CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOODS OR . COVERINGS FOR PERAMBULATORS,' 'BATH CHAIRS,' CARRIAGES, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander 'Leveson, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOODS OR
.
COVERINGS FOR PERAMBULATORS,' 'BATH CHAIRS,' CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
VEHICLES."
Sealed the 11th February 1868, and dated the 17th August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Leveson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th August 1867.
I, ALEXANDER, LEVESON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN HOODS OR COVERINGS FOR PERAMBULATORS,' BATH CHAIRS,' CARRIAGES, AND
OTHER VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the folding hoods or coverings employed at the heads
of "perambulators," "bath chairs," carriages, and other similar vehicles, and is
designed for the purpose of enabling the user or attendant to raise such
hoods-by-self-acting means instead of them having to be lifted by hand and
sustained by rods and knuckle joints.

page_text: the hood turns when being raised or lowered, or of the application of india-
rubber or other spring to the front frame of such hoods, so arranged that the
hood shall be raised thereby, and opened and held in such position when
it is released from a strap or cord which retains it in its folded position so
that the spring forms a self-acting hood, lifter, opener, and retainer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Leveson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
LEVESON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Leveson, Her special license that I, the said Alexander Leveson, my
executors,-administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Mackie, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
HOODS OR COVERINGS FOR. PERAMBULATORS, BATH CHAIRS, CARRIAGES, AND OTHER
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Leveson, 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Alexander Leveson; do hereby declare
the nature of the said Iuvention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
I
.
My Invention relates to the folding hoods or coverings employed at the
head of perambulators," bath chairs," carriages, and other-similar vehicles,

page_text: and is designed for the purpose of enabling the user or attendent to raise or
lower such hoods by self-acting means instead of them having to be lifted. by
hand and sustained by rods and knuckle joints.
The improvements. consist.in. the application of a coiled. wire or plate.
spring, or other. suitable spring, to the pivot or centre pin of the hinge joint on
which the hood.turns when. being raised or lowered, or of the application of
india-rubber or other spring to the front frame of such hoods, so arranged
that the hood shall be raised thereby, and opened and held in such, position
when it is released from a strap or cord which retains it in its folded positiou
so that the spring forms a self-acting hood, lifter, or opener and retainer.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of about
three inches to the foot.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a perambulator adapted for the use of
a child, and supplied with a, hood or "head," to which is applied a volute or
coiled spring attached to the stud or pivot on which the hood turns, and
which is employed to lift and retain the hood in the position shewn in the
Drawing, and comes into action instantly when the hood is not held down by
a retainer at the back of the carriage.
Figs. 2 and 3 represent detached views, one of which exhibits the application
of a helical or spiral spring for the same purpose, such views and vehicle being
shewn as examples.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a, a, is the body or carriage of the perambulator; 6,
the hood or "head," and c the stud or pivot on which the framing d of the
hood turns, and in Fig. 1 the coupling or attachment between the stud c and
framing d consists of a coiled spring forming the termination of the frame d,
the inner coil of which is secured to the pivot or stud c; or the coiled spring
may be secured by rivets or otherwise to the frame d.
In the adaptation of spiral springs shewn in Fig. 3, the springs are attached
to the body of the "perambulator" and to a piece extending from the hood
framework, and the hood may be secured by strap and button, and straps
when not required to be distended.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
means of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
First. The application, adaptation, and use of metallic, india-rubber, or other
springs to perambulators, bath chairs, carriages, and other vehicles,-for-the
purpose of effecting the lifting of the hoods thereof by self-acting means, and
of sustaining it in such position.

page_text: And, secondly, the arrangement and construction of the mechanism for
effecting the aforesaid purpose, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully
illustrated in the Drawings attached..
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Leveson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February; in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ALEXANDER LEVESON. (L.S.)
'Witnessed by
JNO. HUGHES,
Clerk to Jno. Davies & Son,
Office for Patents,
Manchester!