AN IMPROVED WINDOW FOR USE IN HANSOM CABS, AND for OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powell, of Hoath Town, near Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Coach Body Maker, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED WINDOW FOR USE IN HANSOM CABS, AND for
OTHER PURPOSES.”
Sealed the 2nd June 1874, and dated the 11th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1874.
I, EDWIN POWELL, of Heath Town, near Wolverhampton, in the
County of Stafford, Coach Body Maker, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED WINDOW FOR USE IN HANSOM CABS, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-'
My Invention has for its object a means whereby the said window
may be opened with as little intrusion as possible into the cab or other
compartment, or interior place, and consists as follows:-I form the
window of two or more divisions arranged vertically below each other,

page_text: and made so that each divison will slide up over the one above it. The
top division is hinged at its upper side to the top of the window opening,
and at each side of the said top or hinged division is fixed a frame
having as many grooves forming slides as there are sliding divisions.
The said slides extend from about the top of the hinged division to the
bottom thereof. When the hinged division is closed it lies against
bearings on each side of the said hinged division. Immediately below
the slides on the said top or hinged division, and in a right line there-
with, other and corresponding slides are fixed to the sides of the window
opening, and the sliding divisions are lowered into these last-mentioned
slidos so as to close up the window opening.
A cord, chain, wire, or similar connection is fastened to the bottom
division and passed from thence in an upward direction, and at an angle
inwards from the plane of the window, and over a pulley or guide at or
about the level of the top of the said window opening, and terminating
in any convenient manner. When the cord is pulled the bottom
division rises alone until it comes in contact with a stop on the division
immediately above, when it raises the said division immediately above,
and the latter division coming in contact with the division immediately
above it a third division is raised, and so on until the last division to be
raised comes in contact with a stop on the top or hinged division, when
the sliding movement ceases. At this point the sliding divisions have
all been drawn up into their respective slides, fixed to the said top or
hinged division, and the hinged division together with the sliding
divisions is free to turn on the hinges of the top or hinged division and
to be pulled up under 'the roof or ceiling, or into the compartment or
interior place, as the case may be.
In closing the window the action is exactly the reverse to what has
just been described, namely, the said cord, chain, wire, or similar con-
nection is gradually slackened out and the hinged division together
with the sliding divisions falls by its own weight into its position
against the said bearers; then as the cord continues to slacken tho
sliding divisions descend into the lower slides, and the window is thus
completely closed.
One sliding division only, or any number of such sliding divisions may
be used as required to suit particular circumstances. By this arrange-
ment the only intrusion into the cab or other compartment or interior

page_text: place is confined solely to that space which is contained in a segment of
a circle having the hinges for its centre, and the distance from the
hinges to the lower periphery of the bottom sliding division when pulled
up into its upper slides for its radius. The radius of this segment may
be made so short as that the intrusion may be of no inconvenience
whatever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Powell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
POWELL, of Heath Town, near Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Coach Body Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin Powell, Her special
licence that I, the said Edwin Powell, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Powell, 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 "AN IMPROVED WINDOW
FOR USE IN HANSOM CABS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Powell, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Powell, do hereby declare

page_text: .
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
(that is to say) :-
My Invention has for its object a means whereby the said window
may be opened completely or closed with as little intrusion as possible
into the cab, or other compartment, or interior place, and consists as
follows: I form the window of two or more divisions arranged
vertically or at an inclination from the vertical line below each other,
and made so that each division will slide up over the one above it. The
top division is hinged at its upper side to the top of the window opening,
and at each side of the said top or hinged division is fixed a frame
having as many grooves forming slides as there are sliding divisions.
The said slides extend from about the top of the hinged division to the
bottom thereof. When the hinged division is closed it lies against
bearings on each side of the said hinged division. Immediately below
the slides on the said top or hinged division, or at a little distance below
(as is preferable and will be presently explained), and in a right line
therewith other and corresponding slides are fixed to the sides of the
window opening, and the sliding divisions are lowered into these last-
mentioned slides so as to close up the window opening.
A cord, chain, wire, or similar connection is fastened to the bottom
division at the centre thereof horizontally, and preferably at or about the
.centre thereof vertically, and passed from thence in an upward direction
and at an angle inwards from the plane of the window, and over a
pulley or guide preferably, though not necessarily, at or about the level
of the top of the said window opening, and terminating in any con-
venient manner. When the cord or similar connection is pulled the
bottom division rises alone until it comes in contact with a stop on the
division immediately above, when it raises the said division immediately
above, and the latter division coming in contact with a stop on the
division immediately above it a third division is raised, and so on until
the last division to be raised comes in contact with a stop on the top or
hinged division when the sliding movement ceases. At this point the
sliding divisions have all been drawn up into their respective slides fixed
to the said top or hinged division, and the hinged division, together
with the sliding divisions, is free to turn on the hinges of the top or
hinged division and to be pulled up under the roof or ceiling, or into the
compartment or interior place, as the case may be.

page_text: division, one sliding division only is shewn. The ends of the slides G, G,
are shewn shaped wider at I, I, in order to receive the projections of the
angle pieces K, K, which are fixed to the sliding division H, and thus
prevent the sliding division H from falling out at any time. The top
division E when closed lios against a bearing or shoulder L on each 5
side.
In order to prevent any mischief from being done in case the doors are
shut after the window is closed the sliding division is not provided with
a guide inside the cab but simply lies against a bearing or shoulder M
on each side. If the doors are closed against the window it gives back 1
and no harm is done.
The tops of the doors are shewn at N. When the doors are closed
first (as is usual) the sliding division is lowered on to them, as shewn
in Figures 1 and 2. O is a leather strap connected at P to a centre
stile in the sliding division H and passed over a pulley R. The said 1
strap o terminates in an ordinary ring and loop S, and when the window
is pulled open the ring is held by a stud, pin, or hook fixed at the back
of the roof, or in any convenient position. Narrow strips of leather,
brass, or iron, T, T, are fixed one to each side of the top division between
it and the sliding division H to prevent the latter division from rubbing
against the former. U is a stop for the sliding division H, and acts also
as a distance piece for the slides G, G.
Referring to Figure 2 it will now be readily seen that when the
strap O is pulled at the loop S the acuteness of the angle at P will
cause the sliding division H to slide up until the top comes against the
stop U, and that then the top division E will be pulled round on its
hinges F, F, F, as shown at Figure 3; and that exactly the reverse
action will take place on slackening the strap O in order to close the
window. V, V, are ventilators.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, are corresponding views to those before
described, but illustrate another modification of my improved window as
applied to a Hansom cab. It will only be necessary to describe those
parts which are different to the modification last described. In this
modification I fix slides G', G', (preferably of sheet iron or brass) to
receive the sliding division. The backs of the said slides G¹, G', (sce g,
Figures 6 and 7) are shaped at the top, as shewn, to give a lead to the
sliding division in entering, and are slightly nearer to the bearing or

page_text: shoulder M' at the bottom than at any other part so as to prevent the
sliding division from rattling. The backs of the slides G³, G¹, may be
made to act as springs by being formed of steel and fastened only at the
upper part of the curved part when they will allow the sliding division
to give back in case the doors are shut against it when the window is
closed. W, W, are catches shaped as shewn, and hinged to the slidos
on top division at X, X. I use the catches W, W, to prevent the
sliding division from falling out at any time when it is not in position to.
enter the slides G¹, G¹. One of the catches W is shewn retaining the
sliding division in Figure 7, and is shewn to have released it in Figure 6,
by the extended part having caught against the rounded end of one of
the slides G'. When the sliding division is pulled up and the top
division swung back the sliding division will be again retained by the
catches W, W, which being hinged to the slides on the top division
swing back with the top division. Stops U¹, U¹, are shewn to prevent
the sliding division from being raised higher than is required in order to
be retained by the catches W, W. The catches W, W, may bo
dispensed with, but in that case it is preferable to make the lead of the
bottom slides wider. A light iron or brass rod may be used fixed either
vertically or horizontally to receive the connection of the strap and
dispense with the centro stile in either modification.
It is evident that more than one sliding division may be used for the
first described modification by simply making the lower sliding division
in cach case to lift the higher, as before described, and providing as
many bearings or shoulders M as may be required, and it is also evident
that more than one sliding division may be used for the second described
modification by making the lower sliding division in each case to lift the
higher as before described, and by carrying the bottom slides for all tho
sliding divisions but the lowest only as high as that point where the
> lower slide for the lowest division commences to be nearly parallel with
the bearing or shoulder M'; the lowest division would then guide tho
other sliding divisions into their lower slides. All the lower slides may
be slightly closer together at the bottom than at the top to prevent the
divisions from rattling, and the sliding divisions may be thinned down
at the parts entering the slides in order to give a greater lead.
The modifications, as illustrated, are shewn inclined at an angle from
the vertical line, but they may be arranged vertically if desired.
Window shutters may of course be arranged in similar manner as has

page_text: been described for windows proper, and the method requires no further
explanation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed, I
declare that as various parts are old and have before been used for the t
same or similar purposes I do not claim any of the parts themselves,
but what I claim is the improved window formed by combining the
parts in the manners described, whether the improvement is used in the
window proper or in the shutter part; and as other modifications will
be readily suggested by this Specification and the Drawings to a coach- 1
builder, joiner, or mechanician, I claim such modifications also as follow
obviously from and are in harmony with the description of this my
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our 1
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Patent Offloc,
Wolverhampton.
EDWIN POWELL. (L.S.)