Improvements in Carriage Doors Applicable Especially to Hansom's Cabs, Victorias, and Bath Chairs.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 2nd Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriage Doors Applicable Especially to Hansom's
Cabs, Victorias, and Bath Chairs.
I, JOHN FULLER SPONG of the Junior Traveller's Club, 96 and 97 Piccadilly in the
County of Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE DOORS APPLICABLE ESPECIALLY TO HANSOMS CABS,
VICTORIAS AND BATH CHAIRS to be as follows:
This invention has for its object improvements in carriage doors applicable
especially to doors for Hansom Cabs, for four wheeled carriages known as Victorias,
and for Bath Chairs. My improvements consist in the arrangement of the carriage
door, and of the window contained within the door and in the means I employ to
raise and lower the said window.
I build the carriage door in the shape of a segment of a circle and with the con-
cavity directed forwards and within this door I place a movable window which must
likewise be fashioned to the same arc, so that it may be compactly contained within
the door and that when raised it will work in a groove moulded to a corresponding
curve in the framework of the head of the carriage. In Hansom Cabs in order
that the Coachman may be enabled to raise or lower the window without dismounting
from the box-seat of the carriage I make use of two endless bands or chains which
are led over a set of wheels in the head of the cab, and which bands are geared into
two cog-wheels fixed on a spindle placed in the after part of the head of the vehicle.
These bands or endless chains have secured on them two stops or catches which
will at a certain position of the bands, when the door is closed, engage with two
butions or studs placed at either upper corner of the window contained within the
door and which bands are so trained that when the buttons and catches are linked
together the window may be forced to travel up and down the aforesaid curve in the
head of the vehicle by revolving the spindle above-mentioned.

page_text: This spindle may be actuated by any convenient mechanism such as a lever or
key geared to an independent wheel fixed on the spindle. Or, two single weighted
cords or chains with similar catches at their lower ends may be provided, the upper
ends of the cords being twisted upon the spindle when the window is required to be
raised.
I pivot the door below the footboard at or about the level of the step of the cab
in order to admit of easy ingress and exit to and from the carriage.
Dated this 1st day of December 1886.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriage Doors Applicable Especially to Hansom's
Cabs, Victorias, and Bath Chairs.
I, JOHN FULLER SPONG of the Junior Traveller's Club, 96 and 97 Piccadilly in
the County of Middlesex Gentleman, 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 has for its object improvements in carriage doors applicable
especially to doors for Hansom Cabs, for four wheeled carriages known as Victorias,
and for Bath chairs. My improvements consist in the arrangement of the carriage
door, and of the window contained within the door and in the means 1 employ to
raise and lower the said window.
I build the carriage door in the shape of a segment of a circle and with the con-
cavity directed forwards and within this door I place a moveable window which must
likewise be fashioned to the same arc, so that it may be compactly contained within
the door and that when raised it will work in a groove moulded to a corresponding
curve in the framework of the head of the carriage. In Hansom cabs in order that
the Coachman may be enabled to raise or lower the window without dismounting
from the box-seat of the carriage I make use of two endless bands or chains which are
led over a set of wheels in the head of the cab, and which bands are geared into two
cog-wheels fixed on a spindle placed in the after part of the head of the vehicle.
These bands or endless chains have secured on them two stops or catches which
will at a certain position of the bands, when the door is closed, engage with two

page_text: buttons or studs placed at either upper corner of the window contained within the
door and which bands are so trained that when the buttons and catches are linked
together the window may be forced to travel up and down the aforesaid curve in the
head of the vehicle by revolving the spindle above-mentioned.
This spindle may be actuated by any convenient mechanism such as a lever or key
geared to an independent wheel fixed on the spindle. Or, two single weighted cords
or chains with similar catches at their lower ends may be provided, the upper ends of
the cords being twisted upon the spindle when the window is required to be raised.
I pivot the door below the footboard at or about the level of the step of the cab in
order to admit of easy ingress and exit to and from the carriage.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal and vertical section of the body of a Hansom cab and
shows my invention applied thereto. Figure 2 is a front elevation of the body.
Figure 3 is an underside view of a portion of the body and footboard. Figures 4
and 5 relate to a modification and show a portion of the apparatus at the upper part
of the back of the cab. Figure 6 relates to another modification and also illustrates
apparatus provided at the back of the cab. Figure 7 relates to a further modification
and shews a vertical section of the cab door and part of the cab body. Figure 8 is a
section on the line 7. 7. in Figure 7.
f
In Figures 1, 2 and 3 a is the cab body. bis the concave door, it is formed to the
arc of a circle and encloses within it the glass c which is fashioned to the same curve.
à d are irons which project downwards from the door on either side they pass through
slots in the bottom or footboard and are pivotted at their lower ends to the step
irons ee The irons d d are also connected across the vehicle by two horizontal cross
bars. The door opens forwards to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.
fis a horizontal axis at the back of the cab; it has upon it two chain pulleys
and around these endless chains g g pass. The endless chains are led by guide
pulleys along the roof of the cab and then down the sides to the pulleys at h h which
are fixed at the lower ends of the curved window guides i i. Each chain has a lug
fixed upon it so as to project laterally, and the frame in which the window glass is set
has corresponding lugs projecting from it on either side at the top; these latter lugs
as the door is closed come in immediately over the lugs on the chains g, g. 2 is a
drum fixed on the axis f, and endless cord is fixed to its, periphery and wound
upon it. The cord is brought through the hack of the cab and is within easy reach
of the driver; by pulling it he rotates the axis f and this puts in motion the endless
chains g, 9-
In this way the window glass may be raised by the driver and simi-
larly when raised it may be lowered. The window can also be raised by the
passenger in the cab by means of a strap attached to the glass frame in the
usual way.
Also I provide an endless chain by which the driver from his seat can open and
close the door. The chain is attached to the periphery of a wheel m (see also
Figure 6) and on the axis of this roller there is a handle m' outside the cab at the
back; by this the driver turns the wheel m. The chain is led by guide pulleys as
indicated to a pulley n whence it returns; and the chain is attached to the upper
cross bar connecting the side irons d d of the door. This same cross bar as the door
is opened and closed comes against springs oo which cause the door to come gently
to rest.
In Figures 4 and 5 the wheel is dispensed with and in its place two drums ƒ³ ƒ³
are mounted on the axis cords are wound on these in opposite directions; by
pulling one or other of these cords the axis is turned as required either to open or
to close the window.
In Figure 6 the axis is no longer employed but in its place there is a drum p
capable of being turned from the outside by a handle which however is not

page_text: represented. Both the chains g g are passed around this drum and are pinned to its
periphery. One turn or less of the drum serves to raise or to lower the window.
In Figures 7 and 8 endless chains qq for raising and lowering the glass are
mounted upon the door one on either side; they pass around chain pinions r
mounted on a tubular axis s. s, surrounding the lower cross bar connecting the
irons d d. The irons d d are made hollow as is shewn by the section Figure 7 and
the chains pass within them. The glass frame is attached to the chains qg by
its lower edge and the window is moved up and down by the chains which are them-
selves put in motion by rotating the axis s. This is done by means of another endless
chain which passes around and gears with another chain pinion u on the axis s.
The chain is operated from the drivers seat as already explained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The improvement substantially as described consisting in building carriage doors
in the shape of a segment of a circle and with the concavity directed forwards and
providing within such doors movable windows fashioned to the same are as herein
set forth.
2. The combination substantially as described consisting of the concave door with
its window and the bands or chains and guide rollers the whole so arranged as to
enable the driver to raise and to lower the window from the driving seat at the back
of the vehicle as herein set forth.
Dated this and d...
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