IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HANSOM CABS, OR THAT CLASS OF VEHICLES ON TWO WHEELS WHERE THE DRIVER SITS BEHIND THE PASSENGERS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Glass, of 128, High Street, Whitechapel,
in the County of Middlesex, and Daniel Hopkin, of 4, Phoenix
Place, Cold Bath Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Coach Smith,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HANSOM
CABS, OR THAT CLASS OF VEHICLES ON TWO WHEELS WHERE THE DRIVER SITS
BEHIND THE PASSENGERS."
Scaled the 24th December 1872, and dated the 12th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Glass and
Daniel Hopkin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 12th July 1872.
We, DONALD GLASS, of 128, High Street, Whitechapel, n the County
of Middlesex, and DANIEL HOPKIN, of 4, Phoenix Place, Cold Bath
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Coach Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HANSOM CABS, OR THAT CLASS OF VEHICLES ON TWO WHEELS WHERE THE DRIVER
SITS BEHIND THE PASSENGERS," to be as follows:-
:―
Our Invention consists, firstly, in the application of one or more
screws fitted with jam nuts from blocks under footboard of driver to

page_text: cross spring at back of cab, for the purpose of raising or lowering the
body of the cab, and by that means raise or lower the shafts as may
be required to suit various heights of horses; or by the application of
sliding racks with pinion wheels and cramps, or by the block under
footboard of driver being fitted with flanges and having holes in them,
and moving up and down on iron slides fastened to back of body of cab,
fitted with holes and bolts to receive and secure the block at any height
required.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in constructing the seat of driver of
two frames of any suitable shape, the bottom frame to be so constructed
as to allow the top frame to slide upon it. The top frame to be worked
by a screw to enable the driver to work the seat backward or forward as
may be required to balance the cab.
Our Invention consists, thirdly, in the application of moveable hanging
irons from front end of side springs to body of cab, with a tension rod
passing underneath body of cab connecting lower ends of hanging irons,
to prevent vibration and facilitate hanging of the body of the cab on the
springs and economy in construction.
Our Invention consists, fourthly, to render the cab more convenient to
enter and leave, by means of inverted curved doors opening towards the
centre, and the whole height from the bottom to the top of the cab.
From front of centre of roof to floor of cab immediately behind the
splash board we place an iron frame of suitable width, to firmly secure
the roof of the cab to the bottom; at the top and bottom of the doors
we fix a projecting stud or pin; the stud or pin at the bottom of the
doors will work in a bush or footstep close to the bottom of iron frame;
the stud or pin at the top of the doors will work in bearings with caps
attached to iron frame at the top, so as to enable the doors to be easily
removed when required. The studs or pins at the top of the doors will
stand slightly above the roof of the cab, and may be bent to form a lever,
or if more convenient have a lever fixed on their ends with a strap or
cord passing over the roof of the cab to enable the driver to open the
doors without leaving his seat
Firstly. To raise or lower the cab to suit various heights of horses by 3
means of of a pair of right and left handed screws (Figs. 1 & 2) A, A,
with countersunk heads and cap bearings fixed on top of box at B under.

page_text: footboard of driver's seat, and connected together by means of cog
wheels C, C, and secured to bottom part of box by an iron guide
plate D; the screws A, A, are connected to cross spring E by means
of an iron clam F, with tapped holes to suit thread of screws A, A; or
the cab can be raised or lowered (Fig. 3) by means of a rack A worked
by pinion wheels B through box under driver's seat, and secured by an
iron stop C and set screw D; the lower end of rack A is secured to cross
spring E by plate F with bolts and nuts; or the cab can be raised or
lowered, Figs. 4 and 5, by fitting the box A with 2 iron flanges B, B, and
fixing on back of cab 2 iron slides C, C, with bolt holes to match holes
in flanges B, B.
Secondly. The seat of driver is made to slide backwards or forwards
by means of a sliding seat (Fig. 6) A working on slides C, C, and worked
by a screw B with handle or wheel E.
Thirdly. The hanging iron, Fig. 7, is made to carry front end of side
spring at A, and is connected at B with centre D bolted to cab bottom,
and fitted with a tension rod E passing under bottom of cab, and having
a stay rod F with regulating screw G fixed to lug H on bottom of cab.
Fourthly. To constrnct the doors, Figs. 8 & 9. From floor of cab
at A to top of cab at B is fixed an iron frame C; the doors D, D, are
made of the same curve as the splash board E; the doors are hung on a
spindle working in a footstep at F, and at top in bearing at G on top of
spindles is fixed levers, to be so connected with back of cab as to enable
the driver to open and close the doors without leaving his seat.
5 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 10th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DONALD
GLASS, of 128, High Street, Whitechapel, in the County of Middlesex,
O and DANIEL HOPKIN, of 4, Phoenix Place, Cold Bath Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-

page_text: sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin, Her
special licence that we, the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin, our 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OP HANSOM CABS, OR THAT CLASS OF VEHICLE ON TWO WHEELS AND WHERE THE
DRIVER SITS BEHIND THE PASSENGERS,". upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or onc
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the 1
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 we, the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin, 2
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Our said Invention is divided into four heads or parts.
In carrying out the first part of our said Invention we adopt one or 2
other of the following methods, that is to say, to raise or lower the
body of the cab to suit various heights of horses.
Firstly. We use or employ a screw or screws A, A, (Figs. 1 & 2),
with countersunk heads and cup bearings fixed on top of box B under
footboard of driver's seat, and connected together by means of tooth 3
wheels C, C, and secured to bottom part of box by an iron guide plate
D; the screws A, A, are connected to the cross spring E by an iron
clamp F, with tapped holes to suit thread of screws A, A; the
screws A, A, are secured in the position or height required by lock or
jam nuts G, G. When one screw only is used the wheels C, C, are
dispensed with, or the screw or screws can be made with tec heads,
and secured to under side of footboard by clip bearings.

page_text: Secondly. We use or employ a rack A (Fig. 3), worked by pinion
wheel B working through the box under the driver's seat and secured
by iron stops C and set screw D, the lower end of the rack A is secured
to the cross spring E by plate F by bolts and nuts.
Thirdly. We fit the foot board of driver's seat A, Figs. 4 & 5, with
two iron flanges B, B, and fix on to the back of body of the cab two
angle iron slides C, C, with bolt holes to match holes in flanges B, B,
of footboard.
The second part of our Invention consists in constructing the driver's
seat so as to move backwards or forwards to regulate balance of cab
by means of a sliding scat A (Fig. 6) working on slide B, and moved by
a screw C with handle or wheel D.
In carrying out the third part of our said Invention we fix the hanging
irons (Fig. 7) which are made to carry the front end of side spring at
A, and connected at B with centre or stud D, bolted to the cab bottom
and fitted with a tension rod E passing under bottom of cab and having
a stay rod F with regulating screw G fixed to lug H on bottom of cab.
In carrying out the fourth part of our said Invention we construct
the doors, as shown in Figs. 8 & 9; from the floor of the cab at A to
top of cab at B we fix an iron frame C; the doors D, D, are made of
the same curve as the splash board E; the doors are hung on a spindle
working in a cup bearing or on pivots at F, and at top in bearing at G;
on top of spindles we fix a lever connected to hand lever in front of
driver's seat to enable the driver to open and close doors without leaving
his seat.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the
several Figures and parts thereof, we wish it to be understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise shape, arrangement or arrange-
ments of the parts as delineated, as these may be varied to suit the
particular vehicle to which our said Invention or any part or parts
thereof is to be applied; but what we claim is,-
Firstly. The principle of raising or lowering the cab by the three
mechanical motions herein described and shewn.
Secondly. The moveable seat for driver for the purpose of the
balancing of the cab.
Thirdly. The improved hanging irons as shewn in Fig. 7 in the
accompanying Drawing, and herein described, for altering the balance.

page_text: of the cab, also thereby combining great strength with lightness of
construction and facility of application.
Fourthly. The improved construction of the front of the cab by means
of iron frames for strengthening the cab and reducing vibration, and
the improved form of doors to be opened and closed by the driver
without leaving his seat.
In witness whereof, we, the said Donald Glass and Daniel Hopkin,
have hereunto set our hand and seal, this Seventh day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
threc.
Witness,
T. J. GATHERCOLE.
DONALD GLASS. (L.S.)
DANIEL HOPKIN. (L.S.)