IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Cockburn, of Haymarket, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Cockburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st August 1877.
GEORGE WILLIAM COCKBURN, of Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES."
My Invention relates chiefly to camp carts and phaetons, and it consists of an
improved arrangement and combination of the parts of the same whereby important
advantages are obtained.
In carrying out my Invention as applied to the construction of a camp cart, the
upper part is built in a similar manner to what is known as Catt's, No. 28, but the
seats are arranged so as to be capable of being taken out entirely, and the back
and splash board is made to lower at will to a level with the bottom of the cart so
as to form a bed.
The cart is fitted with a movable hood and curtains so as to form a good sleeping
tent, and hanging legs are fitted to the shafts and to the bottom of the cart in order
to maintain it in a horizontal position.
The lower part is built in a similar manner to the upper part, only inverted, to
form a well, extending to within a short distance of the ground.
The bed of the cart is also made movable, so as to take out at will. The wheels
are made as high as possible, to be compatible with the different sizes of ponies or
horses to be used in it, so as to leave as much room as is practicable below the axle
for a man or boy to sleep, it being proposed to make a second bed in the well by
arranging both the back and front of it to let down in a line with the bottom in
the same manner as the back door and splash board of the upper part.
The shafts are carried sufficiently far back for the hind legs to clear the axle
when they are bent up to lie underneath the shafts in the position they would
occupy when travelling.

page_text: A slot is cut in the body of the well to allow room for the motion of the axle as
the springs play.
Iron rims made slightly curved, similar to a skate or the runners of a sledge, are
fitted to the bottom of the cart, so that if on going over rough roads, having deep
ruts, the bottom of the cart should touch the ground it will be uninjured.
In applying my Invention to a four-in-hand family pony phaeton, for example,
the carriage generally is constructed in a somewhat similar manner to what is
known as Catt's, No. 14, panel Parisian, but it is fitted with a high moveable
driving seat of nearly the same breadth as the body, in order to allow ample sitting
room for the occupants.
Three light but strong steel arches with hinges in the middle are fitted into
sockets at the front sides of the front inside seat and front and back of the back
inside seat, and fastened firmly with hand screws to carry a light waterproof or
canvas covering or canopy, in order to admit of the phaeton being converted into
a close carriage if necessary. The body of the carriage below the front inside seat
is carried down to the level of the step or to within a short distance of the ground,
and a moveable foot board is let in over the front part of the well for the feet of
the inside passengers to rest upon, the woodwork below the front part of the back
inside seat is dispensed with so as to admit of bag and baggage being dropped into
the well under the seat, and the bottom of the carriage or well is carried back on
the same level as the step until it comes in a line with a downward continuation
of the present rumble, the seat and foot board of which is also made moveable, and
the back part arranged to let down in a similar manner to the back part of a dog
cart, in order to facilitate the packing of the well with baggage and the like from
the back.
The carriage is fitted with shaft bar and pole with splinter bars for one, two,
three, four, or more hand ponies, as required.
By this improved construction a light but strong vehicle is obtained, offering
great facilities for carrying baggage and an increased number of persons on an
emergency, and providing the maximum of comfort to the occupants.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George William Cockburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1878.
GEORGE WILLIAM COCKBURN, of Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES."
My said Invention relates chiefly to camp carts and phaetons, and consists of an
improved arrangement and construction of the parts of the same whereby important
advantages are obtained, all as herein-after described with reference to the accom-
panying two Sheets of Drawings.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of my Drawings represents a longitudinal sectional elevation
of a camp cart, and Figure 2 (Sheet 2) a similar view of a phaeton constructed
according to my said Invention.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the Figures.
Referring to Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the Drawings, the body of the camp cart
consists of two parts, an upper A and a lower A', between which is a removable
floor or horizontal partition B, the upper part A being made of a somewhat similar
shape to the body of a dog cart, and the lower part A¹ of a corresponding form but
inverted. The seat a is so fitted as to be capable of sliding along guides formed in
the sides of the upper part A in order to admit of its position being adjusted, as
required, or of its being entirely withdrawn from the back, if desired.
When in use the seat may be retained in any position to which it has been
adjusted by means of a set screw and nut 6. The front panel C is also fitted so as
to be capable of sliding along guides in the sides of the upper part A, in order to
admit of its being taken out by being slid upwards. The back panel D is hinged
at d, so as to enable it to be turned down into the horizontal position shown in
dotted lines, in which position it is secured and supported by chains d¹; space is
thus provided on the floor B and its extensions between the splash board É and the
extremity of the panel D for the reception of a bed, the upper part A thereby
forming a convenient and commodious sleeping apartment for the use of adults.
The front and back panels F, G, of the lower part A¹ are also hinged at f, g,
respectively, in order to admit of their being turned down in a similar manner, as
indicated by dotted lines, and thus forin an additional sleeping compartment, the
panels F, G, being also secured and supported in their horizontal position by
chains f, g, respectively. When the panels F, G, are in their normal closed
position, as shewn by the full lines in the Drawing, the lower part A¹ of the body
constitutes a well in which any baggage or other articles may be stowed away,
whilst the upper part A, when its front panel C is in its place and its back panel D is
closed, resembles and may be used after the manner of the body of an ordinary dog cart.
In order to provide increased comfort and convenience when the cart is used for
sleeping purposes the upper part A has removably attached to it three light but
strong steel rods H, I, K, extending in an arched shape from one side to the other
of the cart and connected together by the rods L, so as to form a frame to carry
a light waterproof canvass, awning, or canopy, thus constituting an efficient sleeping
tent capable of being readily reconverted at will; curtains are also used to enclose
the lower part A', forming the second sleeping compartment. Hanging legs M,
hinged to the bottom B¹ of the cart, are also provided in conjunction with suitable
legs N adapted to the shafts O, as indicated by dotted lines, for the purpose of
supporting the cart in a horizontal position, the legs M being capable of turning up,
as shewn, and the legs N removed when the cart is required to be drawn. This
vehicle is thus capable of being readily converted from a cart into a double-storied
sleeping tent, and vice versa, at will, whilst by carrying the bulk of the baggage
below, the centre of gravity is lowered and the safety of the vehicle greatly
increased, and by the floor B being made removable more space is obtained for the
conveyance of forage and the like. The bottom B is brought as low as practicable,
and the wheels P are made as high as compatible with the different sizes of ponies
or horses to be used in the cart, so as to obtain the maximum space admissable in

page_text: the lower part or well A¹, a sloth being formed in the sides of the said part A¹ to
admit of the requisite vertical play of the axle Q under the action of the springs;
the axle is cranked upwards when required to give sufficient space below it in
consequence of the lowness of the wheels.
As owing to the proximity to the ground of the bottom B¹ there would be a
liability in travelling over rough roads, having deep ruts, of its coming into actual
contact with the ground, the bottom B¹ is covered with sheet iron and provided
with metal rims R made slightly curved, as shewn at i, i, after the manner of a
skate or the runners of a sledge, so as to prevent injury to the cart should such a
contingency occur.
In applying my said Invention to a phaeton, as shewn in Figure 2, Sheet 2, the
body of the carriage also consists of two parts, an upper A and a lower one A³,
the latter being continued back as far as the rumble S, so as to form a well below,
and beyond the back inside seat a' for the reception of baggage and other articles
which may be introduced either from the interior through an opening at 6¹, or from
the exterior through a hinged door G.
The feet of the passengers or occupants seated upon the said back seat a¹, and
also on the front seat a², are supported upon a foot board T, which is removable at
pleasure, and when laid across the four rests a³, which draw out on turning pivots from
under the seats a¹ and a², with cushions laid over it, forms a bed or invalid carriage.
A removable frame H, I, K, L, similar to that herein-before described as applied
to the camp cart shewn in Figure 1, is provided to carry a light waterproof or
canvas awning or canopy, in order to admit of the phaeton being converted into
a close or sleeping carriage, if necessary. The driving seat U is removable at will
by simply unscrewing the fastening screws k by which it is secured.
Provision is made at h for the play of the axle Q of the hind wheels P, which
is cranked upwards. The fore carriage V, which may be of any suitable con-
struction, is mounted on the fore wheels P', and may be fitted with a shaft bar
and a pole with splinter bars for one or more horses or ponies, as required.
By the improved construction, herein-before described, there is obtained a light
but strong vehicle, affording great facilities for carrying baggage, and an increased
number of persons on an emergency, and providing the maximum of comfort to the
occupants.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein- before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The peculiar construction and arrangement of convertible cart and
sleeping tent, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by Figure 1
of my Drawings.
Secondly. The peculiar construction and arrangement of carriage, substantially
as herein-before described, and illustrated by Figure 2 of my Drawings.
Thirdly. A cart or carriage having an upper part for containing persons or
passengers, and a lower part or well for baggage or other articles, the two parts
being constructed and arranged and combined together, substantially as herein-
before described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Cockburn, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
GEORGE WILLIAM COCKBURN. (L.S.)