IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Botwood, of Woodbridge Road, St.
John's, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
Scaled the 12th August 1873, and dated the 28th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Botwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1873.
I, WILLIAM BOTWOOD, of Woodbridge Road, St. John's, Ipswich, in
the County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in carriages, and
relates firstly to providing carriages with a dash or driving rail capablo
of being raised or lowered to any desired height. For this purpose the
rail is mounted on the top of a vertical stem which is passed down
through an eye, the stem of which is screwed into a clip which clips
over the top of the dash board, and is secured on to it by screwing

page_text: inwards, the screw carrying the eye before mentioned. At the back of
the dashboard the clip has an arm descending downwards from it, and
this arm at its lower end carries two spring jaws, between which tho
stem of the dash or driving rail is also passed, and the jaws can be
caused to nip the stem by turning a thumb screw. The outer ends of
the spring jaws also form a spring clip which serves as a rein holder.
When a long dash or driving rail is used then it is mounted on two
stems, one towards each of its ends, and these stems are similarly carried
by clips fastened on to the dash board.
The breeching or kicking staples I arrange to be carried by metal:
plates curved to the shape of the shafts. These are placed underneath
the shafts, and are secured to them on the under side or by neat clips
passed over the shafts. By this means the wear and decay of the shafts
so general in two-wheeled vehicles is prevented.
The draught hooks I form with a screw stem to pass freely through a :
socket containing a spiral spring. A thumb nut is scrowed on to the
end of the draught hook or screw stem, and bears against the end of the
spring. If this nut be unscrewed, the horse will immediately be set at
liberty. The socket is formed with a bolt projecting from it by which it
is attached to the draw bar futchels or splinter bars. To simplify the 2
opening and closing of carriage doors by the driver or a person sitting
on the drivers' seat I fix in the front door or shut pillar of the carriage
body a box or spring lock to secure the door when shut. To open the .
door the bolt of the lock is drawn back by a strap, the end of which is
attached underneath the front or driving seat to a spindle, on which is a 2
lever handle by which it can be turned by the driver and the bolt so
drawn back. When the door is again shut the bolt of the lock is thrown
forward by a spring, and the door is thereby secured. To the bottom of
the door or door frame is fixed a spring which forces the door open
whenever the bolt is drawn back. To close the door a strap or wire rope 3
is attached to the inside of the back part of the door at the point
generally used for the door check strap, and will have the appearance of
a door check strap; it is then conducted over guide pullies fixed to the
front edge of the seat rail; the strap or wire cord is then passed down
to the bottom of the carriage and led over other pulleys to the front part 3
of the carriage; it is there led upwards and attached to a foot lever to
be worked by the driver. By this means the driver is enabled to open

page_text: or close the carriage door without changing his position as driver or
loosing his reins.
The arrangement of apparatus above described is applicable both for
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Botwood in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th August 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BOTWOOD, of Woodbridge Road, St. John's, Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, tho said William Botwood, Her special license
that I, tho said William Botwood, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Botwood, 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 CARRIAGES,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Botwood,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain 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 imme
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Botwood, 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 :—
This Invention has for its object improvements. in carriages, and

page_text: relates firstly to providing carriages with a driving rail capable of being
raised or lowered to any desired height. For this purpose the rail is
mounted on the top of a vertical stem which is passed down through an
eye, the stem of which is screwed into a clip which clips over the top of
the dash board, and is secured on to it by screwing inwards the screw
carrying the eye before mentioned. At the back of the dash board the
clip has an arm decending downwards from it, and this arm at its lower
end carries two spring jaws, between which the stem of the driving rail
is also passed, and the jaws can be caused to nip the stem by turning a
thumb screw. The outer ends of the spring jaws also form a spring clip
which serves as a rein holder.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 a side elevation of my
improved driving rail and parts connected therewith.
It fits on to the
a, a, is a clip formed of iron covered with leather.
top of the dash board and is secured by screwing in the two pieces b
and c. The stem of the upper piece 6 pinches upon the top of the dash
board, and the stem of the piece centers a hole formed in the dash board
to receive it. d is the driving rail; it is formed at the top of a long rod
or bar d'; it passes through the piece 6, which serves as a socket through
which the rod or bar d' can slide. These parts are seen also in Figure 3.
The lower part of the rod or bar d' is gripped by the piece c which forms
a clip. This piece is shewn in plan at Figure 4. It has two spring jaws
hinged together, and they are drawn towards each other by means of the
thumbscrew o' so as to cause them to clip and hold the rod or bar d³,
and secure the driving rail at the height desired, and they also serve as
rein holders. When a long dash or driving rail is used then it is
mounted on two stems, one towards each of its ends, and these stems
are similarly carried by clips fastened on to the dash board.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the arrangement and
construction of adjustable driving rails substantially as described.
According to another part of my Invention I arrange the breeching
or kicking staples to be carried by metal plates curved to the shape of
the shafts. These are placed underneath the shafts, and are secured to
them on the under side or by neat clips passed over the shafts. By this
means the wear and decay of the shafts so general in two-wheeled
vehicles is prevented,

page_text: Figure 5 is a sido view, Figure 6 an end view, and Figuro 7 an under
sido view of a staple arranged to be fixed to the shaft in the manner
which I have invented. a is the staple it is rivetted to or cast with the
metal plate b, which is bent to the form of the shaft. The plato has
lugs c', c', which are secured by screws or clips.
I claim the means of attaching breeching and kicking staples to shafts
substantially as described.
According to another part of my Invention I form the draught hooks
with a scrow stem to pass freely through a socket containing a spiral
spring. A thumb nut is screwed on to the end of the draught hook or
screw stem, and bears against the end of the spring. If this nut be
unscrewed the horse will immediately be set at liberty. The socket is
formed with a bolt projecting from it by which it is attached to the draw
bar, futchels, or splintreo bars.
Figure 8 is a side view partly in section, and Figure 0 is a transverse
section of a draught hook arranged according to my Invention. a is the
hook. Its stem a¹ enters the socket 6 which is fixed to the draw bar,
futchel, or splintree bar by the screw, stem, or bolt 6. o is a thumb nut
which is adapted to the end of the screw stem a'; d is a coiled spring
contained in the socket 6, and it is compressed between the end of the
socket and the thumb nut c. In place of a metal spring a spring of
india-rubber may be employed.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the arrangement and
construction of draught hooks, substantially as described,
According to another part of my Invention, in order to simplify tho
opening and closing of carriage doors by the driver or a person sitting on
the driver's seat, I fix in the front door or shut pillar of the carriage
body a box or spring lock to secure the door when shut. To open the
door the bolt of the lock is drawn back by a strap or cord, the end of
which is attached underneath the front or driving seat to a spindle on
which is a lover handle by which it can be turned by the driver and the
bolt so drawn back. When the door is again shut the bolt of the lock
is thrown forward by a spring, and the door is thereby secured. To the
bottom of the door or door frame is fixed a spring which forces the door
open whenever the bolt is drawn back. To close the door a strap or wire
горо
is attached to the inside of the back part of the door at the point
generally used for the door check strap, and will have the appearance of

page_text: a door check strap. It is then conducted over guide pulleys fixed to the
front edge of the seat rail. The strap or wire cord is then passed down
to the bottom of the carriage and led over other pulleys to the front part
of the carriage.. It is there led upwards and attached to a foot lever to
be worked by the driver., By this means the driver is enabled to open 5
or close the carriage door without changing his position as driver or
loosing his reins.
The arrangement of apparatus above described is applicable both for
open and closed carriages.
. Figure 10 illustrates the description of my Invention given above. 10
a is a handle fixed upon a vertical axis b, and by which it can be turned
partly round. It has upon its lower end an arm, and from this a strap
or equivalent connection passes to the bolt c of a spring lock, by which
the door is fastened. Immediately the bolt is withdrawn a spring causes
the door to open. d is a lever or treadle for closing the door; it turns 15
upon an axis at d³, and to its inner end a strap or equivalent connection
passes over guide pulleys to the door as already explained.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the means of opening
and closing carriage doors from the driver's seat, substantially as
described.
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