
an additional number of tent frames. By attaching a pair of shafts to the
axle or to the body, the vehicle may be drawn by a horse.
In some cases. as for conveyance by sea, it may be found convenient to
take the vehicle to pieces and pack it in a box, or otherwise. When this is
required, it may be found advantageous to employ bolts and nuts in lieu of
rivels for connecting the spokes to the felloes, so as to admit of their being
detached and packed in a smaller compass. I have described the vehicle as
being constructed of iron; but it may be made of wood or other suitable
material, and the number of spokes and the details and modes of connection
may be varied, provided that the vehicle is capable of being readily put
together and rolled along on the ground, and of being readily taken to pieces
and converted into framework for a tent or tents.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein-before described, as the same may be varied.
provided the peculiar character of my Invention be retained: but what I
claim is, the constructing a vehicle for the transport of camp baggage in the
form of a circular case or wheel, or combination of wheels having an axle, by
means of which it is propelled along on the ground, and capable of being
readily taken to pieces and converted into framework for a tent or tents, and
again put together when required, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof. 1, the said William Allen, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-first day of Jammary, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness.
CHARLES COWPER.
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London.
WILLIAM ALLEN. (L.S.)