IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Henry Morgan and Edward
Morgan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,"
on the 26th November 1866.
We, GEORGE HENRY MORGAN and EDWARD MORGAN, both of the Edgware
Road, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," to be as follows -
The Invention has for its object improvements in carriages, and relates,
firstly, to a novel arrangement and combination of parts forming the heads of
carriages capable of being used either as open or close carriages as desired,
and to a novel adaptation of windows or lights to such heads. For this
purpose we dispense with the slats and intermediate hoop sticks ordinarily
employed and employ only those hoop sticks which are situated at the angles
of the carriage head and over the doorway; that portion of the head which is
at the back of the seats we provide with windows or lights forming either the
entire or any desired portion of the front or sides of the carriage head, and we
construct them in two or more parts hinged together so as to fold over each
other in a horizontal direction the upper portion of the windows or lights being
hinged or pin-jointed to the hoop sticks forming the angles of the carriage head,
whilst the lower portion is hinged or pin-jointed to the body of the carriage,

page_text: the frames of such windows or lights at the hinge joint or joints we make so as
to overlap each other and thereby make a tight joint. The windows or lights at
the ends of the seats we form in several parts in frames connected together by
links and pin joints in such manner as to enable the several parts when the head
of the carriage is being lowered to descend in a parallel direction, and then to
stand in a position side by side of each other, the top portion of such lights being
connected to an arm projecting from the upper portion of the framing situated
over the doors of the carriage, such portion of the framing being hinged or
pin-jointed to the "head pillars" or uprights. The back of the carriage (in
the case of a landau-and other similar carriages) we construct with uprights
formed in two parts hinged or pin-jointed together at or near the centre
thereof, one of such uprights being situated at each angle of the back of the
carriage. The lower portion of each upright is hinged or pin-jointed to the
body of the carriage, whilst the upper portion of each upright is hinged or
pin-jointed to the hoop stick, such uprights when the head of a carriage is
being lowered fold inwards so as to bring the hoop stick (at the back of the
carriage to which they are connected) down in a parallel direction. The
lower portion of: each of such uprights has fixed thereto an arm having a
cord or band attached to it, such cords or bands being connected together or
operated by a spring in such manner as to facilitate the raising of the head
when desired. In order to cause the upper part of the framing over the
doors of a carriage to turn on binges or pin joints on the "head pillars"
or uprights we connect to each of such parts an arm or lever, which by a
link or connecting rod is pin-jointed to a lever or arm, which arms are also
pin-jointed to the "pillars" at a point a short distance away from the point
at which the head pillars are pin-jointed, each of such levers or arms being
operated by a link pin-jointed thereto, and to the "head pillars" or uprights.
The upper portions of the framing over the doors we connect to the front and
back hoop sticks by hinged connecting pieces which fold together as the head
of the carriage is lowered; by these means we give a better appearance to the
cover of the carriage head, the leather being stretched between the parts
thereof which form a rigid frame when up in a somewhat similar manner, to,
the frame of a carriage having a fixed head.
.
"
The Invention relates, secondly; to means or apparatus employed for
raising and lowering the heads of carriages. For. this. purpose we employ
according to one arrangement a spring or springs similar to a clock spring,
these springs we place under the seats of the carriage or in other suitable
position; to each of such springs we connect an escapement, and to, the axis of

page_text: each
scape wheel" or other suitable axis operated by the spring we connect
a lever, eccentric, or other suitable instrument, which by a link or connecting
rod is connected to each of the "head pillars" or uprights or projections
therefrom. The escapement may be worked either from the inside or other
suitable part of the carriage so as to allow the spring to operate to either raise
or lower the carriage head as desired; suitable means are provided for winding
up the spring when the spring has run down, as will be readily understood.
Another arrangement consists in the employment of levers which may be
connected together in pairs by cross bars, which cross bars may be connected
by other bars, as described in the Specification of a previous Patent granted
to us, and dated January 28th, 1862, No. 223, such levers being con-
nected by links or connecting rods with the uprights or "head pillars" or
projections therefrom, and being operated by a screw or screws taking into
screw wheels fixed on the axes of such levers, the screws being operated
from the inside or other suitable part of the carriage; and in order to assist
in raising the carriage head, and thereby reduce the strain on the gearing
employed, we employ springs fixed at one end to the carriage body and
at the other to wires or ribbons of steel or other suitable material con-
nected to and passing around circular ended projections fixed to the "head
pillars" or uprights, or barrel springs may be connected directly to the "head
pillars" or uprights or projections therefrom.
The Invention also relates to improved arrangements and modes of operating
the steps of carriages so that they shall be opened out or closed on opening
or closing the carriage doors. For this purpose we make the rising distance
from the top step into the carriage less than has been heretofore the case by
fixing the top step by hinge or pin joint immediately under the carriage body,
the lower step having levers connected thereto which by links or connecting
rods are connected to the top step, thus on closing the door of the carriage a
suitable connection therefrom causes the two steps to be folded one over the
other with their tread parts together, whilst the ascent into the carriage will
be rendered easier by reason of the distance from the top step into the
carriage being reduced.
Another arrangement consists in constructing double steps in such manner
that one step shall be drawn inwards under the carriage and the other step
turned up on pin or hinge joints by the closing of the carriage door. For
this purpose we mount the top step on guides and connect it to the lower
step by links or connecting rods, the lower step being mounted on fixed centres
of motion.

page_text: The Invention also relates to an improved arrangement of spring curtain
suitable for the windows of carriages having folding heads applied thereto.
For this purpose we place the spring barrel below the lights and draw, the
curtain in an upward direction, fixing the curtain at any desired height by
'loops and pins, as will be readily understood.