A NEW STAGE CARRIAGE TO BE CALLED THE A'1' OMNIBUS
Year: 1866

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Harvey, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 17th October 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO,ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HARVEY, of Number Ten. Albert Terrace, Knightsbridge, London, England,
send greeting
WHEREAS am in possession of an invention for "A NEW STAGE CARRIAGE
TO BE CALLED THE A'1' OMNIBUS,'" and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unfto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns. Her Royal Letters Patent
for the saine, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the true and first
Inventor thereof, and that the same is not in use by any other person or
persons to the best of my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said William Harvey, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully.
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the Drawings, Figures I. to VI., on the two sheets of parchment here-
[Price 8d1

page_text: unto annexed, and to the letters, and numbers, marked thereon (that is to
say):-
Figure I., which like all the Figures is on a scale of one inch to one foot,
shews an elevation of the near or left side of the "A 1 omnibus." There are
only two wheels to the vehicle, which are so placed as to balance the entire
weight and carry it in the safest and easiest manner; but three or four wheels
can be used. The two wheels are iron, and are shewn at a, a, a; they are
represented without spokes, but they may have these or be of various design.
The wheel framework is borne on one very strong solid straight axle of
wrought iron at b, passing through the centre of the body of the omnibus, to
accomplish which sufficient space is left under the stair platform (Number 4
of Figure 11.) so as to give it free play during the motion of the springs in
their boxes at k, h. The frame on which the body of the carriage rests is
represented at c, c, c, c. It is all iron and is calculated in dimensions for
metal of the breaking tenacity of the average of Bessemer's rolled iron, vizt.,
70,000 lbs. per square inch, of which in this Specification all the iron described
is supposed to consist. If other material is used a corresponding change in
dimensions for relative strength must be made. d is an iron guard round the
back part of the omnibus on both sides, carrying a step for the door of
the carriage body (Numbers 6 on Figures II. and V.) e, e, e, shew the iron
draught shafting for harness attached to the frame, and the upward termina-
tion of the shafts by the bows exhibited in elevation at /, /, Figure III.
closed parts of the body of the carriage are seen at g, 0, 0, 0, the glass windows
of 'the lower compartment at. h, h, h, h, and the side openings of the upper
compartment supplied with curtains at i, i, i, i; the ends of the angle-iron
main frame of the carriage body, with what are termed plungers attached, arc
shown at i, i, i, j, resting in the spring boxes k, h, k, k; these boxes are of
plate iron and are filled with gutta percha or indian-rubber tubing of various
dimensions cut in lengths, each inserted within the other and laid regularly
one above the other in layers. The plungers resting on the top of these
support the whole weight of the carriage body by the safest, casiest, and most
noiseless spring possible. The seat of the driver, who sits alone that he may
be better able to perform his duties. is shewn at 1. 1, and the powerful
break m, m, m, on his right hand passing down through the fore part of the
lower framing c ready to arrest and support the carriage in case of any accident
either to it or to the horses, or to save the horses in going down a hill. Every
part of the vehicle has a working strength calculated to support a weight six
times greater than can be placed upon it. by its being filled with it complement
of forty passengers and their luggage. The elevation here shewn is adapted
The

page_text: for three horses and forty passengers, but the carriage can be constructed for
two horses and a corresponding number of passengers by reducing the length
two feet at each end and bringing the spring boxes two feet nearer the wheels
and adapting the angle-iron main frame of the carriage body and the plungers
accordingly.
Figure 1. shews the plan of the lower compariment of the carriage body
of the A omnibus. The numbers 1, 1. 1, 1. shew sixteen seats, all facing
the horses, with supporting rods of iron from the roof to the floor at the back
of each; the numbers 2, 2, 2. 2, shew the ample spaces afforded for the legs
and fect of each passenger: the numbers 3, 3, 3, 3. shew the clear centre
passage from end to end of the vehicle and the steps up to the stair platform 4.
This platform gives access on each side by steps 5, 5. 5. 5. to the upper com-
partiment of the vehicle, and by this, one of the principal features of the A
omnibus, all possibility of accident from falling is avoided, while ladies can, if
they choose. reach the upper compartment. almost as easily as the lower.. In
the upper compartment the passengers, as in the present omnibus, but with
much more height and space. sit back to back with a complete division
reaching to the roof between them. Number G shews the door of the carriage
and doorway where the conductor will stand that he may be always within
reach of the passengers. Number 7 is a window in the front of the lower
compartment establishing complete ventilation, but free from draught. from
end to end of the vehicle; it is placed under the driver's seat so that it may be
completely guarded.
Figure IV. shews a plan of the wheel frame of the vehicle. As in Figure [.
the letters a, a, a, a, indicate the wheels: b. b, the axle; c. a, c. c. the framing:
d. d. d. the guard with doorstep; e. e. e. e, the shafting, and f, J, the draught
bows, while . k. k, k, are the spring boxes. The dotted line shews the
position of the lower part of the carriage body. The upper compartment
extending on each side over the entire framework is not shewn, and the
transverse strengthening of the wheel framing, shewn in elevation at Figure V.,
has been removed to exhibit the arrangement of the wheels in full.
Figure V. shews an elevation of the back of the A 1 omnibus. As before
a, a, a, a, are the wheels; b. b. the axle; c, c. c, a. the wheel and longitudinal
framing; d, d, d, the guard with step; . . . g. the closed parts of the
body of the carriage; h. the window in the door: i. i. the end openings of
the upper compartment with curtains; i, i. i. j. the ends of the angle-iron
main frame of the carriage body with the plungers attached: k, k, the spring
hoxes.
Figure VI. shews a section at Z, Z, on Figure I. looking forward, and

page_text: exhibits of the internal angle-iron framing and interior arrangements of both
compartments of the Aoinnibus. The plungers and spring boxes have
been removed to shew the wheel framing complete, and the dotted lines shew
the steps 5, 5, 5, 5, of Figure II. to the upper compartment of the carriage
from the stair platform 4 of the same Figure; a, a, a, a, are the wheels as
before; b, b. the axle; c. c. c, c, the wheel framing; 9, 9, 9, 0, the closed
parts of the carriage body; i, i, the side openings above; i, i, i, j, the angle-
iron main framing of the carriage body complete with n, n, n, its cross angle-
iron fastenings and p, p, its longitudinal angle-iron fastenings, and to support
the backing of the upper compartment and the ridge of the. roof; the roof
itself is shewn at r, r. The supporting iron rods for each seat and for the floor
framing of the lower compartment are shewn at 0, 0, 0, 0. The close sheet-
iron seats, which will prevent all pocket picking and comfortably stuffed, are
shewn at numbers 1, 1. with the position of the passengers, which is also shewn
in the upper compartment. Numbers 3, 3. 3. 3, as before, indicate the clear
passage from end to end of the vehicle, with the two steps to the stair platform 4
of Figure 1. The upper roof and the outside skin of the carriage body may
be entirely of sheet iron, or a mixture of sheet iron and wood or other
material, as well as the flooring of the upper and lower compartment. and
steps.
The claim of Patent for Invention includes every portion of the vehicle
substantially as above described, with the exception of the position of the
passengers in the upper compartment, which is now in use.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Harvey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
Eighteen hundred and sixty-six.
Signed, scaled, and delivered by the
within-named William
in the presence of
J. COMBE, Sol.,
Staple Inn..
Harvey,
WILLIAM HARVEY. (L..s.)