Improvements in Perambulators, Invalids' Wheeled Chairs, and other like Carriages.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 2nd May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd June, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perambulators, Invalids' Wheeled Chairs, and
other like Carriages.
We, CHARLES RICHARD GORMAN, of 397, Bolton Road, Small Heath, Warwickshire,
Engineer, and CHARLES JOSEPH FLETCHER, of Hampton Works, Hampton Street,
Birmingham, Warwickshire, Perambulator Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The first object of our said Invention is to so construct the axle bearings of the
wheels of perambulators, invalids' wheeled chairs and other like carriages that they
can be readily adjusted or renewed when worn. This we effect as follows:-For
simplicity we will restrict the description to the axle bearing of one of the side wheels.
We provide on the axle for the wheel to revolve upon a pair of loose conical
collars the outside or conical surfaces of the said collars being inclined towards each
other. The part of the axle on which the collars are placed is made preferably almost
circular in cross section part of the circle being cut away so as to form a flat or flats,
a corresponding flat part or parts being formed on the collars to prevent their turning ;
or the said part of the axle may be made square or provided with a feather to fit in
the collars for the same purpose. Each end of the central hole in the hub of the
wheel is made preferably conical similar to the collars on which it turns. The collar
further from the end of the axle is prevented from moving sideways by a swell on the
axle. A screwed nut or other equivalent means is provided on the end of the axle by
neans of which the collar nearest thereto can be moved along the axle towards the
other collar so that by adjusting the distance between the collars any play in the bearing
can be taken up. The said collars are made preferably of cast iron chilled on their
conical faces so as not to require to be turned or finished by machining and as they
are each made of the same size and shape they can be readily changed end for end
when worn or readily renewed.
The second part of our said Invention consists in an improved method of lacing the
spokes of those wheels for the said carriages as have their spokes formed of a piece of
wire which is threaded through the sides of the hub and through the rim or tyre.
An ordinary method of forming the said laced wheels is to thread the wire
through a hole on one side of the hub and then through a hole in the rim or
tyre and then through another hole in the same side of the hub and to finish
one side of the hub before threading the wire through the holes at the other
side. According to our Invention we thread the wire alternately through both sides
of the hub by passing it first through a hole on one side of the hub then through a
hole in the rim or tyre and then through a hole at the other side of the hub and so on

page_text: all round the wheel until finished. By this means the wheel is rendered stronger and
more rigid than are such wheels as ordinarily made.
The third part of our said Invention has reference to the folding hoods of the said
carriages and consists in the application and use of a spring or springs to such hoods
so that they can be caused to automatically fly open when required and thereby be
maintained in their open position without the aid of side folding extension rods as
ordinarily employed. Various methods may according to our Invention be adopted
of applying a spring or springs to such hoods for the purposes described. For instance
a coiled wire spring may be employed at each side of the hood where the ends of
the-shaped frames are hinged together the axes of the springs being parallel to the
axes of the hinges and the free ends of the springs being connected to the said
carriage and to the outer-shaped frame. When the hood is closed the said springs
are coiled farther round their axes ready to partly uncoil again to cause the hood to
fly open when required. A strap or other suitable means at the back of the hood
maintains it in its closed position against the springs. Or a V-shaped flat metal spring
may be employed and arranged to operate similarly to the coiled spring above
described.
The fourth part of our said Invention consists of an improvement on or an addition
to an invention made by us for which provisional protection has been granted bearing
date the 8th day of May 1886, No. 6243.
The first part of our said provisionally protected Invention which we will call our
prior Invention described an upwardly extending handle shaft by turning which on
its axis the front wheels or wheel of a perambulator, invalids' wheeled chair or other
like carriage were or was caused to turn for the purpose of steering such carriage.
As in our prior Invention we had provided no means for causing the moveable axle to
automatically regain its normal position parallel to the fixed axle, after having been
turned out of that position, the carriage when moving required constant attention to
enable it to travel in a straight or comparatively straight line.
The object of this part of our present Invention is to provide means whereby the
carriage will be automatically steered in a straight or comparitively straight line
without requiring attention on the part of the attendant.
a
According to one arrangement of carrying out this said part of our present Invention
we provide on the handle shaft a cam having a V-shaped recess in its underside.
Immediately beneath the said cam and fixed to the carriage is a bracket having
projection matching the said recessed part of the cam. A spiral or other spring
presses the handle shaft endwise and keeps the cam in contact with the said projection.
When the handle shaft is in its normal position, that is to say when the axles of the
wheels are parallel to each other so that the carriage will move in a straight line, the
said projection fits in the said recess and in which it is maintained by the action of
the said spring, but when the handle shaft is turned on its axis to steer the carriage to
the right or left hand either one or other of the inclined sides of the V-shaped recess
act upon the said projection and compress the spring, which latter, when the handle
is released, causes the V-shaped recess to regain its normal position on the projection
and the carriage to be automatically steered in a straight line.
It will be evident that this part of our present Invention may be considerably
modified without departing from the nature of the same; for instance instead of
a V-shaped recess on the cam and a corresponding projection on the said bracket,
a projection may be provided on the cam and a V-shaped recess on the bracket. Or a
flat, recessed, or projecting part may be provided on the periphery of the cam and a
corresponding spring finger provided on the bracket to act upon such flat, recessed,
or projecting part of the cam and maintain the handle shaft in its normal position.
Dated this 30th day of June 1886.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
128, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perambulators, Invalids' Wheeled Chairs, and
other like Carriages.
We, CHARLES RICHARD GORMAN, of 397, Bolton Road, Small Heath, Warwickshire,
Engineer, and CHARLES JOSEPH FLETCHER, of Hampton Works, Hampton Street,
Birmingham, Warwickshire, Perambulator Manufacturer, 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 :-
-
The first object of our said Invention is to so construct the axle bearings of the
wheels of perambulators, invalids wheeled chairs and other like carriages that they
can be readily adjusted or renewed when worn. This we effect as follows:-For
simplicity we will restrict the description to the axle bearing of one of the side wheels.
We provide on the axle for the wheel to revolve upon a pair of loose conical collars
the outside or conical surfaces of the said collars being inclined towards each other.
The part of the axle on which the collars are placed is made preferably almost circular
in cross section part of the circle being cut away so as to form a flat or flats, a
corresponding flat part or parts being formed on the collars to prevent their turning;
or the said part of the axle may be made square or provided with a feather to fit in
the collars for the same purpose. Each end of the central hole of the hub of the
wheel is made preferably conical similar to the collars on which it turns. The collar
further from the end of the axle is prevented from moving sideways by a swell on the
axle. A screwed nut or other equivalent means is provided on the end of the axle by
means of which the collar nearest thereto can be moved along the axle towards the
other collar so that by adjusting the distance between the collars any play in the
bearing can be taken up. The said collars are made preferably of cast iron chilled on
their conical faces so as not to require to be turned or finished by machining and as
they are each made of the same size and shape they can be readily changed end for
end when worn or readily renewed.
This part of our Invention is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 on the accompanying
drawings Fig. 1 being a longitudinal section through the hub and Fig. 2 an end
elevation of the same Fig. 3 representing one of the conical collars separately.
a is the axle having a flat part a¹ and 61, 62 are the two conical collars free to slide
on the axle a but prevented from turning by the flat part a¹. The collars 61, 62 fit into
the ends of the central hole c¹ in the hub c the ends of which are also made conical.
By means of the lock nuts d, d the distance between the collars b', b² can be adjusted
so as to allow of the wheel hub turning freely thereon, the collar & being prevented
from moving by the swell a² on the axle, and by removing the lock nuts d, d the
collars can be readily removed and changed end for end or readily renewed.
The second part of our said Invention consists in an improved method of lacing the
spokes of those wheels for the said carriages as have their spokes formed of a piece of
wire which is threaded through the sides of the hub and through the rim or tyre. An

page_text: ordinary method of forming the said laced wheels is to thread the wire through a hole
on one side of the hub and then through a hole in the rim or tyre and then through
another hole in the same side of the hub and to finish one side of the hub before
threading the wire through the holes at the other side. According to our Invention
we thread the wire alternately through both sides of the hub by passing it first
through a hole on one side of the hub then through a hole in the rim or tyre and then
through a hole at the other side of the hub and so on all round the wheel until
finished. By this means the wheel is rendered stronger and more rigid than are such
wheels as ordinarily made. Fig. 4 on the accompanying drawings represents a
perambulator wheel having sixteen spokes formed of wire laced through the rim and
hub in our improved manner. e is the hub of the wheel and fis the rim. In forming
the spokes the wire is first laced say through the hole in the rim, then through
the hole e¹ in one side of the hub then through the holes in the rim then through
the hole on the opposite side of the hub and so on through the sides of the hub
alternately until the wheel is finished.
For
The third part of our said Invention has reference to the folding hoods of the said
carriages and consists in the application and use of a spring or springs to such
hoods so that they can be caused to automatically fly open when required and thereby
be maintained in their open position without the aid of side folding extension rods as
ordinarily employed. Various methods may according to our Invention be adopted
of applying a spring or springs to such hoods for the purposes described.
instance a coiled wire spring may be employed at each side of the hood where the
ends of the -shaped frames are hinged together the axes of the springs being parallel
to the axes of the hinges and the free ends of the springs being connected to the said
carriage and to the outer -shaped frame. When the hood is closed the said springs
are coiled farther round their axes ready to partly uncoil again to cause the hood to
fly open when required. A strap or other suitable means at the back of the hood
maintains it in its closed position against the springs. Or a V-shaped flat metal spring
may be employed and arranged to operate similarly to the coiled spring above described.
This part of our Invention is illustrated by Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 of which Fig. 5
represents in sectional elevation and Fig. 6 in plan on an enlarged scale, the jointed
ends of one side of the n-shaped frames of a hood with a coiled spring applied and
Figs. 7 and 8 represent the hood on a perambulator body. g¹, g², g³ are the n-shaped
frames hinged together at their outer ends. The outer ends of the first or outer
frame gare fixed to pins h which are free to turn in brackets i fixed to the body j.
The frames g, g³ are free to turn on the pins h. Around each of the pins his a
coiled spring similar to a clock spring the inner end of which is connected to the
pin and the outer end to the brackets i. When the hood is closed the springs k
are coiled farther round the pins h ready to partly uncoil again to cause the hood to
fly open when required. By means of the strap 7 fixed to the back of the body and
having a hole to take on to the buttons m on the top of the frames the hood can be
fixed either closed or wholly so (see Figs. 7 and 8).
The fourth part of our said Invention consists of an improvement on or an addition
to an invention made by us for which provisional protection has been granted bearing
date the 8th day of May 1866, No. 6243.
The first part of our said provisionally protected Invention which we will call our
prior Invention described an upwardly extending handle shaft by turning which on
its axis the front wheels or wheel of a perambulator, invalids' wheeled chair or other
like carriage were or was caused to turn for the purpose of steering such carriage. As
in our prior Invention we had provided no means for causing the moveable axle to
automatically regain its normal position parallel to the fixed axle, after having been
turned out of that position, the carriage when moving required constant attention to
enable it to travel in a straight or comparatively straight line.
The object of this part of our present invention is to provide means whereby the
carriage will be automatically steered in a straight or comparatively straight line
without requiring attention on the part of the attendant.
According to one arrangement of carrying out this said part of our present

page_text: Invention we provide on the handle shaft a cam having a V-shaped recess in its
underside. Immediately beneath the said cam and fixed to the carriage is a bracket
having a projection matching the said recessed part of the cam. A spiral or other
spring presses the handle shaft endwise and keeps the cam in contact with the said
projection. When the handle shaft is in its normal position, that is to say when the
axles of the wheels are parallel to each other so that the carriage will move in a
straight line, the said projection fits in the said recess and in which it is maintained
by the action of the said spring, but when the handle shaft is turned on its axis to
steer the carriage to the right or left hand either one or other of the inclined sides of
the V-shaped recess act upon the said projection and compress the spring, which
latter, when the handle is released, causes the V-shaped recess to regain its normal
position on the projection and the carriage to be automatically steered in a straight
line.
It will be evident that this part of our present Invention may be considerably modified
without departing from the nature of the same; for instance instead of a V-shaped recess
on the cam and a corresponding projection on the said bracket, a projection may be
provided on the cam and a V-shaped recess on the bracket. Or a flat, recessed or
projecting part may be provided on the periphery of the cam and a corresponding
spring finger provided on the bracket to act upon such flat, recessed, or projecting
part of the cam and maintain the handle shaft in its normal position. An example of
this part of our Invention is illustrated applied to a perambulator in Fig. 9 and shewn
on an enlarged scale by Figs. 10 and 11; another example being shewn by Figs. 12, 13
and 14. o is the handle shaft by which the front axle a is turned in steering. On
this shaft is fixed the camp having a V-shaped projection p' on its underside. When
the perambulator is moving in a straight line the projection pl takes into a corresponding
recess in the bracket where it is maintained by the spring, but when the handle
shaft o is turned to steer the perambulator either to the right or left hand (see Fig. 11)
either one or other of the inclined sides of the V-shaped recess 7 act upon the
projection p and compress the spring, which latter, when the handle is released
causes the handle shaft to regain its normal position and for the perambulator to be
automatically steered in a straight line. In the example illustrated by Figs. 12, 13
and 14 the camp has a recessed part p² on its periphery against the inclined sides of
which the spring finger s acts to bring the handle shaft o into its normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:
1st. Axle bearings for the wheels of perambulators, invalids' wheeled chairs and
other like carriages constructed substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2nd. A perambulator or other like carriage wheel having the spokes formed of wire
laced through the rim and through the hub in the manner hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In folding hoods of perambulators, invalids' wheeled chairs and other like
carriages the application and use of a spring or springs substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
4th. Steering mechanism for perambulators, invalids' wheeled chairs and other like
carriages constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated L: 00:1
CA1 1007
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.