Improvements in Collapsible Heads for Road Vehicles, and in Coverings for other Objects.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible Heads for Road Vehicles, and in
Coverings for other Objects.
GEORGE SAMUEL THOMPSON, of 5 Farleigh Road, Stoke Newington,
London, N., Carriage Builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The immense inconvenience and danger from exposure caused to riders upon the
outsides of tramway-cars and omnibuses, and in brakes, waggonettes, and other
open carriages in wet and bad weather, and from the sun, has long made felt, that
a remedy for such existing evils would be particularly desirable and not only
would it confer a boon to the riders personally, but would be of considerable
commercial importance to proprietors of Hackney and stage carriages, particularly
of tramway-cars and omnibuses as it is apparent that the utilisation of the outside
seats to a much greater extent in bad weather would at once produce a large
increase in the receipts.
In remedying the existing evils it is of the highest importance that the
advantages of perfect openness to the weather under ordinary or favourable con-
ditions be fully maintained, and therefore any method of head or covering
providing the shelter so necessary in wet and bad weather, and as a protection from
the sun, must, to be of thoroughly practical utility not only make provision for its
rapid erection and adjustment when required, but also supply means of its being
quickly removed out of the way and packed in such manner as to be of no
inconvenience to the riders when out of use.
My invention has for its object the fully carrying out of these desirable
improvements to the outsides of tramway-cars, omnibuses, and similarly constructed
conveyances, and for brakes, waggonettes, and all other descriptions of carriages to
which my said invention or modifications of the same may be adaptable, and for
sheltering goods and merchandise carried in vans, carts, and road vehicles of all
descriptions; with or without modifications it may also be applied to boats and
ships for sheltering the whole or portions of same and be used for tents or canopies
and for coverings for all other objects and purposes.
My invention consists of a suitable number of hoops or "slats" constructed
preferably of wood or metal of any convenient shape, the ends or other suitable
parts of which are furnished with bearings, and they may be either plain or other-
wise, or be fitted with wheels or ball bearings, or other devices suitably constructed
for sliding in, over, upon, or between rails or guides.
Sometimes it may be found convenient to provide the hoops or "slats" with
swivel or hinged bearings. Each of the rails or guides, in, over, upon, or between
which slide the bearings carrying the hoops or "slats" may consist of a rod or rods,
which may be either round, oval, square, flat, tee-shaped or of any other design
whatsoever, or there may be two or more of such, or consist of a groove or grooves,
or hollow or hollows, and be substantially or otherwise fixed in suitable positions
on or near each of the sides or other convenient or suitable parts of the carriage,
vehicle, boat, ship, or any other object to which my said invention can or may be
applied; such aforesaid bearings and rails or guides may be constructed of metal
or other suitable materials and may extend in length in proportion to the length of
head required.
For the purposes of this Provisional Specification, the word "head" as herein
used, means, "the collapsible head for carriages and other road vehicles" and is
also intended to mean and imply, "the collapsible covering for any, either, or all

page_text: other objects and purposes mentioned and implied herein," when the latter meaning
singly applied is consistent with the sense of this Provisional Specification.
A portion of each of the rails or guides sufficiently long to allow the required
number of bearings supporting hoops or "slats" to slide thereon is made detachable
and arranged to work on a pivot, thereby allowing the same together with the
whole of the hoops or "slats" supporting and carrying the material forming the
covering hereinafter described to be swung down from the vertical position as one
piece when out of use. The whole of the hoops or "slats" may be made to slide
on the rails or guides, but it will generally be found more advantageous to construct
at least one hoop or "slat" permanently fixed at right angles to those portions of
the rails or guides made detachable and working on pivots as aforesaid, so forming
as it were a main hoop or "slat" serving to keep all the others in a vertical
position when the head is erected for use.
Si
The main hoop or "slat" may be fixed to the rails or guides at either end or
centrally, or at any other suitable points. And it will further be found generally
advantageous, particularly in conjunction with the main hoop or "slat," that
alternate hoops or slats" only be furnished with the bearings for sliding herein-
before referred to, and that the intermediate hoops or "slats" have shorter ends
than the sliding hoops or "slats"; the method of attachment of these shorter
hoops or "slats" is by means of connecting rods of suitable length, preferably at
least eight in number, to each shorter hoop or "slat" which carries same.
The
connecting rods when eight are used shall be arranged two in number to each side
of each end of the shorter hoops or "slats" upon which their lower ends work on
pivots at a suitable distance apart, one above the other, the upper end of each
connecting rod on each side working on a pivot on the next hoop or "slat," either
the main or either of the sliding ones, as the case may be, and at the same distance
apart as at the lower ends; and each shorter hoop or "slat" shall be carried
thereby, and the connecting rods shall be so arranged that the shorter hoops or
"slats" shall remain parallel vertically with the other hoops or "slats," whether
the head be collapsed, partially collapsed, or fully extended; and the connecting
rods shall be of such length and so arranged that when the head be fully extended,
the upper portion or the tops of the hoops or "slats" shall be of regular height or
thereabout; when, however, the head is collapsed, the tops of the shorter hoops or
"glats
are lower than the tops of the main and the sliding hoops or "slats," hence
the necessity for making the ends of the non-sliding hoops or "slats" shorter than
the sliding hoops or "slats," and the main one.
"
"
Any head may be so constructed that the sliding hoops or
"slats or the shorter
ones, or both, or any number of either as may be found most suitable, may slide on
either end of the detachable pivoted portions of the rails or guides when the head
is collapsed, and the hoops or "slats" at the two ends may be provided with springs
or catches or other means of fastening for preventing them from slipping when the
head is being swung down. Suitable catches, fastenings, or other devices may also
be provided for holding the head in position when extended. Suitable springs may
be provided for lifting or counteracting the weight of the head in raising or
lowering same. The head may also, if desired, be constructed with other hoops or
"slats" working on pivots on either or both of the end or outer siiding hoops
or "slats," and thereby form a calash for additional protection.
The head as herein before described may be covered or partially covered with
any suitable material adapted to the uses required of the head, whether for
protection against rain, or sun, or otherwise, the same being preferably attached to
the outsides of the hoops or "slats," and the whole of the top, sides, and ends, or
either, or any portion of the head may be covered so as to form a complete or
partial covering as may be desired or suitable to the construction of any particular
head.
The modus operandi of the working of the head is as follows:-
Assuming the head to be erected and fully extended; in order to close it, all the
sliding hoops or "slats" with the shorter ones intervening are brought together,

page_text: sliding on to those portions of the rails or guides made detachable, and are brought
up to the main hoop or "slat" on either or both sides as the case may be; the
whole of the hoops or "slats" forming the head, including the main hoop or "slat"
being then, as it were, one piece connected by the detachable portions of the rails
or guides, and may either be left standing or may be swung down, working on the
pivots and laid in such position as to be out of the way; in the case of road
vehicles the head may overhang or partly overhang the vehicle or lie otherwise.
To erect and open the head out for use, the head, if lying down, has to be raised
up, moving on the pivots until the head is in a vertical position, the sliding hoops
or "slats"must then be slid along the rails or guides to their full extent, which
completes the erection of the head, the end hoops or "slats" being held by springs
or catches or other means of fastening, but the head may be further extended by
means of a calash or calashes or other addition, when so provided.
In the case of long vehicles such as tramway cars, considerable advantage may
be gained by making two or more heads, each or either half or part only the length
required to cover, and meeting centrally or otherwise.
The head may be erected and drawn out by hand or suitable mechanical means
may be provided for same.
The whole of the head may be made detachable from the body of the carriage or
vehicle, or other object if required.
Although the plan of connecting rods to the hoops or "slats" hereinbefore
described, provides for alternate hoops or "slats" being shorter than the inter-
mediate ones and taking no bearing upon the rails or guides, nevertheless, it is
within the meaning of my invention that any method of providing connecting rods
or levers extending to two or more hoops or "slats" and working in or upon any or
all of same for the purpose of keeping the hoops or "slats" parallel to each other,
not necessitating alternate or any hoops or "slats" being shorter than, or differing
in height from the others, or to rise and fall, but permitting all hoops or "slats" to
be of uniform height and to slide in, upon, or between the rails or guides or
otherwise; and any head may be made so that alternate or other hoops or "slats"
may rise in collapsing and fall in extending; and any head may be made without a
main or fixed hoop or slat; and any head may be made without detachable or
pivoted portions to the rails or guides.
Dated this Fourth day of July 1893
G. S. THOMPSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Collapsible Heads for Road Vehicles, and in
Coverings for other Objects.
GEORGE SAMUEL THOMPSON, of 5 Farleigh Road, Stoke Newington,
London, N., Carriage Builder 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 immense inconvenience and danger from exposure caused to riders upon
the outsides of tramway cars and omnibuses, and in brakes, waggonettes, and other
open carriages in wet and bad weather and from the sun, has long made felt that
a remedy for such existing evils would be particularly desirable and not only
would it confer a boon to the riders personally but would be of considerable
commercial importance to proprietors of Hackney and stage carriages, particularly
of tramway cars and omnibuses as it is apparent that the utilisation of the outside
seats to a much greater extent in bad weather would at once produce a large
increase in the receipts.
In remedying the existing evils it is of the highest importance that the advantage
of perfect open-ness to the weather under ordinary or favourable conditions be

page_text: fully maintained and therefore any method of head or covering providing the
shelter so necessary in wet and bad weather and as a protection from the sun,
must to be of thoroughly practical utility not only make provision for its rapid
erection and adjustment when required, but also supply means of its being quickly
removed out of the way and packed in such manner as to be of no inconvenience
to the riders when out of use.
My invention has for its object the fully carrying out of these desirable
improvements to the outsides of tramway-cars, omnibuses, and similarly constructed
conveyances, and for brakes, waggonettes and all other descriptions of carriages
to which my said invention or modifications of the same may be adaptable, and for
sheltering goods and merchandise carried in vans, carts and road vehicles of all
descriptions; with or without modifications it may also be applied to boats and
ships for sheltering the whole or portions of same, and be used for tents or canopies
and for coverings for all other objects and purposes.
For the purposes of this Complete Specification the word "head" as herein
used, means, "the collapsible head for carriages and other road vehicles," and is
also intended to mean and imply "the collapsible covering for any, either, or all
other objects and purposes mentioned and implied herein" when the latter meaning
singly applied is consistent with the sense of this Complete Specification.
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation partly in section of head as adapted to tram car
in extended position.
Fig. 2 shows the head collapsed in the vertical position and also in the horizontal
position when swung down out of use.
Fig. 3 is a part plan of head and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of head partly in
section.
Fig. 5 is a detail showing the method of keeping slats parallel.
Fig. 5 is a detail to be described.
Figs. 6 & 7 are side elevations partly in section of another method of keeping
slats parallel.
Fig. 8 is a detail to an enlarged scale of pivoted portion of rails or guides having
a main slat.
Fig. 9 is a section taken through the line 1. 1. of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a modified form of slat bearing or runner to be described.
Fig. 11 shows a method of securing end slats when extended.
Fig. 12 is a side elevation partly in section of head with spring lifter applied.
Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail of lifter, shown in Fig. 12.
The same letters refer to the like parts in all the figures.
My invention consists essentially of a suitable number of hoops or "slats" a', a¹, a¹*,
shown in position diagramatically in Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 erected vertically and
parallel to each other, having at their lower ends bearings d sliding upon or
guided by two horizontal rails or guides one at each side that the hoops or
"slats" may be extended at convenient distances apart as in Fig. 1 so as to form
ribs or framework of a head, the rails or guides having portions thereof A made
detachable and pivoted at B to their fixed portions in such manner that the sliding
hoops or "slats
can slip on to the pivoted portions A when the hoops or slats
are brought together in their vertical position as shown in Fig. 2 with the object
that they may then be swung down from the vertical to a horizontal position when
out of use as also shown in Fig. 2.
"
or
I prefer to attach the ends of one hoop or slat a permanently at right angles
to detached portions A of the guides or rails and so form as it were a
"main
principal hoop or slat serving by means of suitable connecting rods to keep the
other hoops or "slats" parallel to it and maintain them in a vertical position when
the head is erected for use, also to facilitate the opening and closing the head.
The detail of one of the methods which I adopt for keeping the hoops or "alats
,

page_text: parallel is shown in Fig. 5, g. g. being connecting rods connected to the main hoop
or "slat" a by the pivots f; f. f. are sliding bars connected to the lower ends
of 9. g. by means of the pivots f³, the sliding bars are formed with slots f¹ƒ1
which work upon props fixed to the hoops or "slats" a. Fig. 5A is a slight
modification of the sliding barf the same being formed with two lugs f* to which
the connecting rods g are attached by means of the pivots 2.
Figs. 6 & 7 show another method of keeping the hoops or "slats" parallel, the
alternate hoops or slats a³ not heing made to slide, but are of shorter length than
the sliding ones a', the connecting rods g being pivoted at f* to the hoops or
"slats" a³ with the result that the hoops or slats a rise in extending the head as
in Fig. 6 and fall in closing as in Fig. 7; the dotted lines e in Figs. 6 & 7 show
the positions respectively the material forming the covering will occupy when the
head is extended and closed.
Fig. 8 shows in detail to an enlarged scale, the pivoted portion A of rails or
guides with a main "slat" a fixed as previously described. These rails or
guides here shown are of tee shape as being most convenient for the purpose; a
section of which may be seen at 6 in Fig. 10.
Fig. 9 being a section taken through the line 1. 1. of Fig. 8, shows the formation
of one method of the bearings d of the sliding hoops or slats a¹ as adapted for
use with the tee shaped rails or guides 6; it also shows in section a method of
spring catch employed for preventing the end hoop or slat a* from slipping off
the pivoted portions A of the rails or guides; it consists of the bolt, the knob
of bolt for raising it, h² the spring forcing bolt down, ³ the casing holding bolt in
position, and the screws securing bolt casing to hoop or slat," is a mortice
in A for the bolt to shoot into and so avert the sliding hoops or slats from
shifting when they are moved from the vertical position.
Fig. 10 illustrates a modified form of the bearings d of the hoops or "slats"
which is also adapted for running upon tee rails or guides, but is furnished with
rollers d', d², and d³ revolving upon pivots as shown by the dotted lines through
same. I prefer to provide each hoop bearing with two rollers as d', one fixed near
each end of the hoop bearing, and one roller each as d2 and d³ fixed centrally in
their respective sides as shown.
Fig. 11 shows one method of securing the head in its extended position when in
use, being a catch passing through a mortice in the top plate of the tee rail b
forming a stop against the hoop bearing d, and moving on a pivot i actuated by a
spring, the catch i is furnished with a lip or handle for drawing down the catch
and spring when it is desired to allow the end hoop or "slat "a¹* to pass over
in order to collapse the head: the catch and spring are let into the rail or
guide b.
Fig. 12 shows a method of spring lifter for assisting in raising and lowering
the head to and from its vertical and horizontal positions, the upper portion of
being pivoted to the inside of the main hoop or "slat" and the lower end of j
being pivoted to a plate at the side of the tee rail or guide b. The construction
and action of the spring lifter will be more fully understood by reference to the
enlarged detail of lifter illustrated by Fig. 13, j being an outer tube into which ¹
fits and slides, 2 is an open coiled steel spring, ³, 13, are plugs securely fixed into
the ends of the tubes j and j', the extreme ends of these plugs are slotted and work
upon pivots, the one fixed inj moving upon the pivot passing through the lip j
of the plate which is screwed to the main hoop or "slat," the slot of the plug
fixed in ' moving upon the pivot passing through of the plate. When the
head is in its vertical position the spring is but slightly compressed between the
two plugs, but as the head is swung into its horizontal position the two
pivots are brought nearer together thereby compressing the spring contained
in the telescopic tubes j, j and as a consequence exerts its force in counter-action
of the weight of the head.
It will be found desirable in some modifications of heads to construct them with

page_text: "
"
a "calash
or bonnet to form an additional forward or backward protection for
shelter and such "calash" or bonnet may be constructed by means of a hoop or
"slat" attached to the front or back sliding hoop or slat; in Fig. 8 is shown one
method of constructing a hoop or "slat' a²
adapted for this purpose, the same being
attached by means of the pivot e to the hoop or slat a', this calash hoop or "slat"
may have additional or intermediate hoops or "slats" and the calash may be
actuated and kept taut or otherwise by means of a spring compressed in telescopic
tubes as herein described for the purpose of counteracting the weight of the head.
The head as herein before described may be covered or partially covered with
any suitable material adapted to the uses required of the head whether for
protection against rain or sun or otherwise, the same being preferably attached to
the outsides of the hoops or "slats," and the whole of the top, sides, and ends, or
either or any portion of the head may be covered so as to form a complete or
partial covering as may be desired or suitable to the construction of any particular
head.
The modus operandi of the working of the head is as follows:-Assuming the
head to be erected and fully extended, in order to close it all the sliding hoops or
"slats" with the shorter ones intervening are brought together, sliding on to those
portions of the rails or guides made detachable, and are brought up to the main
hoop or "slat" on either or both sides as the case may be; the whole of the hoops
or slats "carrying the head including the main hoop or "slat," being then as it
were one piece connected by the detachable portions of the rails or guides and may
either be left standing or may be swung down working on the pivots and laid in
such position 'as to be out of the way: in the case of road vehicles the head may
overhang or partly overhang the vehicle or lie otherwise.
To erect and open the head out for use, the head, if lying down, has to be raised
up, moving on the pivots until the head is in a vertical position, the sliding hoops
or "slats
must then be slid along the rails or guides to their full extent, which
completes the erection of the head, the end hoops or " slats " being held by
springs or catches or other means of fastening, but the head may be further
extended by means of a calash or calashes or other addition when so provided.
In the case of long vehicles such as tramway cars, considerable advantage may
be gained by making two or more heads, each or either half or part only the length
required to cover and meeting centrally or otherwise.
The method of so forming heads for tramway cars is shown by Figs. 1 and 2
the two heads meeting centrally, Fig. 3 being a part plan showing connecting
rods g which work in like manner to g and in connection with slidings bars fas
fully described by Fig. 5 and its modification Fig. 54. By Fig. 4+ may be seen
the relative positions of the connecting rods g and g¹.
The head may be erected and drawn out by hand, or suitable mechanical means
may be provided for same. A method of keeping the head taut when extended
may be formed by a series of head joints which are pivotted centrally on the top
of the hoops or "slats" between the two rows of connecting rods g', the joints
being alternate with the pivots attached to the hoops or "slats" and each
alternate joint closing upon a shoulder in the reverse direction when the
whole series of joints are brought into a straight line by means of lever on
one end.
The whole of the head may be made detached from the body of the carriage or
vehicle by removing the pivots B and the bottom pivots from the spring lifters.
Any method of providing connecting rods or levers extending to two or more
hoops or "slats" and working in or upon any or all of same may be employed for
the purpose of keeping the hoops or "slats" parallel to each other. Any method
of spring lifter may be employed for counteracting the weight of head. Any head
may be made without a main
or fixed hoop stick or "slat." And any suitable
form of rails or guides may be employed and suitable bearings for same attached
to sliding hoop sticks.
66
"

page_text: 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. The plan and arrangement of hinged or pivoted portions A of the rails of
guides 6 substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth and
shown in and by the accompanying drawings.
2. The plan and arrangement of hoops or "slats" sliding on to the pivoted
portions A.
3. The plan and arrangement of a fixed or main hoop or "slat" a attached
to A substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth and shown
in and by the accompanying drawings.
4. The plan and arrangement of connecting rods and sliding bars substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and set forth and shown in and by the
accompanying drawings.
5. The plan and arrangement of spring lifters attached to main hoop sticks
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and set forth and shown
in and by the accompanying drawings.
6. The plan and arrangement of a spring catch i shown in Fig. 11 and the bolt
described in Figs. 8 and 9 both as and for the purposes herein described and set
forth and shown in and by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of April 1894.
G. S. THOMPSON.