Improvements in and Adjuncts to the Axles of Perambulators, Children's Carts, Bath Chairs, and other Vehicles Propelled or Drawn by Hand.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1890-Accepted. 6th Sept. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Adjuncts to the Axles of Perambulators,
Children's Carts, Bath Chairs, and other Vehicles Propelled or
Drawn by Hand.
I GEORGE HENRY CAPEWELL HUGHES of St. Stephen's Street Works, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
In the ordinary method of connecting the springs of perambulators, children's carts,
bath chairs and other like vehicles, the springs are bolted directly to the bar of the
axle or the springs are supported on flaps or chairs bolted to the bar of the axle and
in order to adapt springs arranged at different distances apart to the bar of the axle
it is necessary to form bolt holes at the required places in the said axle bar.
This arrangement entails trouble and inconvenience and the object of my invention
is to obviate this trouble and inconvenience and consists of the improvements herein-
after described whereby the adjusting apart of the flaps or chairs of the axle for
supporting the springs is effected in a very simple manner.
According to my invention I make the bar of the axle preferably of a cylindrical
figure and of steel and between the wheel collars near the ends of the said bar of the
axle I place sliding or adjustable flaps or chairs for supporting the springs. Each
of the said flaps or chairs consists of a boss or nearly spherical body having a hole
bored through it of a size proper for fitting and sliding upon the bar of the axle, the
said perforated boss carrying at its top a cross piece or seat on which the end of the
spring is supported and to which it is fixed. In the underside of the boss an axial
hole is made opening into the cross hole in the said boss, in which axial hole a set
screw works for binding the flap or chair to the axle bar. By sliding the adjustable
flaps or chairs on the axle bar to the required distance apart and driving home the
set screws the said flaps or chairs are securely fixed in their adjusted positions on the
axle bar so as to accommodate the distance apart of the springs used with the 'peram-
bulator, child's cart, bath chair or other like vehicle.
Although I prefer to make the bar of the axle cylindrical, yet it may be made
square or angular in cross section. In this case the cross holes in the boss parts of
the adjustable flaps or chairs must have a corresponding figure in cross section for
fitting and sliding upon the said square or angular bar of the axle.
Dated this 9th day of November 1889.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Adjuncts to the Axles of Perambulators,
Children's Carts, Bath Chairs, and other Vehicles Propelled or
Drawn by Hand.
I GEORGE HENRY CAPEWELL HUGHES of St. Stephen's Street Works Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
In the ordinary method of connecting the springs of perambulators children's
carts bath chairs and other like vehicles the springs are bolted directly to the bar of
the axle or the springs are supported on flaps or chairs forged on or forming part of
the bar of the axle; and in order to adapt springs arranged at different distances
apart to the bar of the axle it is necessary to form chairs on or bolt holes for chairs
at the required places in the said axle bar.

page_text: This arrangement entails trouble and inconvenience and the object of my invention
is to obviate this trouble and inconvenience and consists of the improvements berein-
after described, whereby the adjusting apart of the flaps or chairs of the axle for
supporting the springs is effected in a very simple manner.
According to my invention I make the bar of the axle preferably of a cylindrical
figure and of steel and between the wheel collars near the ends of the said bar
of the axle I place sliding or adjustable flaps or chairs for supporting the springs.
Each of the said flaps or chairs consists of a boss or nearly spherical body
having a hole bored through it of a size proper for fitting and sliding upon the
bar of the axle, the said perforated boss carrying at its top a cross piece or seat on
which the end of the spring is supported and to which it is fixed. In the underside
of the boss an axial hole is made opening into the cross hole in the said boss in which
axial hole a set scrow works for binding the flap or chair to the axial bar. By
sliding the adjustable flaps or chairs on the axle bar to the required distance apart
and driving home the set screws the said flaps or chairs are securely fixed in their
adjusted positions on the axle bar so as to accommodate the distance apart of the
springs used with the perambulator child's cart, bath chair or other like vehicle.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in elevation the axle of a
perambulator (or other like axle) provided with sliding or adjustable flaps or chairs
according to my invention for supporting the springs of the perambulator or carriage;
and Figures 2 and 3 represent sections taken at right angles to one another of one
of the said sliding or adjustable flaps or chairs and a portion of the axle.
aa is the bar of the perambulator axle (or other axle) of a cylindrical figure
and b bare the wheel collars of the same; c c are the sliding or adjustable flaps or
chairs for the springs. Each flap consists of a boss or nearly spherical body c having
a cross hole bored through it for the sliding of the flap or chair upon the said bar a
of the axle (see Figures 2 and 3) is the cross piece or seat at the top of the boss c
on which the end of the spring is supported the said spring being fixed or bound to
the said seat by the set screw pin c³ screwed into an axial tapped hole c* at right
angles to the cross hole d in the boss c.
On the underside of the boss c is a second axial tapped hole c in which the set
screw c works for binding the flap or chair to the axle bar. By relaxing the set
screws the flaps or chairs c can be moved by a sliding motion on the axial bar a as
indicated in dotted lines in Figuro 1 so as to adjust them to the distance apart
required by the springs of the perambulator or other vehicle. By then driving home
the set screw pins c the flaps or chairs are fixed in their adjusted positions on the axle
bar as represented in the drawing.
I do not limit myself to any particular shape of the adjustable flaps nor to the fixing
of the springs to the seats of the flaps by set screws as other means may be adopted.
Figure 4 represents in section and Figure 5 in plan an adjustable flap having a shape
different from those represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the set screw c³ being omitted.
In this flap the seat part for the spring is provided with bolt holes at its ends for the
bolting of the spring to the said seat.
By the use of my invention the ordinary bolt holes in the bar of the axle are
dispensed with, thereby rendering the axle stronger and more durable than axles of the
ordinary kind.
Although I prefer to make the bar of the axle cylindrical yet it may be made
square or angular in cross section. In this case the cross holes in the boss parts of the
adjustable flaps or chairs must have a corresponding figure in cross section for fitting
and sliding upon the said square or angular bar of the axle. The axle bars which
I use may either be solid or tubular.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I
claim as my invention of :-"Improvements in and adjuncts to the axles of peram-
bulators children's carts bath chairs and other vehicles propelled or drawn by hand":—
The combination with the bar of the axle whether of a cylindrical figure or square

page_text: or angular in cross section of flaps or chairs for supporting the springs of the vehicle
the said flaps or chairs being constructed substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereby the adjusting apart of the flaps or
chairs on the bar of the axle is facilitated and by their use the ordinary bolt holes in
5 the bar of the axle are dispensed with.
Dated this 25th day of July 1890.