IMPROVE- MENTS IN CARRIAGES AND WAGONS FOR USE ON PUBLIC ROADS, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Theophilus Horrex at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1882.
THEOPHILUS HORREX of Gracechurch Street in the City of London, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CARRIAGES AND WAGONS FOR USE ON PUBLIC ROADS, AND OTHER
PURPOSES
"
arrangements :-
The tendency of the wheels of carriages now in use on roads is to make
depressions or hollows in the weaker portions of the surface thereof said depressions
being increased each time wheels subsequently sink into them thus causing extra
labour for horses resulting in a heavy loss from wear and tear of roadway and
horse power
In carrying out my Invention I adopt mainly the following
By my Invention the weight carried is distributed upon several pairs of wheels
thus preventing same sinking into soft ground and heavier loads can be carried
with less horse power. For this purpose I construct the carriage or vehicle with
three or more pairs of wheels, but when practicable (the carriage being of sufficient
length) I prefer four or five pairs; and I also prefer to connect each pair of wheels
by an axle tree and bearings thus:-
-
I place. a beam of wood or other material above and parallel to the axle tree
each end of such beam fitting into the upper part of a small oblong box or frame
in which it is securely fastened by bolts or other means.-The axle tree being of a
square form (except at the ends upon which the wheels revolve) passes through
the lower part of each box or frame, and an opening therein to the centres of the
wheels, such openings being wide enough to admit the form of the axle tree to
pass through, but sufficiently long to allow it to move up and down therein.-Such
beam however can be made in one or more pieces of iron or other metal or
material. If a spring is required a spiral or other spring is placed in each box or
frame between the axle tree and the inserted end of the beam, or a spring can
extend from one box to the other supporting the centre of the beam.-I prefer to
connect such beams to the carriage by pivot or bolt (passing through the flooring
or other part of the carriage and the centre of the beam and axle tree) upon which
they revolve the wheels being sufficiently small to pass under the body of the
carriage and the chains or bands hereafter mentioned:-And in order that the
carriage or vehicle may turn freely (particularly round sharp curves) I arrange so

page_text: that the beam of the front wheels when turned slightly raises the front part of
the body of the carriage and the intermediate wheels from the surface of the
ground by which means the carriage or vehicle can be turned easily.-For this
purpose I prefer to fix under the body of the carriage a straight or circular piece
of metal or other material which is made gradually thicker forming an incline from
and on each side of both ends of the beam when at right angles with the body of
the carriage, and upon which it moves when turned in either direction I fix the
beam of the hind pair of wheels to the body of the carriage or vehicle to prevent it
turning on the pivot or bolt by means of bolts movable or otherwise, passing
through the body or other part of the carriage or vebicle into each end thereof or
by other means of fastening.-The beams of intermediate wheels may be made to
revolve on the pivot or bolt or be fixed to the body of the carriage or vehicle or in
other convenient manner. If allowed to revolve which I prefer in ordinary cases
I connect each end of the beam (being made lower for the purpose) of the front
pair of wheels with the ends of the beam of the next intermediate pair of wheels
by means of a chain or band of metal or other material so as to keep such inter-
mediate wheels an equal distance from and to cause them to turn on the pivot
with the front pair of wheels all other intermediate beams and pairs of wheels
being connected in the same manner.-The carriage or vehicle if required can be
made to travel forward and backward as tramway cars do without turning for
instance, the carriage or vehicle having travelled in one direction, and required to
go in the opposite one without turning the bolts or other fastenings can be
removed from the ends of the beam then to go in front and the chains or bands
adjusted connecting the same with the next intermediate beam and the beam then
to go behind can be fixed by inserting the bolts and disconnected with the next
intermediate beam by removing the chains or bands.-In this case the front or
hind wheels should be arranged as before described.-The shafts or pole being also
removed and connected with the front beam If the carriage or vehicle is required
to travel partly on public roads and partly on tramways small wheels or pieces of
metal can be made to precede and follow the carriage running in the grooves of the
tramway rails.-Breaks can be applied to one or all of the wheels to be worked
from the centre of the axle trees.