In PROVEMENTS IN OR. APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City
of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "In
PROVEMENTS IN OR. APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES."-A communication from
abroad by Isaac Merritt Singer, at present residing at Paris, in the
Empire of France.
Sealed the 6th October 1866, and dated the 30th April 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th April 1866.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES," (a communication to
me from abroad by Isaac Merritt Singer, at present residing at Paris, in the
Empire of France,).to be as follows:-
The first part of these improvements relates to a better mode of holding
and controlling horses, and it is attached to a convenient place on the front of
the carriage and managed by the driver. It consists in having a shaft placed
perpendicularly and supported in suitable brackets near the driver's seat.

page_text: This shaft is made hollow from end to end, and near the lower end thereof is
fixed or keyed thereto a flat wheel or disc of about two feet in diameter (more
or less). At the upper end of the said hollow shaft is another wheel or disc
of similar diameter also keyed or fixed to the shaft; on the upper surface of
this wheel or disc and near to its periphery is placed a series of small friction
rollers which project from the face of the disc one inch or thereabouts, two of
the said friction rollers being placed about half an inch apart. A flat ring of
metal about three inches wide and about the diameter of the disc rests upon
the studs which carry the friction rollers, and is fastened to them, so that the
ring and disc are bound together, having the rollers between the upper surface
of the disc and the under surface of the ring. In the upper surface of the
ring and round the whole circumference of the same are a series of holes
about one inch apart, all the holes being the same distance from the centre.
A second shaft is placed inside the first or hollow shaft, and its upper end
'extends a sufficient distance above the upper surface of the perforated ring to
admit of a crank being fixed thereto, and on the under side of the said crank
a pin projects in such a position as to enter the holes or perforations in the
ring, this crank being jointed near its centre, so that the pin can be lifted out
of the holes to move the crank round in either direction, and placed again in
any of the perforations. Between the eye of this crank and the upper surface
of the disc a ring of metal (the face of which is about one inch and a quarter
broad) is placed, being made fast to the inner or crank shaft. In the lower
end of this inner shaft is keyed a worm wheel in gear with a worm fixed on a
horizontal shaft lying transversely to the carriage, and supported in suitable
brackets or bearings. This horizontal shaft has also keyed on it a wheel of
about six inches diameter, having a broad flat face. There is also placed on
the outer or hollow shaft directly underneath the upper disc an arm which can
turn freely on the shaft, and has two branches in the end of each of which is
an elongated eye about one inch long, and one quarter of an inch wide.
These elongated eyes are situated far enough from the centre to be equivalent
to two corners of the square of the circumference of the disc (or thereabouts),
and must project up far enough from the branches of the arm to be parallel
with the friction rollers. Supposing the horses to be harnessed to the carriage
in the usual manner, the pole being at right angles to the front axletree, and
in a line with the centre of the two vertical shafts, the disc, crank, and
friction rollers at the upper end of which I shall herein-after call the "head."
The two friction rollers (placed about half an inch apart as above named)
must be at the inner side or back of the disc next to the carriage, so that a
line drawn from the centre of the carriage between the said rollers to the end

page_text: of the pole would pass over the centre of the shaft that contains the head.
The left-hand rein or hand-piece must now be buckled at one end into the
reins, thus connecting it to the horses; the opposite end is to be passed
through the left-hand eye and over the surface of the friction rollers, then
between the two rollers at the back of the disc, and its end connected to the
iron ring underneath the crank. The right-hand rein or hand-piece (after
being also buckled, to the reins) must be passed through the opposite eye over
the surface of the friction rollers on the opposite side of the disc, then in
between the two rollers: at the back thereof, and then fastened also to the
centre ring, so that by turning the crank the two hand pieces will be wound.
round the said ring together, one hand piece lying over the other; and when
the reins are taken up as tight as necessary the crank pin drops into one of the
perforations, and a steady pull. is kept on the horses to regulate their speed';
or the driver may place his foot on the wheel on the horizontal shaft and také
up or let out the reins as with the crank, by turning the wheel forwards 'or
backwards with the foot, provided that the crank is disconnected with the
perforated ring; or, in other words, when the crank is used the worm wheel
must be disconnected; and when the wheel is used the crank must be dis-
connected. The objects of having this double action are, firstly, 'that'a
person having no hands could drive; .secondly, that a person having no feét
could drive; thirdly, that a. person having both hands and feet might use
either as he might feel disposed. The hand pieces or reins may have india-
rubber inserted in them, so as to yield more or less to the motion of the
horses' heads. The horses are to be guided in their direction by placing the
foot or feet upon the upper surface of the horizontal wheel or disc keyed-at
the lower end of the perpendicular hollow shaft, and turning it in either
direction. Small projecting ribs radiating from the centre-being placed upon
the upper surface of the said disc to give a firm hold to the feet. Or the
guiding of the horses may be effected by taking hold of the head or upper disc
with the hands and turning it as required.
The second part of the. Invention consists in making the axletrees in two
parts and coupling them together at the centre by the following means:-
Flanges are formed upon the inner ends of the two parts which come together
(say) from four to six. times the diameter of the axle. In the centre of one
flange a shallow hole is formed, and from the centre of the other projects a
pin, the end of which rests in the hole of the other flange, but is prevented
from touching the bottom of the hole by the thickness of a ring of india-
rubber which is inserted between the flanges. Four bolts are made to pass
through both flanges and through the india-rubber, so as to connect the two

page_text: parts of the axletree together, but the bolts must fit loosely in the holes so as
not to prevent the coupling from yielding, as the object of this part of the
Invention is to allow the coupling to yield to any obstruction that the wheels
may encounter, or the same kind of couplings may be placed between the
outer edge of the spring and the inner surface of the nave of the wheel, in
which case there will be two couplings to each axle.
The third part of the Invention consists in placing on the axletree of the
carriage (or in an equivalent position) near the nave of the wheel a piece of
metal or other suitable substance having projecting arms of a sufficient lengthi
and placed in such positions as to support a guard projecting over the tire of
the wheel above and around the wheel as far forwards and backwards as
may be deemed necessary to prevent the mud and dirt from being thrown
from the periphery of the wheel upon the carriage, its occupants, or the
horses.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in attaching a guard to the ends
of the carriage shafts (of single-horse vehicles) in such a manner that it will
be impossible for the reins to catch around the ends of the shafts.
The guard is in the form of a loop made of a light piece of iron, one end of
which is fastened to the upper part of the front end of the shaft; the piece is
then bowed or curved round, and its other end fastened to the under side of
the shaft some distance from the end, the bow of the loop projecting forwards
and outwards, so that it is impossible for the reins to catch under the ends of
the shafts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 87, St. Vincent Street, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Davies, Her special licence that I, the said George Davies,
'my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES,," (a communication to me from abroad
by Isaac Merritt Singer, at present residing at Paris, in the Empire of
France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Davies,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the 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 George Davies, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, that is to say :-
The first part of these improvements relates to a better mode of holding
and controlling horses, and it is attached to a convenient place on the front of
the carriage, and managed by the driver. It consists in having a shaft placed
perpendicularly and, supported in suitable brackets near the driver's seat.
This shaft is made hollow from end to end, and near the lower end thereof is
fixed or keyed thereto a flat wheel or disc of about two feet in diameter
(more or less). At the upper end of the said hollow shaft is another wheel
or disc of similar diameter, also keyed or fixed to the shaft. On the upper
surface of this wheel or disc and near to its periphery is placed a series of
small friction rollers, which project from the face of the disc one inch, or there-
abouts, two of the said friction rollers being placed about half an inch apart.
A third disc or a flat ring of metal about three inches wide and about the
diameter of the last-named disc rests upon the studs which carry the friction.
rollers, and is rivetted or otherwise fastened to them, so that these two discs
or the ring and disc are bound together, having the rollers between the upper
surface of one disc and the under surface of the other, or of the ring. In the
upper surface of the top disc or ring, and around the whole circumference of
the same, are a series of holes about one inch apart, all the holes being the
same distance from the centre. A second shaft is placed inside the first or
hollow shaft, and its upper end extends a sufficient distance above the upper
surface of the perforated disc or ring to admit of a crank or winch handle

page_text: being fixed thereto, and on the under side of the said crank or handle a pin
projects in such a position as to enter the holes or perforations in the top diso
or ring, this crank being jointed near its centre, so that the pin can be lifted
out of the holes to move the crank round in either direction, and placed again
in any of the perforations. Between the eye of this crank and the upper
surface of the disc a boss or ring of metal (the face of which is about one
inch and a quarter broad) is placed, being made fast to the inner or crank
shaft. In the lower end of this inner shaft is keyed a worm wheel in gear
with a worm fixed on a horizontal shaft lying transversely to the carriage, and
supported in suitable brackets or bearings. This horizontal' shaft has also
keyed on it a wheel (or wheels) of about 'six inches diameter, having a broad
flat face. There is also placed on the outer or hollow shaft directly under-
neath the upper disc an arm which can turn freely on the shaft, and has two
branches, in the end of each of which is an elongated eye about one inch
long and a quarter of an inch wide. These elongated eyes are situated far
enough from the centre to be equivalent to two corners of the square of the
eircumference of the disc (or thereabouts), and must project up far enough
from the branches of the arm to be parallel with the friction rollers.
Supposing the horses to be harnessed to the carriage in the usual manner,
the pole being at right angles to the front axletree, and in a line with the
centre of the two vertical shafts (the disc, crank, and friction rollers, at the
upper end of which I shall herein-after call the "head"). The two friction
rollers (placed about half an ineh apart, as above named,) must be at the
inner side or back of the disc next to the carriage, so that a line drawn from
the centre of the carriage between the said rollers to the end of the pole
would pass over the centre of the shaft that contains the "head." The left-
hand rein or hand-piece must now be buckled at one end into the reins, thus
connecting it to the horses. The opposite end is to be passed through the
left-hand eye and over the surface of the friction rollers, then between the
two rollers at the back of the disc, and its end connected to the iron collar or
ring underneath the crank. The right-hand rein or hand piece (after being
also buckled to the reins) must be passed through the opposite eye over the
surface of the friction rollers on the opposite side of the diso, then in between
the two rollers at the back thereof, and then fastened also to the centre collar
or ring, so that by turning the crank the two hand pieces will be wound round
the said ring together, one hand piece lying over the other, and when the reins
are taken up as tight as necessary the crank-pin drops into one of the per-
forations, and a steady pull is kept on the horses to regulate their speed; or the
driver may place his foot on the wheel on the horizontal shaft, and take up or

page_text: let out the reins as with the crank by turning the wheel forwards or backwards
with the foot, provided that the crank is disconnected with the perforated disc'or
ring; or, in other words, when the crank is used the worm wheel must be dis-
connected, and when the wheel is used the crank must be disconnected. The
objects of having this double action are, firstly, that a person having no hands
could drive; secondly, that a person having no feet could drive; thirdly, that.
a person having both hands and feet might use either as he might feel
disposed. The hand-pieces or reins may have india-rubber inserted in them,
so as to yield more or less to the motion of the horses' heads. The horses are
to be guided in their direction by placing the foot or feet upon the upper
surface of the horizontal wheel or disc keyed at the lower end of the per-
pendicular hollow shaft, and turning it in either direction. Small projecting
ribs radiating from the centre being placed upon the upper surface of the said
disc to give a firm hold to the feet; or the guiding of the horses may be
effected by taking hold of the "head" or upper disc with the hands, and
turning it as required.
The second part of the Invention consists in making the axletrees in two
parts, and coupling them together at the centre by the following means:-
Flanges are formed upon the inner ends of the two parts which come together
(say) from four to six times the diameter of the axle. In the centre of one
flange a shallow hole is formed, and from the centre of the other projects a
pin, the end of which rests in the hole of the other flange, but is prevented
from touching the bottom of the hole by the thickness of a ring of india-
rubber which is inserted between the flanges. Four bolts are made to pass
through both flanges and through the india-rubber, so as to connect the two
parts of the axletree together; but the bolts must fit loosely in the holes, so
as not to prevent the coupling from yielding, as the object of this part of the
Invention is to allow the coupling to yield to any obstruction that the wheels
may encounter; or the same kind of couplings may be placed between the
outer edge of the spring and the inner surface of the nave of the wheel, in
which case there will be two couplings to each axle.
.
The third part of the Invention consists in placing on the axletree of the
carriage (or in an equivalent position) near the nave of the wheel a piece of
imetal or other suitable substance having projecting arms of a sufficient length
and placed in such positions as to support a guard projecting over the tire of
the wheel above and. around the wheel as far forwards and backwards as may.
be deemed necessary to prevent the mud and dirt from being thrown from
the periphery of the wheel upon the carriage, its occupants, or the horses..
The fourth part of the Invention consists in attaching a guard to the ends

page_text: of the carriage shafts (of single-horse vehicles) in such a manner that it will
be impossible for the reins to catch around the ends of the shafts. The guard
is in the form of a loop made of a light piece of iron, one end of which is
fastened to the upper part of the front end of the shaft; the piece is then
bowed or curved round, and its other end fastened to the under side of the
shaft some distance from the end, the bow of the loop projecting forwards and
outwards, so that it is impossible for the reins to catch under the ends of
the shafts.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments in or applicable to Carriages," I will now proceed to describe more
in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly
understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference
corresponding with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to
say:
The first part of the Invention is shown at Figures 1 and 2 in the annexed
Drawing, Figure 1 being a sectional elevation of this part of the Invention
shown as applied to the driving seat of a "brougham" or other carriage, and
Figure 2, a plan view of the same, as seen from above.
a, a, is a hollow or tubular shaft supported in a perpendicular position in
front of the driver's seat by means of the bracket b, b, and having keyed upon
it at or near to its lower end a disc or flat wheel c, c, which is provided upon
its upper surface with radial or other projections d, d, to afford a convenient
hold to the foot of the driver. To the upper end of this hollow shaft is keyed
a second disc e, e, and above this is a third disc f, f, attached to the disc e, e,
by four screws g, 9, in such a manner as to leave a space of from about one
inch to one inch and a quarter between the two discs e, e, and f,f; or a flat
ring of metal might be substituted for the disc f, f. Between these two discs
(ranged in a circle near to the outer circumference thereof) are mounted a series
of friction rollers h, h; two of these friction rollers h¹, h, at that side of the
discs nearest to the driver's seat, being placed only about half an inch apart.
In the upper surface of the disc f,f, are drilled or otherwise formed a series
of holes i, i, or perforations also arranged in a circle. There is also attached
to the tubular shaft a, a, beneath the disc e, e, a T-shaped arm j, j, having
two eyes or guides *, *, projecting upwards therefrom. Inside the tubular
shaft a, a, is placed a second or solid shaft k, k, capable of turning in, and
independently of the former and supported at its lower end by the footstep 1, 1.
This shaft extends upwards a certain distance above the upper end of tho

page_text: P. P. in gear
tubular shaft a, a, and has keyed (or otherwise firmly attached) to it, firstly,
a collar or ring m, m, between the two discs e, e, and f,f; and, secondly, a
crank or winch handle n, n. From the lower side of this crank or. winch
handle n, n, and opposite to the circle of holes or perforations i, i, in the
disc f,f, projects a pin o, the crank being jointed near its centre, so. that the
said piu can be lifted out of the holes whilst the crank and its shaft are turned
round in either direction and placed again in any of the perforations, so as to
retain the crank or handle in the position to which it has been moved. On
the lower ond of the inner shaft k, k, is keyed a worm wheel
with the worm q, q, fixed on the horizontal shaft r, r, at one end of which is
keyed the wheel or pulley 8, s. Now, suppose the horses to be harnessed in
the usual manner to the pole and draw bar of the carriage, the reins or hand
pieces (represented by red lines in the Drawing) being permanently attached
to the collar or ring m, m, are passed together between the friction rollers
h', h', then separted and passed outside the friction rollers h, h, and through
the respective eyes *, *, as clearly shown in the Drawing at Figure 2; these
hand pieces are then buckled or otherwise secured to the ordinary. reins
attached to the bits of the horses. It will now be obvious that if the crank
handle n, n, be turned round in the direction of the arrow the reins will be
wound evenly on to the collar or ring m, m, and a steady pull will be kept on
the horses. The pin o is now dropped into either of the holes or perfora-
tions i, i, and the reins are thus held; or, if preferred, the driver can tighten
the reins by turning the wheel s, s, with his foot. If the driver now takes
hold of the upper discs (or head), and thus turns the tubular shaft in either
direction, one or other of the reins will be tightened whilst the other is
slackened, and thus the horses may be guided by hand; but should he prefer
to guide the horses by means of his feet he can do so by placing them on the
ribbed disc c, c.
The second part of the Invention is shown at Figure 3 in the annexed
Drawing. a, b, represents the axletree of a carriage made in two parts, the
inner ends of each part being provided with a flange or disc c, c. The inner
end of the part a of the axle has a pin d, d, projecting from the centre of its
flange and passing into a corresponding hole made in the inner end of the
part 6 of the axle; the end of the pin being prevented from bearing against
the bottom of the hole by means of a thick washer or ring of india-rubber
e, e, placed between the flanges. Four bolts f, f, pass through both flanges
and through the india-rubber e, e, so as to connect the parts a and b of the
axle together.
The third part of the Invention is represented at Figures 4, 5, and 6 in the

page_text: Drawing. This part of the Invention consists mainly in attaching the wheel
guard or cover to the axle instead of to the body of the carriage as here-
tofore. By these means the guard is always kept at the same distance from
the wheel, and the guards can be applied to the fore wheels as well as to the
hind wheels of the carriage. Figure 4 is a side view showing the guard
attached rigidly to the axle; and Figure 5 is an edge view (partly in section)
of the same. a, a, is the wheel, and b, b, the axle to the latter; two arms c, c,
are attached by means of plates d, d, and nuts e, e, or otherwise, or, if pre-
ferred, one arm or bracket having two branches may be used. These arms
support a wheel guard or cover f, f, which projects over the rim of the wheel
as far as may be required, and may be made of willow, cane, leather, or other
suitable material. The upper ends of the arms have a piece of india-rubber
tubing drawn over them (as represented by the dark line in Figure 5) to
prevent jarring, and give a certain amount of elasticity; or pieces of india-
rubber or other elastic material of other form may be employed for the same
purpose. The willow or other cover f, f, may also be concealed by an
ornamental cover of velvet, cloth, or other suitable material, as shown by the
red lines at Figure 5. In Figure 6 the bracket c, c, instead of being rigidly
fixed to the axle b, b, is connected thereto by a hinge at 9, 9, and is provided
with two springs h, h, to allow of its having a certain amount of play in either
direction.
Figure 7 illustrates the fourth part of this Invention. a, a, represents the
end of a shaft of a two-wheeled carriage, and b, b, is the guard, which is
curved downwards and backwards from the end of the shaft so as to form a
loop, and then attached to the under side of the shaft at some distance from
the end, as seen at c, c.
66
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
'Improvements in or applicable to Carriages," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention (communicated to
me by the above-named Isaac Merritt Singer),―
Firstly, the apparatus for directing and controlling horses, substantially as
above described and shown at Figures 1 and 2 in the Drawing annexed.
Secondly, the elastic coupling for axletrees, shown and described with
reference to Figure 8.
Thirdly, the attaching of a wheel guard or cover to the axletree or its
equivalent instead of to the body of the carriage, substantially as shown and
described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 6.
And, fourthly, the application to the ends of the shafts of two-wheeled

page_text: carriages of a guard in the form of a loop, as shown at Figure 7, and herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.B.)