CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE OVERTURNING OF THE SAME WHEN HORSES TAKE FRIGHT
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mark Newton, of Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, Builder, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MEANS OF
PREVENTING THE OVERTURNING OF THE SAME WHEN HORSES TAKE
FRIGHT.A communication.
Scaled the 1st May 1854, and dated the 1st November 1853..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mark Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st November 1853.
I, MARK NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF. CARRIAGES,
AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE OVERTURNING OF THE SAME WHEN
HORSES TAKE FRIGHT," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in suspending the boxes of all kinds of
vehicles having two, three, four, or any number of wheels by means
of springs of peculiar configuration; also in the construction of the

page_text: wheels of such vehicles; and relating also to the prevention of accidents
resulting from horses taking fright, &c., by apparatus hereafter described.
For suspending the boxes of two-wheeled vehicles I propose to fix two
straight springs crossed on the surface of the axle-tree near the wheels
by each of their strongest extremities, so that the box may rest on the
most flexible ends of the springs; and in order to support the box in
front and behind I fasten a curved spring to the center of the axle-
tree and perpendicularly to it, the, foremost extremity of which spring
is fastened under the front of the box, and the other end is fastened
under the servant's seat behind. The means of putting the horses to
the carriage may be in the usual manner; or instead of the ordinary
shafts may be used the shafts, cross tree, &c., formed whole of pre-
pared iron, connected to the axle-tree, and perpendicularly fixed to the
centre of it, and also two ends of shafts fastened by bolts into forks
placed on each side of the carriage. In this case the steps are fixed
to the box itself. Another method of suspending the box of a two-
wheeled vehicle is to fixa long curved rod of prepared iron to the
center of the body of the axle; this rod will follow behind the outside
of the box, and will end at its upper extremity by a spring about
18 inches long fastened to the extremity of the rod by bolts and a
collar. To the flexible end of this spring will be fastened at the
middle by suitable means a cross spring to the centre of the top of
the box by means of two iron beams concealed by the trimming, and
running from the shafts of the box; these latter will be fastened by
'means of bolts uniting the upper ends of each beam to each of the
ends of the cross spring. As regards gigs and other carriages where
the boxes are very short, the process of fastening the back part of the
curved spring to the middle of the axle-tree may be dispensed with, in
such a case the front part of the spring is fastened to the body of the
axle-tree in the same manner as above described. In these methods
I regulate the oscillating motion of the box by means of a flexible
sheet of steel, so as not to prevent the springing motion of the box in
any way; the center of the said sheet of steel is fixed under and in
the center of the bottom of the box, and each of its ends fixed by
suitable means to the shafts in front, and behind to the long rod in the

page_text: first instance, and to a cross rod in the second. With reference to
four-wheel carriages, the, adaptation of these springs and their arrange-
nient is similar to these, in two-wheel carriages; and as regards three-
wheeled carriages it is necessary to state that a semi-circular seât
placed in the bottom of the carriage; and capable of accomodating
three persons, is arranged so, that the weight of such persons.simply
:bears on the back axle, and establishes a kind of equilibrium with all
objects placed in front of this axle, thus the weight of a fourth person
equally seated in the inside of the carriage on a front seat, and that of
the coachman also seated in front and on the outside; are nearly
neutralised: I now adapt a third wheel in front and in the middle of
the width of the box, this wheel, being nearly of the same size as the
ordinary ones. By such arrangements 'I câuse the weight to be more
equally distributed over the body of the vehicle,, and diminish the
amount of friction usual in such carriages to (at least) one half, thus
the keeping of such vehicle is. far less expensive, and the labour of the
horses considerably reduced. I propose also to mount the vehicles
called omnibuses in a similar manner. 'upon three wheels, the end
wheels may be fastened by: their axle to two nipping springs, or in
the usual manner by springs fastened by the middle into. the body of
the" axle.
As regards that part of the. improvements which relates to the
wheels of such carriages and vehicles, I propose to put in the place
of the common spokes around the nave in the center of the wheel
3, 4, or a large number of small circles of tempered steel, each of
which is to be fastened to the nave at one end, and to the felloe at
the other, the latter being (in order to strengthen the wheel) .com-
pressed between two large iron circles of the 'diameter of the wheel;
the details of their construction will be given more fully in my Com-
plete Specification.
That part of these improvements in carriages which relates to
the prevention of accidents is as follows:-To the extremity of the
two short chains by means of which the horses maintain the car-
riage, or may, by falling back, cause it to run backwards, I fasten
a-piece of iron neatly got up (plated, if required),. of-about-from-6

page_text: to 7 inches long, in the shape of a mutilated pyramid. To the top
of the main shaft I adapt a tube of the same shape as the afore-
said piece of iron, capable of containing it without pressure; this tube
follows the direction of the main shaft, and thus has its widest mouth
at the top of the same, so that the piece of iron introduced may
freely come out at the very moment it might be drawn in front of the
main shaft. But to keep the piece in its place until it be drawn
forward I make use of a very weak strap connected with the shaft, so
that the smallest effort or jerk in the direction already described tears
away the weak strap, and thus causes the separation. The trace bar
made to receive the ends of the four traces, by means of which the
carriage is drawn by the horses, is covered by two extremely flexible
springs, both situated behind either horse; these springs which are alike
possess a length equal to the spreading of the traces. Near the spring
tree bar the ends of each spring are provided with a peg of about
2 inches long, fastened to the springs, and capable of going in and out
of a hole vertically bored in the trace bar; when the springs are pressed
upon in their full length on the upper surface of this bar the four pegs
cross the trace bar in its full breadth. On the contrary, when the four
heads of the springs are lifted the four pegs come out of the hole in
full length. I then bore four large flat and oval holes in the front
surface of the trace bar, and opposite each vertical holé, so that by
introducing into each of these four holes iron eyes fastened to the end
of all the traces (the four pegs being taken out), the vertical pegs fall
back into each hole, and thus retain the eyes until the heads of the
springs are lifted up to allow them to come out. A thin bar of wood
covers the trace bar, the springs, and the vertical pegs, but each pég
crosses the bar from its upper end over the springs, and a head is
screwed above the bar on to the ends of each peg to prevent theni from
getting out of the bar, in which they may freely slide up and down. I
fasten in the middle of the bar and above, a small iron lathe vertically
placed under that part of the seat on which the coachman rests his
feet at the upper end of this lathe is an eye to which is fastened a
string, which passes by a hole trough the floor of the coachman's seat.
If the horses happen to take fright, and the coachman is aware of the

page_text: impossibility of appeasing them, he lifts up with the slightest effort the
string placed between his feet, that is, the bar placed above the trace.
bar, and the horses once free from the leashes which kept them back
to the carriage move on forwards, and cause the piece of iron intro-
duced into the top of the main shaft to come out; in this manner the
horses are instantly and thoroughly separated from the vehicle. By
another method the horses may be separated from the carriage even
from the inside, the details of which will. be given by me in my Com-.
plete Specification. Also an additional method, by which the carriage
stops of itself the very moment the horses are separated from it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Mark Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MARK NEWTON, of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex, Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Mark Newton, Her special licence that
I, the said Mark Newton, my executors,, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Mark Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed;
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF CARRIAGES, AND IN THE MEANS OF PREVENTING THE OVERTURNING OF
THE SAME WHEN THE HORSES TAKE FRIGHT," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Mark Newton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: nature of the said Invention, and, in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Mark Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
As regards the first part of my said Invention, it relates to improve-
ments in the construction of carriages with two wheels, and consists in
making the body thereof with a flat bottom in order to avoid a well;
the bottom of the body is also slightly raised in front, so as to afford
greater convenience to persons for getting in and out thereof (see.
Figure 1). I place behind the body, and at or about the level of
the bottom thereof, a small foot-board A (for a servant), same being
fixed to the body by two crane iron supporters B, C, with bolts (see
Figures 2 and 3 at Sheet 1). Figures 4 and 5 exhibit two loop iron
couplings, one of which is fixed underneath the front part of the
body, and the other under the foot-board A, cach coupling being
employed to receive longitudinally the two extremities of a spring
exhibited at Figure 9, and herein-after referred to. In order to
strengthen that loop iron which is placed under the front part of the
body I put in the interior of the body a plate of iron (shewn at
Figure 6) across the bottom panel to join strongly together, with bolts,
the said loop iron with the bottom and the two sides of the body.
Figures 7 and 8 are two jointed loop irons fixed on each side under
the-frame of the body, and connected to the flexible extremities of the
two cross springs by bolts, as at Figure 9. The axle-tree is slightly
kneed or bent near the spindles a, a; and the axle is also curved a
little, and there are sills b, b, placed or formed horizontally thereon,
one of which sills is in the middle of the axle, and one at each
extremity thereof near the spindles (as at Figure 9). These two last-
mentioned sills are intended to receive two shafts fixed to the axle-
tree by means of bolts, said shafts being strengthened by flat iron'
plates placed above and under said shafts (as at Figures 10 and 11);

page_text: a
with cross bar and steps. The axle near the two, outer sills is,
flattened and made a little larger lengthwise for about three inches
in order to receive the two cross springs, which are strongly fixed, to
the axle-tree by bolts (see Figures 9 and 10). These two. springs,
may also be fixed. to the axle without bolts, if necessary (as at
Figure 12). The sill at the middle of the axle is intended to receive
longitudinal spring, mentioned above, which is fixed by two, bolts or
two stays (as at Figure 13). The two cross springs are destined to
bear the whole weight of the body of the carriage and its contents,
and the third or middle spring is intended and employed solely to
keep the body in equilibrium, and not to bear any part of the weight..
I would remark that by dispensing with the two sills at the extre-
mities of the axle-tree I can then employ. a shaft of wrought iron D,
shewn at Figure 14, which may be joined to the middle of the axle,:
perpendicularly and horizontally to the middle of the axle-trees; the.
two iron ends E; E, of the shafts which receive the tapered ends of
the wood within the opening G, H, are fixed thereto by bolts at the
middle of each of the shafts (as at Figures, 14 and 15). In using,
shafts of this construction the steps are fixed to the body-of-the
carriage on each side thereof, and carriages with two wheels may
'be built in the same manner. Thus it will be seen that a carriage,
with two wheels can, be made either a cabriolet, as at, Figure 16,
Sheet 2, or any other form of two-wheel carriage, by employing the
preceding elements of construction. The two ways pointed at above;
to make a shaft in order to put a horse to being the same and
optional.
Another mode of suspending the body of a cabriolet is as follows-
I fix a spring I, shewn at Figures 17 and.18 of Sheet 2, in the middly
of the axle-tree, upon a sill-by-two stays, and I place upon the aforesaid,
spring a piece of iron J, slightly curved, and of the same length, as the
spring, to which it is connected at the two extremities by bolis, and;
welded in the middle of the said piece of iron a long curved bar, of
wrought iron K, L; of the same sweep as the hind part of the body:
this rod of iron terminates at the upper extremity above the body, by ay
small spring M, about twelve eighteen inches long, fixed at the

page_text: extremity of the rod by a stay; and fastened with bolts. At the
flexible extremity of this spring M a transverse spring N, shown
at Figure 19, is suitably suspended in the middle over the upper part
of the body by two hearers O, P, hidden by the lining, and starting
from the shafts on each side of the body, which will thus be suspended.
by joining the extremities of each of the bearers to each end of the
transverse spring N. In order to prevent motion of the body from
front to back I place a flexible steel plate Q, shewn at Figure 17, so
as not to prevent the vertical movement of the body, and under the
bottom of the body cach of the extremities of the plate Q are fastened.
with bolts and straps in front to the shafts, and behind to the long bar
K, L, (as at Figure 17).
As regards the second part of my said Invention, which relates' to.
improvements in the construction of carriages with three wheels, it
consists in combining the wheels with the body and other parts in the
following manner: The bodies of these carriages may be suspended
behind in the usual manner; the body, together with almost the whole
weight of the load, are supported by two wheels connected together, as
usual, by an axle, upon which and near those parts where the wheels
are placed lies the flexible part of two springs S, one of which is shewn
at Figure 37, of Sheet 3, placed under the body and lengthwise thereof
on each side, and fixed underneath to the front part of the body at T
(as at Figure 37). To insure the solidity of the carriage and a strong
point of resistance at the part U of the poll bolt I fix within the two
shafts of the body, and on each side thereof, a strong plate of iron V,
shewn at Figure 38, similar to those commonly put in carriages; these
two plates meet edgewise in the box, as at Figure 38*, and thus serve
as a seat for the coachman; the front ends of these plates terminate in
a species of parallel ears X, made vertical lengthwise, and leaving
between them a space of about half an inch to receive the box for the
poll bolt Y, of which the dimension of the flat part is equal to the
opening of the two ears, which finishes the two strong plates above
mentioned; and this corresponding ear being introduced between the
two ears of the strong plates is there strongly fixed by bolts, which go
through and unite the three ears, as shewn. I place horizontally a s

page_text: small spring in the coachman's box, the flexible end of this spring.
bearing on the opening of the box of the poll bolt in such way that the
front of the carriage rests by means of this spring upon the head of the
poll bolt (as at Figure 38). I also place in, front of the body and
in the centre of the width thereof a wheel of nearly the same diameter
as the hind wheels; this wheel occupies the place of the two small
wheels in front as commonly employed in four-wheel carriages. The
effect of thus arranging the wheels is, that the weight of the body is
borne by the hind wheels only, the fore wheel serving more particularly
as a guide wheel, and by these means I reduce very considerably the
amount of friction; and I propose to build omnibuses on three wheels
upon the above principle of construction.
I would remark, that in constructing the front wheel in three-wheel
carriages the two sides of the nave starting from the middle length-
wise should be turned symetrically, the spokes should be let in
perpendicularly round the nave, and not obliquely, as commonly
practised by wheelwrights. The middle of the thickness of the felloe
being exactly in an horizontal line, with the middle of the nave
perpendicularly to its axis, the wheel therefore must be quite straight;
there is an iron pivot, square throughout the whole length of the nave;
strongly fixed in the centre thereof, said pivot projecting about two and
a half inches on each side of the nave; these two extremities should be
turned truc, tempered, and fitted exactly in two boxes, hereafter par-
ticularly described and referred to. Z, A, are two uprights embodied
with the poll bolt; the lower ends of these uprights are connected by
means of stays and bolts to a piece of iron B, placed horizontally and
slightly curved, as at Figure 39. This piece of iron B, of which there
are two, is intended to receive a spring C, slightly concave, placed.
underneath the same, and fixed to the two extremities of each piece.
of iron by small loop holes or by bolts to the middle of each spring,
and underneath the same I fix on each side of the nave by a stay and
bolts the box D, before mentioned, for the reception of the turned
pivots which project beyond the nave. These pivots are provided with
a nut at their extremities to prevent their coming off the boxes.
To each of the pieces of wire B, and C, I fix by stays or bolts

page_text: another piece of iron E to receive the shafts (in case of only one horse
being put to), or the splinter bar in case of two horses being put to; see
Figure 39. Figure 40, shews a side elevation of a carriage constructed
upon the above principle.
:
As regards the third part of my said Invention, which relates to the
construction of four-wheel carriages, I would remark that the body of
a four-wheel carriage of any shape can in like manner be suspended by
means of cross springs the same as for a two-wheel carriage, as before
stated, by placing the body upon two cross-springs fixed upon the hind
axle and fixed on the balance, similar to the bodies of carriages with
two wheels, by a longitudinal spring fixed upon a sill in the middle of
the axle-tree. Two sorts of shafts fixed upon the two sills near the
extremities of the axle, and strengthened by plates of iron above and
under, meeting in front of the head of the great longitudinal spring,
are intended to receive the necessary apparatus of the fore carriage
(see Figure 23). But as regards-bodies for very long public carriages.
(such as ominibuses) it is requisite to put two cross springs to
support
the hind part of the body, and two other cross springs also upon a piece
of iron embodied with the perch in an horizontal and perpendicular
direction to the perch to support the front of the body: (the perch may
be of one piece only, as in Figure 24, or of two pieces, as in Figure 25
(see Figures 24 and 25).
As regards the fourth part of my said Invention, which relates to
improvements in the means of preventing the overturning of carriages
when horses take fright, it consists in connecting the splinter bar to
carriage, and operating thereon in the following manner, and by the
following means:-To the extremity of the two small chains marked
A, B, at Figure 27, by means of which the horses keep hold of the
carriage, or can by backing cause it to move forward and back-
ward, and commonly called poll chains, I securely fix a tube C, of
about six or seven inches long, the opening of which is formed taper.
I place at the end of the pole a piece of iron in the shape of a
truncated cone D, which fits easily the above-mentioned 'tube; and
I maintain the tube C in its place until it is required to be released
by means of a weak leather strap, the effect of which is, that the

page_text: least jerk forward will break this strap and separate the tube from
the pole, as at Figures 27 and 28. Another mode of accomplish-
ing the above object is by placing two rings E, F, at the extremity
of the small chains, and passing them over one or two hooks fixed
on each side of the extremity of the pole, or one hook only under
the pole, as at Figures 29 and 30. The splinter bar intended to
receive the extremities of the four traces, by means of which the
horses draw the carriage, is partly in iron and partly in wood (see
Figure 31, splinter bar closed); upon the iron part I fix two small
springs G, H, which are very flexible, and made' of one single plate, put
behind each horse. The extremities of each spring are provided with
a pin of about two inches long, to go in and out freely from a hole bored
vertically in the iron part of the splinter bar (see Figure 31). When
the small springs are bearing their whole length upon the splinter bar
the four pins pass through the iron part of the splinter bar in the whole
thickness of it; and, on the contrary, when the four heads of the spring
are raised, the four pins then come out of the holes the whole length
(see Figure 32, splinter bar open). Now on the front facing of the iron'
part of the splinter bar to each vertical hole I make four large mortices
I, J, K, L, to receive the four eyelet holes placed at the extremities of
each of the traces (see Figure 31): It is evident that the traces are thus
fixed to the splinter bar as long as the springs keep flat on the splinter
bar, and, on the contrary, escape when the heads of the springs have
risen. The splinter bar above mentioned is composed of a bar of iron of
about half an inch in thickness, and about one and a half inch in width,
except at the part of the eyelet holes, where it will be of about one'
inch thick and two inches wide, the length being that of a common
splinter bar. I place on the iron part a slip of wood of the same
dimensions as the splinter bar as to its length and width, and about one
inch thick; this bar is bored with four holes, through which pass four pins
situated at the extremities of the little springs; to the upper extremity
of each pin is screwed a head in the shape of a ball or otherwise, and
these four heads are on the upper part of the wooden slips, and touch
that piece of wood at their lower part in such manner that by raising
the wooden slip the horses may be readily disengaged from the

page_text: carriage. I fix perpendicularly in the middle of the slip of wood a rod
of iron about one foot or eighteen inches long, and at the upper
extremity of this rod I fasten a string, which passes along the coach-
man's foot-board, and a holder at the extremity of the string lays
precisely between the foot of the coachman (see Figure 31, splinter bar
closed). In the event, therefore, of the horses suddenly taking fright
the driver has only to raise the holder placed between his feet, that is to
say, the slip of wood placed upon the splinter bar, and the horses finding
themselves instantaneously loose from the splinter bar start forward,
and draw after them the tube out of the extremity of the pole, or the
rings from the hooks at the extremity of the pole. I propose also to
attach a string to the aforesaid holder to enable persons inside the
carriage to unloose the horses independent of the coachman.
Another mode of effecting the above object is shewn at Figure 33
and consists in putting under the body and near the back part thereof
two transverse round bolts, partly perforated like a mortice, about a
foot in length, slipping upon a pivot fixed to the body in a tube; each
of these bolts is forced to spring out of the tube right and left to
entangle the wheels and abate the rotatory movement until the wheels
are stopped by the spiral springs in the cylindric tube; these springs
are tightened and draw back the bolts under the carriage by a cord
bent in two, at the extremity of which are fixed to each spiral springs,
and the middle is held by the holding apparatus before mentioned.
This operation of loosening the cord can also be performed by the
starting of one of the horses, and after he is entirely separated from
the carriage; in either case the motion is effected gradually but
quickly.
The fifth part of my said Invention, which relates to an improved
mode of constructing the wheels of carriages, is effected as follows:-I
propose to fix in the middle of the wheel, and near the nave thereof, an
iron hoop M, of about two inches wide, and half an inch thick; five
wooden hoops N, placed all round this circle, and close to each other,
are fixed thereto at five different points equidistant from each other,
and secured thereto by five strong bolts with raised heads crossing the
whole thickness of the iron hoop and that part of the nave between the

page_text: aforesaid hoop and the box of the axle-tree; these five hoops are sur-
rounded by an iron hoop O, touching all of them at the exterior part of
their circumference; this iron hoop is fixed to each of the five wooden
circles by a strong bolt. All round this iron hoop and on the outside
thereof a series of small wooden hoops P are placed, touching each
other, each one being fixed to the iron circle before mentioned at their
points of contact with it by a bolt; and, lastly, a strong iron hoop Q
or tire (which is intended to be in contact with the road) encircles the
series of small circles, each of which is fastened by a bolt with the
head raised introduced on the outside of the hoop in a hole drilled to
receive it and a nut inside of each wooden hoop. If desired, in order to
give greater strength to the outer circle or tire, it can be lined inside
by a wooden circle of about one inch and a half thick (see Figure 34).
Instead of the outer small hoops above mentioned and exhibited at
Figure 34, I propose to employ a rope made of hemp, wire, or any
other suitable material to bind together and connect with the large iron
hoop or tire in contact with the road; the said rope passes into fixed
rings on the one side to the large hoop, and to rings on the inner hoop,
as at Figure 36. Lastly, by dispensing with all the rings of which I
have spoken, and substituting tension ropes, and connecting them on
one side to the small hoop surrounding the nave, and on the other
side to the large hoop or tire rolling on, the road; as at Figure 35, the
rope in this case would take the place of the spokes in an ordinary
wheel, the rope may be tightened by means of screws fixed to the two
extremities of the rope; see Figure 35. I reserve to myself the right
of substituting in lieu of the wooden hoops above mentioned circles of
tempered steel or other suitable material.
.As regards the last part of my said Invention, which has reference
to the construction of wheel boxes and axle-tree spindles, it is as
follows: The nave of the wheel is the same as that in the common
wheels; the box is the same as the common boxes, but entirely closed
at the small end, on the outside of which there is an eye R to receive
a linch pin. After the nave box has been slipped into the nave and
in its place, the box at the large end is provided with a strong and
large washer S, embodied with it, and of the same width as the large
.

page_text: end of the nave upon which it fits. exactly when it is in its place (sec
Figure 20). The spindle of.the.axle-tree is rounded at the small end
and fitted in the box so as to leave a space of about a quarter of' an
inch between the extremities of its small end and the bottom of the box:
At the large end of: "the spindle there is a strong washer T adhering to
the axle-tree as in common axles' (see Figure 21); behind the washer of
the axle-tree there is another washer U, composed of two pieces fitted
and capable of turning around the axle-tree; it is of the same diameter
as the waslier of the large end-of the box, leaving between them a
space sufficient to lodge the washer of the axle, around' which they
must turn together; one before and the other behind; the washer
behind is slightly concave to receive four or five leather washers of
différent diameters placed upon the other in "order to form a certain
thickness in the middle, and gradually diminishing in thickness toward
the washer, where it will be reduced to the thickness of a single leatlier
again. Another washer V, of the same size as the former, also formed
of two pieces; and fitted on the axle-tree slightly concave, is intended to
enclose and press the leather washers between the concave parts of the
said washers. The last washer is provided with a slight projecting
border which enters into a groove made around the washer upon which
it is fitted. There are three or four strong bolts passed through the last
washer behind V, which good through all the washers (except that of
the axle-tree around which they turn) as well as the nave in its whole
length, and by means of nuts at the extremity, outside of the small end
of the nave, thereby fasten all those parts strongly together. At the
small end of the nave a cap X encloses the small end of the nave, and
covers entirely the linch pin and the ends of the nuts belonging to the
long bolts. Lastly, a hole Y, bored in the middle on the length of
the edge of the washer screwed around the washer of the large end of
the nave, and closed by a screw let in flush, the said hole being used to
introduce oil which passes amongst the inner parts of the box, and
which are thus kept continually lubricated (see Figure 22).
°
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of improve-
ments in the construction of carriages, and in the means of preventing
the overturning of the same when the horses take fright, I desire it

page_text: of
to be distinctly understood that I do not claim the exclusive use of
any of the separate parts above mentioned and referred to, except in so
far as the same may be employed in combination and for the purposes
my said Invention, which I hereby declare to consist in, and I claim,
constructing carriages and apparatus connected therewith in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before particularly described, set forth, and
represented by the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Mark Newton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
MARK NEWTON. (L.S.)
Witness,
BENJ BROWNE,
Patent Office,
4, Trafalgar Square,
BENJN BROWNE,
for Prince & Comp",
Agents for Mark Newton.