IMPROVEMENTS IN TWO-WHEELED CARRIAGES OR CABS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Alfred Gold, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Hinge Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TWO-WHEELED CARRIAGES OR CABS."
Sealed the 11th May 1869, and dated the 13th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Alfred Gold at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th November 1868.
I, RICHARD ALFRED GOLD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Hinge Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWO-WHEELED CARRIAGES OR CABS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing and arranging the parts of two-wheeled carriages or cabs
whereby the weight of the person or persons riding in the carriage or
cab and the driver is situated over the axle of the said carriage or cab,
and the said weight thus perfectly balanced. The strain which in
ordinary Hansom cabs is borne by the horse is avoided in carriages or
cabs constructed according to my Invention.

page_text: In constructing two-wheeled carriages or cabs according to my Inven-
tion I place the door at the back of the body of the carriage or cab,
the said door opening outwards, and I arrange the driver's seat at the
front of the carriage or cab and on the roof thereof. I place the axle
near the front of the body and directly under the driver's seat. The
seat for the person or persons riding in the carriage or cab is situated
at the front of the body and over and parallel to the axle; the
persons riding in the carriage or cab are thus, made to face the door
at the back of the cab, the horse being concealed from view. By the
arrangement described the persons riding in the carriage or cab as well
as the driver are situated over the axle of the carriage or cab; the
weight carried by the carriage or cab is thus balanced, and the horse
relieved from strain. The lower part of the body of the carriage or cab
is contracted in width, so as to form shoulders, under which one end
of each of the springs used for supporting the body of the carriage or
cab is connected. In addition to the balancing of the weight carried
by the carriage or cab my Invention affords greater convenience and
comfort to the riders than carriages or cabs of the ordinary kind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Alfred Gold in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ALFRED GOLD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Hinge
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-cight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Alfred Gold, Her
special licence that I, the said Richard Alfred Gold, my executors
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Alfred
Gold, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN Two-WHEELED CARRIAGES OR CABS," upon
the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Alfred Gold, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Richard Alfred Gold, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing and arranging the parts of two-wheeled carriages or cabs
whereby the weight of the person or persons riding in the carriage or
cab and the driver is situated over or nearly over the axle of the said
carriage or cab, and the said weight thus perfectly balanced. The strain
which in ordinary Hansom cabs is borne by the horse is avoided in
carriages or cabs constructed according to my Invention.
In constructing two-wheel carriages or cabs according to my Inven-
tion I place the door at the back of the body of the carriage or cab,
the said door opening outwards, and I arrange the driver's seat at the
front of the carriage or cab and on the roof thereof. I place the axle
near the front of the body and directly under the driver's seat. The
seat for the person or persons riding in the carriage or cab is situated
at the front of the body and over and parallel to the axle; the persons
riding in the carriage or cab are thus made to face the door at the
back of the cab, the horse being concealed froin view. By the arrange-
ment described the persons riding in the carriage or cab as well as
the driver are situated over the axle of the carriage or cab; the weight
carried by the carriage or cab is thus balanced, and the horse relieved
from strain.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, Figure 2 in end elevation,
and Figure 3 in plan a two-wheeled carriage or cab constructed and

page_text: arranged according to my Invention, the same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in each Figure.
a is the body of the cab; b, b, are the wheels, and c is the axle; d, d,
are the springs supporting the body of the cab; the lower part of the
body is contracted in width so as to form shoulders, under which the
springs dare connected (see Figure 2). The axle c is situated at the
front part of the body, and over the said axle is placed the seat e for the
person or persons riding in the cab. This seat is indicated in dotted lines,
and its position is best seen in the plan Figure 3. The body a of the cab
is made of less depth at front than at back, as seen in Figure 1, and upon
the bottom of the said front part the seat e is supported. f is the door
of the cab situated at the back of the body, the said door opening
outwards; g is the driver's seat at the front of the cab and on the
roof thereof, the said driver's seat being situated nearly over the axle c
of the cab. The driver mounts to his scat by means of steps at the
front as represented. When in use the person or persons occupying
the seat e face the door f at the back of the cab, and, as will be seen
by an examination of the Drawing, both the persons riding in the cab
and the driver are situated over or nearly over the axle c, and the
weight carried by the cab is thus balanced and the horse relieved
from strain. The driver is signalled by means of a whistle or speaking
tube inside the cab. A step may be employed at the door f if thought
desirable.
In addition to the balancing of the weight carried by the carriage
or cab my Invention affords greater convenience and comfort to the
rider than two-wheeled carriages or cabs of the ordinary kind. The
entrance to or exit from the cab is also much easier, and the risk of being
injured from the horse kicking the dashboard is avoided. Further the
position of the door prevents the wetting of the person from the open
window which commonly happens in ordinary cabs, and renders the
exit from the cab in case of accident safe and easy.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself to the precise details hercin described and
illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention, the improve-
ments in two-wheeled carriages or cabs herein-before described, and
illustrated in the accompanying, Drawing, that is to say, constructing

page_text: and combining the parts of the said carriages or cabs substantially as
described and illustrated, whereby the weight of the person or persons
riding in the carriage or cab and the driver is situated over or nearly
over the axle of the said carriage or cab, and the said weight thus
balanced.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Alfred Gold, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
0 Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
RICHARD ALFRED GOLD. (L.S.)