Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to Perambulators and for other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept.. 1891
AL DIECITICATION.
Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to Perambulators
and for other purposes.
I, THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER, of 14 & 15 Brittox, Devizes, in the County of
Wilts, House Furnisher, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to the supporting of various bodies or things upon spiral
5 springs in a state of tension and I will describe it as applied to the bodies of
perambulators and similar carriages and to the seats or saddles of velocipedes.
As applied to a perambulator body I prefer to connect the axles which carry the
wheels with a double curved framing one for each side of the vehicle; one end of
each of these frames may be curled over and carry the handle, it is then carried
down to the bottom and connected with the first axle. then along and connected to
the second axle, then curved round and brought back approximately horizontally
and the end connected to itself near the commencement. Or, instead of each side
being carried round complete in itself they may with advantage and increased
rigidity to the structure be crossed centrally and if desired rivetted together at the
cross so that the course of each portion of the frame would be from the handle
downwards to the first axle then across to the opposite side of the second axle then
up and back horizontally upon the opposite side of the vehicle. If desired instead
of carrying the frame back again upon the top horizontal line it may be carried up
at the second end of the vehicle so as to carry a second handle and with this
arrangement these frames may be either crossed or not as desired. If this arrange-
ment of the second handle is adapted some means equivalent to the horizontal
portion of the frame may be provided for connecting the upper ends together.
Upon the bottom of the carriage body I prefer to place a bracket with arms
curving down and then branching horizontally or thereabouts and connecting these
branches by helical springs with any suitable portion of the frame, the springs by
preference, though not necessarily, lying more or less vertically. Two of these
brackets and springs would be employed. To prevent the carriage body from
springing about too much one or more springs, straps or equivalent may be connected
with any suitable parts of the carriage body and framing, the pull of such spring
being preferably in the opposite direction to that of the others. Any suitable
description of spring may be employed as for example rubber but usually a plain
steel spiral spring will answer the purpose.
The foregoing arrangement is a satisfactory one but where for any reason it is not
lesired to use the springs as above described their place may be taken by straps
nd either no spring at all may be employed or the curves of the frame or the
brackets may be made to act as springs, or springs may be otherwise employed so
s to obtain the desired result. By any of these arrangements the carriage body is
upported just underneath where the child sits, an arrangement which I find
esirable as it enables a very light carriage body to be employed. Nevertheless
desired it will be evident that I may arrange the brackets or other supporting
evices so as to support the carriage body in other parts either as well as or
dependently of the above described arrangement.
In applying this invention to the seats or saddles of velocipedes I may connect
ith the usual plate or frame which carries the leather of the saddle a suitable
amber, preferably three, depending spiral rubber or other suitable springs which
e connected with a suitable arm or bracket which would connect the saddle with
[Price 8d.1

page_text: the machine by an L pin or equivalent device in the usual manner.
If desired an
additional spring operating in the opposite direction may be employed to prevent
too much freedom as already described in relation to the carriage body.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to Perambulators
and for other purposes.
I, THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER, of 14 & 15 Brittox, Devizes, in the County of
Wilts, House Furnisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the supporting of various bodies or things upon spiral
springs in a state of tension and I will describe it as applied to the bodies of
perambulators and similar carriages.
As applied to a perambulator body I prefer to connect the axles which carry the
wheels with a double curved framing one for each side of the vehicle; one end of
each of these frames may be curled over and carry the handle, it is then carried
down to the bottom and connected with the first axle, then along and connected to
the second axle, then curved round and brought back approximately horizontally
and the end connected to itself near the commencement. Or, instead of each side
being carried round complete in itself they may with advantage and increased
rigidity to the structure be crossed centrally and if desired rivetted together at the
cross so that the course of each portion of the frame would be from the handle
downwards to the first axle then across to the opposite side of the second axle then
up and back horizontally upon the opposite side of the vehicle. If desired instead
of carrying the frame back again upon the top horizontal line it may be carried up
at the second end of the vehicle so as to carry a second handle and with this
arrangement these frames may be either crossed or not as desired. If this arrange-
ment of the second handle is adopted some means equivalent to the horizontal
portion of the frame may be provided for connecting the upper ends together.
Upon the bottom of the carriage body I prefer to place a bracket with arms
curving down and then branching horizontally or thereabouts and connecting these
branches by helical springs with any suitable portion of the frame, the springs by
preference, though not necessarily, lying more or less vertically. Two of these
brackets and springs would be employed. To prevent the carriage body from
springing about too much one or more springs, straps or equivalent may be connected
with any suitable parts of the carriage body and framing, the pull of such spring
being preferably in the opposite direction to that of the others. Any suitable
description of spring may be employed as for example rubber but usually a plain
steel spiral spring will answer the purpose.
By any of these arrangements the carriage body is supported just underneath
where the child sits, an arrangement which I find desirable as it enables a very
light carriage body to be employed. Nevertheless if desired it will be evident that
I may arrange the brackets or other supporting devices so as to support the
carriage body in other parts either as well as or independently of the above
described arrangement.
The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic perspective view of a perambulator
constructed according to this invention.
A are the axles of any suitable shape and size, and B B' are the double curved

page_text: framings, the course of each of which from one end to the other can be readily
traced in the drawing; thus B commencing at the end of the handle-bar C nearest
to the spectator travels in a line approximately parallel with the axis of the vehicle
and is rivetted or otherwise secured to the first axle A and then crosses over
5 diagonally and is secured to the opposite end of the next axle A and rising up again
in a plane approximately parallel with the axis of the vehicle, terminates at the
end of the second handle Cremote from the spectator. The other framing B₁ is
similarly arranged but connects with the opposite ends of the handles and axles.
At the point where the frames B B'cross they are secured together as by rivetting
or bolting and by the arrangement the frames and axles form an exceedingly rigid
and strong support for the rest of the vehicle.
At the centre of the perambulator body H is a pivot D which carries the side
levers E whose other ends are pivotted respectively to the handle-bars C and C'.
At a convenient position on each of these levers E is connected a spring F whose
other end is carried by a bracket G extending from the perambulator body H to
which it is securely fastened; there are thus four levers, four springs, and four
projecting brackets, or the brackets would probably consist of two plates of metal
to the four ends of which the springs are connected. The springs Fare in a state
of tension because when the weight is placed in the perambulator body Halthough
the centre D is thus brought down and the ends of the levers lowered it will be seen
that the brackets G being secured to the carriage body descend at the same speed
as the pivots D, but being greatly nearer to the fulera of the levers E the springs
will be distended as the brackets G descend faster than the corresponding portion
of the levers E at which the springs are attached. The body of the vehicle is
therefore carried upon these four helical springs which are in a state of tension.
Where it is desired to keep the levers, springs etc. at the bottom of the
perambulator body, this may be done in a manner similar to that shown in the
drawing, but the pivot D would be placed at the bottom of the body, say on
the outside of the central well, and the brackets G would be curved downwards so
as to give the necessary distance to the springs between them and the levers E
which latter instead of having their outer ends pivotted as shown in the drawing
at the level of the handles would be pivotted lower down upon the frames B B¹ as
will be well understood. This arrangement is also a convenient one where it is
desired to have a handle only at one end of the vehicle, as the frame B or B' at the
non-handle end need not be carried upwards beyond the fulcrum of the levers E.
Instead of the single pivot D the levers E may, if desired, be shortened, and two
pivots D on each side of the body placed at a convenient distance apart, may be
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
ion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
laim is :-
1. In a perambulator or similar vehicle the crossing of the frames substantially
s described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2. In a perambulator or similar vehicle a frame such as B B₁ the two parts
hereof are crossed and connected together at the point of intersection and also
ecured respectively to the opposite ends of the axles substantially as described and
lustrated in the drawing.
3. In a perambulator or similar vehicle the combination with the carriage body of
vers such as E pivotted thereto and to the framing or handles and springs such
F connected with the said levers and with the carriage body the whole
bstantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
4. In a perambulator or similar vehicle the combination with the carriage body H
levers E springs F brackets G and framing B B' the whole constructed and
erating substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
companying drawing.

page_text: 5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete vehicle
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 7th day of Auroust 1001
THOMAS B. SLOPER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.