NEW INVENTED INSTRUMENTS OR IMPLEMENTS FOR THE SAFETY AND CONVENIENCY OF WHEEL CARRIAGES, AND ALSO FOR THEIR GREATER EXPEDITION, BY THE LES- SENING OF FRICTION
Year: 1794

page_text: DE LOLME'S SPECIFICATION.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the thirty-fourth year of His reign,.
did give and grant unto me, JOHN LEWIS DE LOLME, Doctor of Civil Law, of
the Parish of Saint Andrew, Holborn, His special licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said John Lewis de Lolme, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and every of us, during the term of fourteen years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might use, excrcise, and vend my
"NEW INVENTED INSTRUMENTS OR IMPLEMENTS FOR THE SAFETY AND CONVENIENCY
OF WHEEL CARRIAGES, AND ALSO FOR THEIR GREATER EXPEDITION, BY THE LES-
SENING OF FRICTION," within that part of the Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such
manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of us,
should in our discretion seem meet; in which such Letters Patent is expressed a
proviso, that if I, the said John Lewis de Lolme, should not particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's Court of Chancery
within a calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all the liberties and
advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and
become void, as in and by the said Letters Patent more at large does
appear..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Lewis de Lolme, in pursuance.of and
compliance with the said proviso, and the purport and true intent and
meaning of the said Letters Patent, and of His Majesty's said most gracious
intentions, do by this instrument in writing under my hand and seal duly
executed, declare that my abovesaid new invented instruments. or implements

page_text: are described to be made, performed, exorcised, and used in manner following
(that is to say):
should
One of the instruments or implements for the: safety and conveniency of
wheel carriages is a step or set of steps, or ladder, for getting into carriages
and for coming out of the same. This ladder, consisting of one, two, or more
steps contained in a frame, I call the carriage stepper. This stepper
be fitted to the carriage in such a manner, that when the stepper is not meant
to be used, it may be moved and dismissed into the space underneath the
carriage, and lie confined in that place of dismission out of sight and out of
the way, whether it be underneath the shafts of a two-wheel carriage, or
underneath the body or chest of a four-wheel carriage. As an additional
advantage, the stepper should be made to perform its motion into this
space underneath the carriage, and also its motion out of that space by a
circular motion, 'effected by means of hinges and underneath such hinges, the
stepper being accordingly annexed to the carriage by hinges fitted for that
purpose. The stopper should also be supplied with two supporting pieces, or.
two side pillars hanging from the carriage, 'and firmly fixed to the carriage on
each side of the hinges of the stepper, in order that the stepper may be solidly
settled-forwards upon or against these hanging pillars when it is to be stepped
upon; and these hanging pillars should be so long as six inches or more, in
order that they may give their support to the stepper at the distance of so
many as six inches or more from the hinges, or the centre of the circular
motion of the stepper. The length of these banging pillars might be twelve
inches, and they should be made very firm and steady, by means of oblique
supporting pieces or bars, firmly fixed to them and to the carriage, on each
outward side of and behind these hanging pillars. The stepper should, moro-
over, be supplied with two prominent pieces, fixed to and behind each side of
its frame, and placed in such a manner that they may bear upon the lower.
extremities of these long hanging pillars; these prominent pieces should,
moreover, project so far behind the frame of the stepper as to keep the stepper
raised forwards upon the lower extremities of the long-hanging pillars at a.
considerably forwards angle and distance, and an easy-slope from the carriage,
without making the long hanging pillars themselves, project in any inconvenient
manner outwards of the carriage. The two long changing pillars should be.so.
placed, in. regard to the stepper, that the stepper may have an easy passage
between them into and out of the space underneath the carriage, and for that
purpose.the stopper should be made to bear upon or against the lower.extre-
mitios of these long hanging pillars no otherwise than by a catch or catches,.
cupable of being easily released or displaced (which catch I; call the forward-

page_text: ing propping catch). so that this catch being displaced, the stepper may instantly
and easily effect its passage to and fro between the long hanging pillars.
Secondly, besides the above-described advantages of the stepper in point of
useful shape and convenient solid support from the carriage, the stepper-should
also be fitted in such a manner.ns to be quickly, brought forth into a proper
situation for being stepped upon, and also to be quickly dismissed from that
forward situation, and confined-in its place of dismission underneath the car-
riage. For effecting the purpose of quickly bringing the stepper forth fron
its place of dismission underneath the carriage, the stepper should be kept
confined or suspended in this place of dismission upon a catch, admitting of
being instantly cast aside or displaced by a single easy pull or push (which catch
J.call the back suspending catch of the stepper), and the stepper should be kept
suspended in this place of dismission'no otherwise than by this back suspending
catch. A communication by means of a wire, or of wire and a turning crank
or cranks, should be effected from the catch to some point on the outer side of
the carriage, and also to some point in the inside of the carriage, by means of
which communication a person either in or out of the carriage may accordingly
displace the catch by such single instantaneous pull or push as is. above' men-
tioned. The centre of gravity of the stepper when suspended upon. this back
suspending catch should be so disposed that as soon as the easy instantaneous
displacing of this catch is effected, the stepper may, by the mere spontaneous
operation of its weight, immediately come down by its circular motion upon-
its hinges, and, moreover, spring towards and upwards into the space on the
other side of the carriage, so far as to reach of its own accord the above nien-
tioned high angle and forward easy slope, at which it is to be stepped upon:
A check piece or check spring.might be fixed to and behind each side of the
frame of the stepper in such a manner as to: dash against the backs of the
hanging pillars when the stepper is sallying forth, as above mentioned, and
thereby check the stepper from running too far up into the space on the outer
side of the carriage; at the same time that other catch, or those catches
which have been above called the forwarding propping catches, by which the
stepper is to be kept firmly propped forwards upon the lower extremities of
the long hanging pillars, should be made to be very easily displaced, so much
so that they may be actually displaced by the mere dash or friction effected
upon these forwarding propping catches when the stepper is sallying forth
between the hanging pillars from the space underneath the carriage. These
forwarding propping catches should also be so fitted, that as soon as they are
thus displaced they may be instantly replaced into their locking situations, by
the spontaneous operation either of a weight or a spring annexed to them, so

page_text: that the stepper may thus become instantly barred by the replaced catches
from turning back, and may thus remain firmly propped forwards upon the
lower extremities of the hanging pillars and the forwarding propping catches
together,.for being stepped upon. For effecting the above-mentioned purpose
of quickly moving the stepper back from its firm situation forwards into its
place of dismission underneath the carriage, a piece or branch should be fitted
to the two forwarding propping catches, connecting them both together, and
this connecting branch should be so placed that the person at the same time
he grasps the stepper for pushing it backwards, may, by the same act, press
upon the connecting branch, and thereby displace the forwarding propping
catches, so that the stepper may thus immediately turn back and make its
passage between the two hanging pillars. Or, by way of a simpler method,
the hinges or pintles upon which the stepper is fitted to turn should be
enabled to be raised about half an inch in a strait line upwards along
with the whole stepper, by which short raising these two forwarding
propping catches fitted to the stepper will be raised above those small
hooks or prominencies in the hanging pillars against which they bear,
and will be wholly disengaged from these small hooks and prominences,
by such short raising, not merely of the two catches, but of the whole
stepper; at the same time the back suspending catch fitted underneath the
carriage, upon which the stepper is to be lodged and kept suspended in its
place of dismission, should be made to be displaced very easily, so much
so as to be actually displaced by the mere meeting, dash, or friction effected
against this back suspending catch when the stepper is pushed back into
its said place of dismission. This back suspending catch should, moreover,
be so fitted, that as soon as it has been displaced in the manner just
mentioned, it may be instantly replaced into its locking situation by the spon-
taneous operation either of a weight or of a spring annexed to it, so that the
stopper may thereby become instantly barred by the catch thus replaced from
turning downward, and may thus remain effectually suspended in its intended
. place of dismission. A communication by means of a stiff' wire or of a string
should, as an additional advantage, be effected from the back of the stepper to
some point in the inside of the carriage, by means of which communication a
person in the carriage may either displace the two forwarding propping catches
together, or may raise the whole stepper along with these catches by about
half an inch, the hinges or pintles of the stepper admitting, of the stopper
being thus raised as above mentioned, and the forwarding propping catches
being disengaged from the hanging pillars by this short raising of the whole
steppor, the stepper will be enabled to turn back, when the person continuing

page_text: to pull with the stiff wire or the string, will both lodge the stepper upon the
back suspending catch, and confine it upon that catch by means of the purposed
construction of that catch, which has been above described. From the above-
described particulars, the stepper may be summarily defined to be a carriage!
stepper supplied with sets of catches which are most easily displaced by means.
of distant communications with them, and after being so displaced are instantly.
replaced into their locking situations by spontaneous agents; as a consequence'
of the stepper being supplied with such catches and distant communications
to these catches, the stepper, by means of a single easy pull, like the pulling of
a trigger, given by a person in or out of the carriage, may be brought forth
from its place of dismission underneath the carriage, and firmly settled
forwards in a proper situation for being stepped upon; and also, by means of
another easy pull or push from the person in or out of the carriage, the stepper
may in an instant be dismissed from its forward situation, and effectually
confined out of sight and out of the way in the space underneath the carriage.
Thirdly, a catch framed upon the following plan is recommended as an
additional advantage for co-operating with the above-described motions and
offices of the stopper, which catch I call an undoubted catch, on account of
its performing its displacing and replacing motions with peculiar readiness and
freedom from hesitation, and I also call it a confirming catch on account of
its becoming more and more confirmed, or more and more securely locked,'
by the very pressure of that power which it is intended to obstruct. This
undoubted and confirming catch should be made as follows:-That part of the
catch which is to be displaced and then replaced in the act of confining
should be made to move circularly backwards and forwards upon pintles and
gudgeons, and this catch should be so fitted, and its pintles or axis should be
so disposed, that the motion of the catch when it is intentionally released
should be effected in the very contrary way to the way in which the obstructed
power endeavours or tends to force the catch, and the catch should also be'
made to meet the obstructed power in such a manner, that the pressure of this
obstructed power may be exerted no more upon one gudgeon of the catch.
than upon the other. A spring should be fitted to the catch and made to
bear upon that part which is to be replaced in the act of locking, so that this.
part may be replaced into its locking situation by the spontaneous operation
of such spring. That part which is to be replaced in the act of locking
should have a hook or stopper fitted to it, in order that by means of this'
stopper and of the spring jointly, the catch may be kept constantly in its
locking situation, even at times when no exertion is effected upon it by any
obstructed power, and also in order that by means of: this stopper or book

page_text: the catch may be hindered from being forced away roundwise by the pressure)
of the obstructed power. The distance from one gudgeon. to the other shoulde
be so great as to be equal to half or much more than half the length of that
locking part which moves upon the gudgeons, such length being estimated in a
perpendicular direction to the axis running. from one gudgeon to the other.
A catch mado upon the undoubted and confirming construction aboyo
described, should, as an additional advantage to the carringo stepper, be
used for lodging and locking the stepper in its place of dismission underneath
the carringo with peculiar quickness and certainty, and catches upon the
same principle should also be used for fitting those forwarding propping catches,
by means of which the stepper is settled forwards and propped upon the lower
extremities of the hanging pillars when it is to be stepped upon, on account
of the above-mentioned confirming property of such a catch,, by which. it
becomes more firmly locked by being pressed upon, and consequently cannot
possibly slip off or be accidentally displaced under the weight of a person..
The forwarding propping, catches made upon the plan of such a catch should,
moreover, be fitted to the frame of the stepper, instead of being fitted to the
lower extremities of the hanging pillars, and one or two cross pieces should be
fixed to the two catches thus fitted to the frame of the stepper, by means of
which single or double cross piece the two catches will become like a single
catch turning upon gudgeons distant from one another, and will therefore
operate with peculiar readiness, and, in short, perform as an undoubted as well!
as a confirming catch. As an additional advantage, the following instrument.
which I call an unlocking axis, should be adapted or fitted to the back
suspending catch underneath the carriage; because; by means of this unlocking
axis this back suspending catch will be released or displaced in a turning or
crooked direction with the use of much fewer moveable or loose joints than
can be effected by means of wires and turning cranks, as above, suggested, and
consequently with a readier and more undoubted operation, this unlocking
axis also possessing the advantage of turning upon gudgeons distant from one
another, and therefore of turning upon them with peculiar readiness and certainty.
This unlocking axis should consist of a branch of some length moving upon
gudgeons; a short prominent piece or stub. should be immoveably fixed at a right.
angle or nearly to this branch, and another longer projecting piece, which I call
the arm of the axis, should also be fixed immoveably at a right angle or nearly
to the same branch. The gudgeons upon which this branch turns should be at
a distance from one another equal to half the length of the above-mentioned
arm, fixed to the branch, or more than half that length. These gudgeons
should, moreover, be fitted in such a situation, that the extremity of the stub

page_text: may bear against some part of the back suspending catch, and the, extremity
of the arm of the axis should at the. same time be made. to come out of the
outside of the carriage by the side of the stepper. By applying his finger to
this, extremity of the arm of the axis,, the. person. will 'make, this, arm, move,
the axis will turn upon its gudgeons, the stub fixed to the axis will also, move,
and press against that point of the back suspending catch against which, it is
made to. bear, by which means this catch, will displaced. Morcover, a com-
munication. should be. effected from the same or other arm, fixed to the
inlocking axis, to sonie point within the chest of the carriage by means of a
string or wire linked to that arm, and passing through the floor of the chest,
so that by a pull or push given to that wire the arm of the unlocking axis
will move, and also the stub, by which the catch. will be displaced; as a con-
sequence of its freedom from a multiplicity of loose or moveable joints, and also
of its turning motion being effected upon gudgeons-distant, from one another,
the unlocking axis, here described will operate, with peculiar readiness and
certainty for releasing the back suspending catch. of the stepper, by a. person
acting either from, the outside or inside of the carriage. As an additional
advantage, the. back suspending catch should be, an undoubted and confirming
catch.
Fourthly, when the stepper is annexed to parts or chests of carriages which are
borne by swinging straps or links, or springs, the carriage thereby becomes liable
to move. upon such links or springs, so that the stepper also becomes liable to
swing when it is stepped. upon, and moreover to turn backwards: with its
steps in such a. sloping situation as. to drop off the person. In order to
prevent these inconveniences; and as an additional advantage to the stepper,
it should be so fitted, that when it is intended to be stepped upon it may
slide down and fall with its feet to the ground, and yet its hinges. and upper
parts may continue to be firmly linked with and supported by the carriage.
Such a fall of the stepper with its feet to the ground should be effected by
the following means:-The hinges of the stepper should be. annexed to the
carriage no otherwise than by being annexed to the tops of the above-
described long hanging pillars, which are fixed to the carriage on each side
of the stepper; at the same time these hinges should be kept suspended at
the tops of these long hanging pillars no otherwise than by a releasable,
catch or catches, so that as soon as this. catch or catches are withdrawn or
displaced the hinges and stepper. together. may come down, sliding along the
hanging pillars, till the sliding hinges reach some firm points of stay, fixed
near the lower extremities of these long hanging pillars, which points of stay
should fully support the 'underneath parts and the sides of the hinges, so as

page_text: fully to hinder these sliding hinges and the other parts of the stepper from
having any farther sliding motion either downwards or backwards or forwards.
In order that the hinges of the stepper, in their sliding down along the
banging pillars, and also in their sliding up along the same, may continue in-
separately linked to these hanging pillars, each sliding hinge should be annexed
to the hanging pillar next to it by incans of a ring or hook, inclosing this
hanging pillar with just such a degree of closeness as to allow the ring or
hook to slidė easily along the hanging pillars; or otherwise, the sliding hinges
should be annexed to the hanging pillars in the following manner, that is to
say Each hanging pillar should be made double, or consisting of two distinct
strait branches, parrallel to each other, and admitting the turning pintle of
the stepper to pass between them; at the same time these two distinct
branches of the hanging pillar should be placed at such a degree of nearness
to one another as just to allow the pintle an easy sliding motion up and down
between them. In order to prevent the stopper from having its lower parts
turn backwards by their own weight into the space underneath the carriage
while its hinges or pintles are sliding down along the hanging pillars, the
following method should be used:-A firm support forwards should be given
to the frame of the stepper before its sliding hinges or pintles are let to slide
down, and, moreover, this firm support forward should 'continue to be afforded
to the frame of the stepper during the whole time the sliding hinges or pintles
are coming down; such a firm support forwards should be given to the framio
of the stepper, by making it rest upon the extremities of the long hanging
pillars, by means of the forwarding propping catches, above described, and
this firm support forwards should be continued by the following contrivance,
that is to say:-Those points at the lower extremities of the hanging pillars
upon which the frame of 'the stepper is made to rest should be placed
somewhat lower, for instance, two inches lower than those points of stay upon
which the sliding hinges or pintles are to settle; when their downwards sliding
motion is concluded, two long slips of iron or smooth hard substance should
be fixed to and behind the frame of the stepper in such a situation and
direction that they may continue to bear, and may continue to slide upon
these two low forwarding points at the lower extremities of the hanging
pillars upon which the back of the frame of the stepper is supported; these
two sliding slips should continue to bear and slide upon these two low
forwarding points, during the whole time the sliding hinges or pintles are
coming down. As a consequence of the sliding slips thus continuing to be
supported forwards, while at the same time the sliding hinges or pintles
continue to be retained backwards, by the long hanging pillars, along which

page_text: they slide down, and to which they are inseparably linked, it happens that the
lower parts of the stepper are prevented from turning backwards, so that the
stepper comes to the ground with a forwards and properly horizontal situation
of its steps; as a further advantage, the two said sliding slips would be
connected together by two other transversal slips in such a manner, that
these four slips may form a connected frame together, which frame should
be fitted to and behind the frame of the stepper; this sliding frame I call
the sliding square of the stepper. However, it cannot fail frequently to happen
that the feet of the stepper must fall upon prominencies of the ground more or
less raised above the common level, so that the feet of the stepper are then
actually stopped by these prominencies from continuing to full before tho
sliding hinges or pintles have come quite down and home upon their lower-
most points of stay; as a consequence of which, these sliding hinges or pintles
must likewise be stopped from continuing to slide lower and from reaching
these their lowermost points of stay, so that they must remain no better
supported than by bearing with an oblique pressure downwards against the
smooth sides of the hanging pillars; from which situation it must happen, that
if the stepper is then stepped upon, the sliding hinges or pintles, together with
the upper parts of the stepper, must slide and fall down at once with a violent
jerk. In order to obviate this inconvenience, the following contrivance should
be used:-Those forwarding supporting points at the lower extremities of the
hanging pillars upon which the sliding slips of the stepper continue to slide
while the sliding hinges or pintles are coming down should be placed both
lower and more forwards in the space out of the carriage than those points of
stay are upon which the sliding hinges or pintles are finally to stop or settle.
As a consequence of this disposition, the sliding slips and the frame of the
stepper will not only be prevented from turning backwards into the space
underneath the carriage, but they will, moreover, be actually thrown forwards,
and the feet of the stepper will be kept upwards above the ground, so that the
feet of the stepper. will thus remain actually raised above the level ground by
several inches at the time when the sliding hinges or pintles have already
quite come down and settled home upon the lowermost points of stay. The
fact being so, these low forwarding points upon which the sliding slips continue
to slide should be carried so very forwards both below and before the lower-
most points of stay upon which the sliding hinges or pintles settle, that the feet
of the stepper may be thrown so much forwards, and made to continue abovo
the level ground by such a considerable number of inches at the time, when
the sliding hinges or pintles have already fully reached their lowermost points
of stay, that this heighth of the feet of the stepper above the level ground may

page_text: in all cases be superior to the heighth of any casual eminence on the ground
that may happen to stop the fall of the feet of the stepper, by which means
the advantage will be. constantly obtained of having the sliding hinges or
pintles at the top of the stepper infallibly come down and settled fully home
upon their lowermost points of stay before they can possibly be stopped from
sliding lower and reaching these full points of stay by any accidental stoppage
of the fall of the feet of the stepper. In order to enable the feet of the stepper
to reach the ground after the sliding hinges or pintles have already reached
their lowermost points of stay, the sliding slips or sliding square upon. which
the stepper is sliding down should have a notch or interruption. made in them,
which notch or interruption should be made in each sliding slip exactly at such
a distance from the sliding pintle adjoining to that slip, that that distance may
be equal to the distance that is from the lowermost point, of stay of this pintle
to the low forwarding point upon which the sliding slip continues to slido; as: a
consequence of which it must happen, that at the very same, time that the
sliding pintle of the stepper reaches this lowermost point of stay, the notch
or interruption in the sliding slip likewise comes exactly to answer to the
low forwarding point. upon which this sliding slip continues to slide, so that
this. sliding, slip becomes at once forsaken by this low forwarding point, and
accordingly falls. downwards together with. the feet of the stepper by a. cir-
cular motion,, which is then effected by the sliding hinges or pintles upon the
lowermost points of stay, till the feet of the stepper have quite reached the
ground. In order to bring the stepper from the ground into its place. of
dismission underneath the carriage,, tho. stepper must be grasped by the
standing in the space out of the carriage and moved upwards, by which the
sliding hinges or pintles of the stepper will slide up along the hanging pillars.
At the same time the catches at. the top of the, hanging pillars (which I call
the, top suspending catches. of the stepper,) should be so fitted as to be. very
easily displaced, so much so that, they may be actually displaced. by the mero
stroke or friction which, is effected upon them when the sliding pintle, is moved
up to the top of the hanging pillars, and these top suspending catches should
also be fitted in such a manner, that as soon as they have thus been displaced
by the rising pintles they may be instantly, replaced into their locking situation
by the spontaneous operation either of weights or of springs annexed to them,
so that, the sliding pintles may then be instantly barred from sliding down
again, by these replaced catches. The sliding, pintles being thus settled
upon these top suspending catches, will be able to perform a turning or
circular motion upon them, and by means of this circular motion of
its piutles or hinges, the stepper will be carried backwards into the spaco
person

page_text: underneath the carriage,, and there expeditiously suspended upon its back
suspending catch by means of the: above-described construction of that catch.,
The operations of raising the stepper from the ground and suspending it on
the back suspending catch underneath the carriage may also be performed in
an expeditious manner by a person seated within the carriage. For that
purpose a stiff wire or a string should be annexed to the back of the stepper,;
and by being made to pass through the floor of the chest of the carriage, this
wire or string should be fitted to some point in the inside of the chest; by
means of this communicating wire or string,. together with the assistance of
the above-described top suspending catches. and also of the back suspending.
catch, the person in the chest of the carriage will be able, by a simple, easy,.com-
tinued pull, to bring the stepper from the ground into its place of dismission
underneath the carriage, and safely confine it there. In order to bring the
stepper forwards from this place of dismission and settle it. with its feet upon
the ground, the stepper should first be brought forth by its circular motion,
and settled forwards upon its forwarding propping catches and upon the lower
extremities of the hanging pillars in the expeditious manner that has been above.
described, the same as if it was to be stepped upon in that forwarded situation.
The top suspending catches. placed at the tops of the hanging pillars, and upon
which the sliding hinges or pintles are settled, should then be. withdrawn or dis-
placed; as a consequence of which, these hinges or pintles, together with the whole
stepper, will come down, and the feet of the stepper will settle upon the ground,
in the manner above described. The two top suspending catches should, more-
over, as an additional advantage, be fitted in such a manner that they may be both
displaced together by a single pull or push given by a person either in or out.
of the carriage. For that purpose communications should be effected from
those top suspending catches to proper points both out of and within the.
carriage, which communications should be effected with wire or strings, or with
wire and turning cranks. But as an additional superior advantage, the com-.
munications for quickly displacing the two top. suspending catches together
should be effected by means of an unlocking axis without any moveable joint
in it, and made to turn upon two gudgeons distant from one another as above.
described. For opening or displacing the two top suspending catches together
and at once by means of an unlocking axis, two stubs should be immoveably
fixed at right angles or nearly to this unlocking axis. These stubs should be so
placed, and the gudgeons of the axis should be so disposed, that the two stubs
may bear against some points of these two top catches; an arm unmoveably
fixed at right angle or nearly to the unlocking axis should be made. to come
out on the outside of the carriage, and a similar arm should be thrown towards

page_text: the space underneath the carriage, to which latter arm a string or wire should
be linked and made to pass through the floor of the chest into the chest.
Upon the arm of this unlocking axis being moved, either by a person applying
his finger to it from the outside of the carriage, or by a person moving the just-
mentioned wire in the inside of the carriage, the axis and the two stubs fixed
to it will move, by which motion the two top suspending catches against which
the two stubs bear will be displaced, so that the sliding hinges or pintles
together with the whole stepper will come down, as above described.
n
Fifthly, the unavoidable inequalities of the ground will frequently be the
cause that one of the feet of the stepper may come to rest properly upon the
ground, while the other foot continues off the ground and unsupported, as a
consequence of which situation, the stepper will totter under the person and
perhaps suddenly break. In order to remedy this inconvenience, the following
method should be used:-The frame of the stepper should be divided into two
parts, that is to say, an upper part and a lower part; the lower part should be
linked with the upper part by pivot fitted to both parts, and placed in such a
manner and direction as to allow this lower part to turn towards the ground on
either side, so that by means of this turning, one side of this lower part of the
stepper may become nearer to the ground than the other side of this lower
part is. As a consequence of this way of turning being allowed to be effected on
either side upon a pivot by the lower part of the frame of the stepper, it will
follow, that either foot of the stepper which may happen to remain unsupported
will easily, and without any danger of straining, reach the ground and rest
upon it. A spring or pair of springs should be fitted to both the upper part
and the lower part of the stepper, and should be made to bear upon these two
parts in such a manner as to give the lower part a certain degree of steadiness
and prevent its playing loosely upon its pivot.
Sixthly, the following is a summary definition of the carriage stepper'
resting upon the ground, that is above described:-It is a stepper which may be
Brought to the ground from its confined state underneath the carriage by only
two gentle pulls or pushes, like the pulling of a trigger, given by a person
either in or out of the carriage, that is to say, by the first slight pull or push
the stepper will be made to sally forth, and to become to be settled forwards
upon the lower extremities of the hanging pillars, and by the second slight
pull or push the stepper will be made to fall with its feet to the ground. The
stepper may, moreover, be brought from the ground and safely lodged upon its
back suspending catch underneath the carriage by only a lift and then a gentle
continued push or pull by a person either in or out of the carriage. The
stepper is also additionally fitted in such a manner, that when it is come down'

page_text: to the ground its top part is always sure to be quite firmly settled, and its feet
are also sure to rest both firmly upon the ground.
Seventhly, the following explanations are intended to elucidate the few
Drawings annexed to this writing, by which Drawings the above description
of the carriage stepper is intended to be illustrated: -No. 1 represents the two
hanging pillars fixed to the chest of the carriage on each side of the stepper;
No. 2 represents the two hanging pillars, with the stepper settled forwards
upon the lower extremities of them, by means of its forwarding propping catches
resting upon these lower extremities; No. 3 represents the stepper confined
underneath the carriage, upon the back suspending catch and between the two
hanging pillars; No. 4 represents the stepper fitted for sliding down to the
ground, and in the operation of actually sliding down with its feet cast forwards
and its sliding hinges or pintles being quite, near coming to settle upon their
lowermost points of stay at the lower extremities of the hanging pillars; No. 5
represents the stepper after its sliding hinges or pintles have fully reached their
lowermost points of stay, and its feet, by turning backwards, have come to
settle upon the ground; No. 7 represents, upon rather a larger scale, a back
suspending catch, made upon the above-described plan, of an undoubted and a
confirming catch, but as it is represented only in profile, the length of its axis
or distance between its gudgeons is not expressed; No. 8 represents, also upon
a larger scale, an unlocking axis with only one arm and one stub fixed to it;
No. 9 represents, also upon a larger scale, the profile of the upper part of one of
the hanging pillars, divided into two branches, for the purpose of letting the
pintle of the slipper slide down between these two branches; and to the Figure
an instance is annexed of a top suspending catch, upon which the pintle
rests and turns at the top of the double hanging pillar, and when this catch is
withdrawn slides down; No. 6 (which should have its explanation inserted above
before No. 7,) represents the two sliding slips of the stepper made into a sliding
square, with a notch or interruption on each side, through which interruption
the low forwarding point or support making its passage, the sliding square
turns downwards, and the feet of the stepper come to the ground.
Springs for carriages is another contrivance for the safety and conveniency of
wheel carriages; the contrivance relative to such springs, which is meant to be here
described has two objects, namely, the manner in which springs should be made,
and secondly, the manner in which the chest of the carriage should be settled
upon springs. The general properties of the kind of spring which is meant
to be hereafter more particularly described, are, that it works by having its two
ends moved directly towards and from one another, instead of moving in a kind
of circular line around a single point or spot towards one another; that it is

page_text: made in such a manner that the pressure of the weight it bears becomes exerteil
equally upon a number of distinct points or spots of the spring, instead of being
exerted upon one point or spot more than upon all others. And as a third
general property, the spring here meant to be described is made very thin, and
yet it is made in such a manner, that though it is so very thin. it possesses such
a full power to bear the jerking shocks of a great weight as to bring up that
weight again and again. When I say the spring should be thin, I mean that
the dimension of its thickness should be very considerably less than the dimen
sion of its with; and by the words the thickness of the spring, I mean the
distance between those two slides or surfaces of the spring, the one of which
expands while the other contracts, or contracts while the other expands; when
the spring is working. The following are the real particulars in the make of
the spring, that are requisito for causing it to possess the above-mentioned
properties in general: :-
First, the spring should be made by bending a slip of steel or metal into
several angles and branches."
Secondly, the angles should be made to be alternately concave angles and
convex angles, or they should also be alternately concave angles on the opposite
sides or surfaces of the spring, or also they should be alternately convex angles
and concave angles on the same continued side or surface of the spring.
Thirdly, the branches should be so formed as to be cast equally on the two sides
of one another, or at least so nearly equally, that a strait line drawn from a
first branch to a third branch may be sure to pass through the second branch,
contiguous to the first branch, before it can pass through the third branch. It'
is to be observed, that a spring inade with this shape described in this third
article is essentially different from any spiral spring of any kind or appearance.
Fourthly, so many as four or more concave angles, and five or more distinct
branches, cast equally or very nearly equally on the two sides of one another.
should be made out of one slip of metal, and so many as fifty or more such
angles or branches may be made for the formation of the spring.
Fifthly, the space contained between two adjoining branches, formed by the
same concave-angle, should be so small, even where the distance between these
two branches is greatest, as to bo barely equal to twice the thickness of one of
those branches, and even less than twice such thickness.
Sixthly, two adjoining contiguous branches, formed by the same concave
angle, should, instead of diverging from one another, rather converge towards
one another..
Seventhly, the length of a branch from one concave angle to the next
convex angle should be so small as to be equal to only two inches or less, and

page_text: also the length of such branch from one concave angle to the next convex
angle should be so small as to be barely equal to the width of the branch, and
also the width of the branch should be so great as to be equal to the length of
the branch from one concave angle to the next convex angle, or even much
greater, than that length.
Eighthly, the thickness of the spring should be so small as to be barely
equal to a quarter of an inch, or even less, and also the dimension of that
thickness should be so small as to be equal to only the fourth part of the
dimension of its width, or even much smaller than the fourth part of this
width.
Ninthly, for the sake of cheapness, or when a less degree of perfection in
the spring is required, the space contained between two branches, formed by
the same concave angle, should be barely equal to twelve times the thickness
of one of such branches, instead of being barely equal to twice the thickness of
one of such branches, as above prescribed. Also, for the sake of cheapness, or
when a less degree of perfection in the spring is required, the length of a branch:
from one concave angle to the next convex angle should be barely equal to
twice the width of such branch, instead of being barely equal to the width of
that branch, as-above prescribed; and this length of the branch should more->
over be barely equal to three inches, instead of being two inches or less, as
above prescribed. Also, for the sake of cheapness, or when a less degree of
perfection in the spring is required, the branches of the spring should diverge so
little as sixty degrees from one another, instead of not diverging at all, or even.
converging towards one another, as above prescribed. One or two or more
springs, formed upon the rules above expressed, may be used or fitted together,
or near one another, for each corner of the chest of a carriage. Moreover, the
proper settling of the chest of a carriage upon its springs is another important
object. This settling of the chest upon springs should be effected in the
following manner:-The swinging link, by means of which this chest, or each
corner of it, effects its swinging motions under a point of suspention, should be
fitted, not to the spring immediately, but it should be fitted to. a piece interme--
diate between this swinging link and the spring, which intermediate piece is
fitted to the spring also; and this intermediate piece I call the sliding settler of
the chest. This intermediate sliding settler should be made to pass through
rings or hooks; or to have rings or hooks passed through it, in such a manner
that these rings or may guide or direct its motions, and allow it 'a free
motion in a strait line to and from the ground, but restraining it from having
any motion either sidewise or backwards or forwards, or, in short, any swinging
or cillatory motion. By the swinging link of the chest being fitted to this inter-

page_text: mediate sliding settler, instead of licing fitted directly to the spring, the advan-
tages will be obtained that the swinging motions of the chest will be
prevented from jerking the spring, and the bendings and workings of the
spring will be prevented from disturbing the swinging motions of the swing-
ing link. Moreover, this intermediate sliding settler, which is fitted both to
the spring and the swinging link, but parts them, should be made of some
considerable extent, because by having such extent the hooks or rings which
guide its motions will be more distant from one another, and will therefore
operate with more truth and loss friction; but the principal advantage
obtained from giving some considerable extent to the intermediate sliding
settler are, that it thereby becomes practicable to placo the point of suspension
of the swinging link at any particular point people may like, that is to say, at
any point high or low, far or near, backward or forward, or sidewise, in regard
to any part of the spring, or in regard to the chest of the carriage, or in regard
to the axletree, or in regard to the properest length of the swinging link itself;
and though the point of suspension of the swinging link, or the point at
which the swinging motion of the link begins to be effected, is thus placed at
any point, far or near, that is liked, yet the bearing of the chest upon the
spring, and its play up and down upon that spring, do not become in the least
impaired thereby, because the intermediate sliding settler, to which the
swinging link is suspended, and by which the chest bears upon the spring. is
allowed a perfectly free strait motion up and down towards and from the
ground by those rings or hooks which confine it and guide its motions; neither
does this sliding settler, being made of some considerable extent, prove any
cause of hindrance to these down and up motions of the sliding settler, sinco
this considerable extent of it, on the contrary, proves the cause of its effecting
its up and down strait motions with great truth and very little friction, by
allowing those hooks or rings which guide it to be placed at considerablo
distances from one another. The two following advantages should be derived
from the above-described possibility of placing the point of suspension of the
swinging link, or the point at which the swinging link begins to effect its
swinging motion, at any spot, or at the very point that is liked, without any
lessening of the play of the chest upon the spring, or any jerking of the spring
arising therefrom. The first advantage hero meant is, that this point of sus-
pension at the swinging link should be placed so high as to be higher than the
centre of gravity of the chest and of the persons scated in it, and the corner of
the chest should be. annexed to the swinging link by a point of this chest that
is level or nearly with this centre of gravity. As a beneficial consequence of
this mode of suspending the chost of the carriage, the danger of. its being

page_text: overturned will be much lessened. The second advantage bere meant to be
taken is, that the swinging link should be made short, that is to say, that point
of the sliding settler on which the swinging link is suspended should be but
very little higher, for instance, only two or three inches higher than that point.
of the chest by which the chest is hooked or fitted to the swinging link. This
shortness of the swinging link, making it only two or three inches long, will
prove another cause of the danger of the carriage overturning being lessened,
at the same time that the degree of swinging motion procured by such short
swinging link, and effected by it every way, will fully answer the purpose of
qualifying or softening the horizontal jerks any way directed of the carriage;
and, moreover, by this shortness of the swinging links, the check straps fastened
to the bottom of the carriage and to the perch will become useless, and the
danger and inconvenience of these bad implements will be prevented. The
sliding settler should be so shaped, by means of projections fitted to it, or of
openings or open work made in it, as to allow the swinging motions of the
swinging link to be effected in any direction without any obstruction whatever.
The sliding settler at each corner of the chest of the carriage might be settled
upon more springs than one, accordingly as the shape of the spring is; it being
another advantage procured by the use of these intermediate sliding settlers,
that such springs may be fitted to carriages as have many various shapes
different from those springs at this time made.
Finally, the following explanations are intended to elucidate the few Draw-
ings annexed to this writing:-No. 10 represents the profile or side shape of
the branches of the spring, with several alternate concave and convex angles;
as above described; and No. 11 gives, upon the same scale, an idea of the same
spring seen in front, and of the width of its branches in proportion to their
length, which length No. 1 expresses; No. 12 represents a sliding settler,
drawn upon a smaller scale than the delineated spring above referred to. This.
sliding settler is represented having its extremities inclosed in three rings or
hooks, which thereby confine and guide its motion straitwise, downwards, and
upwards, and also having a projection fixed to it, by means of which the swing..
ing link, which is suspended from this projection, is enabled to swing without
meeting with any obstruction. No. 13 represents a sliding settler intended to
bear upon two distinct springs; No. 14 represents the profile of a sliding
settler, fitted upon the lower extremity of a spring, with a very great number
of alternate concave angles and of distinct branches, such as above described;
the profile of which spring is, moreover, represented; and an arm fixed to a point
of the chest of a carriage which is level to the centre of gravity of the carriage

page_text: is also represented as being fitted to a swinging link hanging from the sliding
settler.
To release the horses from carriages in an instantaneous manner is
another contrivance for the safety and convenience of wheel carriages which is
meant to be here lescribed. This releasing or loosening the horses when
running away with the carriage is effected so completely by the contrivance
here meant, that the horses carry away with them nothing but merely their
traces and harnesses, and this full release is moreover effected so readily and in-
stantly as to be effected by the mere easy pully of a string from the inside or any
intended part of the carriage; the contrivance should be executed as follows:
First, a piece of wood should be fixed over and across the fatchells, and be
made similar to that cross piece of wood or splinter bar which uses to be fitted
across the. fatchells of carriages, au has four thick pegs fixed to it for the
purpose of fastening the traces of the horses to. These four fixed pegs should
be dispensed with in the present contrivance; but, in lieu of them, moveable
bolts should be fitted to the above-mentionel cross bar or splinter bar by
means of two rings or hooks for each bolt, through which ring each bolt should
be made to pass and freely to slide upwards and downwards, or backwards and
forwards; the two rings should be fitted to the cross bar as some distance, for
instance, five inches from one another. The sliding bolt should be made to
project about half an inch out of, the one ring. and this projection of the bolt
should be caught or hookod by the hook belonging to the trace of the horse;
from the horse, being placed quite close to the ring out of which the bolt pro-
ceeds, it happens, that when the bolt is. withdrawing the hook is stopped short
from in the least following the bolt, but is. instantly forsaken by the bolt, so
that the hook, the traco, and the horse become released.. A confining piece
should be placed very near that ring out of which the bold proceeds, that is to
say, so near as to confine the trace hook from slipping out of the bolt as long
as the bolt is not withdrawn. In order to enable the person on the carriage
quickly and easily to displace or withdraw all the sliding bolts together from
all the trace hooks at once, the following contrivance should be used: A long
piece of wood or metal, which I call the turning piece, should be placed parrallel
to the above-mentioned cross: bar or splinter bar, and this long turning pioco.
should be made to turn.upon pintles. and gudgeons: placed. near the two ends:
of the cross-bar. To this long turning piece as many stubs or short projec-
tions as there are sliding bolts.should be firmly, fixed; these stubs. being about
two inches. long, should. he placed close. to. the sliding, bolts, and each stub
should: be linked or connected with that sliding bolt which is next to it; a stick

page_text: or lever, about two feet long, should be firmly fixed to the long turning piece,
about the middle of it, and a string should be fitted to the other end of the
stick or lever, which string should be prolonged to the inside or any intended
part of the carriage. The consequence of these dispositions are, that by pulling
the string the lever is made to move round together with the long turning
piece to which it is fixed; the stubs fixed to this long turning piece are accord-
ingly also made to move, and by these stubs being thus moved, the sliding
bolts with which they are connected are also moved and withdrawn from the
trace hooks, which trace hooks, being thus instantly forsaken by the sliding
bolts, the horses accordingly become instantly released from the cross bar.
Secondly, in order also instantly to release that part of the front harnesses of
the horses which is fastened to the foremost end of the pole, the following
method should be used:-A long slender rod should be fitted close to the pole
by means of two rings or hooks fitted to the two ends of the pole, through which
rings the long rod should be made to pass and to slide freely backwards and
forwards; one end of the long rod should be made to project about half an
inch out of that ring or hook which is next the foremost end of the pole, and
this projection of the rod should be caught or hooked by a hook fastened to the
front part of the harness of the horse, a confining piece should at the same time
be fixed very near to that ring out of which the long sliding rod proceeds, that
is to say, so near as to confine the said harness hook from slipping out of the
sliding rod as long as this rod is not withdrawn. The other end of the sliding rod
next to the carriage should be made into or fitted with a hook, and this hook
should be connected with the lever and the long turning piece, above mentioned,
by the turning of which the sliding bolts of the traces are withdrawn and the
traces released, as above described; as a consequence of which connection, this
lever and long turning piece, when they are moved round .by a pull from the
carriage, draw the sliding rod back from the fore harness hook at the foremost
end of the pole, and by this fore harness hook being thus forsaken by the long
sliding rod and disengaged, the horses become instantly released from the pole;
this release of the fore part of the harness from the pole being, moreover,
effected by the same easy pull, by which the withdrawing of the hind sliding
bolts and releasing of the hind traces is effected. The lever fixed to the loug
turning piece being made twelve or fifteen times longer than the stubs, and the
hook, by which the sliding bolts and the long sliding rod are respectively with-
drawn, it follows, that the strength of the pull becomes magnified twelve or
fifteen times, so that it requires but a weak effort or exertion from a person for
withdrawing the said sliding bolts and long sliding rod with certainty..

page_text: Thirdly, when horses, instead of being fastened to the pole of the fore part
of the harness merely, for the purpose of occasionally stopping the motion
of the carriage, are additional foremost horses, fastened to the pole by
their hind traces. for the purpose of drawing the pole and carriago forward,
no difference results from this circumstance. The hook by which the foremost
horse or horses are fastened to the end of the pole should be caught by the
extremity of the long sliding rod fitted as above described; and this sliding
rod being withdrawn by the means which are also described above, this hook,
by means of which the foremost horses draw the pole, will become forsaken by
the rod, and these foremost horses will accordingly be released.
Fourthly, when the carriage is drawn by only one horse in the shafts, the
releasing of the fore part of the harness from each side of the shafts should be
effected in the same manner above described for effecting the release of the
barness hook from a single pole, that is to say, a long sliding rod should be
fitted in the manner above described to each side of the shafts, to the extre-
mities of which the two harness hooks on the two sides of the horse should be
hooked, in the manner above described, and these two long sliding rods being
withdrawn by the turning lever and long turning piece, the two harness hooks
become released, and the horse is disengaged from the shafts.
Fifthly, when the carriage is only upon two wheels. so that the single horse
or the two horses bear the fore part of the carriage by means of the shafts, or of
a pole between the two horses, the releasing of the horse or horses from the
shafts or the pole is effected by the same means above described, that is to say,
each harness hook proceeding from the back of the horse is to be hooked to
the extremity of the long sliding rod fitted to the pole, or to each side of the
shafts, in the manner above described; and this long sliding rod being withdrawn
by the turning lever and long turning piece, the harness hook from the back
of the horse is forsaken by the rod and released, so that the shafts or the pole
fall to the ground, and the hind traces of the horse being at the same also
released by the same pull, and the horse thus set in full liberty.
Sixthly, in order that the string, by which the lever which makes the
turning piece turn, inny when drawn back continue to keep a proper effectual
direction in regard to this lever and to the turning piece, in those cases when
the pole happens to be drawn aside by the horses to an angle with the perch.
the following means should be used:-A pair of horizontal pullies or a smooth
ring should be placed exactly in the perpendicular line above the centre of that
circular motion by which the fore wheel and poles together are made to turn
round; the string should be made to pass between these two horizontal pullies,
or through this smooth ring, so that by the string being thus made to turn either

page_text: on the right or the left in a point exact perpendicular above the centre of the
circular motion of the fore wheels and pole together, it happens that the proper
effectual direction of the string is preserved, in regard to the turning lever and
the long turning horizontal piece, into whatever angle with the perch this
long turning piece may be cast, by the horses having drawn the pole aside.
Seventhly, the sliding bolts, the long sliding rod, and the lever fixed to the
long turning piece, should be severally provided with springs fitted in such &
manner as to press against these several pieces, and thereby just prevent them
from being shaken out of their proper places by the jolting of the carriage.
Seventhly, the following explanations are intended to elucidate the few
Drawings annexed to this writing:- No. 15 represents, upon a very small scale,
the mere profile or mere section of a cross bar, with a sliding bolt fitted to it, and
enabled to slide up and down through two rings, or two bored pieces fitted to the
cross bar, through which the bolt is made to pass. The same also represents the
mere profile or mere section of a long turning piece, to which a stab is fixed, for
lifting up or withdrawing the sliding bolt from the trace hook, which is also
represented as being caught by the bolt. The turning lever, fixed perpendicular
to the long turning piece, is also represented, together with the string fitted to
the top of it, and prolonged through a ring, which is supposed to be placed just
above the centre of the circular motion, effected by the fore wheels and the
pole together. No. 16 represents, upon a greatly larger scale than that of
No. 15, the section of a cross bar, and a way of making and fitting to it a
sliding bolt, with the upper end inverted, so that by that means the bolt, the
long turning piece, and the stubs all lie hidden behind the cross bar. No. 17
represents, upon the same scale, the foremost end of the pole of a carriage,
with part of a long sliding rod fitted to it, and passing through one of its rings,
and also the coufining piece for confining the harness hook from slipping out of
the rod when the rod is not withdrawn. No. 18 represents the foremost end
of a pole, with a harness hook caught by the end of the sliding rod, and confined.
from slipping out of it by a confining piece, together with a hook from the long.
sliding rod, by which the lever displaces the rod. No. 19 represents one side
of the shafts, with a hook hanging from the back of a horse and bearing the
shafts, which hook is also represented as being caught by the end of a long
sliding rod. It is to be observed, that it would be better in general to have
the long sliding rods sunk in grooves made in the poles or shafts.
Axletrees and wheels, made and fitted together upon a new principle, is a
contrivance for the greater expedition of wheel carriages, which is intended to
be also described in this deed and writing. The object of the contrivance is to
have the axletree and wheel fixed together and turn together, but with a
:

page_text: separate axletree for each wheel; the execution of the whole contrivance should
be as follows:-The axletrec should be fixed to the stock or nave or middle
block of the wheel, by being driven hard and fast into it, and by being, moreover,
unmoveably fastened to by proper plates, rivetting, and screws or bolts, in such
a manner that the axletree may be quite prevented from having any turning
motion or any loose motion whatever within the wheel, and that the wheel may be
reciprocally prevented from having any turning motion or any loose motion
whatever about the axletree. The axletree should be supplied with two gud-
geous, within which it may freely turn; and these two gudgeons should be fixed
to the axletree bed or transom by the gudgeons, being both fixed on the same
side of the wheel, so that the supports or gudgeons upon which the axletree
turns may all be situated on the same side of the wheel with one another, and
none be situated on the other side of the wheel; within these two gudgeons
thus placed on the same side of the wheel the axletree and wheel should turn
together, unmoveably fixed together, and with only one wheel to the axletree.
The one of the gudgeons should, as an additional advantage, be placed as close
to the wheel, and the other as far from the wheel as possible. In order to
- prevent the stock of the wheel from receding from the gudgeons by the axle-
tree sliding sidewise through them towards that end of the axletree transom
which is next to the wheel, and thus prevent the. wheel from coming off, a
swelling or knob, or a hook bigger than the hole in the gudgeon, should be
made in the axletree, and be placed close to the gudgeon on that side of it
which is farthest from the wheel, and it would no doubt be best to have this
swelling or hook placed close to that gudgeon which is farthest from tlie
wheel; and in order to prevent the axletree from sliding the opposite way,
and thus bringing the stock of the wheel hard close upon its next gudgeon,
so as to have a strong friction with it, a flat piece or stopper should be fixed
under the axletree transom, and placed close against that end of the axletreo
which is farthest from the wheel, so that the axletree may be prevented from
sliding that way, and the stock of the wheel may be constantly kept at the
distance of the thickness of a shilling or so from the gudgeon next to it;
aid for the farther lessening of friction, that end of the axletree which is
to hear against the above-mentioned stopper should be tapered to a point.
Another wheel and axletree, fixed together in the same unmoveable manner
above described, should be fitted to the other end of the same transom to
'which the above-described axletree and wheel are fitted, and this second
axletree should be fitted to the transom in the same manner and with the
same cautions as the other axletree is, which have been above described. By
baving these two separate.axletree and wheels fitted to each end of it, the

page_text: axletree bed or transom may be defined to be an axletree transom having two
separate axletrees fitted to it and projecting out of the two ends of it, to
each of which two separate axletrees a wheel is unmoveably fixed, which
turns, together with the axletree, by means of gudgeons, all fixed to the
transom between the two wheels, through which gudgeons the two axletrees
separately pass and separately turn, so that either axletree and wheel is thus
enabled to turn with more or less speed than the other axletree and wheel; or
even in the very contrary manner to the other axletree and wheel.
Secondly, the method of making the wheels should be improved, under the.
favour of the circumstance of its being unmoveably joined to the axletree,
and of no turning or playing motion about the axletree being required from it;.
accordingly the wheel should be made without being dished, that is to say, the
spokes of the wheel should be placed perpendicular to the stock or nave or
middle block; also this stock should be made short, that is to say, that
dimension of the stock which is parallel to the axletree should be made
so short as to be equal to only three times the thickness of the spoke,
or even less than three times that thickness; also, the diameter of the stock
should be considerable, that is to say, that dimension of the stock which is
perpendicular to the axletree should be so considerable as to be equal to
twice the length of the stock, or more than twice that length. It may
be demonstrated, that by the axletrees and wheels being unmoveably fixed
together and turning together, in the manner above described, the friction
arising from the motion of carriage wheels will prove twenty and perhaps forty.
times less than that which arises from the motion of the wheels turning around
axletrees and fitted in the present manner; axletrees will also be less liable to
break, and wheels made in the manner above described will be much stronger
than the wheels at present used for carriages; they will also admit of being
made with incomparably superior elegance, to which must be added that they
will also, on the contrary, admit of being made with such plainness as will
reduce the price of them almost to nothing. As a farther means of lessening
the friction, spunges or rags, or such like materials, soaked with grease or oil,
should be kept under the axletree bed close to each gudgeon, and the width
of each gudgeon being but very small, for instance, only three quarters of an
inch, the oil will be sure to run to every part of that width, which the
friction of the turning axletree against its gudgeons will of course be lessener'.
In order to complete the certainty of the oil reaching every part of the axletree
which turns within the gudgeon, cavities should even be made within the
narrow gudgeon, which should actually be filled up with the above-named
materials soaked with grease or oil, so that that part of the axletree which

page_text: actually turns and works within the gudgeon may be sure at every turn
positively to rub against the said materials and take grease or oil from them.
The cavities made within the gudgeon should be so shaped as to retain in the
surest manner within them the
greasy materials.
Thirdly, the following explanation is intended to elucidate the few Drawings
annexed to this writing:-No. 20 represents an axletree bed fitted with two
separate axletrees, which separately pass and turn through two pair of
gudgeons fixed to this axletree bed; and the same Figure also represents the
swellings or knobs, and the stopper fitted near those gudgeons which are
farthest from the wheels, by which the axletrees are prevented from receding
from the gudgeons, and sliding either way along the bed or transom. No. 21
represents the different shapes which may be given to the inside of the
gudgeons. No. 22 represents a gudgeon with a cavity made in it which is
conceived to be of a proper shape for retaining such greasy or oily materials
as may be lodged within it.
Lighting the road beforo horses and carriages in a proper manner is the
subject of another contrivance which is meant to be described in this writing.
The contrivance consists of a hook by which the lanthorn is hung as forwards
as the bodies or even the shoulders of the horses, and the intent and effect of
such hook so placed are that no part of the light from the lauthorn can be
intercepted from the road either by the horses or any part of the carriage.
The hook holding the lanthorn should be fitted to the pole or the shafts of the
carriage, and the more forwards it is fitted near the end of them the better.
The hook should be so fitted to the pole as to stop the lanthorn from having
any extensive dangling motion, as by such extensive motion the light may be
put out, or must be rendered weak and uncertain. The hook should be
provided with a catch so made, that this hook and the lanthorn together may
be prevented from being thrown off by tho agitations of the pole, and at tho
same time this catch should admit of being at any time readily released by a
single easy sure pull when the lanthorn is to be taken away. As an additional
alvantage, the hook should be so made as to allow some vibrating motion
every way to the lanthorn when the pole shakes about, but at the same time
the hook should gently check this vibrating motion, and prevent it from being
too violent or extensive. This joint method or joint property of the hook,
of allowing and gently checking the vibrating motions of the lanthorn, should
be effected by means of a spring or springs, or by making the lanthorn oscillate
upon more points of suspension than one, or by means both of springs and of
several different points of suspension together. As another method of fixing
the hook which holds the lanthorn, especially when the horses run without.

page_text: having a pule between them, a yoke should be placed upon the shoulders of
the two horses, and fitted to them in such a manner as not to be thrown off
by their motions, and yet to be easily released and removed; or a bow should
in like manner be fitted on the shoulders of a horse that runs single foremost,
which bow should project about one foot on either side or both sides of the horse,
and the lanthorn should be suspended either to this yoke, which I call the
lanthorn yoke, or to this bow, which I call the lanthorn bow; proper branches
or extensions should be fixed both to this lanthorn yoke and lanthorn bow, and
these branches or extensions should be linked to some part of the horse's harness
distant from that part to which the top of the lanthorn yoke or lauthorn bow is
fitted, in order that by this additional linking distant from the other link, the
lanthorn yoko and bow may be prevented from turning and dangling back-
wards and forwards on the shoulders of the horses. As an additional advantage,
the hook by which the lanthorn is fitted either to the lanthorn yoke or the lan-
thorn bow should be so made as to allow some vibrating motion to the lanthorn,
but at the same time the hook should gently check this vibrating motion, and
prevent it from being too violent or extensive. This joiut property of the
book, both to allow and gently check the vibrating motions of the lanthorn,
should be effected by means of a spring or springs, or by making the lanthorn
oscillate upon more points of suspension than one, or by means both of springs and
of several different points of suspension together, the same as above mentioned.
A luggage chest properly fitted is another contrivance for the convenience
of wheel carriages which is meant to be described in this writing. The
advantages designed and effected by the luggage chest here meant are, that
the chest effectually secures the luggage from being either stolen or lost; the
chest by its properly placed weight also secures the carriage from being over-
turned, and the chest, owing to the manner and place of its fixture, causes the
different operations of loading the luggage on the carriage, of securing it from
being stolen or lost, and also of taking it away, to be severally performed in an
expeditious and almost instantaneous manner. The manner of fitting this
luggage chest is as follows:-A strong chest should be made with a single or
double folding door to it, locking with a lock, and opening with a key, and
this chest should be fixed to the axletree bed or transom in such a manner
as to hang from it and under it; the chest should be fixed to this axletree
transom by rivetted bolts or screws, or such metal fixtures as cannot be
removed without strong metal tools and labour. These fixtures of the chest
should be so mado as to prevent the chest from having any extensive dangling
motion, by which it may strike against the wheels of the carriage. As an
additional advantage, these fixtures should be so made as to allow some

page_text: oscillating motions and vibrating motions every way to the chest under
the axeltrce, but at the same time the fixture should be so fitted as gently to
check these vibrating motions and gently shorten them. This joint property
of the fixture to allow and gently check the vibrating motions of the chest
should be effected by means of a spring or springs, or by making the chest
oscillate upon more points of oscillation than one, or both, by means of springs
and of multiplied points of oscillation or suspension together. As an additional
advantage, the chest should be divided into different partitions, and even into
different rows of partitions, by means of horizontal shelves. A trunk or box
adapted to the chest, or sets of trunks or boxos adapted to the partitions in
the chest, should be made, so that this trunk, or these sets of trunks, ready
packed in the house or the inn, may be instantaneously placed severally
into their respective partitions, and also instantaneously secured altogether by
locking the door of the chest, and they may also be all taken away in the
same expeditious easy manner. By the whole of the above Specification
the Invertion meant to be specified is completely described.
In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal, this day, the Twenty-
third of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
and ninety-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the
presence of us,
J. LANGLEY.
W. V. HEARTWELL, Public Office.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-third day of s
June, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Lewis de Lolme came
before our Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifica-
tion aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statuto in that case male and provided.
Inrolled the same Thirty-third day of June, in the year above written.