Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 20th May, 1887.
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS COOKE BROOKER, C.B. of 4 Sussex Place, Southsea, in the
County of Hants, Rear Admiral, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to awnings or canopies and comprises various improvements
hereinafter described.
The main object of my said invention is to provide simple, cheap and durable
awnings or canopies for use upon the roofs of omnibuses, tramway-cars and similar
vehicles.
My improved awning or canopy is so constructed that it can be very readily opened
or expanded and closed or folded by the driver or conductor without inconvenience to
the passengers on the outside of the omnibus or other vehicle.
In making an awning or canopy according to one form or modification of my
invention, I secure two or more posts or standards to the roof of the vehicle, and
upon the tops of these posts fix a central bar which, preferably, extends from end
to end of the roof of the vehicle. On each side of this central bar I provide arms or
brackets which are connected by hinge-joints either to the said bar or to the posts
or standards and upon which the canvas or similar material is secured. These arms or
brackets are so arranged that they can be turned upon their hinges or pivots to spread
or expand the awning, or to close or fold the same.
I sometimes make the posts or standards telescopic so that the central bar, and the
parts attached thereto, can be raised and lowered, and I provide means for supporting
the said bar in position when raised. Or I make each post or standard in two
parts which are united by a hinge-joint, and I fit a tube or sleeve upon the said post
or standard in such a manner that it can be moved up and down thereon to cover the
joint and keep the post rigid or to uncover the joint and permit the lowering of
the central bar and parts attached thereto. Moreover I provide means for securing the
said tube or sleeve in place when it covers the joint. The said posts may, however,
be made rigid and without means of adjustment.

page_text: I prefer to use brackets for supporting the canvas or similar material, and to
connect these brackets with the central bar and the posts or standards as follows viz:-
I provide each post with a shoulder or fixed collar and I fit upon the said post a plate
or flange, which may, if desired, be screwed upon the post, and which rests upon tho
said shoulder or collar. This plate or flange is formed with holes into which fit pivot-
pins formed on the lower ends of two brackets, one on each side of the central bar. I
make the central bar with a projection or flange on each side, at that part thereof
which fits upon the post, and forms holes in these flanges to receive pivot-pins at the
upper ends of the said brackets. The holes may extend either wholly or partially
through the said flanges.
In some instances I make the central bar with square holes which fit upon square
portions of the posts and I secure the said bar upon the posts by means of screw-
nuts.
When I use arms for supporting the canvas or similar material, I sometimes
connect them by hinge-joints to cross-bars fixed upon the central bar, which, in this
instance, is made square in transverse section, or is formed with square portions to
receive the said cross-bars. I prefer to make the said arms or the upper parts of the
said brackets cruciform in transverse section and to fill up two or more of the cavities
therein with wooden bars, which are firmly secured to the arms or brackets and to
which the canvas or similar material is nailed or otherwise attached.
According to another form or modification of my invention, I employ a single hollow
standard, to the upper end of which I connect, by hinge-joints, a series of arms or
ribs. These arms or ribs are connected by means of stretchers, somewhat similar to
those used in umbrellas, with a block or runner fitted to slide up and down in the
said standard. The canvas or similar material is secured to the said arms or ribs.
I provide suitable mechanism for raising and lowering the said block or runner to
open and close the awning or canopy. For this purpose I prefer to use a screw-rod,
which extends upward within the standard and upon which the said runner is fitted
like a nut. This screw-rod is supported in a bearing at or near its lower end and is
provided with a bevel pinion geared with another bevel pinion fixed upon a shaft
carried in suitable bearings. This shaft is provided with a crank-handle whereby it
may be turned by the driver or conductor to raise and lower the said runner.
The standard of this awning or canopy may be so made that it can be turned upon
a hinge or pivot to raise or lower it; or it may be made rigid, as desired.
If desired, two or more of my improved awnings or canopies are used on a single
vehicle. Moreover, it is obvious that the said awnings or canopies can be
advantageously used otherwise than upon an omnibus or other vehicle.
Dated this 20th day of July 1886
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Awnings or Canopies, Chiefly Designed for
Omnibuses, Tramway-cars, and similar Vehicles.
I GEORGE AUGUSTUS COOKE BROOKER, C.B., of 4, Sussex Place, Southsea, Hants,
Rear Admiral, 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 :-
My invention relates to awnings or canopies and comprises various improvements
hereinafter described.
The main object of my said invention is to provide simple, cheap, and durable
awnings or canopies for use upon the roofs of omnibuses, tramway-cars, and similar
vehicles.
My improved awnings or canopies are so constructed that they can be very readily
opened or expanded and closed or folded, by the driver or conductor of an omnibus
or other vehicle, without inconvenience to the passengers on the outside of the same.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan of an awning constructed according to my invention and
adapted for use upon an omnibus.
Figure 2.is a side view of the same, and
Figure 3 is an end view.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views of details hereinafter described.
Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating a modification of my invention specially
adapted for tramway vehicles.
a, a are posts or standards which are secured to the roof of the omnibus or other
vehicle by any suitable means, for instance by the feet b, into which the said posts or
standards are screwed. Upon the top of these posts I fix a central bar e which
extends from end to end of the roof of the vehicle.
This bar is preferably provided with square holes which fit upon square portions c¹
of the posts, the said bar being secured upon the posts by means of screw-nuts e².
On each side of this central bar I provide brackets d, d, upon which the canvas or
similar material is stretched, and which are connected with the central bar and the
posts or standards as follows. Each post is provided with a shoulder or fixed collar e,
and upon the said post is fitted a plate or flange f, which may, if desired, be screwed
to the post, and which rests upon the said shoulder or collar. This plate or flange
is formed with holes g, g, into which fit pivot-pins h, h, formed on the lower ends of
the two brackets, on each side of the central bar. The central bar has a projection
or flange i on each side, at that part thereof which fits upon the post; and lioles jare
formed in these flanges to receive pivot-pins k at the upper ends of the said brackets.
The holes may extend either wholly or partially through the said flanges.

page_text: By arranging the said brackets in the manner hereinbefore described they can be
turned upon their hinges or pivots, as indicated by the dotted lines Figure 1, to spread
or expand the awning, or to close or fold the same.
I can provide for retaining the brackets in their extended positions by any means
suitable for the purpose; for instance, I can employ an arm projecting from the
end of the bar c, Figure 2, to the free extremity of which arm are attached cords or
the like, the latter being also connected to the brackets d.
The said arm is preferably pivotted to the bar c, so that it can be lowered to the
position shown in dotted lines when not in use.
When extended the said arm is supported by a rod d².
In order to enable the central bar e with the parts attached thereto to be raised
and lowered, I sometimes make the posts or standards telescopic, for instance as
shown in Figure 6, where the post a slides in the socket a¹ and is held in any desired
position therein by the clamping collar a having the tightening screw a³, or by means
of a key passing through corresponding slots in the post and socket.
Instead of using brackets d, d, for supporting the canvas or similar material, I
sometimes employ arms which are connected by hinge-joints to cross-bars fixed upon
the central bar, which in this instance, is made square in transverse section, or is
formed with square portions to receive the said cross-bars. I prefer to make the
said arms or the upper parts of the said brackets angular in transverse section and to
fill the cavities with wooden bars, as shown in Figure 5, which bars are firmly secured
to the arms or brackets and to which the canvas or similar material is nailed or
otherwise attached.
When the awning is applied to omnibuses one end of the same is preferably cut
away at the sides, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, so as not to interfere with the
movements of passengers in getting upon or alighting from the omnibus.
When the awning is applied to tram-cars or other vehicles which are provided with
means for entrance and exit at both ends I usually cut away both ends of the awning
as shown in Figure 7, for the purpose before mentioned. In the latter application
also, or in other cases where the awning is of considerable length it is of advantage to
make it in sections; for this purpose one or more of the posts a is provided with
double flanges so that the said port or ports may carry two pairs of brackets d.
It is obvious that the said awnings or canopies can be advantageously used other-
wise than upon an omnibus or other vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
The improved awning or canopy consisting of the parts constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 19th day of April 1887.
G. A. C. BROOKER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.