IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thorn, of St. Giles' Gates, in the Hamlet of
Heigham, in the County of the City of Norwich, Coach Builder, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
aled the 5th January 1877, and dated the 17th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thorn at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1876.
CHARLES THORN, of St. Giles' Gates, in the Hamlet of Heigham, in the County of
the City of Norwich, Coach Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in carriages.
In carriages of the wagonette and T-cart or Stanhope phaeton class, it is difficult,
especially for a lady, to pass to and from the front seat, and consequently in such
carriages a portion of the front seat is sometimes made moveable, so that a passage..
may be opened by which this seat may be reached from the after part or, body of
the carriage.
By my Invention this is effected more conveniently than heretofore.
The left-hand half or portion of the box seat is that which I make moveable, I
connect it with the carriage by links after the fashion in which the two parts of a
parallel ruler are connected together. The liuks are so arranged that when it is
desired to open a passage this moveable portion of the front seat can be shifted to
the left hand and simultaneously raised. The lifting of the seat is effected auto-
matically by means of springs as soon as a spring locking bolt is withdrawn by
means of a lever handle provided for this purpose. The springs are contained in
two telescopic tubes or spring boxes arranged beneath the cushion of the moveable
seat. On the moveable part of each of the spring boxes there is an arm which the
spring tends to move towards the right hand. There is a rod jointed to this arm,
and also to the link which raises the seat. The connection with the link is at a
short distance below the joint, connecting the link with the moveable seat. When
the seat is down the links lie along beneath it in a nearly horizontal position, and
the springs tend to force the links downwards or away from the under side of the
This they do as soon as the spring catch which retains the seat is withdrawn,
thereby causing the moveable portion of the seat to rise with a parallel motion and
pass to the left, leaving a clear space by which the box seat may be approached from
the body of the carriage.
seat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Thorn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th January
1877.
CHARLES THORN, of St. Giles' Gates, in the Hamlet of Heigham, in the County of
the City of Norwich, Coach Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in carriages.
In carriages of the wagonette and T cart or Stanhope phacton class, and other
such like carriages, it is difficult, especially for a lady, to pass to and from the front
seat, and consequently in such carriages a portion of the front seat is sometimes
made moveable, so that a passage may be opened by which the seat may be reached
from the after part or body of the carriage.
By my Invention this is effected more conveniently than heretofore.
The left hand half or portion of the box seat is that which I make moveable, but
it might be the right hand one, I connect it with the body by links after the fashion
in which the two parts of a parallel ruler are connected together. The links are so
arranged that when it is desired to open a passage this moveable portion of the
front seat can be shifted to the left hand and simultaneously raised. The lifting of
the seat is effected automatically by means of springs, as soon as a spring locking
bolt is withdrawn by means of a lever handle provided for this purpose. The
springs are contained in two telescopic tubes or spring boxes, arranged beneath the
cushion of the moveable seat. On the moveable part of cach of the spring boxes,
there is an arm which the spring tends to move towards the right hand. There is
a rod jointed to this arm and also to the link which raises the seat. The connection
with the link is at a short distance below the joint connecting the link with the
moveable seat. When the seat is down the links lie along beneath it in a nearly
horizontal position, and the springs tend to force the links downwards or away from
the under side of the seat. This they do as soon as the spring catch which retains
the seat is withdrawn, thereby causing the moveable portion of the seat to rise with
a parallel motion and pass to the left, leaving a clear space by which the box seat
may be approached from the body of the carriage.
The apparatus above described is also applicable for carrying the steps of carriages,
and may be varied to suit the style of carriage, and to work either with backward
or forward motion.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 shews a plan view; and Figure 2 a front view of a wagonette, arranged
as above described; Figure 3 shews an elevation on a larger scale of the links, and
apparatus connected therewith for lifting part of the box seat; Figure 4 is a plan
view of the same.
In all these Figures the seat is shewn to have been lifted by the links, so opening
the passage to the box seat from the after part or body of the carriage.
A is the moveable seat, B; B, C, C, are two pairs of links by which the seat is
supported D, D, are rods jointing each of the links B to projections on the moveable
parts of the tubular telescopic spring boxes E, E; one end of these boxes is fixed
at E to the framework of the seat, whilst the opposite and free end of the boxes can
slide to and fro on the metal plates F. When the seat is moved to the right and
brought down into position by the side of the other fixed half of the seat, it may be
retained by bolts, although this is not absolutely necessary. I have not thought it
necessary to shew any bolts in the Drawing. As the seat is being moved into this
position the moveable parts of the spring boxes E will be moved towards E', and
consequently the springs in the boxes will be compressed. When the bolt which
retains the seat is withdrawn the springs will tend to force the moveable portions

page_text: of the spring boxes away from E¹, and cause the links B, C, to raise the moveable
seat into the position shewn in the Drawing, and will hold the seat in this position.
The hinge apparatus described above as applied to the lifting of the moveable
scat of a carriage is also applicable for raising and lowering the carriage steps.
A side elevation and plan view of this adaptation of the apparatus is shewn at
Figures 5 and 6; B, B, C, C, are the two pairs of links, D, D, are rods jointing them
to the moveable portions of the telescopic spring boxes E; G is a link coupling the
rods D, and moveable parts of the spring boxes to the door H; I, I, are steps carried
by the links B, B, C, C. When the door is opened it draws forward the link G,
and so forces the steps down, this action compresses the springs in the spring boxes E,
and the door being at right angles with the body the steps cannot yield until the
door is closed. When the door is closed the action is reversed and the springs close
up the steps. A single step can be worked in a similar manner.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim―
First. The combined arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein described,
for enabling part of the front seat of a carriage to be raised and moved aside.
Second. The application of the same apparatus to the steps of carriages, sub-
stantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thorn, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CHARLES THORN. (L.S.)