Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 26th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1887.
I, THOMAS THORNEYCROFT, of Tettenhall Towers, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to carriages used on common roads. The first part of this
invention refers, chiefly, to such carriages as are entered from doors at the side and
are required to be capable of being used alternatively open (or partly open) and
closed, such as Landaus, Broughams, Victorias and other carriages.
The hinder part of the carriage cover, namely, the part which is rearward of the
doors, is constructed to fold back in the usual or any convenient manner (in the case
of a Landau, with or without springs), and the entire part of the roof in front of such
hinder part of the cover is formed as a number of slats or transverse divisions hinged
or otherwise joined together at their edges, and the hindermost one joined to the front
of the hinder part of the cover, so as to be capable of being folded up together over
the forward end of the hinder part of the cover; or such part of the roof described as
made in divisions may, in lieu thereof, be made of leather, mackintosh, or other
material capable of being rolled up. The top and hinder part of the carriage are
therefore opened by first folding back (or rolling up) the part of the roof formed in
slats (or in a material capable of being rolled up) and then folding back the hinder
part of the cover. The part of the roof folded back (or rolled up) upon the cover lies
in a neat and compact form between the folds thereof, and if a backwardly hinged
extension is made to each wing of the hinder part of the cover, and especially if a
fringe or curtain is used therewith, the ends of the slats or divisions (or of the roll)
may be concealed to a great extent.
The slats or divisions may be hinged together by means of hinges formed with
suitable abutments by which they are stopped in their straight position one way and
in a right-angle position the other way, and the slats or divisions are formed of
varying widths to permit of their being properly folded up. The slats or divisions
are, of course, covered with suitable material to keep the joints water-tight, and are
provided with fillets on the underside to make a weather-tight joint with the parts on
which they rest.

page_text: Both front and side lights are employed for the forward part of the carriage. The
front light is divided vertically into two, and each side light is hinged to the corre-
sponding division of the front light so that it may be folded up thereagainst, and
each division of the front light is hinged so that, when it and the corresponding side
light are folded together, they may be lowered down into a boxing at the front part of
the body. According to this arrangement, the lights are lowered down sideways and
not end ways as has been previously the case in carriages heretofore, and thus the
lights may be lowered clear of the top of the body and at the same time the forward
part of the body be made of such a depth as will readily permit of the turning of the
fore-carriage. A sliding or hinged cover is fitted to the top of the boxing. The
raising of the lights out of the boxing may be assisted by springs. The boxing within
which the folded up lights are lowered and raised is in an inclined position, corre-
sponding to the usual inclined shape of the front of the carriage body, and hence the
hinges by means of which the lights are lowered and raised within the boxing have to
be of a special construction to enable the lights to be turned into an upright position
and placed with the front light divisions one forward of the other. The hinge for one
of the front light divisions is formed as a plain hinge except that the vertical flap
connected with the carriage frame is swivelled thereto so as to be capable of turning
sideways to permit of the light being moved into a vertical position when lifted out of
the boxing; and the hinge of the other front light division is similarly formed, except
that instead of being swivelled direct to the carriage frame, it is swivelled to one end
of a link which is swivelled at its other end to the carriage frame, and thus permits of
the light being moved into an upright position and at the same time placed in its
proper position in relation to the other division of the front light. When the folded
up lights are within the boxing one pair is in position therein in front of the
other pair.
A. carriage fitted with my improvements as above described may be used entirely as
an open carriage, or as a closed carriage, or with the hinder part only closed, and thus
may largely combine in one carriage the advantages of a Landau, Brougham,
Clarence, Barouche or Victoria, with the great advantage that, when the carriage is
used entirely closed, it is extremely light and pleasant as the whole of the front and
sides forward of the doors is glazed.
.
This invention relates also to such front interior seats of carriages as are placed
(according to their usual construction) for the riders to sit with their backs to the
horses. According to this part of my invention, such seats are made reversible, so
that the riders may sit with their faces forwards. For this purpose, the scat is hinged
to a support in front, and has a hinged flap underneath it. When it is desired to
reverse the seat, it is hinged over through half a circle, and stopped in such position,
by means of a suitable stop, against the support, and the hinged Hap is then turned up
to form the back to the seat. Each seat is formed, preferably, of less width than the
cushion resting upon it, so that when the seats are reversed, and the cushions turned
up, a rider may gain his seat by passing through the space thus formed between two
adjacent seats. The cushions may be made so as to double up and form a seat of
lesser width when the seats are used in their reversed position. Or instead of the seat
turning over it may be mounted on a pivot so as to turn round. In the case of
Landau, or other carriage having the forward part of the body similarly shaped, a
fixed or movable foot-board may be arranged to project somewhat beyond the body to
allow room for the feet when the rider is sitting with his face forwards, but such foot-
board may be shorter than the width of the carriage so that the projection thereof
does not become an eyesore, and when not in use may be drawn back so as to be out
of sight.
a
The second part of this invention refers to a coach or drag. According to this part
of my invention the roof is made to open in one or two divisions against the back seat
of the roof, but so as to leave a width for a seat immediately in front of the back
seat of the roof, and the part or parts thus opened back form an additional seat capable
of accommodating three adult persons. A foot-board is constructed to fold up under-
ne ith the roof, and to hang down when desired in proper position below the additional

page_text: seat. The passengers gain access to this additional seat by stepping on to the inside
front seat, and thence, by means of steps suspended from the foot-board, aforesaid, to
the foot board itself, and sit with their faces to the horses.
According to this part of my invention, also, provision is made by which persons
riding inside the coach can view the country or road forwards and backwards through
the ends of the vehicle. For this purpose windows are put, respectively, to the back
and front of the inside seats and at the top corners of the front seat. In order to
lower the position of the passengers to better accommodate them to the height of the
windows thus formed, so as to obtain a good view, the seats themselves may be
lowered, or thinner cushions than usual employed, and a well or recess be formed in
the floor of the vehicle to provide for the lower position required for the feet. This
well or recess may be covered with boarding if it is desired to raise the floor to its .
normal level, and in such case the well may be employed as a locker.

page_text: Improvements in Carriages.
I, THOMAS THORNEYCROFT, of Tettenhall Towers, Wolverhampton in the County of
Stafford, gentleman, 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 reference being had to the accompanying drawings
and the letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say):
This invention refers to such carriages for use on common roads as are entered
from doors at the side, and are required to be used alternatively open (or partly open)
and closed, such for instance as landaus, broughams and victorias, and has for its
object the employment of means whereby such cariages may be fitted with front and
side lights so that the whole of the front and side forwards of the doors is glazed,
making the carriages, when closed, extremely light and pleasant, in combination with
means whereby such carriages may be used entirely open, or as closed carriages, or
with the hinder part only closed, and thus may each combine largely in. one carriage
the advantages of a landau, brougham, clarence, barouche, or victoria.
According to this invention, the side lights are hinged to the front light, and when
the front of the carriage is required to be opened the side lights are folded back against
the front light, and the two side lights, and the front light are together lowered down
into a boxing formed therefor in the front part of the body and are thus concealed
from view. The hinder part of the carriage, namely, the part which is rearward of the
centre of the doors, is constructed to fold back in the usual or any convenient manner
(in the case of a landau, with or without springs) and the entire part of the roof in
front of such hinder part of the cover is formed as a number of slats, or transverse
divisions, capable of being opened out when the carriage is required to be closed, and
of being bundled together, or laid over one another, when the carriage is required to
he
open
in front or entirely open. A convenient application of these divisions consists
in hingeing or otherwise joining them together at their edges, and hingeing or joining
the hindermost one to the front of the hinder part of the cover, so that they are capable
of being folded up together over the forward end of the hinder part of the cover.
When the hinder part of the cover is opened back, to throw the carriage quite open,
the divisions lie in a neat and compact form between the folds thereof.
This invention will be clearly understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the body of carriage
with my invention applied thereto, and shews the same to be closed; figure 2 is a
corresponding view to figure 1, but shews the carriage as completely open; and
figure 3 is a plan of figure 1. The same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout the views. A. A is the body of the carriage, and B the boot (shewn,
for convenience of illustration, as if with part broken away); C the frontlight, CC
the side lights, D D the front pillars, E a boxing to receive the front and side lights
when the front of the carriage is opened, and a² a² a³ and at as a slats or divisions

page_text: forming the roof in front of the hinder part of the cover, that is in front of the centre
of the doors. The front light C is of such width as to be capable of being slid easily
down into the boxing E, and is fitted at each bottom end with a stud which, when
the light is slid down into the boxing, guides the lower edge of the light by sliding
down a groove c in the end of the boxing, but which when the light is in its raised
position supports it by resting in the curled-over end d of such groove. The side
lights Care hinged to the frontlight so as to be capable of being folded up against
the inner face thereof, and slid down therewith into the boxing E. When the
carriage is closed, as shown by figure 1, the side lights rest on the sides of the body,
to which they are fixed by flush-bolis e. The boxing E is provided with a hinged lid ƒ.
which self-closes by means of an indiarubber or other spring or springs, when the
lights are within the boxing, but which rests in an inclined position against the frame
of the front light when the carriage is closed and thus forms a cover or roof to the
boxing. The lower edge of the front light is pressed down against springs in the
bottom of the boxing, and the downward pull of the lid spring or springs, combined
with the weight of the lights and of the lid, serves to keep the lights down within the
boxing and the lid closed there over. When the lid is raised for pulling up the
lights, the springs in the boxing raise the lights sufficiently to permit of a strap on
the front light being conveniently grasped for drawing up. 7 is an opening in the bottom
of the box E to drain off any water which might otherwise collect therein. The
pillars D are hinged to lie forwards when the front is open, and may be swivelled at
their hinges so as to lie fair upon the body. The hinder edges of the side lights may,
if preferred, be thickened up, and grooves formed thereon for the sliding lights by
means of hoop iron, in lieu of employing the pillars D. D. The forward division a
has a fillet which fits in front of the frame of the front light to make a weather tight
joint, and similar fillets are formed at each end of each division to make weather-tight
joints or guards at the sides. The divisions are opened by first folding back the
division on to the division a², the division being then vertical, and then the two
divisions a and are folded back on to the division a³, the division at being then
vertical at the back of these folded divisions and the division a vertical at the
front thereof, and the three divisions at a and a are then folded back onto the
stiffened part of the cover, and when the carriage is thrown entirely open the folded
divisions lie back in the position shewn by figure 2, that is immediately under the
part and above the lower folds of the leather. The divisions are formed of varying
widths, as will be obvious, to permit of their being folded as described, and the hinges
may be formed with suitable abutments to fix the proper angle of the divisions with
one another as they are folded back. If the divisions are made of wood or metal they
may be covered with leather or other suitable material to give them a finished surface
and ensure the joints being weather-tight. If a backwardly hinged extension is
employed for each wing of the hinder part of the cover, and especially if a fringe or
curtain is used therewith, the ends of the divisions may be concealed to a great extent,
as will be readily understood.
Instead of hingeing all the divisions together and to the back part of the cover, one of.
such divisions may be hinged to the front light; or the divisions may be made to slide
ielescopically across one another (that is lengthwise of the carriage) instead of being
hinged together, and in such case they may, when opened back, be shut into a boxing
on the front of the hinder part of the cover.
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 :-
1. The means by which the front of a carriage, having front and side lights, may be
opened and closed, substantially as described.
2. A carriage constructed with the forward part of the roof capable of being
bundled onto the front part of the back of the cover, or with part of such forward
part capable of being so bundled, and with part thereof hinged to the front light,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. A carriage in which the side lights are hinged to be capable of being folded

page_text: against the inner face of the front light, and in which such lights may be passed
down into a boxing at the front of the body, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. In a carriage, the combination of means, substantially as described, by which the
forward part of the roof may be opened, with means, substantially as described, by
which the front and side lights are made capable of being readily removed so as to
leave the front part of the body open, for the purpose set forth.
5. The grooves in the ends of the boxing E, in combination with studs b
substantially as described and shewn, for the purpose set forth.
6. The curled-over ends d of the grooves e, substantially as described and shewn, for
the purpose set forth.
7. The employment of springs in the bottom of the boxing E, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
8. The hinged lid made self-closing by means of a spring or springs, substantially
as described and shewn, for the purpose set forth.
9. The hinged divisions forming the forward part of the roof of a carriage,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith, for the purpose
set forth.
10. The general combination and arrangement of parts whereby a carriage may be
wholly or partially opened or closed, substantially as described and shewn, for the
purpose set forth."
Th. 1 L 100-