IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLETREES FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes, both of
Derby, in the County of Derby, Carriage Builders, for the Invention
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Holmes and
Arthur Holmes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 6th October 1869.
We, HERBERT HOLMES and ARTHUR HOLMES, both. of Derby, in the
County of Derby, Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLETREES FOR CARRIAGES AND
OTHER VEHICLES," to be as follows :-
It has hitherto been the practice to set the body of vehicles on the
axletrees at a distance inside the wheels, whereby the bottom or flooring
is compelled to be of a narrow width. This mode of construction brings
the centre of gravity so much lower or narrower in the centre of the
axletrees of the vehicle that a great tendency to rock or oscillate is given
to it, and thus renders it, particularly when unevenly loaded, unpleasant
for the passengers who are riding inside.

page_text: Now our Invention consists in making the axletrees with a bracket or
projection on either the upper or under side at each end of a curved or
bent shape, so that they project over or under the naves of the wheels;
by this arrangement we obtain space for a greater width of flooring or
seat, and ensure a steadier carriage, especially when a top load is carried,
without increasing the width of the gauge of the wheels on the road.
Another advantage is that the carriage is less liable to be. upset, and
again a greater rigidity of the axletree is obtained by reason of the
weight being directly over the bearing parts. Springs may be fitted to the
brackets for supporting the carriage body, or the body may rest direct
upon the brackets. The brackets may be bolted or otherwise secured to
the axletrees instead of being made in a piece with them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HERBERT
HOLMES and ARTHUR HOLMES, both of Derby, in the County of Derby,
Carriage Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes, Her special
licence that we, the said Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLETREES FOR CARRIAGES
AND OTHER VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Herbert Holmes and Arthur Holmes, or one of us, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or either
of our, or their, or one of their hands and seals; should particularly

page_text: 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 the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Herbert Holmes and Arthur
Holmes, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, referenco
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :—
It has hitherto been the practice to set the body of vehicles on the
axletrees at a distance inside the wheels, whereby the bottom or flooring
is compelled to be of a narrow width. This mode of construction
necessitates either that the centre of gravity be much higher than is
desirable, thereby causing the vehicle to rock or oscillate, or else that
the floor or bottom of the carriage body be made much narrower than is
convenient to the passengers.
Now our Invention consists in making the axletrees with a bracket or
projection on either the upper or under side at each end of a curved or
bent shape, so that they project over or under the naves of the wheels;
by this arrangement we obtain space for a greater width both of flooring
and seat, and ensure a steadier carriage, especially when a top load is
carried, without increasing the width of the gauge of the wheels on the
road. Another advantage is that the carriage is less liable to be upset,
and again a greater rigidity of the axletree is obtained by reason of the
weight being directly over the bearing parts. Springs may be fitted to
the brackets for supporting the carriage body, or the body may rest
direct upon the brackets.
The manner in which we propose to carry our Invention into effect is
represented in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a back
elevation of a four-wheeled vehicle, and Figure 2 a side elevation of the
same.
a, a, are the brackets or projections, one near each end of the axletree b
and on the upper part of it, for receiving the springs c, c, at their central
parts. The springs are secured in place by straps or clips d, d, which
embrace them. We prefer to place a block of wood e on the flat portion
of each bracket to act as a key, so that when the springs are bolted or
clipped to the brackets the nuts can be screwed up tight to hold them
firm. We prefer to employ the straps or clips d, d, as when holes are

page_text: made through the plates ff, and the springs c, c, both of them are
much weakened, but we are at liberty to have holes in them if we find
it necessary. In many cases, as when the axletree is applied to carts or
other vehicles to which springs are not employed, it is preferable to
secure them in that manner.
Figure 3 and 4 are views of a vehicle to which the brackets a, a, arc
arranged to come under the axletree so that the body of the carriage can
be adjusted at a lower level than if they are arranged above. The
employment of brackets on the axletrees of carriages and other vehicles
is of great utility, as they admit of the bottom or flooring of the carriage
being much wider than it is possible to obtain without extending the
<listance between the wheels. It also serves to steady the vehicle and
prevent the oscillations of the body when going over pitched roads when
a top load is being carried. If the brackets are arranged on the
axletrees of omnibuses, such as those used on ordinary roads, or for those
used on tram rails, it is advisable to make the bodies of the same width
as the outer edge of the tyres on the road are apart, so that more room
is gained between the seats, and thus passengers wishing to get in or
out are able to pass the other passengers who are sitting down without
that annoyance now so generally felt by all users of those vehicles. It
will be observed that the brackets are bent or curved so that they.
project over the naves or hubs of the wheels as before mentionod.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, we declare that we claim as
our Invention, making axletrees of carriages and other vehicles with
brackets or projections, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Herbert Holmes and Arthur
Holmes, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of
April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
Seventy