Improvements in or relating to Perambulators and other Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Perambulators and other Vehicles.
We, JAMES ALLEN, of No. 59, New Park Street, Cycle Manufacturer, and
GEORGE DUNCAN KENDRICK, of No. 28, Norman Street, Drysalter, both in
Leicester, in the County of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to improvements relating to perambulators, and other
vehicles the object being to provide revolving axles instead of the stationary
ones now in use, and also means and contrivances (which we call anti-vibrating
devices) to prevent jar, shock or vibration to the body and to the person or per-
sons riding in the perambulator or other vehicle.
In carrying out the first part of our invention, hitherto the axles of
perambulators and the like have been fixed stationary and the wheels conse-
quently often become very shaky, now we desire to obviate this by employing
revolving axles fitted with ball bearings placed in casings and adjusted by two
cones screwed upon the axles, and tightened by locking nuts and D holed
washers, the said casing being secured to the spring work or to the body of the
under carriage in a suitable manner, the existing wheels can be employed if
desirable.
According to the other part of our invention we provide anti-vibrating devices
to lessen or take off the jar or shock experienced when the perambulator or other
vehicle is travelling upon hard roads or uneven surfaces or coming in contact
with obstacles, we secure to the C or other springs, or other contrivances that
may be employed for carrying the body of the perambulator or other vehicle,
cranked rods, or what might be termed "lever axles" having their fulcrum
near said casings or brackets; to their lower cranked extremities may be secured
the wheels, or the revolving axles before mentioned may be attached thereto to
carry the wheels, and form bearings therefor, at the fulcrum ends of the cranked
rods are arranged collars carrying stops or checks which impinge against the
under side of the parts to which the axle bearings are attached so that the wheels
can be lifted with the body of the perambulator or other vehicle, said collars
also carry angular arms with looped or hooked ends which carry one end of
spiral closed springs, their upper ends being secured to the springs or under-
carriage of the vehicle, or we may employ in place of the two springs to each
set of wheels a single closed spring (or coiled twist springs adjustable by notched
discs at the ends) to each set of wheels secured to the centre of each of the
cranked rods and to the under carriage or body of the vehicle.
Upon the wheels so arranged. coming in contact with any obstacle or obstruction
they will give way to the pressure of the springs without any excessive jar or
shock or acute vibration to the body of the vehicle, or the said cranked rods may
be arranged so that their cranked extremities fit into the brackets, and their

page_text: straight ends or fulcrum be made to receive the revolving axles before mentioned
without departing from the spirit of this invention.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Perambulators and other Vehicles.
We, JAMES ALLEN, late of No. 59, New Park Street, now of No. 26, King
Richard's Road, Cycle Manufacturer, and GEORGE DUNCAN KENDRICK, of No. 28,
Norman Street, Drysalter, both in Leicester, in the County of Leicester, 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 follow-
ing statement:
This invention refers to improvements in or relating to perambulators and
other vehicles, the object being to provide revolving axles, instead of the stationary
ones as now in use, and also means and contrivances (which we call anti-vibrating
devices) to prevent jar, shock, or vibration to the body of the carriage; and to
the person or persons riding in the perambulator or other road wheeled vehicle.
That our invention may be more clearly understood drawings are annexed,
Figure 1 is a side view of one form of under-carriage of a perambulator with
in which:
the contrivances attached to one of the wheels embodying this invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the ball bearing bracket and lever carrying the
revolving axles.
Figure 3 a side (enlarged) view of same fitted to a bracket attached to the
under-carriage of a vehicle.
Figure 4 is a modification showing the cranked rod, secured to a lever engaging
with a spring secured to the body of the carriage, and
Figure 5 the front end view of Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures.
In carrying out the first part of our invention which relates to axles for carry-
ing the wheels of perambulators and the like, hitherto it has been customary
to fix the axles stationary and the wheels loosely thereon, which soon become
shaky and do not travel evenly, besides causing side roll and the body
thereof to pitch, and cannot therefore be depended upon. We desire to obviate
this by employing the revolving axles A which are carried in the ball bearing
brackets or casings B secured by the cones C and C¹, screwed upon the threaded
portions a of the axle A and tightened by locking nuts D, and D-holed washers E,
the said casings B are formed with the cranked rod b which has a shoulder b
see Figure 2" to fit in the brackets F, and upon the square shaft G, the brackets F
are secured to the springs H or may be to the body of the road wheeled vehicle.
The hubs of the wheels I (which are of the ordinary kind) are mounted on the
ends of the revolving axles A, one of them rigidly and the other loosely so as to
enable the vehicle to be steered or turned in the direction desired and obviate
the vehicle toppling over; said wheels are secured by the cones J and locking
nuts K, see Figure 5."
"
The spring crank axle arrangement allows of a carriage to travel evenly
although the weight may be only upon one side of the vehicle, and the body
of the carriage is also prevented from side roll or pitch.

page_text: According to the other part of our invention we provide the following anti-
vibrating devices which take off, or considerably lessen the jar or shock ex-
perienced by sudden contact of the wheels of the perambulator or other car or
carriage with the kerb stone, or other obstacle. And consists of the square shaft G
mounted in the shoulder b², or right angled hollow part of the cranked rod b¹,
fitting in the outside of the brackets F the latter attached to the C or other
springs H or similar contrivances that may be arranged to carry the body L
or M of the perambulator or other road wheeled vehicle, the cranked rods b², or
what we call "lever axles" are as before stated formed with the ball bearing
brackets or casings B, which form the fulcrum for the said rods, the stops or
checks 63 impinge against the springs of the carriage only when the weight
of the vehicle is greater than the tension of the anti-vibrating springs N mounted
on the square shaft G in conjunction with the ratchet or notched wheels O which
are used to adjust the strength or tension the springs for the varying weights
carried by the machine, the outer ends of the springs N fit in holes w in the
brackets F and the inner ends n' are interchangable in the teeth or notches
of the wheels O, and so holds the axle bearings B at a tension so that the wheels
can be lifted with the body of the perambulator or the like, when lifted or
tilted for pushing the vehicle on to the causeway or other raised surface. The
said anti-vibrating springs and shaft, and bearings may also be affixed to
ordinary stationary axles if desired.
Or a single closed, spiral or watch spring may be mounted on the square
shaft G in place of the two springs shown without departing from the spirit of
our invention.
Or the modification shown in Figure 4 may be employed the hooked ends or
stops or checks 63 of the "lever axles" are connected to the angular arm or
lever P, to the outer end of which is put one end of the coiled spring N³, the
other end of which is secured to the body M of the carriage.
The point of the arrow seen in Figure I denotes the front end of the machine
as further shown in Figure 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a perambulator or other road wheeled vehicle the employment of revolving
axles carried by ball bearing brackets or casings such as B, or in plain bearings
connected to the springs or body thereof, substantially as described.
2. In a perambulator or other road wheeled vehicle the combination of a revolving
axle or axles, carried by ball bearing brackets or casings such as B with cranked
rods (with stops or checks) fitting on square shaft carrying anti-vibrating spring
or springs engaging ratchet or notched wheels for adjustment thereof; plain
bearings, or attached to ordinary stationary axles, all arranged for the purpose of
steadying and preventing side roll or pitch of the body of the carriage, sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
3. The herein described improvements in or relating to perambulators and
other vehicles.
Dated this 1.i l of Cantamal
1000