IMPROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gadd, of 64, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PERAMBULATORS."
Scaled the 29th December 1874, and dated the 3rd July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gadd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd July 1874.
I; WILLIAM GADD, of 64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Consulting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ix-
PROVEMENTS IN PERAMBULATORS," to be as follows:-
The objects of these improvements are to so construct the handles of
perambulators and similar carriages or vehicles as to enable them to be
used for the purpose of pushing the vehicle in either direction without
involving the necessity of turning the carriage round, so that the
occupant can be caused to ride backward or forward at pleasure whether
the vehicle is travelling in one direction or another, thus avoiding much
inconvenience from wind and weather.

page_text: Perambulators as at present in use are for the most part constructed
with rods or arms, which are fixed to the body of the vehicle or to tho
framing thereof, and which rods or arms have a cross piece of turned
wood or other material extending from one to the other, thus forming a
handle by which the carriage can be pushed forward in front of the
person in charge. It will casily be seen that by this arrangement whon
windy, dusty, or rainy weather prevails, and it is desired to travel against
such wind, dust, or rain, great inconvenience is suffered by the child or
other occupant of the porambulator. Certain attempts have been made
to remedy this evil by constructing the body of the vehicle so as to be 1
capable of being turned round upon an axis fixed on the framing; but it
is obvious that in such cases it becomes necessary to turn the occupant
round with the carriage, which in a gale of wind or storm of rain must
needs bo troublesome and difficult and in some cases impracticable to the
young people who may have the carriage and child in charge.
To remedy these defects and to effect my improvements I construct
the rods and handle of the perambulator in such manner that they are
capable of being changed in position from the back to the front of the
vehicle, or "vice versa," so as to enable the attendants to push the same
in front of themselves, whether such vehicle is placed in the backward ?
or forward position. This may be accomplished in several different ways
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, as
though different in detail they are identical in principle.
By one method I place by preference a shaft or spindle in suitable.
bearings underneath or through the body of the perambulator, or at any
convenient part thereof, passing from side to side, and projecting suffi-
ciently on each side to allow of the rods or arms being attached thereto,
such rods or arms extending on the outside (by preference in a straight
lino in this case) as far as desired and terminating with the cross peico
or handle. By so arranging the rods or arms they with the handle are 3
free to turn over the vehicle from one side to the other, the shaft or
spindle forming a centre or fulcrum.
I provide on each side suitable stops and spring or other catclics,
latchics, screws, bolts, or some other analagous mechanical contrivanco
for keeping the rods or arms in the desired position until required to be 3
disengaged for the purpose of change by the operator.

page_text: Another method of effecting my improvements is by constructing the
rods or handles so as to be capable of being detached from the back of
the vehicle and attached to the front thereof, both ends being provided
with suitable slots, rings, holes, grooves, or rods wherein or whercon such
rods or handle can be placed at will, and capable of being secured at
either end by means analagous to those used in the former case, the
difference being that instead of the rods or handle being turned over the
vehicle they are detached from one end and attached to the other end of
the carriage by the means there provided.
These improvements are also applicable to those perambulators of a
larger kind where the handles are used for the purpose of pulling instead
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Gadd in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GADD, of 64, Barton's Arcade, Manchester, Consulting Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eight
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Gadd, Her special licence, that I,
the said William Gadd, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Gadd, 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 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 PERAMBULATORS,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Gadd,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: 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 I, the said William Gadd, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be 8
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
-
Perambulators as now used are for the most part constructed with
rods, which are fixed to the body of the vehicle or to the framing thercof,
and which rods have a cross piece of turned wood or other material 1
extending from one to the other, thus forming a handle fixed to the
carriage, whereby the same can be pushed in front of the person in
charge. It will be seen that by this arrangement when windy or dusty
or rainy weather prevails there is no protection for the child or other
occupant of the perambulator when travelling against such wind, dust, 1
or rain. Certain attempts have been made to remedy this evil by con-
structing the body of the vehicle separately from the framing thereof in
such manner as to be capable of turning round upon such framing; but
it will be seen that by this process it becomes necessary to turn the
occupant round with the body of the vehicle (except such occupant be a
taken out), which in the stormy weather, rendering the operation
necessary, is, to say the least, troublesome, and requires a person of
sufficient strength and care to perform the same.
To produce a simpler method and to effect any improvements I con-
struct and arrange the rods and handles of the perambulator in such
manner that they are capable of being changed from back to front or
from end to end of the vehicle so as to enable the attendants to push the
same in front of them, whether such be placed in the backward or
forward position. This may be accomplished in various ways without
departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, as though
different in detail they are identical in principle.
By one method I by preference place a shaft or spindle in suitable
bearings underneath or through the body of the perambulator, passing
from side to side thereof. To each end of this shaft or spindle I attach
rods, arms, or levers, which may be straight, curved, or of any
suitable
shape, such rods, arms, or levers extending as far as desired and termi-
nating with the cross piece or handle. By so arranging the rods with.

page_text: the handle they are free to turn over the vehicle from one side or end to
the other, the shaft or spindle forming a centre or fulcrum.
I provide on each side suitable stops and spring or other catches,
latches, screws, bolts, or other analagous mechanical means for keeping
the rods, arms, or levers in the desired position until required to be
disengaged for the purpose of change.
Another method of effecting my improvements is to construct the
rods and handles so as to be capable of being disengaged entirely or
detached from the body of tho perambulator, and to provide in the front
and back of the vehicle suitable slots, rings, holes, tubes, or grooves,
wherein such rods or handles can be placed at will at either end and
capable of being secured temporarily at either end by means of spring
or other catches, latches, stops, screws, bolts, or other analogous means,
as in the former case, or it may be partially accomplished by fixing the
rods, arms, or levers, carrying the handle permanently in the front of
the occupant of the vehicle instead of at the back, as at present in
vogue.

page_text: With regard to the second method of carrying into effect my improve-
ments if will easily be seen without the aid of Drawings that a detached
handle of any suitable shape can be slided into grooves, tubes, rings, or
slots either underneath the carriage or other convenient part thereof
alternately at either end as desired, and held there by means analagous
to those in the former caso at the will of the operator.
Having thus described my improvements and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact details shown and described, as variations
may be made in them without departing from the peculiar character of
my Invention; but what I do claim is tho so arranging and constructing
the rods, arms, or levers carrying the cross piece or handle, in perambu-
lators or other similar vehicles, in such a manner that they are capablo
of turning over or turning round from front to back in combination
with any means of fastening the same in position for the purpose of
pushing the vehicle in either direction, whether backwards or forwards,
substantially as described. Also the use of a detached handle, whether
carried on rods or otherwise, which shall be capable of being temporarily
attached to either back or front of the perambulator, in combination with
any means of holding or fastening the samo in position for the purpose
of pushing the vehicle in the one direction or the other, as desired,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gadd, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy. ¦
Witness,
JOSEPH BRADSHAW.
WILLIAM GADD. (L.S.)