IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Maude, of Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
Scaled the 14th November 1858, and dated the 3rd June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Maude at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd June 1853.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD MAUDE, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES" to be as follows:-
These improvements in carriages relate to improvements in the con-
struction of the springs for carriages, and also to an improved mode of
constructing the running gear or under framing of carriages.
The first improvement consists in so arranging and combining the
principles of the elliptic spring, the C spring, and the spiral spring as
to possess all the swing and easy motion of the C spring with the
clasticity of the elliptic spring, and with less expense and weight than
either.

page_text: The improvement in running gear consists in applying to the hind
axletrec a sweep similar to the fifth wheel on the front axletree, and
in connecting the front and hind axletrees with rods or chains, so as to
cause them both to turn at the same time, moving the axletrees by the
pole or shafts with a lever power, while it causes the carriage to run
steadier, and relieves the body of the carriage of the sudden shock to
which it is liable when the hind axletree is stationary with the perch.
Another improvement consists in forming a concealed chamber in
the box of the wheel, for the purpose of applying oil to the axletree
arm when and where needed; the box having at the same time a proper
bearing against the arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Maude in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 3rd December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM EDWARD MAUDE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Maude, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Maude, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Maude, 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
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Maude, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-

page_text: vention, 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 William Edward Maude, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
These improvements in carriages relate to improvements in the con-
struction of the springs for carriages, and also to an improved mode
of constructing the running gear and under framing of carriages.
The first improvement consists in so arranging and combining the
principles of the elliptic spring, the C spring, and the scroll spring as to
possess all the swing and easy motion of the C spring with the elasticity
of the elliptic spring, and with less expense and weight than either.
The improvement in running gear relates, first, to a novel construc-
tion of under framing, and consists in applying to the hind axletree a
sweep similar to the fifth wheel on the front axletree, and in connecting
the front and hind axletrees with rods or chains, so as to cause them
both to turn at the same time by moving the axletrees by the pole or
shafts with a lever power, while at the same time it causes the carriage
to turn steadier, and relieves the body of the carriage of the sudden shock
to which it is liable when the hind axletree is stationary with the perch.
In connection with this improved under framing, whereby the two
axletrees are connected together, I find it convenient to employ a novel
construction of carriage step, which is self-acting; that is, it lets down
and rises again into its original position when the door is open and shut.
Another improvement consists in forming a concealed chamber in
the box of the wheel, for the purpose of applying oil to the axletree
arm when and where needed; the box having at the same time a
proper bearing against the arm.
The first improvement, which relates to the arrangement and con-
struction of the springs of carriages, is shewn in Sheet I. of the accom-
panying Drawings.

page_text: Fig. 1, represents an end elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view; and Fig. 3,
a side elevation of a set of the improved springs combined and arranged
ready to be attached to the body of a carriage by the centre part of the
scroll spring a, a, which is connected at each end by shackles or joints
b, b, to the flat springs c, c. The peculiar contruction of the shackles
or joints b, b, will perhaps be best understood by referring to the
detached views, Fig. 4.
It will be seen that the joint is formed of two short tubes connected
together crosswise, so as to admit of the pin or bolt of the scroll spring
passing through one hole, while the pin or bolt of the flat spring
passes through the other hole, which is at right angles to the former.
The object of making the springs a, a, with scroll ends, as shewn in
the Figure, is to admit of a fore and aft motion, in addition to that
obtained by the joints or shackles b, b. Of course it will be understood
that the two flat springs c, c, are attached to the head blocks directly
over the axletrees, and therefore lengthwise of the carriage, while the
scroll springs a, a, extend across, or are placed transversely. What I
claim as new in this part of the Invention is, the combination, as above
described, of the scroll or C spring a, with the flat or elliptic spring c.
The next improvement relates to the running gear, and consists,
first, in connecting the fore and hind axles in such a manner that they
both be made to turn simultaneously.
may
This part of the Invention is shewn in Sheet II, of the Drawings, in
which Fig. 5. represents a plan view of the improved arrangement of
under framing for the running gear without the wheels, springs, and
pole or shafts and their appendages. Fig. 6, is a similar view of the
back axletree, with the bearing I, on which rests the back spring bed
or head block, and the T plate, through which a king bolt passes at L,
as shewn in Fig. 5*.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, represent modifications of the above. D, is the
axletree, and J¹, the half wheel, which is firmly attached to the axle-
tree; the circle wheel Y¹, rests, detached, upon the axletree D, to which
the wheel bar X, and the bar Z, are firmly attached. M¹, Fig. 8, is the
perch. Near the back end of the perch is the hole L', through which
a king bolt passes into a similar hole in the T plate at L', (Fig. 6,)
attached to the axletree E¹. Through the hole K', in the front part of

page_text: the perch,
(Fig. 7.)
a
king bolt passes into K', in the front axletree D',
H', H', are two rods which connect the two axletrees, and cross cach
other at or near the centre of the perch M¹; one end of these rods
H', H', is attached to the fifth wheel or sweep wheel, as seen in
Figures 5, and 8, and the other ends of the rods are attached to the
back axletree through the brace F. The rods H, HI, are flattened
about one fourth of their length, or joints may be formed on them, as
seen at their front end, to allow them to rest against the fifth wheel J',
or circle wheel Y', as the case may be; or the front end of the rods
may be attached directly to the half wheel J, there being a flange
under and attached to it for that purpose; in which case, the circle Y',
and its attachments, will be dispensed with, and the shafts or pole
attached directly to the axletree.
The object of the rods H, H', is to connect the axletrees in such
manner as to cause the movement imparted to the front axletree by
the pole or shafts to be cominunicated to the back axletree. The
object of attaching the rods to the circle wheel or half wheel is to
keep the rods equally taut in every position of the axletrees; that is,
when the carriage is turned to the right the rod attached to the left-
hand side of the front axletree is drawn forward, bringing with it the
right-hand side of the hind axletree, in doing which the axletrees are
made to approach parallelism with the perch, and thereby furnishing a
surplus length to the rods, which surplus length is taken up by the
left-hand side of the fifth or circle wheel, as the case may be. At the
same time the right-hand side of the fifth or circle wheel Y', leaves the
rod, and the additional length thus given to the rod is taken up by the
left-hand brace of the hind axletree. The circle wheel Y', in addition
to performing the duties of the half wheel J¹, as in Fig. 5, acts as a
lever not only on the rods, but also on the half wheel J', through its
connection at the junction of the said half wheel and the centre plate
X', as seen in Fig. 7. B, (Fig. 7,) is the centre of the circle wheel
Y, and receives a king bolt at B". K', (Fig. 7,) is the centre or pivot
of the half wheel J', and axletree D', attached to it, and not only holds
the axletree firm through the shafts or pole, but admits of the carriage

page_text: turning much shorter, as the horse or horses are made to form an
additional part of the circle. The bar Z', to which the pole or shafts
are attached, in turning to the right comes with its right end to the
front axletree, whilst its left end is as much farther from the axletree.
The object of placing the king bolt at L', in front of the back axletree,
(as seen in Figures 8, and 9,) is to throw the perch and thereby the
body of the carriage from the wheels while turning, so as to keep the
body of the carriage nearly in a line with the horse or horses.
c, represents a shaft, to
This shaft c, passes
When this improved running gear is adapted to a carriage I find it
convenient to employ a self-acting carriage step of peculiar construction,
as shewn in Sheet I, at Figures 11, 12, and 12. Fig. 11, is a sec-
tional view of the carriage step when up; and Fig. 12, a similar view
of it when down. a, a, a, are the front and two sides of a box, which
is to be fastened underneath the body of the carriage by bolts, as repre-
sented at p, p, P, P
in Figures 12, and 12*.
which is attached a lever b, outside of the box a.
through the box a, as shewn at m, Fig. 12; and the other end of the
shaft c, rests in a bearing in the box a, as shewn at m, Fig" 11, & 12.
Two levers e, are attached to the shaft c, inside of the box a, as shewn
in Figures 11, and 12. d, d, are the two bars, to which a step j, is
attached. e, and f, are other bars or levers, the lower parts of which
are attached to the bar d, by moveable joints, and the upper part to the
box a, a, (as shewn at 9, 9, and r, r.) h, is a link connecting the
hars f, with the levers e, by which the step is forced down on opening
the door of the carriage, as shewn in Fig. 12. A rod k, is connected
with the lever b, by a joint, as shewn at n, and also to the door by
means of a plate l, which is hooked or connected loosely to the rod k,
by means of a suitable joint. g, g, are two springs attached to the back
and inner sides of the box a, their front ends being attached at s, to the
levers c. The object of these springs is to assist in raising up and
closing the step and carriage door.
In reference to this part of the present Invention I claim adapting
to the hind axle a king bolt and a fifth wheel, or their equivalent, and
connecting the front and hind axles by rods H', H', or their equivalents,
in order to cause the two axletrees to act in combination.

page_text: The last improvement relates to an improved construction of axle
box, and consists in forming a concealed oil chamber in the butt of the
axle box, so that the oil may be applied to the axletree arm when in
use without reducing materially the bearing surface of the box at a
point where the bearing is most required; the surface of the lateral
bearing of the box and axletree is also greatly reduced, thereby lessening
the friction; and a shoulder is employed to protect the packing, which
is intended to prevent the escape of oil out of the box.
Fig. 13, Sheet I, represents one of the improved axletree arms, the
box being shewn in section. a*, (Fig. 13,) is an inner shoulder formed
on the arin a, and corresponds with the shoulder b, formed in the box.
c, is another shoulder formed on the arm, against which is placed an
india rubber or other packing or washer, as shewn at d; the object of
which is to form a joint to prevent the escape of the oil; the packing
bears against the box at c; the object of the inner shoulder or bearing
(x) is to protect from injury the outer washer or packing by preventing
a sudden collision of the washer with the box. f, represents the oil
chamber, and g, a groove made in the inner part of the box for the
purpose of cleaning the chamber when required. Fig. 14, is a section
taken through the chamber f, and shews two narrow outlets extending
across the chamber for supplying the arm with oil; these may be pro-
duced in casting by a core on the main core, which forms the inner part
of the box. k, is a collar, for the purpose of confining the box to the
axletree, and is also seen in the sectional view, Fig. 15. This collar is
divided into two equal parts, for the purpose of being placed upon the
axle on the groove 7. The end cup n, answers the double purpose of
confining the two parts of the collar k, and closing the outer end of the
box, and is screwed on to the box, as shewn at Fig. 13.
In reference to this part of the Invention I claim forming a concealed
chamber in the axle box, whether with one or more perforations, for
the purpose of supplying the axle with oil, and also the combination of
the inner and outer shoulders or bearings a*, and c, for the purposes
set forth, as above described.
I also claim the combination of the cap n, with the two half collars

page_text: k, k, for confining the box to the axle and closing the end of the box,
and combining the several parts together.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Maude, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the First day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
W. E. MAUDE. (L.S.)