IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER PUBLIC VEHICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Mill Frederick Molesworth, of Northdown Hall,
Bideford, in the County of Devon, Captain in the Royal Navy, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND
OTHER PUBLIC VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Mill Frederick
Molesworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th August
1880.
THE
GEORGE MILL FREDERICK MOLESWORTH, of Northdown Hall, Bideford, in the
IN
"IMPROVEMENTS
County of Devon, Captain in the Royal Navy.
CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER PUBLIC VEHICLES."
My Invention is an improvement in the construction of omnibuses, whereby I
obviate the necessity of a door at the back part of the omnibus, and make the
entrance in the front part of the vehicle. By means of extending a platform like a
tram car platform, and by placing my front wheels close together underneath the
steps leading to the platform I gain space for the platform for the entrance, and
sufficient space also to build upon the platform a spiral staircase or steps, or to erect
ladders, so that passengers may reach the roof with greater facility and safety than
can be done in any known pattern or style of omnibus.
I suspend the body of the vehicle by means of an iron bar or bent spring, and
thereby the wheels can revolve or turn at any angle without locking, so that the
omnibus will be enabled to turn round within a circle of a diameter of its own
length, which is a great advantage, especially in narrow streets. By means of
these improvements passengers can enter upon the platform and into the vehicle on
both sides, and can also ascend to the outside seats from each side. From the
wheels being placed near together, and the platform being reduced proportionately,
the steps are protected by the bar which protrudes beyond the steps. I also
provide for a seat for the driver by means of curved brackets of iron fastened to
the staircase or steps, so that the driver will sit well over the horses and have
better control than in the usual manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said George Mill Frederick
Molesworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th March 1881.
GEORGE MILL FREDERICK MOLESWORTH, of Northdown Hall, Bideford, in the
IN
"IMPROVEMENTS
County of Devon, Captain in the Royal Navy.
CONSTRUCTION OF OMNIBUSES AND OTHER PUBLIC VEHICLES."
THE
My Invention is an improvement in the construction of omnibuses, whereby I
obviate the necessity of a door at the back part of the omnibus, and make the
entrance in the front part of the vehicle. By means of extending a platform like a
tram car platform and by placing my front wheels close together underneath the
steps leading to the platform I gain space for the platform for the entrance, and
sufficient space also to build upon the platform a spiral staircase or steps, or to
erect ladders, so that passengers may reach the roof with greater facility and safety
than can be done in any known pattern or style of omnibuses.
I suspend the body of the vehicle by means of an iron bar or bent spring, and
thereby the wheels can revolve or turn at any angle without locking, so that the
omnibus will be enabled to turn round within a circle of a diameter of its own
length, which is a great advantage, especially in narrow streets. By means of these
improvements passengers can enter upon the platform and into the vehicle on both
sides, and can also ascend to the outside seats from each side. From the wheels
being placed near together, and the platform being reduced proportionately, the
steps are protected by the bar which protrudes beyond the steps. I also provide
for a seat for the driver by means of curved brackets of iron fastened to the
staircase or steps, so that the driver will sit well over the horses and have better
control than in the usual manner.
Reference being now had to the accompanying Drawings, in which like letters
represent like parts, Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 another view on a smaller
scale of the improved vehicle; Fig. 3 is a cross section through the body showing
the arrangement of springs, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the inside of the vehicle showing
the "staircase" or angular arrangement of the seats.
A is the body of the vehicle, and B the platform; C, one arrangement of the
steps up to the top, terminating below upon extensions B¹ of platforin B; D is the
bent rod, spring, or equivalent device, secured at each of its ends to the platform
projections B', from which it rises vertically, or nearly so, and is then bent, and
the centre portion lies nearly or quite horizontally, is bossed at the centre, and
carries the centre pin upon which the front axle swivels. It will be seen (Fig. 1) that
the front wheels come up between the extensions B¹ and rise higher than the level
of the platform, which can be thus placed very near the ground, a great advantage
in every way over the ordinary construction of omnibus. The position and shape of
the bent bar D are such that the cross bar or other convenient part of the
swivelling framework will lock against it if the wheels be turned too far round;
nevertheless, the exact shape and position of the bar D are practically immaterial
so long as the important advantages of arrangement just described are attained,
and except that it is safer and generally more convenient to have a "locking
device, there is no reason why the front wheels should not be able to swivel
entirely round. The foot board or step E lies very near the ground, making access
to the vehicle safe and easy. The general arrangement of the coachman's seat and
the steps to the top (viz., two short flights of steps C, an intermediate platform C
upon which the driver's seat is erected at a suitable height upon brackets or
equivalent, as shown, and from which another, and preferably, tapering short flight
of steps C² leads to the roof) is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and it will be
noticed that the coachman sits well above his horses so as to have great command
>3

page_text: Of
over them, and that the access to the top is much more convenient than usual.
course I do not bind myself to the exact forms of steps and driver's seat shown in
the Drawings, and may use a spiral or curved staircase, if preferred, like those at
present used upon some tram cars, but I prefer the forms I have shown. The stairs
and top may be partly boxed in for ladies use if desired.
Figs. 1 and 2 show two different arrangements of the seats on the top by which
the ordinary inconvenient and dirty knifeboard seats are dispensed with. The
plan adopted in Fig. 2 is similar to that of an ordinary tram car, but in Fig. 1 the
seats are placed across the top, so that every body faces forward. The back seat
extends right across the end, but the others are divided in the centre for passage
room, or a side passage may be left; this is clearly shown in the Drawing, and the
kind of seat shown is an ordinary garden seat with wooden cross bars for back and
seat; a different construction of seat may however be substituted if desired. For
the inside of this omnibus a peculiar and very convenient arrangement of seats is
adopted in place of the ordinary long side seats; nevertheless, the ordinary seats
can be used in these conches if desired. These seats are shown in Fig. 4, and by
constructing them in this "staircase," form every passenger, except the one at the
extreme end, who faces exactly towards the horses, sits at an angle of about 45° to
the side of the vehicle, each, as they get further in, a little behind his neighbour and
turned partly forwards; by this means nobody's knees inconvenience his opposite
neighbour's, and a clear passage is left up the centre. This method of arranging
the seats is applicable to other vehicles besides omnibuses, and would be useful in
most cases where the space is confined, such as narrow gauge rail and tram cars.
All entrance and exit being made at the one end of the vehicle the driver can
collect the fares, and so dispense with a conductor. I prefer to employ a sliding
door or doors in place of the usual hinged one.
The arrangement of springs for carrying the body of the vehicle is shown in
Fig. 1, and the cross section, Fig. 3. F, F, are the main bearing springs which
take the chief weight of the vehicle, and may be secured to the axle in the ordinary
way, and to the coach body by the ordinary link and scroll at the back end, and by
a simple bracket and pin in front. The top springs F1 are supplementary ones,
and tend to steady the whole structure, while the cross spring F2 gives strength
and steadiness under a heavy load. By employing so many springs, each one can
be made lighter than usual, and a peculiarly easy motion is obtained. Suitable
splashers are provided where required. The large carrying wheels are placed at or
near the centre of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, so that the weight of the
body and the passengers is carried almost exclusively by them; by this means the
weight upon the front steering wheels is so slight that they can be turned by one
man with ease, which is not the case with those of the ordinary omnibus. Any
good suitable form of brake and connections may be used, as that forins no part of
my present Invention.
It will be observed that the centre of gravity of this vehicle is placed very near
the ground, that by the disposition of the wheels it can be turned round in an
exceedingly small space, that it weighs little (being in fact constructed as lightly
as is deemed consistent with safety), that it is elegant in appearance, unusually
free from draughts inside, easy to enter or leave, and simple to construct.
Having now described my Invention, and the method of performing the same,
I wish it to be understood that I do not bind myself to the absolute details of
construction herein set forth, as these may be varied within reasonable limits
without departing from the essential features of my Invention, and that what I do
claim and desire to protect under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent
is,―
First. In an omnibus or vehicle for use on common roads, the combination with
the coach body A, of the platform B, and extensions B' carrying the bent rod or its
mechanical equivalent D, said rod and extensions forming a framework, within
which the small wheels with their carriage and accessories are free to revolve and

page_text: swivel so far as may be expedient, substantially as and for the purposes set forth
and shown.
Second. The employment of the bent rod or its mechanical equivalent D, by the
use of which the platform and coach floor can be sunk below the level of the top
of the small wheels, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
Third. In an omnibus or vehicle for use on common roads, the combination with
the coach body A, platform B, and extensions B' of the lower steps C, intermediate
platform C¹ carrying the driver's seat and upper steps C2, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth and shown.
Fourth. In an omnibus or vehicle for use on common roads, the arrangement of
cross seats upon the top, whereby all the passengers face forward, all the seats
except the back one being divided or placed to one side, so as to leave a passage
way to the end, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
Fifth. In an omnibus or other vehicle, the "staircase " or angular arrangement
of seats, for the purpose of giving more passage room between two rows of seats,
substantially as set forth and shown in Fig. + of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. The hereindescribed construction of vehicle for use on common roads in
which the main carrying wheels are centrally or nearly centrally placed so as to
take approximately the whole weight of the coach body and passengers, thereby
relieving the small wheels, so that they can be readily swivelled or turned for going
round corners, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Mill Frederick Molesworth, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.