Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 25th Jan., 1889
STANLEY BETJEMANN 21 Ingersoll Road Uxbridge Road London W. Mechanician
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
(A) An improved shackle or "robin" for connecting the ends of the springs to
the hanging irons, or attachments that connect the springs with the body of the Cab
or vehicle. (B) an improved method of arranging and moving the front glasses-
(C) an improvement in the strap by which the glass frames are raised & lowered.
(D) an improved means of communicating instructions to the driver by the occupant
of the Cab or vehicle.
(A) The shackle or "robin" consists of an H.shaped piece of material (preferably
metal) the flat sides being nearly the width of the spring-between the open ends
two pieces of material (preferably metal) are made to move freely on studs, these
pieces are made to fit between the flaps, or ears, of the springs, and the corresponding
part of the springs, or hanging irons, or dumbars, that carries the body of the vehicle,
and have a transverse hole in them (on the same plane as the studs) to receive the
shackle bolts, exactly as in those in common use, the parts held by the shackle bolts
are always, (without strain) held parallel to the line of the axle, while the H piece
connecting them, moves freely on the studs, in any direction required by the vibration
of the wheels and axles.
(B) Instead of the usual arrangement of two equal sized glass frames, in the front
of a Hansom Cab, I propose to have one frame, half the width at the bottom, a similar
one at the top, and a wide one in the middle, to give an unobstructed view to the
passenger, by attaching the strap in a suitable way the three frames will telescope, and
slide upwards and back under the roof, on suitable guides at either side, or turn up on
hinges in a similar way to that now in general use.
(C) In the strap I insert a short stout piece of India Rubber-making it a portion
of the length of the strap-and give it a certain amount of elasticity, and facilitate the
strap ring being placed over the knob when the front glasses are pulled tightly up. A
piece of coiled metal spring could also be used in the same way.

page_text: D. To give instructions to the driver, I fix a dial of any suitable form, inside the
Cab or vehicle on which is inscribed the various directions required, a finger moves
over the dial, connected by cogwheels or any suitable mechanism with a vertical rod,
which moves a second rod passing from front to back under the roof of the Cab, and
turning a third rod across the cab at the back, on the end of this rod is a cup, like a
shallow tumbler around which is perforated directions corresponding to those on the
dial inside, and visible to the driver outside through a glazed aperture in the roof.
A lamp similar to those used in Railway carriages, is placed in the roof, the light
from which while lighting the interior of the Cab, projects into the open end of the
cup showing the perforated directions. The movement of the finger on the dial
inside, of course shows the same directions to the driver as above described. The
directing apparatus, as described, may be used without the lamp, and a gong may be
sounded by the movement of the dial finger, to call the drivers attention.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1888.

page_text: Improvements in Hansom Cabs and like Road Vehicles.
STANLEY BETJEMANN 21 Agate Road The Grove Hammersmith London W.
Mechanician 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
The object of this invention is 1st. To provide a coupling or shackle (to connect the
vibrating ends of the springs of any kinds of vehicles, either with each other-or with
the ironwork that connects the undercarriage with the body) so constructed as to
allow free vibration to the springs, both vertically and horizontally in any direction,
as well as to permit of the lengthening of the springs when in action, and by its
means to prevent the jarring motion on the line of the axle, which takes place when
wheels are moving on a roadway, from being communicated to the body of the
vehicle.
Leaf or plate springs of the various well known forms provide by their elasticity
for the vertical jolting or rising and falling of the wheels and axle in rolling over
inequalities, but when their ends are united to each other, or the body of the vehicle
by means of knuckle joints or couplings that can only move on lines parallel to the
wheel track, all the movements of the wheels from side to side in striking obstructions
are communicated to the body and cause a jar or tremble.
To overcome this jar and tremble, and to allow it to disperse without reaching the
body of the vehicle, I make a shackle, working as three pieces, two of them being
blocks through which the ordinary shackle bolts pass to connect the shackle to the
lugs of the spring, or hanging iron having large round pins or arms on the sides at
right angles to the hole for the shackle bolt; these pins turn in corresponding holes,
in coupling plates, the plates being united by a block in the middle, and held by a
suitable bolt, the coupling part thus forming an H shaped piece, with the two blocks
moving freely between the projecting sides, at either end in the holes. It is obvious
that as the shackle can move on the bolts, in-say-a North and South direction, and
the block can turn on its pins in an East and West direction and as this is duplicated
at the other end of the shackle, I have practically two universal joints, by which the
body of the vehicle is suspended to the ends of the springs, and which will allow of
movement in any direction between them, and thus prevent jar and strain and avoid
twisting in the various parts.
The construction may be varied by passing bolts across in the place of the pins,
in which case the holes for them, through the blocks must pass above or below the
holes for the shackle bolts, but I much prefer the construction first described and
shown in the drawings, though the action would be nearly the same.
This invention may be used with the same object, in elliptic springs by shaping
the springs as shown in Fig. 5, of the accompanying drawings. By this means
vibration can take place in any direction instead of ouly vertically, as in the common
form of elliptic springs.

page_text: This shackle may be used for any kind of vehicle, including Cabs Carriages,
Omnibusses, Vans, Carts Tram cars, Railway carriages, Trucks Locomotives etc.
A second part of my invention consists of an improvement in the straps used in
Hansom Cabs for raising the ordinary glass windows in the front-The straps in use
are ordinary leather ones, with a buckle in some part to regulate the length, but the
difficulty experienced is to get the exact length required to hold the glass frames
closely against the roof to avoid shaking and noise. When the strap gets wet, it
stretches, and when it dries it shrinks. My invention consists of inserting a suitable
piece of India rubber coiled spiral spring about 4 inches to 6 inches in length in a
convenient part of the strap-The strap can then be made an inch or more too short,
and its.elasticity will allow of its being drawn to the fastening, and so keep the glass
frames tightly against the roof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the shackle, showing its general form and
construction.
A. A. are the moveable blocks turning on the pins B. B. in the couplings C. C.
which are held together by the bolt D. E. E. are the holes through which the shackle
bolts pass, to hold or connect the lug ends of the springs (Fig. 3.) F. F. Fig. 2 shows
the shackle as moved sideways. Fig. 3 shows the shackle as fixed between the ends
of two springs.
Fig. 4. is a side view of the shackle with the parts seperated.
The same letters refer to the same parts in the these drawings.
Fig. 5. is a side view of one half of an elliptic spring of a shape suitable for the use
of this shackle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The construction of a shackle for Cabs or any other vehicles allowing a free
parallel movement right and left, in addition to the forward and backward movement
on the bolts, practically such as described in this specification and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
2nd. The application of a length of elastic material in a strap for the purpose
described in this specification.