IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Pieper, Civil-engineer and Patent-agent, of 74, Belle-
Alliance-Strasse, Berlin, S.W., Prussia, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PERAMBULATORS." A communication from Heinrich Pollack, of Hamburg,
Germany.
Sealed the 12th December 1879, and dated the 24th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Pieper at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1879.
CARL PIEPER, Civil-engineer and Patent-agent, of 74, Belle-Alliance-Strasse,
Berlin, S.W., Prussia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS." A communication
from Heinrich Pollack, of Hamburg, Germany.
This Invention relates to perambulators or carriages for children, and its nature
consists in constructing such carriages in a manner that they may be folded
together.
The perambulator consists of two main parts which can be detached from each
other, vis, of the carriage-body and of the framing with the wheels, the former
having projections at its corners which fit into the forked ends of four stanchions.
jointed or otherwise attached to the framing.
The framing is formed of two side-pieces or frame-parts proper, to each of which
two axle-boxes are fixed carrying the axle-arms on which the wheels revolve.
These side-frames are connected with each other by stays, which keep them apart
at the required distance when the carriage is in use, but which allow them to be
brought close together when the carriage is to be packed or carried. For this
purpose the stays between the opposite axle-boxes are made like a pair of shears,
whose blades can be locked together by a pin or catch when in a position parallel
to each other. Each of these blades or bars is jointed at one end to the corre-
sponding axle-block.
Near the upper and outer ends of the frames there are two other stays jointed at
one end to one frame, and provided with a suitable pin or other contrivance for
locking it to the other frame. These stays may however be constructed in the
same manner as the axle-box stays.
At the points where the said upper stays are connected with or locked to the
side-frames, the latter are by preference provided with blocks or boxes, to which

page_text: the stanchions carrying the carriage-body may be jointed or fixed as will be
explained hereafter.
If preferred, the axle-blocks may be connected with each other by two bars
crossing each other and jointed in the middle, so that either front box is connected
with the diagonally opposito rear box; but in this case the pin uniting one end of
either bar with the corresponding block must pass through a slit in the rod.
If the carriage has three wheels only, the single front wheel is journalled in a
fork fixed to a transverse frame-piece having two horizontal bars or parts. The
side-frames converge from the rear towards tho front, and swivel in the transverse
frame. The construction of the rear part of the carriage is similar to that of the
one described first, so that when the parts of the stay between the axle-boxes are
caused to turn on their joints, the rear parts of the side-frames and the wheels will
be brought close together.
A modified arrangement of four-wheeled carriage consists in pivoting each side
frame at either end to a kind of journal-box, the opposite boxes at either end being
rigidly connected together by a stay. This arrangement allows each side-frame to
be turned inward on its pivots (which should be about level with the top of the
wheels), so that the wheels of one side will lie on the wheels of the other side,
When in use, the side-frames are kept in position by stays jointed to the axle-
boxes on one side, and locking to those on the other sido.
The stanchions which carry the carriage-body are either hinged to the frame-
parts, or they are arranged so that they can be detached. In the first case they
are by preference jointed to the above-mentioned blocks or boxes at the ends of the
frame-parts, and are provided with downward projections having a knob at the
end. With these projections notches cut into the described upper or outside stays
correspond, serving to clasp the former, so as to keep the stanchions in upright
position when thus adjusted. Whenever the carriage is to be folded, the said
stanchions are turned down after having been released by unlocking and turning
aside the said stays. Other contrivances for maintaining the stanchions in upright
position may however be used.
If the stanchions are made separable from the frame, they have to be passed
with their lower end through holes drilled into the bars constituting the framing,
or into the above-mentioned blocks or boxes on the ends of the side-frames.
When thus arranged they may be connected together in pairs by transverse rods,
and these rods may be provided with suitable clasps or hooks for securing the
stanchions to the frame.
A handle for pushing the carriage can be attached to the same by passing rods
on the said handle into sleeves fixed to the rear stanchions.
The body of the carriage may be made of wicker-work or of other suitable
material. For the purpose of allowing it to be reduced in bulk the inventor
prefers to construct the same in sections which can be pushed into each other like
the parts of a telescope, and which are connected together by straps.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Carl Pieper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th December 1879.
CARL PIEPER, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74, Belle-Alliance-Strasse,
Berlin, S.W., Prussia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS." A communication
from Heinrich Pollack, of Hamburg, Germany.
This Invention relates to perambulators or carriages for children, and its nature
consists in constructing such carriages in a manner that they may be folded
together for the purpose of reducing the space which they occupy when they are
not used, or when they are to be packed for transport; as also of allowing them
to be carried by hand with much greater facility, especially when there is a need
of taking them up or down stairs.
In the annexed three Sheets of Drawings different perambulators provided with
the improved arrangements are represented; Fig. 1 is a side-view; Fig. 2, a view
from the back end; and Fig. 3, a plan of an improved perambulator having four
wheels; Fig. 4 represents the frame of the same folded together. The Figures
5, 6, 7, and 8 are the corresponding views of a three-wheeled perambulator; Figs. 9,
10, 11, and 12 show a modified arrangement of a four-wheeled folding perambu-
lator; Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16, finally represent the construction of the carriage-
body.
In all the different cases the perambulator or carriage consists of two main parts
which can be detached from each other, viz., of the carriage-body M, and of the
framing with the wheels, the former having projections at its corners which fit into
the forked ends of four stanchions h, Figs. 1-4; or h¹, Figs. 5—8; or h",
Figs. 9-12, jointed or otherwise attached to the framing.
The framing of the carriage Figs. 1-4 is formed of two side-pieces or frame-
parts proper a, a, to each of which two axle-boxes or blocks b, b, are fixed carrying
the axle-arms on which the wheeles o revolve. These side-frames are connected
with each other by stays d, d, and 1,1, which keep them apart at the required
distance when the carriage is in use, but which allow them to be brought close
together as shown by Fig. 4, when the carriage is to be packed or carried. For
this purpose the stays d, d, which connect the axle-blocks with each other are made
of two bars, one of them being jointed to one block and the other to the opposite
one. Besides, these bars are jointed together in the middle, so that they can
swivel on each other like the blades of a pair of shears. When the bars are
parallel or in complete contact with each other, a pint which may be provided
with a spring serves to lock them together. A stud u rivetted into either bar and
grasped by a notch of the other one aids to keep the bars properly locked together.
When the pint is withdrawn and a pressure is exercised against the middle of the
stay, its parts will be brought into the position of Fig. 4.
The said stays may be jointed to any other part of the side frames not being the
axle-blocks if preferred.
The stays, connect the two frame-parts near their upper and outer ends.
Each of these stays is jointed at its end k to a block or box i fixed to the corre-
sponding frame, while a pin 7 or other suitable contrivance serves to lock it to the
3 block or box i on the opposite side. When unlocked and turned aside, the
stays 1, 2, have the position, as shown in Fig. 4. These stays may however be
constructed in the same manner as the axle-block stays d, d.
The blocks serve also as points of attachment for the stanchions h, as will be
explained hereafter.
If preferred, the axle-blocks or boxes may be connected with each other by two
bars crossing each other and jointed in the middle, so that either front block b is
connected with the diagonally opposite rear block; but in this case the pin uniting
one end of either bar with the corresponding block must pass through a slit in the

page_text: rod for allowing the frame to be expanded, or its parts to be brought close together.
When it is expanded, the slitted ends of the rods have to be locked to the axle-
blocks by pins or suitable catches.
If the carriage has three wheels, as shown by Figs. 5 to 8, the single front
wheel c' is journalled in a fork a¹ fixed to a transverse frame piece a" having two
horizontal bars or parts, as shown by Fig. 6. The side-frames a, a, each of which
is or may be formed of a single bar, converge from the rear to the front, and swivel
in the transverse frame a¹¹. The construction of the rear part of the carriage is
similar to that of the carriage, Figs. 1 to 3, so that when the parts of the stay d
between the axle-blocks b, b, are caused to turn on their joints f, f, and e, the rear
parts of the side-frames a, a, and the wheels c, c, will be brought close together, the
latter standing in a somewhat oblique position (see Fig. 8).
A modified arrangement of four-wheeled carriage, shown by Figs. 9 to 12,
consists in pivoting each side-frame a at either end to a kind of journal-box d',
the opposite boxes at either end being rigidly connected together by a stay e'. 1
This arrangement allows each side-frame to be turned inward on its pivots, as
shown, by dotted lines in Fig. 10. The said pivots should be about level with
the top of the wheels, so that when the frame-parts are folded together, the wheels
of one side will lie on the wheels of the other side, as shown by Fig. 12. When
the carriage is in use, the side-frames are kept in position by stays ff', jointed 2
with one end at g' to either of the axle-blocks on one side, and locking with
their other end by means of a pin s¹ to the opposite axle-block; t', is a stud which
is grasped by a notch in the locking end of the stay for assisting in securing it.
The stanchions which carry the carriage-body are either hinged to the frame-
parts, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and in dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6, or they are 2
arranged so that they can be detached as represented with regard to the front part
of the carriage, Figs. 5 and 6, and in Figs. 9 to 12. In the first case they are by
preference jointed to the blocks or boxes i, and are provided with downward
projections & having a knob at the end, and fitting in grooves of the said blocks.
With these projections notches v, Fig. 4, cut into the stays l, correspond, thereby 3
clasping the former, so as to keep the stanchions in upright position when thus
adjusted. Besides, the shape of the foot or joint-part m of the stanchions, as
shown by Fig. 1, gives additional aid in securing these pieces. Whenever the
carriage is to be folded, the stanchions are turned down after having been released
by unlocking and turning aside the stays l. Other contrivances may however be 3
used for maintaining the stanchions in upright position.
If the stanchions are made separable from the frame, they have to be passed with
their lower end through holes drilled into the bars constituting the framing, as in
the front part of carriage, Figs. 5 to 8; or suitable socket-holes are provided for this
purpose in the blocks i, Figs. 1 to 4, or d¹, Figs, 9 to 12. When thus arranged, the
opposite stanchions may be connected together by a transverse rod A, Figs. 5 to 8,
which is secured to the frame by a clasp m' turning on the said rod, and engaging
with a pin n screwed into the frame; but this mode of attachment may be
modified in various manners.
In Figs. 9 to 11, the contrivance for securing the stanchions h" which are
connected together in pairs by bars k³ consists of a round rod ", turning in sleeves
or eyes fixed to the stanchions and provided with a hook o' at either end, which
engages with a pin on the block d¹. In the middle the rod " is doubled and
bent into the shape of a hook p', which springing to a certain extent may be made
to clasp the stay e¹, suitably curved for the purpose. It will be seen that by this
means the stanchions are firmly clamped to the frame, but that they nevertheless,
may with facility be released.
In Fig. 19 represents a handle for pushing the perambulator. The same is
attached to the latter by its rods p passed into the sleeves o, which are fixed to the
rear stanchions h.
The body of the perambulator may be made of wicker-work or of other suitable
material. For the purpose of allowing it to be reduced in bulk the inventor prefers,
5

page_text: to construct the same in two or more sections A, B, C, as shown in Figs. 13 to 16,
which can be pushed into each other like the parts of a telescope, and which are
connected together by straps +1.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention and the manner
in which it is to be carried out in practice (as communicated to me by my corre-
spondent), I hereby claim as new and essential features of the same,—
1. In combination with the side-frames a of a four-wheeled perambulator, the
stays & consisting each of two bars jointed to the side-frames and to each other,
d
and means for locking these bars together, as and for the purpose described.
2. In combination with the side-frames a of a four-wheeled perambulator, and
with the stays d, the stays jointed to one side-frame and provided with
arrangement for locking it to the other frame, as specified and for the purpose
described.
3. In a three-wheeled perambulator, the side-frames a swivelling at g in the
transverse frame all carrying the fork a', in which wheel o³ revolves, as herein-
before described.
4. In a three-wheeled perambulator, the combination with the side-frame a
swivelling in the transverse frame all of the stay d, composed of two bars jointed
to each other, and to the side-frame, as set forth and for the purpose stated.
5. In a four-wheeled perambulator, the two side-frames a journalled in the
blocks d', which are rigidly connected together by stays el, also the stays ƒ'' jointed
to one frame and locking to the other, all combined together as and for the purpose
described.
6. In combination with the folding frame of a perambulator, the stanchions h
jointed to the blocks i, as described.
7. In combination with the folding frame of a parambulator, the stanchions h¹
connected by a transverse rod A, and provided with a clasp m', as herein before
described.
8. In combination with the folding frame of a perambulator, the stanchions "
connected by a transverse rod k³, and provided with rod having hooks o'
engaging with pins ¹¹, and hook p' engaging with stay e³, as and for the purpose
specified.
9. The body of a perambulator consisting of two or more parts sliding one into
the other, and connected together by straps, as described and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Pieper, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine,
CARL PIEPER, (LS)