IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SKIDDING OR STOPPING WHEELS OF CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Frederick Gougy, of Castle Street,
Gentleman, and David Combe, of King Street, both in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SKIDDING OR STOPPING WHEELS OF CARRIAGES AND
OTHER VEHICLES."
Scaled the 30th April 1853, and dated the 22d February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Frederick
Gougy and David Combe at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 22d February 1853.
We, PIERRE FREDERICK GOUGY, of Castle Street, Gentleman, and
DAVID COMBE, of King Street, both in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SKIDDING OR STOPPING WHEELS OF CAR-
RIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES" to be as follows:-
The drawings hereunto annexed represent our Invention for skidding
wheels, as applied to a four-wheeled carriage.
A, A, is the framework of the carriage; B, B, the wheels; C, is the
skid shown in end view in Figure 1, and side view in Figure 2. The

page_text: skid is connected by means of the rod D, to a joint E, the position and
angle of inclination of which, together with the length of the rod D, is
such that, when it is desired to skid the wheel, upon releasing the skid
from its position, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, its own weight
shall bring it precisely under the wheel, as represented by the full lines 5
in Figures 1, and 2. F, is a cord or chain connected to the rod D,
at a, and by means of which the skid is drawn up under the floor of
the carriage, and entirely out of the way when not required to be in
This rod may be connected to a pulley or handle, which can be
worked either by the feet or hand of the driver or conductor of the 1
carriage, so that they may have the entire control of the skid, and apply
or release it when desired. G, is the drag chain. Figure 3, represents
the same contrivance adapted to a hook-drag for skidding the wheel.
This hook is applied to the spoke, and acted upon in the same manner
as the one herein-before described. The skid may be applied at the 1
back of the wheel, so as to prevent the carriage from running back-
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Pierre Frederick Gougy and David Combe, in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 22d August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
PIERRE FREDERICK GOUGY, of Castle Street, Gentleman, and DAVID
COMBE, of King Street, both in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Pierre Frederick Gougy and David
Combe, Her special licence that we, the said Pierre Frederick Gougy
and David Combe, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Pierro Frederick Gougy and David Combe, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time-agree with,

page_text: and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR SKIDDING OR STOPPING WHEELS OF CARRIAGES AND OTHER
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Pierre
Frederick Gougy and David Combe, or one of us, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Pierre Frederick Gougy and
David Combe, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
Our Invention consists in adapting the skid to carriages and vehicles
of either two or four wheels in such a manner that it shall he entirely
under the control of the driver or such other person whose duty it is to
apply the skid when required; and this without either causing such
person to alight from the vehicle or to stop its progress. By this means
a great saving in time is effected, and the skid is also always easy of
application in cases of emergency. The drawings hereunto annexed
represent our Invention for skidding wheels as applied to a four-
wheeled carriage; Figure 1, being an end view of so much of the
carriage as is necessary to explain our Invention; and Figure 2, a side
view of the same. A, A, is the framework of the carriage; B, B, tho
wheels; C, is the skid, which is constructed without any side-pieces,
as shown in the detached view in Figures 6, and 7. The skid C, is
connected by means of the rod D, to a joint E, the position and angle
of inclination of which, together with the length of the rod D, is such
that when it is desired to skid the wheel, upon releasing the skid from
its position, shown in the dotted lines in Figure 2, its own weight shall

page_text: bring it precisely under the wheel, as represented by the full lines in
Figures 1, and 2. The rod D, is constructed of two parts, a, and b, as
indicated in Figures 3, and 4. The lower portion of the part a, is
formed with a socket c, into which the end of the part b, takes, and is
retained in its place by a pin d, which is passed through the socket and
also through a slot in the end of the part 6, by which means a certain
amount of play is given to the rod D, at that part, so as to adapt it
to the wear and tear of the skid and wheel. A ring of vulcanized
india-rubber e, is interposed between the edges of the parts a, and b,
whereby the grit and dirt are prevented from entering the socket. F,
is a cord or chain connected to the rod D, at f, by means of which the
skid is drawn up under the floor of the carriage, and entirely out of
the way when not required to be in use. This cord F, may be passed
over a pulley, and connected to a handle or treadle, which can be worked
either by the hand or feet of the driver or conductor of the carriage,
so that they may have the entire control of the skid, and apply or
release it when desired. G, is the drag-chain, which is connected to the
skid and to the carriage in the usual manner. Figure 5, represents this
method of skidding the wheel shown applied to a two-wheeled vehicle.
In this arrangement the weight is taken from off the horse's back so as
to render the draught easier. The drag-chain G, is attached to the end of
the lever or arm H, which is connected to the axle above the centre by
means of a joint g; or the drag-chain may be passed over a pulley in
the end of the arm E, and attached to the back part of the cart or other
two-wheeled vehicle to which it is applied, as shown by the dotted lines,
by which means a great portion of the weight of the front of the vehicle
is counterbalanced and the draught thereby rendered lighter. Figures
6, 7, and 8, represent the manner in which wo construct the skids for
vehicles of a heavy draught, and where the skids are subject to 'a
greater wear and tear. A, is the solo part of the skid, which is separately
represented in Figure 8. The front part of this sole-plate is turned up
so as to form two catches or hoods, a, a, under which the front part of
the portion B, of the skid is fitted, being retained in its place by the
bolts b, b. C, is a lug upon the portion B, by which the skid is attached
to the rod D, and E, the prolongation to which the drag-chain is

page_text: attached. When the sole-plate A, has become too much worn for
further use, the bolts b, b, are withdrawn, which releases the portion B,
so that it can be fitted to a fresh sole-plate. Should it be desired to
use a hook applied to the spoke of the wheel, we adopt the arrangement
represented in Figure 9, in which the hook is acted upon in a similar
manner to the drag as herein-before explained. The skid may also be
applied at the back of the wheel, so as to prevent the carriage or other
vehicle to which it is fitted from moving backwards.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim the
several arrangements of apparatus for skidding and stopping the wheels
of either two or four wheeled carriages and other vehicles constructed
and worked in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described
and represented in the drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Combe, on behalf of the
said Pierre Frederick Gougy and myself, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.
DAVID COMBE. (L.8.)