IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN
Year: 1884

page_text: I LOUIS SCHMETZER of the firm of Louis Schmetzer & Co of Rothenburg on the
Tauber, Bavaria, in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN " to be as follows:-
This invention relates to perambulators or carriages for children and particularly
in that class known as folding perambulators By means of this invention light,
steady and convenient perambulators are provided, wood being used in their
construction instead of iron which material has hitherto been used for this
purpose.
According to the said invention I construct the body or frame work of the
perambulator on the principle of a hinge joint, and connect the side bars of this
frame work with the axles of the vehicle by means of volute springs. I also
arrange the arched ribs of the hood or cover in such a manner, that they may not
form an impediment in folding the vehicle, and may occupy as small a space as
possible. The volute springs by means of which the body or frame work of the
perambulator and the cover frame are connected with the axles, can also be
advantageously employed in ordinary perambulators of all sizes which are not
made to be folded.
The two side bars of the frame-work are connected at their lower parts by means
of a hinge joint From the side bars of the front part of the machine, two arms
extend rearwards, and from the side bars of the hind part of the machine two arins
extend forward. These arms move in a similar manner to the blades of a pair of
scissors and enable the perambulator to be folded The said arms serve to connect
the body or frame-work with the axles. In order to give a springy suspension to
the perambulator the extremities of the said arms are bent to conform to the ends
of the volute steel springs, the other extremities of which are fixed to the axles.
Near its upper extremities, each side bar has hinged to it a longitudinal bar
composed of two parts connected together by means of a hinge joint.
The side bars are connected by means of two cross bars and two handles, and
these, with the longitudinal bars, form the body or frame-work of the perambulator,
the sides and bottom of which may be covered partly or entirely with any suitable
fabric.
In order to render this frame rigid, and to be able to drive the vehicle, it is
necessary to fix two parts of the frame together. This can be effected in several
manners; according to one method I connect one part of one of the two upper
D

page_text: longitudinal bars with a rod provided with a spring which is connected with the
other part of the longitudinal bar by a rotating nut and by a pin. This pin enters
a notch of the first part of the bar and the nut passes through an aperture
formed in the said rod and is fixed thereon by turning it through an angle
of 90°.
In this manner the two parts of the longitudinal bar are fixed to one another.
When it is required to fold the said perambulator, the nut is turned to lie in the
same direction as its aperture. The various parts are thus released and the
perambulator can be folded.
This arrangement for fixing the parts of the vehicle thus does not interfere with
the appearance of the perambulator.
In order to prevent the hood or cover from impeding the folding of this
perambulator, the front arched rib is connected with the longitudinal bars whereas
the upper part of the rear arched rib is joined to the upper part of the front arched
rib so as to turn with it.
In this manner only two ribs are required, and the highly complicated
connections of the cover with the body or frame-work as arranged in perambulators
heretofore constructed is entirely dispensed with. The arrangement for the cover
may be applied to all kind of perambulators.
The connection between the body or frame work and the axles by means of
volute springs is also applicable to other non folding perambulators of whatever
size they may be.
It must be remarked that the general form of the body or frame work may be
varied in many different manners. For instance two more longitudinal hinged
pieces may be arranged between the side bars and serve for the attachment of scat
Boards inside the perambulator.

page_text: Figures and views of details
The side bars a and b arranged on each side of the body are connected at their
lower ends by means of hinges c. To these side bars are attached the extensions a¹
and b', Figure 5, in such a manner that the bars cross each other similarly to the
blades of a pair of scissors, and permit of being turned upon the hinge c, as
illustrated in Figure 3, for folding the vehicle.
The extensions a¹ and b' serve to connect the body with the axles d.
In order to enable a springy suspension of the body, the extremities of the
bars a and b are provided with steel springs f bent to the form of, a volute,
which springs, on the one hand, are firmly fixed to the axles d, and on the other to
the parts a' and b¹.
Near their upper extremities, the side bars a and b are connected by hinges i
with the top bars each composed of two parts g h, which in their turn are connected
together by hinges o.
The two side bars a as well, as the two side bars b, are connected respectively
by cross bars k and handles l, and form with these and the parts g and h, the
frame of the body, the sides and bottom of which may, if desired, be covered partly
or entirely with some suitable fabric.
As shown more especially in Figure 3, the parts a, b, g, h, form a jointed frame,
the hinges c, i, o, i, of which enable the same to be folded.
In order to retain the frame in the position shown in Figure 1 and to make the
carriage ready for use, it is merely necessary to reuder the parts a b of eachside
bar of the fiame immovable with relation to each other. This can be effected in
several mannera; I prefer, however, to connect with the bars g or h, say with the

page_text: by
bars h, rods h³, acting as springs (Figure 4), which are united with the bars
keys m capable of being turned. In some cases pios n, may be used, the latter
entering depressions, whilst the keys m are passed through slots in the bars h' and
then turned through an angle of 90°-In this manner the parts g and h are made
immovable with relation to each other, so that the body remains in the position
shown in Figure 1.
When it is required to fold the perambulator it is only necessary to turn the
keys m so that the rods h¹ can be bent a little away from the bars g until the
keys m leave the slots in the rods h¹ (Figure 4).
This arrangement for obtaining the immovability of the frame is preferable,
because it does not destroy the beauty of the carriage. It is however obvious that
by an arrangement of movable stays between the parts a and g or b and h, or even
between the parts a and b, the same object can be obtained although in a less
advantageous manner.
In order that the hood or cover should not impede the folding of the carriage,
only the arched rib p in front is connected with the bars h, the rib r in the rear
being joined to the said rib p so high up as to turn with it. In this manner only
two arched ribs are required and the highly complicated connections of the ribs
with the body as heretofore used are entirely dispensed with. This arrangement
of the hood frame may also be applied to other perambulators.
It must be remarked that the form of the body can be varied in different
manners; for instance two hinged pieces & may be arranged between the bars a
and band-serve-for-the-attachment of seat boards inside the body of the carriage.
A folding perambulator or carriage thus constructed, although-made-of-wood,_is_
much steadier and far less shaky than the heavier perambulators of the same kind
hitherto mostly constructed of iron bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
First. In folding perambulators, the construction of the jointed body frame; the
same consisting of the side bars a and b (connected together by hinges c) whose
extensions cross each other similarly to the blades of a pair of scissors, and the
upper bars 9 and h, these parts being rendered immovable with relation to each
other when the perambulator is ready for use.
Second. In folding perambulators of the class mentioned in the preceding
claiming clause, the arrangement of the rods h¹ which, by means of the keys m or
the pins n, ensure a rigid connection of the parts g and h, for the purpose of
rendering the jointed parts of the body of the carriage immovable with relation to
each other.
Third. The connection of the axles d with the side bars or body of the peram-
bulator by means of springs f bent to the form of a volute.
Fourth. The hood frame formed of two arched ribe, the rear one of which is
movably joined to the front rib a little above the body, so that the folded hood
occupies the smallest space possible.
Dated this Thirteenth day of November 1881