Improvements in Delivery Vans.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
CODILELE
DIEUIFICATION.
Improvements in Delivery Vans.
I JOHN BUCKINGHAM of 332 and 3 Bradford Street Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Carriage Builder do hereby declare the nature of this inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention has for its object improvements in delivery vans and refers more
particularly to the covered ones which it is most desirable should be built as low as
possible i.e. with as much of the body as possible below the line of axle without at
the same time increasing the width between the wheels and this I obtain in a cheap.
simple and effective manner.
I also render more easy facilities for the getting in and out of such vehicles which
is of great importance as a great saving of time an labour is thereby obtained
especially in cases where the vehicle is being constantly used in this way.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practise I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which I have fully
illustrated the nature of my said improvements.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a covered delivery van having my improvements.
applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a back elevation of the same van as shewn by Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a van having a removable cover and having my
said improvements applied thereto.
Figure 4 is a back clevation of the van shewn by Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a cross section through the axle bar shewing one of my improvements
in detail.
In carrying my invention into effect I mount the body A of my covered van
upon the springs S which are placed underneath the body although I do not confine
myself to this exact position. For the purpose of reducing the width of my vans
I reduce the width of the body A at H on each side which thus allows the
crank m² of the axle M to be brought nearer the body and thus a saving in the
width is effected as the wheels W can thus be brought nearer the body A. For
the purpose of rendering additional facility for getting in and out of the vehicle
I form the footboard F upon a lower level than that of the body A of the van so-
that any person may the more readily step in and out and this foot board I prefer
to form of a graceful curve as shewn but to this I do not confine myself as it may
be straight I obtain an additional saving in the height at which the body A
is mounted by bolting the spring S to the underside of the axle box K or M
instead of placing the same upon the top as hithertofore the saddle K' being
provided to fit the axle bar and to which the spring is attached by the hanging
irons or screw bolts K. The cover E may be made removable from the body C
as shewn by Figure 3 and 4 in which case the body C with my improvements
embodied can be utilized as an open conveyance.
My vans may or may not be provided with the door D or B which is not so
nuch required as formerly by reason of the ease with which my van can be entered
or left from the front.
In reducing the width of my van the form of the reducing part H may be
aried as it may be curved inclined or flat to suit the requirements of the case.
Of course the general design and configuration of the body A and other parts
nay be altered without departing from the nature of this my said invention.

page_text: Having now particulary described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The improvements in delivery vans substantially as and for the purpose
herin set forth and shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In delivery vans the reduction in width of the body A or C substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn.
3rd. In delivery vans the foot board placed upon a level lower than that of the
floor of body substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn.
4th. In vans the spring S attached to the underside of the axle bar K sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of March 1894.
JOHN BUCKINGHAM.