IMPROVEMENTS IN CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edwards, of 4, Park Road Villas,
Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES.”
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edwards at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th April 1872.
I, GEORGE EDWARDS, of 4, Park Road Villas, Battersea, in the
County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
sald Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates in the first place to improvements in the heads
of cabs or other vehicles or carriages, and in apparatus for opening and
closing them, and locking them in any required position.
The head or cover is constructed in one or two parts of corrugated,
embossed, or plain sheet iron, or with a rigid framework of iron, or

page_text: other suitable material covered with canvas, leather, or other suitable
material. The head is, by preference, fastened to the body of the
carriage by two spring bolt hinges, cach formed by a spiral or volute
spring passing round a hinge bolt, and being fixed to or bearing
against the head at one end and the carriage body at the other
end, thereby counterbalancing the weight of the head. Or the head
may be otherwise fastened to the body and counterbalanced as required.
And it is retained in any required position by a spring stop and
rack, which are so arranged that by pulling a cord or other suitable
connection the spring stop may be first drawn out of the rack, and
afterwards the head raised or lowered by a continued action on the
said cord or connection. The luggage rack is furnished with locking
gear, so that when raised to receive luggage it acts upon a hook or
bolt, and thereby locks the two parts of the head together or to the
carriage body.
And my Invention has reference in the second place to the construction
of the main parts of cabs and other vehicles or carriages of plain,
corrugated, or embossed sheet iron, instead of wood as usual, thereby
obtaining greater lightness of construction with increased facilities
for manufacturing and putting the parts together. The iron may be
corrugated by any known means, and in one or more sheets, and this
is rendered stiff by bending it into the required form, curves both
longitudinally and transversely being generally preferred to angles.
This bending is by preference effected by three pairs of rollers, the centre
pair of which is moveable by a lever or screw acted upon by a template
mado to suit the various curves required to be bent, whether in the same
or in opposite directions. Or it may be effected by jaws and pressers,
the movement of the latter being regulated by a template. Instead of
using corrugated iron for the purpose, plain sheet iron is stiffened by
embossing grooves, panels, diamonds, or other suitable pattern therein, and
bending the edges to form curves, wired or doubled edges. L, T, H, and
other suitably shaped iron may be used for stiffening the sheet iron and
for forming grooves and rebates for doors and windows, but I generally
prefer to bend for the purpose the sheet iron used in the construction of
the carriage.
The various parts are joined together with bolts, rivets, or solder, and
between the pieces are inserted rolls or bands of india-rubber or felt to
prevent noise and to make the joints air-tight. Felt is also used with

page_text: glue in fixing glass into the windows, and in some cases felt or cloth
is fixed by suitable glue to the surface of the iron to prevent noise and
to form the lining.
The doors are made of sheet iron hammered or pressed into the
desired shape with the required rebates, and the parts are suitably
fastened together so as to form the sliding space for windows where
required.
The step is fixed to the door or to the hinges thereof, so to be
brought in position for use when the door is opened, and to be carried
under the carriage by the shutting of the door.
The driver's seat and an extra back seat (when required) are by
preference made of corrugated or embossed iron, bent into the required
form, and fixed to the body or framing by means of clips and spring
catches or thumbscrews, so as to be removable at pleasure.
The cushions and padded linings are made complete in one or more
parts, and secured as required by means of cords, wires, or chains passed
through hems, loops, or eyelet holes, and fixed to the carriage body.
Carriage bodies constructed in the manner above stated may bo
suspended on ordinary springs and mounted on ordinary wheels, but they
are by preference suspended and mounted on my improved arrange-
ment of springs and spring wheels. In some cases one end of volute.
steel springs is fixed to the carriage body or its bearers, and to the
other end of the springs is fixed the axles. In other cases spring
wheels are formed by connecting the nave or axle box and the tyre
of the wheel to one or more volute steel springs used instead of spokes.
On the nave of a wheel is formed into a spring nave by placing a volute
spring between the interior of the nave, which is hollow, and the axle
box. Or curved steel spring spokes may be used. These spring wheels
may also be used with ordinary carriages and springs.
Carriages constructed in the manner above described may also be
11

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Edwards in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 30th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDWARDS, of, Park Road Villas, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, 5
Civil Engineer, sond greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing dato tho Thirtieth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give 1
and grant unto me, tho said George Edwards, Her special licenco
that I, the said George Edwards, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Edwards, 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 1
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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CABS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Edwards, my executors or 2
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after a
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Edwards, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of " Improvements in Cabs and other Vehicles or
Carriages" relates in the first place to improvements in the heads of
cabs or other vehicles or carriages, and in apparatus for opening and
closing them, and locking them in any required position,

page_text: The head or cover is constructed in one or more parts of corrugated,
embossed, or plain sheet iron, or with a rigid framework of iron or other
suitable material covered with canvas, leather, or other suitable material.
The head is by preference fastened to the body of the carriage by two
spring bolt hinges, each formed by a spiral or volute spring passing
round a hinge bolt and being fixed to or bearing against the head at
one end and the carriage body at the other end, thereby counter-
balancing the weight of the head. Or the head may be otherwise
fastened to the body and counterbalanced as required. And it is
O retained in any required position by a spring stop and rack, which are
so arranged that by pulling a cord or other suitable connection the
spring stop may be first drawn out of the rack and afterwards the head
raised or lowered by a continued action on the said cord or connections.
The luggage rack is furnished with locking gear, so that when raised to
5 receive luggage it acts upon a hook or bolt, and thereby locks the two
parts of the head together or to the carriage body.
And my Invention has reference in the second place to the construc-
tion of the main parts of cabs and other vehicles or carriages of plain,
corrugated, or embossed sheet iron instead of wood as usual, thereby
O obtaining greater lightness of construction with increased facilitics for
manufacturing and putting the parts together. The iron may be
corrugated by any known means and in one or more sheets, and this
is rendered stiff by bending it into the required form, curves both
longitudinally and transversely being generally preferred to angles. This
5 bending may be effected by three pairs of rollers, the centre pair of
which is moveable by a lover or screw acted upon by a template made
to suit the various curves required to be bent, whether in the same
or in opposite directions. Or it may be effected by jaws and pressers,
the movement of the latter being regulated by a template. Instead of
0 using corrugated iron for the purpose, plain sheet iron is stiffened by
embossing grooves, panels, diamonds, or other suitable pattern therein,
and bending the edges to form curves, wired or doubled edges. L, T, H,
and other suitably shaped iron may be used for stiffening the sheet iron,
and for forming grooves and rebates for doors and windows, but generally
5 I prefer to bend for the purpose the sheet iron used in the construction
of the carriage.

page_text: The various parts are joined together with bolts, rivets, or solder, and
between the pieces are inserted rolls or bands of india-rubber or felt to
prevent noise and to make the joints air-tight. Felt is also used with
glue in fixing glass into the windows, and in some cases felt or cloth
is fixed by suitable glue to the surface of the iron to prevent noise and 5
to form the lining.
The doors are made of sheet iron hammered or pressed into the
desired shape with the required rebates, and the parts are suitably
fastened together so as to form the sliding space for windows where
required.
The step is fixed to the door or to the hinges thereof so as to be
brought in position for use when the door is opened, and to be carried
under the carriage by the shutting of the door.
1
The driver's seat and an extra back seat (when required) are by pro-
ference made of corrugated or embossed iron, bent into the required 1
form, and fixed to the body or framing by means of clips and spring
catches or thumbscrews so as to be removeable at pleasure.
The cushions and padded linings are made complete in one or more
parts and secured as required by means of cords, wires, or chains passed
through hems, loops, or eyclet holes, and fixed to the carriage body.
2
Carriage bodies constructed in the manner above stated may be sus-
pended on ordinary springs and mounted on ordinary wheels, but they
are by preference suspended and mounted on my improved arrangement
of springs and spring wheels. In some cases one end of the volute steel
spring is fixed to the carriage body or its bearers and to the other end 2
of the spring is fixed the axle. In other cases spring wheels are formed
by connecting the nave or axle box and the tyre of the wheel to one or
more volute steel springs used instead of spokes. Or the nave of a wheel
is formed into a spring nave by placing a volute spring between the
interior of the nave, which is hollow, and the axle box. Or curved steel 3
spring spokes may be used. The spring wheels may also be used with
ordinary carriages and springs.
Carriages constructed in the manner above described may also be
made on small scale to serve as models or tous

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed.
by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented
carriages (with some details thereof) constructed in the manner above
rofourod to
•
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a carriage body with the hoods (or two
parts forming the head) open; Fig. 2 is a similar clevation of an entire
cab or carriage with the head closed; Fig. 3 is a half horizontal section
through the line A, B, of Fig. 2 and a half plan of the under carriage.
In these Figures are shewn my improvements applied to the con-
struction of a cab capable of being used either closed or open, of carrying
luggage on the top when closed, and as mounted on my improved springs
and spring wheels.
•
Fig. 4 represents my improvements as applied to the construction of
the body and hoods (forming the head) of a kind of landau or family
carriage in sheet iron. The full lines shew the carriage as open and
the dotted lines as closed.
Fig. 5 represents my improvements as applied to the construction of
a kind of single brougham adapted to open and close at top and mounted
on my improved spring wheels. The full lines show the carriage as
open and the dotted lines as closed. In this case the hood is made in
two parts, the part over the door falling over the other part when open
as shewn, the front and door windows sliding out of grooves in the
usual manner and joining or meeting my improved hood at the top:
Figures 6 and 7 represent the details on an enlarged scale of my
improved spring bolt hinge for fastening the hoods or head to the body
of a carriage, and for counterbalancing the weight of the head; Fig. 8
shews the details of spring stop and rack for holding the hood in any
required position, and of the air-tight joint between the hood and the
body of the carriage.
Fig. 9 shews the details of luggage rack and locking gear connected

page_text: Fig. 10 is a diagram in plan shewing a step fixed to the hinge of a
door. The dotted lines show the door shut and the step carried under
the carriage body.
!
Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 are section, plans, and development of volute
steel springs used instead of ordinary elliptical or C springs; Fig. 15 is
a diagram of a spring wheel formed by connecting the nave or axle box
and the tyre of the wheel by volute steel springs.
Figures 16 and 17 are a section and plan of a voluto steel spring nave
of a wheel.
a, a, are stiff moveable hoods of sheet iron, by preference made of the
shape shewn in the Figures, but they may be made square or of other
suitable shape, having suitable windows where required either fixed or
sliding. These hoods forming the head of the carriage are fastened to
the body by the hinge c and can be raised or lowered as required.
d is the door into which the window e slides; fis the step fixed to the
door, and passing under the carriage by the shutting of the door as
shown by the dotted lines f'; g is a side light; h, driver's scat fastened
to the framing by thumbscrews i, i; k is an extra back seat fastened
in a similar manner or otherwise; shows the luggage rack raised, and
m shows the same lowered; n, n, are raised mouldings embossed in sheet
iron (of which the carriage body is composed) adapted for stiffening as
required and for ornamental purposes, they may be of any convenient
sectional form and design. The carriago bodies, hoods, driver's scat,
and other seats are made of sheet iron in parts stamped and embossed
into shape and soldered together, and the scats, risers, backs, and
bottom are so arranged as to render the whole adequately stiff without
the aid of framing, such as is ordinarily used in carriage building. The
hood is rendered stiff by doubling a part of it as shewn at a¹, Fig. 9.
With reference to other parts belonging to these carriages x, Fig. 9, is a
hook for locking the two hoods y, y', together; is an india-rubber
roller connected to the hook ; C is a spring; D is the luggage rack in
a raised position, the dotted lines shewing the same lowered; E is a rod
passing under the roller when the rack is raised to receive luggage;
F is an excentric brought over the end of the hook x by the raising of
the rack D. By the aid of the dotted lines it will be readily seen that
when the rack D is raised on one or both hoods either the rod E or the
=

page_text: excentric F will prevent the hook z from being unlocked, but when
the rack is lowered the hook x may be unlocked by pulling the string G
or the hook directly; H is an india-rubber tube or roller squeezed
between the two hoods to make their junction at the top of the carriage
water-tight. I (Fig. 6) is a spiral spring passing round a hinge bolt J,
which by bearing against the carriage body K at one end and the hood
Lat the other counterbalances the weight of the hood; M is a volute
spring passing round and fixed to a hinge bolt N, which is fixed to the
carriage, the other end is fixed to the hood at P; Q (Fig. 8) is a cord;
R, pulleys; S, guide tube; T, T, T", india-rubber roller, lever, and
spring catch connected to the hood U; V are grooves or cavities sunk
in the carriage body to form a rack for adjusting the hood, but any other
suitable form of rack may be used. By pulling the cord Q in tho
direction in which the hood is required to be moved the catch T is first
pulled out of the groove or rack V, and a continued pull on the cord
in the required direction moves the hood up or down as the case may
be, and when the cord Q is released the spring catch T enters the
ncarest groove and retains the hood in the required position; X is an
india-rubber tube roll of felt or other suitable elastic material placed
in such a position that when the hood is raised to its full height the
stop W connected to the carriage body Y and the stop W' connected to
the hood U squeeze the said tube or roll between them, and form an
air and water tight joint between the hood and the carriage body; Z
(Fig. 10) is a step fixed to a door hinge Z' in such a manner that when
the door is open as shewn by the full lines it is in position for uso, and
when the door is closed it is carried under the carriage body as shewn
by the dotted lines; O is a volute spring fastened to the axle. p and the
body 6 and is made of flat steel of the required width and thickness,
and sometimes widened at one end as shewn by the development q
(Fig. 11) and the section (Fig. 13). Sometimes this spring is mado
thicker at one end than at the other; r is a volute spring fastened in any
convenient way to the axle box s at one end, and at the other end to the
hollow navet of the wheel, and being of the required width and thick-
ness makes the spring nave and gives elasticity to the wheel; u aro
5 curved steel spring spokes made of flat steel of the required width and
thickness and of curves more or less than a semicircle, elliptical, S shape,
serpentine, circular, oval, or compound curves, the flat sido placed as
shewn at right angles with the plane of the wheel, or in any required
"
8

page_text: And lastly. The various improvements herein-before described as
applied to the construction of cabs and carriages either full sized or on
a smaller scale as models or toys.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edwards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
GEORGE EDWARDS. (L.s.)..