PERAMBULATORS, (OR HAND-PROPELLED CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN OR INVALIDS) CONVERTIBLE INTO ROCKING COTS OR CHAIRS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Webster, C.E., of Nottingham, in the
town and county of the town of Nottingham, Engineer for an Invention of
"PERAMBULATORS, (OR HAND-PROPELLED CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Webster at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th December 1883.
GEORGE EDWARD WEBSTER, C.E. of Nottingham in the town and County of
the town of Nottingham, Engineer "PERAMBULATORS, (OR HAND-PROPELLED
CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN OR INVALIDS) CONVERTIBLE INTO ROCKING COTS OR
CHAIRS
"
My invention is to make hand-propelled carriages, known generally as
perambulators but also designated in the trade as perambulators, bassinettes or
perambucots and bath-chairs into rocking or stationary chairs and cots. This is
accomplished by wheels so fixed that they may be removed and the springs formed
in such manner as to answer as rockers or supports for the chairs or cots.
In the case of the ordinary perambulator I form the springs in a bowed shape
(similar to ordinary rockers on a rocking chair) having an adjustment for the axles
of the wheels which being placed in such adjustment become secured by mechanical
means and act then as ordinary wheels to a perambulator and the springs as
ordinary springs. I prefer to secure the wheels to the springs by causing the
adjustment to consist of a slot in the spring which just goes over the axle which
in the case of the back wheels are secured from dropping out of position by means
of a catch-spring that is pressed by the axle on entering but prevents it coming
out unless drawn backward; for the front wheel or wheels I prefer a split pin or
cotter that I attach to a chain secured to a cap on the axle of the wheels and this
being put through holes in the spring below the axle prevents the wheels from
falling out and being a split pin or cotter cannot itself come out by the motion
of the carriage.
1
In the case of the bassinette and bath chair the interchangeable adjustment is
made in a similar manner and the only difference being that the springs are
formed into such a shape as to be suitable to the form of the carriage. Occasionally
I put leather on the underside of the springs so that the rocking motion of the
carriage may be smooth.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Edward Webster in the Patent Office on the 10th June
1884.
GEORGE EDWARD WEBSTER, C.E. of Nottingham in the town and County of
the town of Nottingham Engineer "PERAMBULATORS (OR HAND-PROPELLED
CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN OR INVALIDS) CONVERTIBLE INTO ROCKING COTS OR
CHAIRS
"
My Invention is to make hand-propelled carriages known generally as
perambulators, but also designated in the trade as perambulators, bassinettes or
perambucots and bath-chairs into rocking or stationary chairs and cots.
This I accomplish by wheels, or wheels and springs so fixed that they may be
removed and the springs formed in such a manner as to answer as rockers or
supports for the chairs or cots, or to allow additional rockers or supports to be
used
In the case of the ordinary perambulators, I form the springs in a bowed shape
(similar to ordinary rockers on a rocking chair) having an adjustment for the axles
of the wheels, which being placed in such adjustment, are secured by mechanical
means and act then as ordinary wheels to a perámbulator and the springs as
ordinary springs, I prefer to secure the wheels to the springs by causing the
adjustment to consist of a slot in the spring which goes over the axles, (front and
back) or the slot may be in the axles, or similar appliances used as subsequently
described and illustrated to prevent the wheels from dropping out of the slots or
similar arrangement I use a catch-spring that is pressed by the axle on entering
allowing it to pass upwards but preventing it coming out unless drawn backwards
similar to a door-spring, The front wheel slot in the spring being smaller than the
back the room required for the catch-spring is small and consequently I usc a
split-pin or cotter attached to a chain secured to a cap on the axle of the wheel
and this being put through a hole in the lower part of the slot in the spring after
the wheels are placed in, prevents them from falling out, and being a split-pin or
cotter cannot itself come out by the motion of the carriage; I also use another
arrangement for securing the wheels, which I call a "trigger" and is a lever of
good iron or steel reaching from one axle to the other and resting on a cross piece
in the springs, one end of the lever is placed under the front axle whilst the other
end is sprung down to the back axle, and secured, the method of securing being a
slot or bend into which the back axle enters in the "trigger" and then a pin
placed under, The pin is shaped , the handle and hood may be made to take
away from the carriage, the back-rib of the hood being constructed to fit the shape
of the carriage-back and front portion of the hood fastening onto two pegs, the
handles may be taken away in several ways,
The Bath-chair or invalids' chair is a carriage similar to an ordinary perambulator
only of a larger size, I secure the wheels however in a similar manner as above
described, I also attach connections for carrying the chair when taken away from
the wheels.
In the case of the bassinette, or perambucot which is a vis a vis perambulator
the arrangement of springs is also similar to that described for an end to end
rocking-motion, with the exception that the slots or connections are on the axles
of the wheels instead of on the springs for a side rocking motion as shown in
figure (7) the hood is made in this case to take from the carriage, by being screwed
to a plate which is fastened to the carriage and has either one or two screw holes
in for adjusting the hood and thus preventing being of too large a size, or I

page_text: employ an arrangement of a slot similar to a window-blind fastener, or I place a
lever connected with the hood and secured some distance below the centre-line so
as to give some latitude of movement,
Having now described the nature of my said Invention I now more particularly
describe the same having reference to the accompanying figures, Figure 1 shows
the convertible ordinary perambulator fixed on its wheels and with the hood and
handles in position. Fig 2. shows the same carriage when the body has been taken
from the wheels and resting upon the rockers as a rocking chair or these
rockers, K, K, may be made straight as in the case of a Bath-chair, A, A, A, A₂
are the front and back slots which go over the axles of the wheels, Fig 3 shews
the trigger B, that rests on the cross piece of the spring C, The bent pin N for
under the back axle is shown in Fig 3 enlarged, this is placed under the axle and
then turned round behind pin O, the arrangement of the catch-spring is not shown
but when used is placed in slot A, A, A, A, the hood is secured at L.
Fig 4 shows my convertible bassinette or perambucot fixed on the wheels and
with hood in a position of being reversed, the hood may be taken off by an
arrangement as above described fixed at T, and is an ordinary reversible hood;
A, A, A, A, are the slots in the springs which are formed as shown K. K. In
figure 6, I show another form of the springs K. K, which may have their shape
varied, and the form of the springs in fig 6 is what I prefer for strength, In
figure 5, I show the carriage with the wheels taken off and the hood closed and
resting at one end, I generally fix two handles, one at each end of the carriage.
Fig 7 shows my convertible cot with side rockers. Fig 8 shows the rockers,
In this modification of my Invention the rockers can be fixed to a pin in the centre
of the carriage body, so that it may turn according to methods known in the trade,
or the springs may be fixed cross-ways having the slots in axles of the wheels or
attached to them or I sometimes have the wheels and springs attached by bolts
and then the body is taken off. and has secured to it small wood rockers
When the carriage is used as a rocking-cot it may have a covering placed over
it and I frequently place an iron slot to hold an iron to form a canopy over the end
of carriage, the general construction of my carriages is the same as ordinary
carriages as regards the body and finish
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be carried out, I claim the convertible rocking and stationary carriages
substantially as described and illustrated,
In Witness whereof I the said George Edward Webster have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of June in the year of our Lord One Thousand
Eight hundred and Eighty four
Witness to the Signature of the
said George Edward Webster
GEORGE WEBSTER--
GEORGE EDWARD WEBSTER (L.S.)