Year: 1885

page_text: .
I, CHAUNCEY THOMAS, of the City of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Coach Manufacturer, 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 :-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a Hansom-Cab, so-called, with my invention
thereto applied.
Figure 2, is an inverted sectional plan view, the section being horizontal and
taken as on line Z, Fig. 1, and the plan showing all above that line.
Figure 3, is a detached vertical section taken on line X, Fig. 2, through the
top of the cab and portions of the devices by which the doors are opened and
closed.
Figure 4, is a sectional elevation, the section being taken as on line W, Fig. 1,
through the side sills and floor of the body, and the view being as from the right
in that figure.
Figure 5, is also a sectional elevation, the section being taken as on line V, Fig. 1,
and the view as from the left in that figure.
Figure 6, is a vertical section taken as on line S, Fig. 5, and as viewed from the
right therein.
Figure 7, is a detached front elevation of the upper portion of one of the doors,
taken as viewed from the right in Fig. 6, with the jamb or side-bar of the doorway
removed; and showing the controling pinions and their shaft in position in the
stile.
Figure 8, is a detached enlarged central vertical section of the lower pinion
support, and clamping iron; viewed as from the left in Fig. 7.
Figure 9, is a sectional plan view; the section being taken as on line N, Fig. 6,
and the view as from above that line.
Figure 10, is a view like Fig. 9, the section being taken as on line P, Fig. 6. .
Figure 11, is a detached vertical section, taken as on line M, Fig. 5, through the
bottom of the door, and the devices upon which it moves.
Figure 12, is a side elevation of the right hand stile of one of the doors,
the horizontal rails or bars which unite it with the other stile, being shown in
Do

page_text: transverse section; the side bar of the sash being shown in elevation, while the
top and bottom rail thereof are shown in transverse section. Said sash being
shown as when raised, to close the opening in the door.
Figure 13, is a view like Fig. 12, with the exception that the sash is shown as
lowered, to leave an open space in the top of the door.
Figure 14, is a detached front sectional elevation, showing a part of the door stile,
in longitudinal section, and a portion of the sash as in connection therewith.
Figure 15, is an edge elevation of the lower portion of the side bar of the sash,
viewed as from the right in Fig. 14, and showing in place thereon, the metallic
guiding plate, by which it is held in position in the door stiles when being raised
and lowered.
Figure 16, is a horizontal section, taken as on line R, R, figures 12, 13, 14, 15,
through the door stile, its metallic guide plates, the lower rail of the sash and its
metallic guide plate; and as when the lower rail of the sash is at the point
indicated at R, in Fig. 12, 13, when the sash is being raised or lowered.
Figure 17, is a transverse section taken on line K, Figure 12, and showing by
dotted lines the position of guide plate 11, therein.
My invention relates more especially to that class of carriages known as
"Hansom-Cabs," and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described,
and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings, A, represents the body; B, the wheels; C, the driver's
seat; D, the left hand fixed section of the front of the body; D', the corresponding
right hand section; E; the left hand section or half of the door, and E¹, the right
hand section thereof.
The body is supported by means of the usual side springs a, secured to the
axle, at their center, and shackled to the body at their front end; while at their
rear ends they are shackled to the ends of cross-spring b, which is at its center
secured to the body, in the usual and well known manner. The front ends c, of the
side sills of the body, are united with shafts d, by irons e, and f, in the manner
well known; a curtain or boot h, extending from the curved rear portion of the
shafts, to platform g, upon sills c. As all the foregoing parts, with the exception
of the doors, are of well known construction, further reference thereto is not
deemed necessary, except as may be requsite in explaining the construction of
the doors, and the devices by which they are actuated.
Said doors, as also the fixed side sections D, D¹, of the body are preferably formed
with the lower wooden panels i, and upper glass panels j, which latter are respec-
tively enclosed within and supported by the stiles or side bars k, k², and horizontal
bars, of the doors; and the vertical bars m, and horizontal bars ¹, of the
sections D, D¹, as shown, the glass in the doors, being secured. in a sash as shown,
and hereinafter explained.
Said doors, which are arranged to respectively move to the right and left by
sliding behind sections D, D¹, when being opened and closed, are mounted and
moved upon the steel bar n, by means of grooved rolls p, journaled on studs q,
formed upon supporting plate r, secured to lower rail l, of the doors.
Upon said plate, opposite to studs q, are formed the studs 8, which extend through
bottom rail, and panel i, of the door, as shown in Figs. 4, 11, and thereby serve
not only to relieve the securing screws, passing through plate r, into rail 1, from
vertical strain; but by being hollow, as shown, serve as the means of lubricating
the studs q, and rolls p, as oil may be introduced through said studs, from whence
it falls directly upon studs q, as will be apparent from an inspection of said
Fig. 11.
For the purpose of enabling the driver to open and close the doors, when in his
place in seat C, I employ the following devices.
A stud t, supported by suitable washers as shown in Fig. 3, extends up through
roof F, and is there provided with a lever u, which is rigidly secured to the stud,
so as to rotate the same; and is so arranged as to be within easy reach of the driver

page_text: when in his said seat. Upon the lower end of said stud t, is formed a bar v, which
constitutes a differential lever, the ends of which are respectively connected with
levers a, (whose fulcra or pivots, are at the rear part of the top, as shown in Fig. 2),
by means of links w, at such distance between their respective fulcra and free ends,
The front or
as will compensate for the unequal length of the arms of bar v.
moving ends of levers a, are connected by links y, with studs respectively secured.
by their plates 3, to the top rails or horizontal bars of the doors, as shown in
Figs. 2, 5. It will be obvious that the driver by actuating lever u, can readily,
through the described mechanism, open the doors by sliding them respectively
behind the sections D, D¹; or can close them, by a reverse movement of said
lever; provided the force thus exerted at the top of the doors, will move the same
bodily; that is with a parallel movement at their top and bottom; which result
I secure by means of the following described devices. In the upper portion of
bar k, of each door, I form a longitudinal groove, to receive a small arbor 2, the
upper ends of which are journaled in lugs projecting inwards from plates 3, as
shown in Fig. 6; while their lower ends are secured in hole 8, in the plates 4,
secured at central bar l, of the doors, Figs. 6, 7, 8. Upon said arbors, adjacent to
their described bearings, at each end, I rigidly secure a pinion 5, which enmesh
with racks 6, secured to the upper and middle horizontal bars 1, of the fixed
section D, D', as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 9.
It will be obvious that when force is exerted at the top of the doors, by the
described means, in a direction to either open or close them, that when the top of
the doors begin to move, the pinions at the top end of the arbors [by reason
of their engagement with the racks] will be thereby rotated, and their rotation will:
cause the corresponding rotation of the pinions at the lower ends of the arbors;
which by their engagement with their racks, will move the lower portion of the
door coincidently with the top; and hence the doors must always move, in either
direction, with their inner or meeting edges, parallel, each with the other.
For the purpose of securing said pinious in engagement with their respective
racks, and also to hold the doors in position, and to secure them from rattling or
noise when either opened or closed, I secure to the inside face of sections D, D¹,
near the middle rail 1, a curved spring 7, secured at its middle, but free at its ends,
as shown in Fig. 10; and a hook 9, Figs. 6, 8, 10, formed on plate 4, grasps said
spring, and when by the described sliding movement of the door, said hook
approaches either end of the spring, it draws it into a straight line or towards the
door, whereby the force and resistance of the spring is then exerted, to hold the
door closely against the fixed section, and thus prevent its rattling.
Another advantage of the curved spring, is that whether the door be open or
closed, the spring aids in moving it in the opposite direction, as its force acts
obliquely to force the door to so move that its hook 9, shall be at or near the
lineal center of the spring, as there no force whatever is exerted by the hook upon
the spring, except to hold the door loosely in place, and the pinions and racks
in mesh.
In order that the windows, shown in position in Figs. 4, 12, may by a sliding
movement be raised in position to close the openings in the top of the door, as
shown in said figures, or may be lowered, as shown in Fig. 13; notwithstanding
the relative angles of the top and bottom portions of the doors, I employ the
following devices.
In the lower half or portion of the door stiles, I form a longitudinal groove 10,
Figs. 12, 13, which extends upwards to near the curved portion of the stile, when
it is extended by means of the curved metal plates 11, 12, as shown; the outer
face or plane of said plates, being flush with that of the stile, both below them,
and at 13, above them, which latter portion serves as the lateral guide-way of the
side bars 18, of the sash.
At the front side of the stile, the usual guard lip 14, projects from face 13, as
shown in Figs. 12, 13, 17; said lip terminating at foot-rail 16, on which the sash

page_text: rests when raised, as shown in Fig. 12, in the usual manner; the sash being held
close against lip 14, by the usual thin metal plate 22, secured to the back side of
rail 16, and by a short guard lip 15, at the top of the stile. The lower end of the
sash is interlocked in groove 10, by means of a plate 20, formed with fin, or
flange 21; one of said plates being secured to the side bar at each side of the sash,
and said fin 21, being of such length and thickness as to readily pass the curve in
the groove between metal plates 11, and 12.
In practice, if the sash be already raised, as shown in Fig. 12, and it is desired
to lower it, it is raised by means of its flexible handle 21, so as to free it from
plate 22, of foot-rail 16, when the lower end is moved rearward till fins 21, bear
against the front edge of plates 12, when the sash is lowered; and as it will be
free of guard rib 15, before its fins 21, enter the curved portion of the groove,
therefore the top of the sash may be moved rearward just fast enough to allow
said fins to move freely in the groove, as the sash descends. When the sash is
fully lowered, as shown in fig. 13, its lower rail rests on the horizontal bar of the
door, which unites the two stiles or vertical side-bars thereof; as shown in
figure 13, while the upper end of the sash is held between bosses 23, respectively
formed upon and projecting inwards from the faces of plates 11 and 12; or it may
rest upon bar 17, which extends across the door from stile to stile; but the bosses
are preferable.
The sash and its glass being protected, when thus lowered, by outer panel i, and
inner casing 24. If the sash be lowered, as shown in Fig. 13, and it is desired to
raise it, the movement is the reverse of that described for lowering it; the sash
moving in a line, which is a prolongation of that occupied by it when lowered, till
fin 21, enters the curved part of the groove, when the top of the sash will be
moved gradually forward so that it will, by the controling action of said fins, auto-
matically enter between lips 14, 15, when raised to the lower end of lip 15. Said
fin 21, is in its front lineal face formed with a curve, corresponding to the sharpest
curve in the rearward edge of guiding plate 11, in order that it may at its ends fit
closely between plates 11, 12, and yet slide freely between them.
If preferred, said plate 20, may instead of fin 21, have formed upon it, near its
ends, two studs, on which if desired may be secured rotating trundles to relieve it
of friction.
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
1st The combination with the sliding door and the guiding bar n, of plater,
formed with studs q, having rolls p, secured thereon; and the perforated studs 8,
arranged above and on the opposite side of said plate from studs q, substantially as
specified.
2nd The combination with the sliding doors, formed with an upper and lower
portion at an angle to each other, of arbors 2, duly mounted therein, and extending
from near the end to the middle thereof, and provided with pinions secured at their
respective ends, and the racks 6, duly arranged and supported, to be engaged by
said pinions; substantially as specified.
3rd The combination with the doors E, E, 'constructed and arranged to slide
parallel by a movement as specified; and the lever u, arranged above the top and
secured to stud t, entering within the body; of a system of levers connected with
said stud and the doors, and adapted and arranged, when actuated by said lever,.to
open or close the same; substantially as specified.
4th The combination with doors E, E, arranged to slide as described; of
levers, links w, and y, and levers u, v, united by stud t, all substantially as
specified.
5th The combination with the sliding doors, of curved spring 7, and the
engaging hook 9, substantially as specified.

page_text: 6th The combination with a door formed with its upper and lower portions at
an angle relatively to each other, or with a vertically curved plane, of a sash inter-
locked at its lower end with, and arranged to slide in the side frame or stiles of the
door, and to be swung-out of contact with the door, at its upper end; whereby
said sash may be moved by sliding from the top to the bottom of the door and
vice versa; substantially as specified.
7th The combination with the angular door stiles, formed with groove 10, in the
lower portion, and with the front lip 14. and rear short lip 15, of the sash provided
at its lower end with interlocking plates arranged to move in the grooves of the
stiles, and to allow the top of the sash to swing out of plane with the stiles;
substantially as specified.