Improvements in Two Wheeled Carriages or Carts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec, 1893-Accept:d. 20th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Two Wheeled Carriages or Carts.
1 WILLIAM DODSHON of 4 Fitzroy Road, N.W., in the County of London,
Jeweller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a means of making two wheeled carriages, carts or
buggies, less dangerous in case of accidents caused by the falling down of the horse,
or the sudden stopping of the horse or horses, whereby the riders are liable to be
thrown out.
In carrying out my invention I make the frame portion that carries the shafts,
wheels and springs separate from the body or top portion of the carriage.
My invention can be carried out in two ways, in one form the frame has fixed to
it a slide composed of two curved steel rails, to the body on its under side is fixed
a kind of frame with a bar carrying rollers, the rollers work with the rails between
them, thus forming a slide and the body is connected to the frame by that means.
In the other form of my invention the slide is made to telescope, the innermost
or first slide is connected to the body of the carriage, the second one slides outside
the first, and slides itself in a guide frame fixed on to the wheel frame of the
carriage.
Should the borse suddenly fall down while a carriage made after the manner of
my invention is being driven, the effect not be that the body of the carriage and
its occupants would glide forward on the rails, or be telescoped out over the back
of the horse, and be there firmly and securely held, and therefore, the riders can
keep their seats instead of being liable to be thrown out as usually happens in such
accidents.
In the first plan the guide rails are rather longer than the entire length of the
body, and are fixed at the back of the frame at about the level where the third or
back spring is usually placed, they are nearly parallel with the ground for a little
distance, and then curve upwards and forwards as far as convenient in front of the
forward foot board. When the ends of the shafts touch the ground, or the horse
falls down, the rails are about parallel with the ground with their convex sides
facing it, the object of the curve being, to keep the seat of the carriage nearly
parallel with the ground as the body slides forward.
The two rails are connected at their front end, the connexion forming the stop
that prevents the body leaving the rails under any circumstances, the rails are
connected to the frame at the front end somewhere near where the step irons are
usually placed, they are placed apart something like one third of the width of the
body, by preference.
The roller frame that is fixed to the body, consists of a bar or rod with four
branch ends by which it is secured to the body, this bar lies between and parallel
with the guide rails, and carries two cross pieces placed apart about one third of
the length of the rails, the cross pieces carry six rollers each, three on each end,
one roller on each end rolls on the inner edge of one of the rails, one rolls on the
concave side, and the other on the convex side of the rail, the other three sets of
rollers do the same.
If thought desirable the rollers may be dispensed with, and the slide made
without rollers, in that case the curve of the rails ought to be the segment of a
circle. A long thin roller should be fixed under the end of the front foot board,
and rest on the rails for steadiness.

page_text: To balance the load over the axil I adopt the following method-Under the
floor of the body is a small slide piece, to the forward end of which is jointed a
link, that swivels on the end of a screwed rod that passes upwards and backwards
at an angle of about thirty degrees through the floor of the body, under the seat,
the rod ends in a hand wheel, the screw rod works in a nut which is jointed, or
works on trunnions, supported by a standard or upright under the sent, the small
slide has attached to it a buffer piece of peculiar form, that rests in contact
with two transverse buffer springs, one fixeil on each side of the wheel frame,
projecting inwards but leaving space enough between their inner ends to allow the
roller frame connexion to pass, when the body slides, by turning the hand wheel
the position of the slide and butter piece is altered, and consequently the balancing
can thereby be effected, the ends of the springs are bent round, or they may have
rullers on their ends, and the buffer piece is made of a piece of rather deep metal
bent in such a form as will enable it to art as a push and pull lock, or catch, as
well as a buffer, the ends of the springs slip into hollows in the sides of the buffer
piece, and the bly is held in position in such a way, that a slight shock will
liberate it, and allow the body to elide forward when the horse falls down.
The screwed rod may be fitted horizontally under the body so that it turns in
bearings, and the buffer piece made to work on the screwed rod as a nut, the screw
to be turned with a key.
The following is a description of the telescopic method. To the under side of the
holy is fixed two curved steel bars, steel by preference, say about one third of the
with of the dy apart, connected at their ends, they are about the length of
the body including the foot board, these two bars for the innermost slide, and are
fixed to the holy at the foot board leaving a little free space between the bars and
the foot board, and at the after part of the body by a vertical cross shaped
connecting piece, allowing the slide bars to form the proper angle with the body,
these bars telescope into other bars which are a trifle longer, all the slide bars have
a curve of the same radius, the second pair of bars are connected at their front
ends, by a pair of cross bars, or ties, and a similar pair of tie bars are placed some-
what less than a third of the length of the whole slide from the end, this pair of
double bars forms the guide frame for the first slide bars, or the slide that is fixed
to the body, the last mentioned pair of the bars also form stops, as the vertical cross
shaped connecting piece strikes against them when the slide is drawn out to its
extreme length.
The guide frame for the second slide is composed of two diagonally placed bars
joined in the middle, and passing under the slides, their four ends are fixed to the
frame of the carriage or cart, the guides of the second slide are fixed to this
diagonal frame or form part of it, and are arranged so that they hold the slides at
the proper angle, the position of this last guide frame is just behind the other
guide when the slides are all closed up, and it has a free space above to allow the
cross connexion to pass when the body moves forward.
The end tie bar of the last slide is turned up in such a manner as will form a
stop.
From the above it will be seen that the slides are telescoped twice but, the
number of slides can be increased if thought desirable. Each guide is fitted with
twelve rollers, but they can be dispensed with if thought desirable.
On the under side or bottom of the body two slightly curved flat springs are to
be fixed, these rest on projections on the inner side of the wheel frame, or they nRy
rest on the transverse buffer springs, before mentioned, these springs secure
steadiness, and prevent rattling. The buffer springs may be provided with rollers
to bear on the flat springs.
All the parts that normally rest in contact, and the sliding parts, such as guides,
slides, and springs should be thickly plated with nickel, or have seatings of nickel,
or aluminium for the purpose of preventing the parts from corroding, or rusting
together.

page_text: The shafts should be strengthened with strips of iron, or steel, along their
length.
A spring backed seat may be used.
Dated this 2nd ton of Va 1902
COMIT LEIM SILATION.
Improvements in Two Wheeled Carriages or Carts.
I WILLIAM DODSON of 124 Camden Street N.W. in the County of London
Jeweller do hereby declare the nature of this tention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to a means of making two wheeled carriages or carts less
dangerous in case of accidents caused by the falling down of the horse, whereby
the riders are liable to be thrown out.
In carrying out my invention I propose to make the frame portion that carries
the shafts, wheels, and springs separate from the body or top portion of the
carriage.
My invention can be carried out in two ways, in one form the frame has fixed
to it a slide composed of two curved steel rails, to the body on its under side is
fixed a kind of frame with a bar carrying rollers, the rollers work with the rails
between them, thus forming a slide, and the body is connected to the frame by that
means.
In the other form of my invention the slide is made to telescope, the innermost
or first slide is connected to the body of the carriage, the second one slides outside
the first, and slides itself in a guide frame fixed to the wheel frame of the
carriage.
Should the horse suddenly fall down, while a carriage made after the manner
of my invention is being driven, the effect would be that the body of the carriage
and its occupants would glide forward on the rails, or be telescoped out over the
back of the horse, and therefore the riders may keep their seats, not being so liable
to be thrown out as they would be with an ordinary cart.
In the first plan Figs. 1, and 3, the rails C, C, made of mild steel, are about the
entire length of the body, and are fixed at the back of the frame at E, at about
the level where the third or back spring is usually placed, they are nearly parallel
with the ground for a little distance, and then curve upwards and forwards as far as
the end of the forward foot board.
When the ends of the shafts touch the ground, or the horse falls down, the rails
are about parallel with the ground with their convex sides facing it, the object of
the curve being to keep the seat of the carringe nearly parallel with the ground,
or horizontal, as the body slides forward, as shown by the dotted lines Fig. 1, the
upward incline of the rails allows of some amount of breaking action.
The two rails are connected at the front end, the connexion forming the stop E¹,
that prevents the body leaving the rails, under any circumstances, the rails are
connected to the frame at the front end at CC, somewhere near where the step
irons are usually placed, they should be as wide apart as convenient for steadiness.
The roller frame D, that is fixed to the body, consists of a bar or rod with four
branch ends D', D', D', D', by which it is secured to the body, this bar D³, lies
between and parallel with the guide rails and carries two cross pieces D². D', these
carry six rollers each, three on each end as shown at F, Fig. 6, one roller F, on
cach end rolls on the inner edge of one of the rails, one roller F, rolls on the
concave side, and the other roller F, on the convex side of the rail, the other

page_text: three sets of rollers do the same, the rollers should fit the rails well at the parts
they bear on when the body is in its normal position, they may run easily on the
other parts.
Fig. 6, shows the front end of the roller frame with six rollers, the vertical part
of the frame for the back set of rollers is contracted in order that it may pass the
buffer springs explained hereinafter, or a better plan would be to make the
back frame as wide as the other and widen out the faces of the catch, aml shorten
the buffer springs; the rollers are beneficial in allowing the body to slide back
quickly should the horse rise and in preventing it sticking.
The rollers may be dispensed with and the slide made without rollers, this will
be explained hereinnlter.
Two leather or rubber pads fixed under the forward foot board rest on projections
on the rails for steadiness, shown at 0, 0, Figs. 1, and 3.
To balance the load over the axle, I adopt the following method; Under the
floor of the body is a small slide piece working in guides L, L, Figs. 1 and 3, to
the forward end of which is jointed a link 1, that swivels on the end of a screwed
rod 11, that passes upwards and backwards at an angle of about thirty degrees,
through the floor of the body A, under the seat, the rod ends in a hand wheel K,
the screw rod works in a nut 2, which is jointed, or works on trunnions G, supported
by a standard or upright Z, under the seat, the small slide has attached to it a
buller piece N, Figs. 1, 3, 4, of peculiar form, that rest in contact with two
transverse butler springs P. P, one fixed on each side of the wheel frame B,
projecting inwards but leaving space enough between their inner ends to allow the
roller frame connexion D', to pass when the body slides; by turning the hand
wheel the position of the slide and buffer piece is altered and consequently the
balancing can thereby be effected, the ends of the spring, P, P, are bent round,
and leather or rubber covered, or they may have covered rollers on their ends,
the buffer piece is made of a piece of rather deep metal bent in such a form as
will enable it to act as a push and pull lock, or catch, as well as a buffer, the ends
of the springs slip into hollows in the sides of the buffer piece as shown at N,
Fig. 3 and the body is hell in position in such a way that the shock caused by the
falling or stumbling of the horse, such as would in the case of an ordinary cart
render the riders liable to be thrown out would cause the body to be liberated and
allow it to slide forward, the strength and hold of the springs are to be proportioned
accordingly, should the horse rise before the riders dismount, the body slides back
and the buffer springs are for the purpose of reducing the shock.
The screwed rod may be fitted horizontally under the body as shown in Fig. 5,
so that it turns in benrings R, R, and the buffer piece made to work on the screwed
rod as a nut, the screw to be turned with a key.
The following is a description of the telescopic method; To the under side of
the body is fixed two curved mild steel bars A, A, Fig. 8, rather more than a third
of the width of the body apart, connected at their ends, they are about the length
of the body including the foot board, these two bars form the innermost slide and
are fixed to the body at the foot board, leaving a little free space between the bars
and the foot board, and at the after part of the body by a vertical cross shaped
connecting piece C Figs. 7, and 8, allowing the slide bars to form the proper angle
with the body, these bars telescope into two other bars D, D, which are a trifle
longer, all the slide bars have a curve of the same radius, the second pair of bars
are connected at their front ends by a pair of cross bars or ties, one of which is
shown at E, and a similar pair of tie bars, one of which is shown at F, are placed
somewhat less than a third of the length of the whole slide from the end, this pair
of double bars form the guide frame for the first slide bars A, A, or the slide that
is fixed to the body, the last mentioned pair of tie bars also form stops as the vertical
cross shaped connecting piece C, strikes against them when the slide is drawn out to
its extreme length, the guide frame for the second slide is composed of two diagonally
placed bars G, G, joined in the middle and passing under the slides, their four ends

page_text: are fixed to the frame of the carriage or cart at H, H, H, H, the guides I', 1', of
the second slide are fixed to this diagonal frame or form part of it, and arc
arranged so that they hold the slides at the proper angle, the position of this guide
frame is just behind the other guide when the slides are all closed up and it has a
free space above to allow the cross connexion C, to pass when the body moves
forward, the end tie bar of the last slide is turned up in such a manner as will form
a stop J, ench guide is fitted with twelve rollers marked i and I Figs. 7 and 8, each
set of rollers running on their respective guide rails as explained for the other plan
shown in Fig. 1.
On the under side of the body, two slightly curved flat steading springs h, h,
Fig. 3, may be fixed, these rest on projections on the inner side of the wheel frame
or under-carriage, they may rest on the tranverse buffer springs P, P, before
mentioned, these springs should be formed in such a way as will allow of their
resting on their supports in whatever position the body is in, in relation to the axle,
within balancing range for that purpose they are inclined downwards and back-
wards, forming an angle to the floor of the body, the above applies to the plans
Figs. 1 and 7.
The parts that rest in contact and the sliding parts of the slides, guides, and
springs may be plated with nickle to prevent the parts from rusting or corroding.
Fig. 9, shows a modification without the frame, the guide rails are nearly
the width of the body and furnished with leather or rubber pads, I prefer
leather, a, a, a, a, Figs. 9 and 10, on which the slides b, b, Fig. 9 normally rest.
There are no rollers, but the slides are formed as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 having
ample bearing surface and fitting well on the pads, but being quite free on the other
parts of the guide-rails, the back pair of pads are thicker than the front pair, the
pads prevent noise, the space between the rails at C, C, is slightly contracted and
the inner sides of the pads are inclined as shown.
The slide is formed by fastening four scroll irons under the body, as shown
at b, b Fig. 9, two only are shown, Figs. 11 and 12 show the scroll iron b, Fig. 9,
in two positions, front and side view.
The push and pull lock forms part of the two back scroll irons 6, 6, that is, there
is a catch on each of the back irons, the two catch and buffer springs t, t, (only one
spring is shown) are formed out of one piece and held on an upright on the dumb-
bar h, the latter also holds the shafts spring J. The two connecting arms 1, 1,
Fig. 9, of the slide rails are made with a pair of friction plates that grip on
leather, or rubber, pads fixed under the foot board, in pulling up the horse the
pressure on the foot board brings the plates and pads into closer contact and tends
to prevent the body sliding at any other than the right time.
C Fig. 9, shows a portion of the front step iron; d the fulcrum for the shaft; g, is
a stop to limit the play of the shaft when the body is forward and the shafts on the
ground; p shows the scroll iron for the front end of the cart spring the other end
of the cart spring is connected at p'; S is a support for the ends of the guide rails.
The balancing is to be effected by adjusting the seat.
The front step irons should be placed well forward, and nearly touch the ground
when the shafts are on the ground, so that they, the step irons, may support the cart
in position should the shafts give way; this applies generally. My invention may
be applied to two wheeled carriages that have seats for two persons only, such as
buggies or gigs, the under carriage of such vehicles being constructed after the
manner hereinbefore described, it is most suitable for dog-carts; it is not suitable
for Hansom cabs, and speaking generally the height of the cart should be so
proportioned as to allow of the body clearing the horse, when the horse is down and
the body moved forward I prefer the double rail and slide method to the telescopic
plan, the latter being more complicated and it is not so well adapted to secure the
sliding back of the body should the horse rise.
I do not confine myself to the particular arrangement of the parts as explained,
for iustance the invention may be applied to different forms of under carriage, such

page_text: as when the shafts are framed into a cross bar at the back, and a third or cross
spring used, the other parts may also be modified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that wha: I
claim is:
1. Providing two wheeled carriages or carts with a sliding device composed of a
pair of curved guide rails, with connections, fixed to, or forming part of the under-
carriage, and a slide arrangement fixed to the underside of the body, and arranged
60 that the body slides forward on the rails, horizontally, when the horse falls down,
substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. The combination of a slide fixed to the underside of the body of the cart
or carriage, and twelve rollers substantially as hereinbefore described and set
forth.
3. Providing two wheeled carts or carriages that are to be fitted with the safety
slide, with a holding device, the same forming a spring buffer as well as a push and
pull catch, substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
4. The combination of the parts forming the buffer and catch, including the
adjustable slide for balancing the load over the axle, with the screw rod and
connections under the seat of the cart, substantially as hereinbefore described and
ret forth.
5. The combination of the parts forming the buffer and the catch with the
horizontal screw rod for adjusting the position of the buffer piece, and thereby
balancing the load over the axle, substantially as hereinbefore described and set
forth.
6. Providing two wheeled carriages or carts with a flat telescopic slide composed
of flat curved double bars or rods of mild steel, the guides being furnished with
rollers substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
Dated this 18th day of December 1893.
WILLIAM DODSHON.