A New or Improved Weather Screen for Hansom Cabs and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Weather Screen for Hansom Cabs and the like.
I, HERBERT PERCY MILLER, of 15 Craven Terrace, Hyde Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to protect the "fare" or riders in Hansom cabs
and like vehicles from the effects of rain, wind, sun, and dust, at the same time
affording free ventilation without, in any way, obstructing the free entry or exit of
the "fare" under any circumstances such as accidents. This is effected by a con-
trivance both light and simple in action, and can be applied to any cabs at present
in use without removing the existing folding windows or other fixtures.
According to this invention I provide a light metal frame working close under
the roof of the cab or like vehicle, and attached to a spring or springs, and normally
kept in any required position by an adjusting cord. A suitable blind or screen of
silk, gauze, holland, cotton, or other material is affixed to a spring roller rotating
in bearings under the front edge of the roof of the cab. This blind is attached to
the bottom of the metal frame by any suitable means, and is unwound from its
roller as the said frame is lowered, its spring rewinding it when the said frame is
being raised into the roof of the cab. The said frame being pressed forward by the
springs when the adjusting cord is released.
The spring roller may be dispensed with, the linen screen or any other suitable
material may be stretched over the frame and held in position by hooks, or in
any other suitable manner. By this construction the blind may be easily detached
and a new one substituted when required, so that blinds of different materials
may be used according to the state of the weather. The blind may be adjusted
in any position either by the driver, or by the "fare or occupant of the vehicle.
This adjustment is effected by means of adjusting cords attached to the frame
and passing over pulleys fixed in any suitable position either inside or outside the
vehicle.
"
The springs on the frame may be dispensed with if the cross piece of the frame is
made sufficiently heavy to bring down the frame by gravity.
Side wings to the blind may be used if desired. These are provided with rings
which work on the side arms of the metal frame, and may be drawn down by the
"fare" or occupant of the vehicle as desired.
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Weather Screen for Hansom Cabs and the like.
I, HERBERT PERCY MILLER, of 15 Craven Terrace, Hyde Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to protect the "fare" or riders in Hansom cabs
and like vehicles from the effects of rain, wind, sun, and dust, at the same time
affording free ventilation without in any way obstructing the free entry or exit of
the "fare" under any circumstances such as accidents for example. This is effected

page_text: by a contrivance both light and simple in action and which can be applied to any
cabs at present in use without removing the existing folding windows or other
fixtures.
The invention will be fully understood with the aid of the accompanying drawings
in which similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same or corresponding
parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 shews a sectional side elevation of a part of a Hansom cab having my
invention adapted thereto, the other figures represent modifications and details of
construction which will be more fully explained hereafter.
Referring to the form of my invention shewn in Figure 1, in carrying my inven-
tion into practice I provide a light metal frame working close under the roof of the
cab or like vehicle and attached to a spring or springs and normally kept in any
required position by an adjusting cord C.
The aforesaid frame consists of two exactly similar elbow arms A, one on each
side of the cab and on the inside thereof connected together by a cross piece D.
Each elbow arm A is secured at its lower end to the periphery of a spring drum E
which rotates on an axis G rigidly secured to the side of the cab or to a plate
or bracket screwed or otherwise affixed to the side of the cab. One end of the
spring is attached to the axis G and the other end to the inside of the periphery of
the drum E in the ordinary manner. The pressure of the spring tends to cause
the straight arm to assume a vertical position or nearly so, thus pushing the front
cross piece D away from the front of the cab. Any other suitable spring arrange-
ment to effect the same result may be used. A suitable blind or screen F of silk,
gauze, holland, cotton, or other material, is affixed to a spring roller H rotating in
bearings under the front edge of the roof of the cab. This blind or screen Fis
attached to the cross piece D of the metal frame by any suitable means, preferably
by hooks on the cross piece engaging with eyes on the end of the blind or rice versa,
and is unwound from its roller as the said cross piece D is lowered, drawn, or forced
away from the front. The spring in the roller H rewinds the blind C when the
cross piece D of the frame is being raised or returned to its initial position, that is
to say, close up to and against the front edge of the roof of the cab.
In the drawing, the blind F is shewn as partly open, but this is only done to
avoid complication in the drawing. In its fully opened position the cross piece D
will reach as far as the top of the dash board of the cab, or nearly so and when
fully closed the said cross piece D will lie close against the spring roller H.
The spring in the roller H is used simply for the purpose of taking up the slack
of the blind when the cross piece D is raised and is not for raising the blind. This
raising is effected by means of the cord C which is secured to the cross piece Dat
the centre or thereabouts, and passes over pulleys K and L fixed in the roof of the
cab and through an aperture at the back terminating in a tassel M within reach of
the occupant of the cab. The blind may thus be raised by either the cabman on
the box plucking or pulling that part of the cord which is on the top of or
outside the cab, or by the "fare" pulling the cord inside the cab.
The cord C passes through a spring clip N secured on the roof of the cab. A
section of this spring clip is shewn detached in Figure 2.
Within a box casing is pivoted the lever O having a spring piece secured thereto,-
the free end of said spring bearing on a-fixed stop Q R is an ordinary press
--button or stud. The figure shews the normal position of the spring lever, the cord C
may be drawn under the front edge of the lever O when the cord is pulled from
left to right i.e. when raising the blind, but the return of the cord is prevented by
the grip of the front edge of the lever on the sharp edge of the wedge piece W
Figure 2, pulling the cord or strap to the right, raises the lever O and thus allows
the cord or strap to pass freely over the sharp edge of the wedge W, the lever O
again taking up the grip as soon as the cord is released from the hand.
As has been already explained the pressure of the spring in the drum E tends to
throw the frame forward away from the front of the cab, but the grip N on the
cord prevents this. To lower the blind or screen therefore it is only necessary to

page_text: release this clutch N by pressing the button R thereby turning the lever O on its
pivot. The springs E will immediately throw the elbow arms A. forward and with
them the cross piece D thus pulling forward and opening out the blind or screen F.
A tassel B is attached to a short length of cord passing through the roof of the cab
and affixed to the lever O at or near the button R so that the clutch N may
be
released and the blind thereby opened out by the occupant of the cab when desired.
Figure 3 shows a modification of my invention wherein the spring drum on the
end of the elbow arm A is dispensed with, the said elbow arm being pivoted at G²
to the plate E secured to the inside of the cab. The spring in the roller H is made
sufficiently strong to pull up the blind and the frame also when it is down so that
the action of the cord C is the reverse of that hereinbefore described with reference
to Figure 1, that is to say, the pulling of the cord from front to rear of the cab will
open out the frame and blind. The means of effecting this are clearly shewn in
Figure 3 and also in Figure 4 which represents a plan view of the cab shewing the
arrangement of the cord. The cord is attached at C at or near the bend or elbow
of the arm A and is carried forward and passed over a horizontal pulley C³ from
thence it passes over a vertical pulley Cat about the centre of the cab and then
proceeds vertically and passes over a second vertical pulley C³ whose axis is at
right angles to that of the pulley C. The cord to each elbow arm A is similarly
arranged and the two ends are passed up through the roof of the cab at C³ or
thereabouts and are secured together as at C and continued as a single cord C.
This single cord C is passed through a spring clip N as before explained with
reference to Figures 1 and 2. A simpler form of my invention consists in having
the pulley C³ fixed vertically in the roof of the cab and passing the cord thereover
and also over another vertical pulley at the rear, a spring clip N being fixed in a
suitable position in its path. This arrangement inay be applied to both the elbow
arms or to one only. If applied to one elbow only a single cord or strap is used
throughout passing over two vertical pulley wheels fixed at the side of the roof,
one near the front edge, and the other at the back as shewn at S S Figure 3.
The blind and frame are drawn forward when the cord is pulled towards the back
of the cab, the spring blind roller bringing the whole back again under the roof
when the cord is released by pressing the push button R on the spring clip as
before described.
Figure 5 shews another modification wherein the actuating cords are arranged
in a similar manner to that described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 but straight
arms A are substituted for the bent arms A. The end of each arm A' is provided
with a stud or pin A running in a suitable guide or frame A* fixed on the inside
of the cab.
Side wings to the blind may be used if desired. These are provided with
rings T which work over the side arms A. of the metal frame and one or the other
or both may be drawn or undrawn by the "fare" or occupant of the vehicle as
desired and so give protection from drifting side wind and rain.
These wings may
be made of the same material as the blind and are of fan shape, one end or side
being attached to the cab and the other end to a suitable frame U which is hinged
to the front of cab at X. This is shewn separately in Figure 6. The wings are
connected to the rings T by means of an elastic strap or band the object being
to tighten the rings sufficiently on the arms to keep them in any required
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) A weather screen for Hansom cabs and the like consisting of an ordinary
spring roller blind rotating in bearings fixed to the side of the cab and the like, the
said blind being rigidly or detachably affixed to a frame actuated by cords or straps
passing over pulleys or their equivalents within easy reach of the driver and the
occupant of the vehicle substantially as described and illustrated.

page_text: (2) A weather screen for Hansom cabs and the like consisting of a spring
roller blind rotating in bearings on the side of the vehicle the blind being attached
to a frame lowered by means of springs E and raised by a cord or cords C passing
through suitable spring clips N substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
(3) The various modifications of my invention described and illustrated in
Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
(4) The combination with a weather screen for Hansom cabs and the like, such
as is herein described, of side wings attached to a plate or frame hinged to the
front of the cab and having rings running on the arms of the frame carrying the
blind or screen substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
(5) My improved weather screen for Hansom cabs and the like substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 2nd day of Januam 1001
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.