IMPROVEMENTS IN HANSOM CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Spencer, of 5, Euston Road, London, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HANSOM CABS AND
OTHER VEHICLES."
Sealed the 19th August 1879, and dated the 20th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Spencer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1879.
JOHN SPENCER, of 5, Euston Road, London, in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HANSOM CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES."
My improvements are applicable to hansom cabs and other vehicles, particularly
to hansom cabs having a low door or doors half height of the cab, such as is in
general use.
The first part of my Invention consists of opening and closing the door or doors
by levers and adjustable stays attached through the footboard to the bottom of the
door or doors passing underneath and up back of the cab to the side of the driver,
by which he is enabled to open or close the door or doors either by hand or foot, the
two doors being so connected by levers and stays that when one door is opened the
other will be opened, and when one door is closed the other will be closed simulta-
neously. By this means the driver can open and close the doors without leaving
his seat, thus keeping command of his horse. In the present construction of this
class of vehicle the driver is often required to leave his seat to open the doors for
passengers, horses frequently starting off before the driver can replace himself on
his sent, whereby accidents often occur.
The doors can be opened and closed by the passengers in front, which are actuated
by the same motion as if opened and closed by the driver from behind.
This Invention is equally applicable to vehicles of which the driver sits in front
of the carriage.
The second part of my Invention consists of moveable hanging irons, the lower
part working in a socket bolted to the side of the cab. The top of these irons are
connected to the springs in the usual manner. In the case of collissions these irons
will give in the direction of the force, and so lessen the strain or pressure upon
various parts, that breakages will be much lessened or avoided. The moveable
hanging irons acts in balanceing two wheeled vehicles going up or down hill.
By the horse drawing an elastic or yielding device instead of a rigid fixed one
will not be subjected to such severe strain as is now the case.
By the action of the springs on the moveable hanging irons much easier motion
will be obtained than is the case with rigid irons now in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Spencer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th August
1879.
JOHN SPENCER, of 5, Euston Road, London, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HANSOM CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES."
My improvements are applicable to hansom cabs and other vehicles, particularly
to hansom cabs having a low door or doors half the height of the cab as generally
used.
The first part of my Invention consists in opening and closing the door or doors
by levers and adjustable stays passed through the foot board and attached to the
bottom of the door or doors, passed underneath the body of the cab and up at the
back thereof to the side of the driver, by means of which levers he is enabled to
open or close the door or doors either by his hand or foot, the two doors being so
connected by levers and stays that when one door is opened the other will be
opened, and when one door is closed the other will be closed simultaneously. By
this arrangement the driver can open and close the doors without leaving his soat,
thus keeping command of his horse. In the present construction of hansom cabs the
driver is often required to leave his seat to open the doors for passengers, horses
frequently starting off before the driver can return to his seat, whereby accidents
often occur. The doors can also be opened and closed by the passenger in front in
the usual way and actuate the same lever motion as if opened and closed by the
driver from behind. This Invention is equally applicable to vehicles of which the
driver sits in front of the carriage, the levers and stays being arranged for the pur-
pose and proportioned to the size of the doors, &c.
The second part of my Invention consists in rack supports and hanging irons, the
lower part of said irons working in a socket bolted to the side of the cab, their top
being connected to the springs in the usual manner. The racks, which are made a
fixture to the cab, receive and hold the upper attachments of the springs. In case
of collisions the banging irons will give in the direction of the force and so lessen
the strain or pressure upon the spring and other parts, and breakage will be much
lessened or avoided, and by shifting the top attachments of the springs in the racks
the cab can be hung or balanced to accommodate drivers of different weights. The
moveable hanging irons act also in balancing two-wheel vehicles going up or down
hill. The horse pulling an elastic or yielding device, instead of a rigid fixed one,
will not be subjected to such a severe jerking strain as is now the case. Also by the
action of the springs on the movable hanging irons a much easier motion will be
obtained than is the case with the rigid irons now in use.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to show a practical and convenient mode
of performing the Invention, like letters representing like parts. Fig. 1 is a side
elevation, with one wheel removed, of the improvements applied to a hansom cab;
Fig. 2, side view of same cab; Fig. 3, plan; and Fig. 4, elevation of details on larger
scale of door opening levers and attachments. A are rack supports fixed to the cab
body for receiving and holding the upper attachments of the C springs, said upper
attachments being connected by a cross rod, so that the springs may be shifted
together and evenly in the rack A, and the cab can be thereby balanced to suit a
light or heavy driver. B is the shifting hanging iron, fitted in a socket and capable
of play or movement as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The doors opening lever
mechanism is shown in position in Fig. 1, and connected with the driver's actuating
rod D, which may have a handle, and also a foot board actuator and spring device
as at D, as shown. The said rod D is attached to the cab body by rings, through
which it slides, and fixed to the crank F of the rod E pivoted to the cab body, said
rod being furnished with another crank as at G. M are attachment rods fixed to
the doors and passed through curved slots in the foot board; L is a swinging hanging
rod for holding a crop bar having the levers K pivoted at its two extremities, said

page_text: levers K being pivoted to the levers or rods H. Although the devices shown are
the best I am at present acquainted with, and which I find work perfectly in per-
forming iny Invention, I do not bind myself to the exact shapes and proportions
shown, as it is evident that the Invention can be performed by modifying the shapes
and proportions of the parts.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Spencer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, A.D. 1879.
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