Improvements in Velocipede Carts for Children.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipede Carts for Children.
I, CHARLES CHRISTOPHER YOUNG, of 110, Evering Road, Upper Clapton, in the
County of Middlesex, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the toy carts largely made for children, and known as
mailcarts," and especially to that kind of such mailcarts in which the child
propels the cart by means of pedals actuating cranks upon the driving wheel axle,
in the manner of a velocipede. It has for its object a novel method of arranging
a figure of a horse in shafts in the front of the mailcart, the horse being suspended
in a moveable frame which is actuated by a crank and connecting rod from the
driving axle, so that the horse is made to move as the cart travels, the interest and
amusement to the child being thereby greatly increased.
66
"
In order to put my invention in operation, I take a mailcart of the usual
shape and size, in which the child using it sits upon a seat above or nearly above
the wheel axle, which is provided with two cranks of such stroke as to be easily
driven by the feet of the rider in order to propel the carriage.
I firmly attach two shafts to the front of the body of the cart, the shafts extend-
ing sufficiently far forward, and receiving between them the figure of a galloping
horse, which is suspended by two suspension links or wires at each side, to the
shafts so that the horse can have an oscillating movement backward and forward.
The horse, or one of the suspending wires, is connected to one of the cranks upon
the driving axle by a light connecting rod of wire or other suitable material, so
that when the mailcart travels, the horse is also caused to move backward and
forward as it is carried along.
I arrange under the front part of the mailcart, behind the horse, a frame
carrying either a central steering wheel, or an axle having a steering-wheel at
cach end, the frame having a vertical or nearly vertical axis, at the upper end of
which is fixed a handle, brought back within reach of the rider, by which the
steering can be effected, very much in the same way as in an ordinary bicycle.
Or, the steering wheel or wheels may be arranged so that they turn on a vertical
axis in a frame hinged below the horse and carried by the shafts, the steering
handle being connected with the vertical axis by levers and a connecting rod.
I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement,
which may be varied more or less as may be found desirable.
Dated this 19th day of November 1897.

page_text: I, CHARLES CHRISTOPHER YOUNG, of 110, Evering Road, Upper Clapton, in the
County of Middlesex, Clerk, 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, and accompanying drawing, that
is to say:-
"
My invention relates to the toy carts largely made for children, and known as
'mailcarts," and especially to that kind of such mailcarts in which the child
propels the cart by means of pedals actuating cranks upon the driving wheel axle,
in the manner of a velocipede. It has for its object a novel method of arranging
a figure of a horse in shafts in the front of the mailcart, the horse being suspended
in a moveable frame which is actuated by a crank and connecting rod from the
driving axle so that the horse is made to move backward and forward as the cart
travels, the interest and amusement to the child being thereby greatly increased.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, and shows a
side view of the mailcart and horse.
I take a mailcart a of the usual shape and size, in which the child using it sits
upon a seat at b above or nearly above the wheel axle c, which is provided with two
cranks d, d, of such stroke as to be easily driven by the feet of the rider in order
to propel the carriage.
I firmly attach shafts e to the front of the body of the cart, the shafts extend-
ing sufficiently far forward, and receiving between them the figure of a horse f,
in a galloping or other appropriate position, which is suspended by two suspension
links or wires g, g, at each side, hung upon pivots at o, o, to the shafts e, so that
the horse can have an oscillating movement backward and forward. The horse,
or one of the suspending wires g which carry it, is connected to one of the cranks d
upon the driving axle by a light connecting rod h of wire or other suitable
material, so that when the mailcart travels the horse is also caused to move back-
ward and forward upon the links 9, 9, as it is carried along.
I arrange a frame carrying a steering wheel or wheels i so that they turn on a
vertical axis in a frame k below the horse and carried by the shafts e, the steering
handle being brought within reach of the rider, by a vertical bar m turning in
fixed bearings, and connected with the vertical axis of the steering wheels i by
levers at m', and a connecting rod or rods, n.
Or, the frame carrying the steering wheel or wheels may be arranged under the
front part of the mailcart, behind the horse, upon a vertical axis, at the upper
end of which is fixed a handle, brought back within reach of the rider, by which
the steering can be effected, very much in the same way as in an ordinary bicycle.
I am aware that mailcarts for children, propelled by the rider, have been already
used, and upon these mailcarts different objects or figures have been fixed, and I.
do not claim any such arrangement of fixed figures, but
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:
In combination with a mailcart for children, propelled by means of cranks
driven by the rider, a figure of a horse or other animal suspended upon links
between the shafts and connected with one of the cranks by a connecting rod, so

page_text: that it moves backward and forward as the mailcart travels, substantially as
described and illustrated.
Dated this 4th day of May 1898.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.