INSTANTANEOUS TENTS, INVENTED PURPOSELY FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC VEHICLES CALLED OMNIBUSES, BUT WHICH CAN BE ALSO APPLIED TO ANY OTHERS OPEN VEHICLES, CARTS, OR WAGGONS, AND TRAVELLING HAWKERS, AT A VERY Low CoST; NEW SYSTEM OF SHELTER AGAINST THE INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Paul Joseph Gautrot at the Office
of, the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd March
1858.
I, PAUL JOSEPH GAUTROT, Civil Engineer, of Paris, residing 206, Regent
Street, London, in the County of Middx, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "INSTANTANEOUS TENTS, INVENTED PURPOSELY FOR THE USE
OF PUBLIC VEHICLES CALLED OMNIBUSES, BUT WHICH CAN BE ALSO APPLIED TO ANY
OTHERS OPEN VEHICLES, CARTS, OR WAGGONS, AND TRAVELLING HAWKERS, AT A VERY
Low CoST; NEW SYSTEM OF SHELTER AGAINST THE INCLEMENCY OF THE WEATHER,"
to be as follows:-
INDUCEMENTS OF THE INVENTION.
For a long time we have been surprised at that companies so very important
as the General Omnibus Companies in Paris & London had not yet looked for
the means of protecting the outside passengers against the inclemency of the
weather,
We had thought at first when we saw the new system of seat outside of the
omnibuses (at leat in Paris) that it was only temporary, and that before. long
improvements should be made to it which should have completed what has
remained so very imperfect; however, we have not, as far as now, percieved
any one of those improvements so much wanted for the benefit of outside
passengers.
Effectively does it happen to rain or snow, the outside seats of the omnibuses
become for the passengers ten times worse that should be the pavement itself;

page_text: there, at least, they may find, close to the houses, a sort of shelter which the
outside of the omnibuses is far from offering..
It is therefore to remedy to the inconveniences arising from such a state
of things that we have conceived the idea of gratifying the omnibuses with a
process as plain as unexpensive, which shall complete what has been so long
wanted for the comfort of passengers.
So we claim the priority for an Invention whose utility will be generally
appreciated, at least we hope so, because on any account it will not be possible
to criticise the application of it, as the addition of our apparatus to the present
system of conveyance will not cause any modification to be made, neither will
it be for the passengers the cause of any trouble, should no further use be
required of our shelter. The drivers and conductors too will have but little
to do to bring our new system into action, as it will be easy to convince by the
following explanations:-
DESCRIPTION ET MOTATION OF THE APPARATUS.
The question is to add, with the actuel construction of omnibuses, to the
longitudinal bar, which serves as the back to the outside seat, a light apparatus,
not at all ungraceful, and which even not wanted for its principal purpose,
may be still found useful.
.
And as in many omnibuses the seats are placed in another way than
the inside ones, we have endeavoured to apply our system to any possible
occurence by simply changing the direction of our protecting cover, without
altering the mechanism which might as well be moved by the passengers hand
as by the conductor.
The figures 1st, 2d, & 3d of the annexed plan, which have been calculated g
on a scale of th yard per yard, and the Figure 4th on the scale of th yard
per yard, may perhaps not give a very clear idea of the result expected from
that new system of shelter, but, with a little attention, any one will be able to
get a proper idea of it; besides experiments may be done publicly so as to
point out clearly the working of it.
However, we must display to your eyes the different pieces of our apparatus
in refering more especially to our first figure, when each of them are expressed
with the same letters, that in the other figures which are but the repetition of
the first one placed in different position, according to the working of the
mechanism. The Figures 1st and 4th are seen motionless, either by front or 3
side way, according the way you look at the apparatus. The Figure 2d
shows the half (cut) of the apparatus working on an omnibuses, where the
outside seats are placed in the same direction as the insides ones. The

page_text: Figure 3d shows the sideway of the apparatus applied to the seats accross; there
it can be noticed that the second part of the cover can be let down in a
vertical way behind the passengers.
This very Figure 3d may sufficiently show the application which we are
able to make of our system to any other vehicles besides omnibuses not yet
provided with covers.
The only thing will be to alter according to the wants and the form of the
vehicle, is the points of fixing which are represented in the plan by the letter
F; this is the reason why we have avoided to indicate here any precise form,
as we have foreseen already too many variations.
. It will be the same for the hawkers in fairs, markets, or streets; also we think
that the mode of supports specified in the plan is to prevail upon any other;
A is the principal upright bar which serves as an axis to the mechanism.
F is the support of that upright bar which is fastened in the same time to
the back of the seat, and to the roof the vehicle, and might be fastened to the
soil if it was required; this piece is the only one to be altered in the cas the
apparatus should be applied to various vehicles.
X is an axletree which is along the whole length of the back of the seat,
and which, so as not to incommodate the passengers and paralise the effects of
the axletree is covered over with a piece of wood inside of which the said
axletree works. E is the lesser wheel fastened to the two ends of the axle-
tree, which is to be set at work at any time and any circuinstances by the
conductor, who in London is in the most easy position to bring it into action,
since the handle winch G placed under his hand, requires to be turned three
or four times as most, besides any passengers shall be able, according to this
own wish, to set the apparatus at work, for it is as plain as possible.
B is the rake, which, let down by the working of the lesser wheel E, causes
the branches C, D, to work, upon which branches the protecting cloth gets
spread over the heads of the passengers, when it unrolls from the only cylinder,
or the two ones appropriated to that purpose (piece Q, Fig. 2d & N, P,
Fig. 3).
Y is a rochet wheel which prevents the branches C, D, to deviate in stoping
the rake to its resting point, so that in leaning simply upon the end of the
rochet, the rake drawn up by the springs with which the cylinders are pro-
'vided gets up by itself, and then the apparatus returns to its place.
His a partition or sort of drawer, in which is the rake motionless, so as
to protect it from rain and dust which could spoil the mechanism, and also to
protect the public against the grease which generally drops from all catching.
The branches C, D, have their junctures at the point c, d. The branches D

page_text: have their junctures at the point D' on the support F, and the branches C
have their junctures at the point G', with a slider to which the top of the
rake is fastened. This slider K runs up and down along a sort of bar vertical,
which is a part of the said upright bar A.
L is an iron bar crossing from one of the upright bars to the other to
prevent them from deviating, and to keep them constantly parallel, besides,
should the cloth be wanted larger, that precited piece would use to support
another upright bar as A, on any point required, that new upright bar would
be supplied with branches exactly alike to those precedently discribed.
It will work regularly without the want of a fresh rake, as those placed at the
two ends would have a sufficient power upon the middle. M is a bent part,
to the flat surfaces of which are fastened or fixed according to their wants the
cylinders, which bears the waterproof cloth, and which encloses the springs
drawing up the cloth; this piece is fastened to the top of the upright bar A,
and over that crossing iron bar L with a female screw. The over part of it is
disposed to receive a sort of roof to shelter the blinds. The flat part outside
will be provided with a plate of metal having any form required to write either
a number, either a letter of the alphabet, or the name indicating the special
way of the omnibuses. Such are, as far as we have been able to describe
them, the chief pieces which constitute the apparatus that we think to be of
the most important, and even the most indispensable use for the comfort of
passengers.
Although this mechanism is composed but with pieces already known and
frequently used, still it assums a distinctive character not only in the way it
as been managed, but also by the aim we have had in view, that is to say, to
procure to passengers an easy and quiet shelter, that which had been as far
as now completely neglected. It is therefore with the priviledge of explaining
wat precedes, and of bringing to it any improvement we should think proper
at a further period, that I ask for a Provisional Protection which is necessary
to experiment my Invention, and secure to me the rights which shall be
connected to it, with the Letters Patent whic I can obtain later.