Improvements in the Construction of Bodies of Vehicles and in Means for Supporting such Bodies.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Bodies of Vehicles and
in Means for Supporting such Bodies.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD CARMONT, of Helmsdale, Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey,
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates ;-
1. To certain improvements in the method of supporting the bodies of omnibuses,
pleasure brakes, furniture vans, and other vehicles in which it is required that the
flooring be close to the ground.
2. To making the axle arms of such like vehicles in conjunction with plates
having motion in guides fixed outside the bodies of the vehicles in order to dispense
with the usual axle.
3. To a novel arrangement and employment of chair like seats inside an omnibus
to obtain greater freedom and comfort for the occupants while sitting and to give
more room in the mid passage than is possible by the present arrangements of side
seats.
4. To a novel method of arranging the front under carriage of a four wheel
vehicle for improving the locking or turning appliances from an action on the pole
or tongue.
To carry my invention into practice, I form the shell or body of an omnibus or
furniture van in the ordinary way and just behind the middle of the length of the
body, I fix angle or other shaped iron straps set backwardly at the upper part and
forming stays or ties under the body to strengthen it. These angle or other
shaped straps with face pieces form guides in which blocks slide, said blocks
having the axle arms projecting for the attachment of the hind wheels.
The straps are tied at desired parts and at one part on each side of the vehicle,
the ties form abutment plates to resist helical springs which bear respectively
against the tie and the sliding block of the axle arm for supporting the body and
the load placed in or on the vehicle.
The axle arms of the front wheels have vertical rods which pass through sockets
affixed to the front body and the upper ends are encircled by helical springs which
abut against fixed heads projecting downwardly from the roof this overhanging the
front fore carriage. Each vertical rod has a crank lever and they are connected
to a corresponding crank on pivot of the pole by a rod, so that when the pole is
slewed by a side thrust of the horses, the front wheels turn on the vertical rods and
take a new line of motion.
Instead of the sliding blocks of the hind wheels, I can substitute double sliding
sockets or rods fixed to the sides of the vehicle, and these double sliding sockets as
also the blocks are applicable to two wheeled vehicles of the box kind, such as arc
used for carrying pianos, or half elliptic springs may be connected to the rods and
to the angle strips at the upper part, the axle under or through the body in every
case being dispensed with.
My arrangement of seats for omnibuses is to place them diagonally next to each
other along the sides, so that the legs of each rider are next the side of the seat of
the one in front of him. Each seat is a chair fixed in position, and from this new
arrangement, a larger mid path than usual is obtained besides giving increased
comfort to the passengers.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood, 1.show on the

page_text: close cart.
Figure is a side elevation of an omnibus with outside seats.
Figure 2 plan of same.
Figure 3 back end view.
Figure 4 part sectional plan elevation of my new arrangement of inside seats.
Figure 5 side elevation of close cart.
Figure 6 side elevation of omnibus with modified arrangement, of spring.
Figure 7 plan of same looking on inner seats set crosswise of the vehicle, as per
dotted line, y.
Figure 8 detached view of axle arm and block.
Figure 9 elevation of rods and sliding sockets as an alternative to the method of
supporting the body of the vehicle to that shown at Figures 1, 3, and 5.
Figure 10 plan of double sliding socket.
Figure 11 elevation of sliding socket with helical springs in reverse position.
A is the body of an omnibus. B the spring or foot-board. C back step.
D, D, roof seats. E, E, angle straps around body A. F ties acting in conjunction
with bolts in fixing the angle straps E, E, at the required distance apart. G block
to slide in angle straps E, E, and held loosely by the filling in strips H, H. I axle
arm projecting from block G. J, J, helical springs encircling rods K; K, fixed on
block G and sliding in holes of the abutting tie F.
The foregoing invention which enables the bodies of vehicles to be set low and
without cranked or other axles, is applicable to all kinds of vehicles, of the box or
close kind, whether as four wheeled, or as two wheeled vehicles used as public,
conveyances for removing furniture, or goods generally.
I have shown at Figure 7 transverse or cross seats LL, inside the vehicle but
such seats may be of the usual kind, I prefer however chair seats M, M, set.
diagonally with and next each other, as indicated at Figure, 4. By this arrange-
ment, each person has a distinct chair, which not only gives comfort.for stretch of
legs but a lean back easy position to the body.
N, N, are brackets fixed to front part of body A with eyes in which are rods P, P,
as pivots to the front wheels Q, Q.
The rods P, P are encircled by springs a and each has a stop b as at Figures 12
and 13 to press on the spring to sustain the front weight of the vehicle, the upper
part of the rod P being fixed about under the drivers seat. The brace has a
socket dat top and, the axle arme at bottom projecting from a second socket.to.
which the collar g of the crank arm K is affixed.
C
The arms R, R, are connected to a bar S to a crank. T of the poles or
tongue Uby or from which the horses exert pressure for turning purposes.
At Figure 6 it will be seen that, I can employ half elliptic or it may be, other.
shapes of springs at the upper part of the rods K, K. To effect this, I purpose.
curling the ends, of the angle iron straps to form scrolls V, V, but said scrolls may
be separately applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this nven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what, I
claim is :-
:-
1. Supporting the body, of a vehicle from axle arms of blocks sliding in: angle
iron straps which pass, under or surround the, body and form, strengtheners to the
structure as described and shown.
2. The construction of low set omnibus bodies and the employment of outside
springs and, wheels without axles thereto in the manner set forth and substantially
as shown in the annexed drawings.
3. The, employment of diagonally fixed chair like, seats, in public and pleasure.
four wheeled vehicles, as and for the purposes explained and, as shown at Figures
of the annexed drawings.
i

page_text: 4. The described method of constructing or arranging the front under carriage
of a public or pleasure four wheeled vehicle, and as shown at Figures 1, 6 and 7 of
the annexed drawings.
Dated this 18th day of July 1899
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said William Edward Carmont.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said William Edward Carmont.