Improvements in Out-door Seats for Tramway-cars, Omnibuses, Gardens, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Out-door Seats for Tramway-cars, Omnibuses,
Gardens, and the like.
I, RICHARD LAUNCELOT BULLOCK, of 2, Aire Street, Leeds, in the County of
York, Scientific Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
It has reference to seats, formed with longitudinal bars, whose backs may be
swung over in either direction, fore or aft.
The object of the invention is to provide a dry seat in wet weather by arranging,
in the first place, a seat with specially protected longitudinal bars, and, in the
second place, by revolving these bars, through an angle of 180 degrees, to bring
their lower and dry sides uppermost, the mechanism being arranged to auto-
matically reverse the process and leave a vacated seat properly protected for the
next occupant.
I accomplish my object as follows:-my longitudinal bars, which are pivoted
at each end, revolve in suitable bearings, and near one end a pinion is mounted
on each bar or on its pivot. The nest of pinions is so arranged that the bars
may be actuated by one or more racks or chains whose backward and forward
movements revolve the bars through the requisite semi-circle. When a bar is
face downward a hood or covering, running longitudinally from end to end, so
protects it that any rain dripping off the edges of the said hood falls clear of
the bar which is thus left dry. Between the hood and the bar a space is arranged
into or through which any rain drops may run, whilst the bar is in process of
being revolved, and thus such drops miss the face of the bar itself.
I use the movement of the frame of the reversible (swing) backs to actuate my
racks or chains, and so reverse my bars, and the stops provided for the backs in
their extreme positions serve as stops to regulate the final position of the bars
and hoods when ready for use.
In order to hold the hoods in their protecting positions I arrange springs whose
duty it is to keep the backs midway across their seats so that when unoccupied
the seats are kept dry. Before, or in the act of sitting down, the occupier pushes
the back in the direction he wishes, which ever that may be, and this movement
provides him with a dry seat. The whole mechanism is arranged to reverse
everything immediately the occupier rises, the back being drawn into the mid-
position which corresponds with the protected position of the bars.
The seats and backs have by preference the usual light end-frames now in
common use on tramcars, and in cases where it is desired to avoid springs I
throw the backs into mid-position by gravity.
By preference my seat should be arranged for a single occupier, so that no
half seat may be exposed to the weather, if unoccupied.
It follows from what has been set out that the bars may be fixed and the hoods
revolved over them, but I do not recommend this as drip might fall on the upper

page_text: face, whereas in the case previously described the face of the bar is at first
undermost and moves upward as the hood uncovers and not before.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1899.
WM. SNOWDON.
Agent for the Applicant, 24, Basinghall Street, Leeds, Yorks.
Improvements in Out-door Seats for Tramway-cars, Omnibuses,
Gardens, and the like.
I, RICHARD LAUNCELOT BULLOCK, of 2, Aire Street, Leeds, in the County of
York, Scientific Instrument Maker, 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:-
It has reference to seats, formed with longitudinal bars, whose backs may be
swung over in either direction fore and aft.
The object of the invention is to provide a dry seat in wet weather by arranging
in the first place a seat with specially protected longitudinal bars, and in the
second place by revolving these bars through an angle of 180 degrees, to bring
their lower or dry sides uppermost, the mechanism being arranged to auto-
matically reverse the process and leave a vacated seat properly protected for the
next occupant.
I accomplish my object as follows; and in order to explain my meaning I
have annexed a drawing, on which Figs. 1 and 2, are end elevations, more or less
diagrammatical, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Figs. 4 and 5, are cross-sections
through the bars of my seats, whilst Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through
the geared end of a bar, corresponding more especially to Fig. 5; all face down-
wards. My longitudinal seat-bars A, A, which are pivotted at each end, oscillate
in suitable bearings at B, B, and near one end a chain wheel (or pinion) C is
mounted on each bar or on its pivot. The nest of chain-wheels (or pinions) is
so arranged that the bars may be actuated by one or more chains D (or by racks)
whose backward and forward movements oscillate or revolve the bars through
the requisite semi-circle. When a bar is face downwards a hood or covering A¹
(which forms part of the bar and is combined, and oscillates, with it, see Fig. 4)
running from end to end, so protects it that any rain dripping off the edges of
the hood falls clear of the bar which is thus kept dry. Between this combined
hood and bar a space is arranged into or through which any rain drops may run,
whilst the bar is in process of being oscillated or revolved, and thus such drops
miss the face of the bar itself.
A modified form of my seat-bar,, which may be formed out of a wooden
moulding is shown in cross-section at Fig. 5, face downwards. The object
of the modification is to allow the bar to be balanced with greater ease, and made
with less cost, but the action is the same. A more exact balance of the bar
may be made by cutting away the bar to the heavily dotted line shown in Fig. 5:
and a balance in favour even of the face downward position may be made by a
still further reduction.
The dripping edges E, E, (shown with drop e, e, to make all clear) correspond.
in both sections; A3, A3, being the serviceable faces of the seats, and these may be
fluted or " reeded" as shown, when thought desirable.

page_text: Should a drop or two of water by any chance fall into the groove in Fig. 5,
when up-turned, its finds its way to the end of the seat and there escapes.
I use the movement of the reversible (swing) backs to actuate by chains or racks
and so oscillate my bars; and the stops provided for the backs in their extreme
positions serve as stops to regulate the final up-turned position of the bars when
ready for use. In Fig. 1, is the chain which has its ends anchored on a
quadrant-plate" attached to the back bar F, which has its fulcrum at G. The
chain is led as shown round the nest of chain-wheels, whose diameters, together
with the radius of the "quadrant," are so proportioned that, starting with the
back-bar vertical and the seat-bars face downwards, the serviceable sides are
right way up when the back-bar end-stops are reached in either direction. The
fulcrum may be fixed on any suitable crossbar.
In order to hold the combined hood and bar, Fig. 4, or the modified bar Fig. 5,
in its protected position-i.e. face downwards-when not in use, I arrange springs
whose duty is to keep the backs midway across their seats, the serviceable faces
being then face downwards. Before or in the act of sitting down the would-be
occupier pushes the back in the direction he wishes, whichever that may be, and
this move provides him with a dry seat. The whole mechanism is arranged to
reverse everything immediately the occupier rises. Although any suitable
mechanism will suffice, a practical way of doing this is the following;
Two tension springs H and H¹ are attached, respectively, up to the frame of
the seat, and down to the ends of two independent levers J and J¹,
which may be conveniently mounted on the common fulcrum G. These
springs draw the levers up into the positions shown, with the back-bar central,
and stops are arranged, after the manner shown at J2, and J³, for the levers to
pull up against. Fixed to the side of the chair carrying quadrant plate" are
two projecting pins K and K¹, which when the back-bar is moved depress one or
other of the levers, and so throw into action one or other of the springs. Thus,
except when standing centrally, one or other of the springs is always ready to
move the back into mid-position and so protect the bars. It may be desirable to
form a central check that will tend to catch and retain the back in the centre.
"
The seats and backs have by preference the usual light end frames now in
common use and in cases where it is desired to avoid springs the backs may be
thrown into mid-position by gravity.
By preference my seat should be arranged for a single occupier so that no
half seat may be exposed to the weather if unoccupied.
It follows from what has been set out that when detached hoods-independent
of the bars that is--are used the bars may be fixed and the hoods oscillated over
them but I do not recommend this as drips might fall on the upturned seat faces;
whereas when the hoods are combined and where all is solid, the face of the seat
is at first undermost and moves upwards only as the hood or other protection
uncovers it, and not before.
I round off the ends of my seat-bars as shown in Fig. 6, to avoid any cutting
edges; and when hoods are used they are domed at the ends in like manner, for
the same purpose.
A suitable guard covers up the chain and chain-wheels, a portion of which is
shown in Fig. 6, at K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The herein-before-described plan of mounting, arranging, and operating,
my specially protected longitudinal seat-bars, the whole being arranged in such
a way that the said bars are automatically returned to their protected positions,
substantially as described and shown, with the object and for the purpose set
forth.
2. The herein-before-described mode of forming and shaping my specially pro-

page_text: fected seat-bars, whether such are combined with hoods having dripping edges
such as those at E, E, in Fig. 4, or formed with similar protecting edges E, E,
as in Fig. 5, substantially as described and shown, with the object and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1900
WM. SNOWDON.
Agent for the Applicant, 24, Basinghall Street, Leeds, Yorks.