IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CARRIAGE HEADS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Wood, of Folkestone, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CARRIAGE HEADS."
'
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Wood at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1879.
ALFRED WOOD, of Folkestone, in the County of Kent.
THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CARRIAGE HEADS."
This Invention relates to an improved mechanical arrangement whereby the
opening and closing of the heads of landaus and other carriages is noiselessly
effected with the utmost ease, at the same time enabling the carriage bodies to be
constructed without making any special provision for the reception of the self-
acting fittings, and the labour of adjusting the latter being thereby lessened; also
to render the opened heads free from the common danger of rising spontaneously
when the carriage is traversing rough and uneven roads, and to enable the cant
rails when the head is pressed down to its fullest extent to lie in a perfectly straight
line with the face of the pillars. The arrangement also allows of the top halves of
the head joints taking up their proper position, that is to say, in a line parallel with
the face of the pillars.
My Invention consists in employing at each of the four pillars of a landau
a supporting bracket placed below and extending beyond the axis of the pillar
hinge. At the outer end of the bracket a boss is formed to receive an adjustable
screw pin fitted with a check nut, by the adjustment of which the force of the spiral
spring connected to it is concentrated more or less on the axis of the pillar hinge,
thereby securely locking the opened head, and effectually preventing it from rising
of its own accord.
Jointed to the adjustable screw-pin is a single hollow case, the interior of which
is lined with leather or other material to prevent the grating and jingling noise of
the spiral spring contained within, which noise is inevitable when telescope tubes
are used, or when the spring is in close contact with them.
The spiral spring enclosed in the case supplies the necessary power for supporting
the head when closed, and for balancing it when being lowered. It is held in its

page_text: longitudinal position at the back of the upper pillar by a threaded stem stepped
into or jointed at its top end to an adjustable screw-pin which is screwed into the
pillar flap of cant rail hinge, or to its equivalent.
This threaded stem receives a tension nut to regulate the pressure of the spring,
or the pressure may be applied in any other desirable manner. Below the nut the
stem is encased in a plug of wood or other substance entering and closely fitting
the interior of the leather lined case, and there forms the top bearing for the spiral
spring.
The screw pin above referred to affords another means of increasing or
diminishing the lock to the lowered head by raising or depressing the upper
end of the spiral spring, according as its force may be required to lift the head
or to press it down.
By the position of the spring and its nonconnection with any appliance acting
upon the cant rails, the usual outside head joints may be dispensed with if desired,
but the head without them not being so stable it is preferable to use them, in
which case I employ a cant rail hinge specially constructed with a divisional
socket formed in the solid; or I may use the ordinary rulejoint-hinge with a
detached socket.
Working within this socket is a revolving prop, and into this prop is screwed an
adjustable lever, by the regulation of which the radial movement of the head joint
can be increased or diminished to suit the varying lengths of the quarters of large
or small sized bodies.
A link jointed to the adjustable prop lever, and its upper end entering a cavity
formed in the top flap of cant rail hinge, and jointed thereto above its axis, forms
the connection with the revolving prop, onto which is squared the upper half of the
head joint, the two being firmly fixed together by a threaded cap nut. It is
therefore obvious that the slightest movement given to the cant rails by the action
of opening the head is directly imparted to the head joints, which instantly effects
the striking or folding back of their centre knuckle joints, thereby removing their
support, and imposing the whole weight of the head upon the spiral springs, the
tension of which can be so regulated as to perfectly balance the head in its progress
downwards, where it will remain owing to the force of the compressed springs
being concentrated direct or nearly so upon the axis of the pillar hinges, and so
neutralizing their power to raise the head until a slight upward impetus is purposely
given to it, when the coils of the compressed springs immediately commence to
expand, and thereby impel the depressed head to gradually assume its closed
form.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th June
1880.
ALFRED WOOD, of Folkestone, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CARRIAGE HEADS."
This Invention relates to an improved mechanical arrangement whereby the
opening and closing of the heads of landaus and other carriages is noiselessly
effected with the utmost ease, at the same time enabling the carriage bodies to be
constructed without making any special provision for the reception of the self-acting
fittings, and the labor of adjusting the latter being thereby lessened; also to render
the opened beads free from the common danger of rising spontaneously when the
carriage is traversing rough and uneven roads, and to enable the cant rails, when
the head is pressed down to its fullest extent, to lie in a perfectly straight line with
the face of the pillars. The arrangement also allows of the top halves of the head
joints taking up their proper positions, that is to say, in a line parallel with the
face of the pillars. The accompanying Drawings shew the manner in which the
above improvements are carried out. Figures 1, 2, and 3 are side views of the
upper parts of the hind quarters of landaus, shewing those parts of the head in their
closed form, but without their leather and cloth coverings and the slats which
support their respective hoop sticks; Figure 4 represents Figure 2 when that part
of the head is lying fully opened; Figures 5 and 6 are side and back views
shewing a method of applying the pressure to the spiral spring, different to that
shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3; Figures 7 and 8 are detached views of parts of
Figures 1 and 2, shewing the side view of the cant rail hinge when closed, and the
back view when open. Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
My Invention consists in employing at each of the four pillars of a landau a
supporting bracket A screwed into the pillar hinge B below and beyond its axis, or
it may be fixed to the hinge or to the body frame by any other means, but I prefer
that the stem should be screwed as this mode of attachment imparts a universal-
joint movement as it were to the case E, by reason of the screw-pin C to which the
case is pin-jointed, turning in an opposite sphere to that of the bracket and so
preventing all friction or its action from being impaired by any improper adjust-
ment. A boss is formed at the outer end of bracket A to receive the adjustable
screw-pin C, which is screwed into the boss of the bracket A and by raising which
the force of the spiral spring D connected to it by the case E is concentrated upon
the axis of the pillar hinge B, as shewn in Figure 4 of the Drawings, thereby
securely locking the opened head and effectually preventing it from rising of its
own accord.
F, F, are check nuts (Figure 1), one placed above and the other below bracket A,
or both may be dispensed with if desired, as in Figures 2 and 3. Jointed to the
adjustable screw-pin C is the single hollow metal case E, the interior of which is
lined with leather or other suitable material to prevent the grating and jingling
noise occasioned by the spiral spring D enclosed within, this noise being inevitable
when unlined telescope tubes are used or when the spring is in close contact there-
with. A narrow slot cut in the shell of the case E (Figures 2 and 3) allows the
latter to slide over the screw-pin G in pillar H when the head is in course of being
lowered The spiral spring D supports the head when closed and balances it when
being lowered; the spring obtains the power to effect this by its bottom bearing
being pivoted a short distance from the axis of pillar hinge B; an arrangement of
centres by which the head as it turns upon its joint B causes the spiral spring D to

page_text: .
become compressed and so gathers power to sustain the weight imposed upon it,
and assists the upward motion of the head when it is required to be closed. The
spring D is held in its longitudinal position at the back of the upper pillars H by
the threaded stem I jointed at its top end when a wood plug is used, as shewn in
Figure 1 of the Drawings, and at its bottom end when a metal one is employed, as
shewn in Figure 2 to the adjustable screw-pin G screwed into the pillar flap of
cant-rail hinge or to its equivalent. The threaded stem I receives a tension nut K
to regulate the pressure of the spiral spring D, or the pressure may be applied in
any desirable manner. Below the tension nut K the stem is encased in a plug L
which enters and closely fits the interior of the leather lined case E and there forms
the top bearing of the spiral spring D. The leather washer M (Figure 2) is screwed
onto the threaded stem I and tightly fits the interior of plug L to prevent any
noise arising from the stem and plug coming in contact The adjustable screw-
pin G affords another means of increasing or diminishing the strength of the "lock"
to the lowered head, for by its adjustment the top bearing of the spiral spring can
be raised or depressed according as its force may be required either to lift the head
or to press it down; when the former operation has to be performed the screw pin G
should be turned into or towards the upper pillar H and the turning of the screw
pin reversed if the depressed head should be too lightly "locked" or shew any
tendency to rise. When a metal plug is employed, as in Figure 2, the outer end of
the screw-pin G has its sides flattened to enable it to pass through the threaded
stem I to which it is pin-jointed, and also that the slots in case E and plug L
should be of the narrowest width possible.
Figure 5 18 a side view, and Figure 6 a back view of a different method of
applying the pressure to the spiral spring, to that above described and shewn in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings. a represents a plate fixed to back of pillar;
b, a projecting lug or side flap; c, plug which may be rivetted or screwed into side
flap b, d, tension screw screwed into plug c, and regulating the pressure of the
spiral spring; e, metal washer. When this plan is adopted the slot is cut in the
side of the case which contains the spring. By the position of the spring D and
its non connection with any appliance acting upon the cant rail N, the opening of
the head is rendered less laborious by reason of the spring not offering any resistance
to the raising of the cant rails, and moreover it enables the head joints to be
dispensed with if desired. When not employing head joints the head in its closed
form is upheld by the spring D in conjunction with a locking appliance constructed
and carried out in the following manner :-Fixed to the upper pillar H, as shewn
in Figure 3 of the Drawings, is the fulcrum plate O which embraces the rock
lever P and the spring q. A lip or tooth formed on the lower arm of the lever P
is normally forced by the spring g into gear with a corresponding slot or indent cut
in the locking piece R affixed to the top of the side of the metal case E; it will
therefore be apparent that by reason of the upper pillar H and the case E being
pivotted on separate centres, the head cannot move either towards the doorway or
from it until the tooth of the lever P is withdrawn from the catch R. To effect
this the upper arm of the lever P is slightly curved at the top, and made to press
against an eccentrically shaped bearing on the back end of the cant rail N. By
this arrangeinent the cant rail on being opened turns upon its hinge or joint, and
forces back the upper arm of the rock lever P, simultaneously withdrawing the lip
or tooth on the lower arm from the slot or indent in the locking piece R, and
thereby liberating the head, which can then descend into the position shewn in
Figure 4 of the Drawings. But as the above described plan for upholding the
head does not give that rigid stability which the head joints afford, I prefer that
they should be used. For this purpose I employ a cant rail hinge specially
constructed as hereafter described. The application of my appliance to a barouche
or other similar carriage head is precisely the same as to a landau, except that
being without cant rails the cant rail hinges and their several parts are not required.
When outside head joints are not employed the head is upheld in the same manner

page_text: as the landau head, before described and shewn in Figure 3 of the Drawings. The
working of the rock lever P on its fulcrum plate O which is fixed to the upper
pillar of a landau and acted upon by the turning of the cant mail on its hinged
joint, is accomplished in this description of head by fixing the fulcrum plates to
the back of the front hoop stick, and attaching cords to either the upper or lower
arms of the rock levers. These cords on being gently pulled by the occupants of the
carriage withdraw the lips or teeth from the slots or indents in the locking pieces
affixed to the tops of the sides of the spring cases, and thus permits the head to
fall or be folded down. In order that the said cords should act easily and simul-
taneously upon the rock levers placed at each side of the front hoop stick, it is
intended to combine their action by joining them and passing them through small
rollers fixed to either of the hoop sticks, and arranged to follow any direction
which may be considered to lead to the most convenient part of the head or body
frame. On applying outside joints to this kind of head the ordinary method may
be followed of squareing on the lower limbs of the joints to the ends of a roller
bar, and supporting the head by applying the spiral springs and their appendages
in the same manner as above described and shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawings, or a coiled spring may be placed around the roller bar, one end being
fixed to the back of the body frame and the other end to the bar; by the rolling
of this as the head is lowered the springs are put in tension, and so assist the
upward and downward motion of the head. The aforesaid roller bar is made to
work in sockets fixed to the inside of the back rail or to the elbows of the body
frame, and is operated upon from the inside by a lever connected thereto, in such
manner that by moving it in the direction of the doorway the lower limbs of the
head joints are carried therewith, and so causes their centre knuckle joints to be
"struck" or carried inwards, thereby removing their support from the closed head
which may then be lowered at will. The cant rail hinge J before mentioned is
constructed with a divisional socket S formed in the solid, or the ordinary rule-
joint hinge with a detached socket may be used. Working within the socket S is
the revolving prop T into which is screwed the adjustable lever U, and by its
adjustment the radial movement of the head joint V to which it is connected can
be increased by screwing in or shortening the lever, and diminished by screwing
out or lengthening the lever; by this means the head joint V can be set to any
required angle to suit the varying lengths of the quarters of large or small sized
bodies, and to allow of the top half of the head joint always taking up its proper
position with the opened head, that is to say, in a line parallel with the face of the
pillars. The link W_formed with a jaw at its lower end and jointed to the
adjustable prop lever U, and its upper end entering a cavity formed in the top flap
of cant rail hinge J and pin-jointed thereto above its axis forms the connection
with the revolving prop T, on to the outside end of which is squared the upper
half of the head joint V, the two being firmly fixed together by a threaded cap
nut;
it is therefore obvious that the slightest movement given to the cant rails N
by the action of opening the head is directly imparted to the head joints V, which
instantly effects the "striking" or folding inwards of their centre knuckle joints,
thereby removing their support and imposing the whole weight of the head upon
the spiral springs D, the tension of which can be so regulated as to perfectly
balance the head in its progress downwards where it will remain owing to the force
of the compressed springs being concentrated directly or nearly so upon the axis
of the pillar hinges B, and so neutralizing their power to raise the head until a
slight upward impetus is purposely given to it when the compressed coils of the
springs immediately commence to expand, and thereby impel the depressed head
to gradually assume its closed form.
It will be understood in the above description of the construction and application
of my improvements that each pillar of a landau is fitted up in the same manner
5 according to the kind of appliance used.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my Invention,

page_text: I would observe that what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as my
Invention is,
The construction of apparatus for assisting the opening and closing of the falling
heads of carriages, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn by Figures 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Wood, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
ALFRED WOOD. (L.S.)