Improvements in and relating to Carriage Hoods.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Lelt, 18th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Carriage Hoods.
I, JEAN ANTOINE VALENTIN LAPORTE, of Vic-Bigorre, in the Republic of
France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a carriage hood constructed so that when not in use it
can be folded up entirely in the back of the seat without leaving any trace of its
existence.
In case the improved hood is used on a carriage for seating two persons it is
constructed in principle as hereinafter described.
My improved hood comprises the following essential parts, that is to say a
gallery, two rear columus, the frame with the material forming the hood proper,
two front columns and the back constituting a box.
The gallery is made of wrought iron and supports the back which forms a box.
It is fixed to the carriage seat by legs.
The two rear columns are fixed to the seat by a square shoulder at their lower
part, and to the gallery by collars at their upper part.
These columns are made hollow and arranged for receiving the lower part of the
rods of the frame when the hood is open. They have at their upper extremity
three longitudinal slits for enabling a collar to be tightened, in order to fix the
blocks of the frame in their position and to ensure at the same time the perfect
rigidity of the back.
The said collar serves moreover for fixing a rod which retains the straps of the
hood from the rear extremity.
The frame of the hood with the rule joint is fixed on the one hand to the hollow
rear columns by means of the cylindrical blocks which engage with an opening in
these columns. The said blocks are provided with vertical rods connected by a
transverse rod to form the framework of the lower part of the hood.
Each of the above-mentioned blocks presents two bossages, one of which is
provided with a small retaining tappet serving to support momentarily, the
framework at the extremity of the columns, when it is desired to open the hood
and before tightening the collars. The second bossage receives by means of an
articulation a rod which is nearly horizontal and extends in front of the carriage,
this rod being made of two parts joined to a sleeve, one part being fitted to enter
the other when the hood is folded up.
The extremities of the said rod are connected by a hollow rod extending in the
transverse direction of the carriage and slit throughout its length. This hollow
rod serves for the reception of two rods of about three millimetres in diameter. One
of these rods serves to retain the straps, while the other rod to retain the material
forming the hood proper. The latter is provided at its extremities with a milled
nut to prevent its displacement in the transverse tube above referred to.
Upon the aforesaid sleeve are articulated two rods, one of which extending
upwards, forms an intermediate frame of the hood with a cross-piece. In like
manner articulated rods form with their cross piece a second frame.
The front columns are fixed to the seat in the same manner as the rear columus
and to the gallery by milled nuts. They are arranged for receiving stretchers for
the framework when the hood is open.
Screws placed at the upper extremity of each column keep the stretchers in their
proper position.

page_text: The back forming a box made of sheet copper or other metal padded exteriorly
on its two faces consists of two parts connected at their lower part by means of a
hinge, it is arranged to serve for the reception of the upper part of the rods
of the framework and the material forming the hood proper. This back is held
closed by two catches provided each at one of its extremities and by a buckle
placed in the middle of its upper part.
For opening the hood I first open the back, and raise the rods of the frame with
the material forming the hood proper to the height necessary for the above-
mentioned two blocks to be flush with the upper edge of the rear columus. At
this moment the retaining tappets intervene and support the frame, thus enabling
the aforesaid collars to be tightened.
Then the front frames of the hood are lowered, each being put in its proper
position while the material of the hood is stretched, and the stretcher rods placed
in the front columns are hooked to the aforesaid rods so as to provide a second
point of support for the hood. It is now only necessary to fasten the material
forming the hood proper in front below by hooks, behind the seats also by hooks,
and on the two sides of the hood nearly in the middle by slit rings. I then
close the box of the back by means of a buckle in the middle and by catches placed
on the sides.
The inverse operation is effected with equal facility.
For closing the hood I first open the box constituting the back, unfasten the
material forming the hood proper, unhook the stretchers to place them in the front
columns, fold up the frames, move them to the rear, and put them together, then
loosen the collars and raise the retaining tappets, which enables the blocks and
uprights to be introduced into the hollow rear columns, to such an extent that the
transverse rods and also the material forming the hood proper are completely
placed in the back, whereupon the latter is closed.
A hood, which I have above described for a carriage seating two persons, is
composed in the case of a carriage seating four places of all the essential parts set
forth.
In this instance the diameter of the rear columns is augmented in accordance
with the re-inforced rods of the frame which have to be placed therein. The
frame is formed of two lower rods placed one in front and the other at the rear of
the carriage; three or four intermediate rods which are bent back and articulated
to the lower rods; and lastly a rod which is bent back and fixed upon the blocks.
These blocks are similar to those used in the first case, but in lieu of two bossages
they have three; there are four front columns in lieu of two and the back remains
similar to that employed in the first described arrangement.
Dated this 18th day of April 1802
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Carriage Hoods.
I, JEAN ANTOINE VALENTIN LAPORTE, of Vic-Bigorre, in the Republic of
France, Merchant, 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 :-
My invention relates to a carriage hood constructed so that when not in use it
can be folded up entirely in the back of the seat without leaving any trace of its
existence.
When the improved hood is used on a carriage for seating two persons it is
constructed in principle as hereinafter described.

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan thereof.
Figures 4 and 5 represent an elevation and plan of a detail hereinafter
described.
Figure 6 is a detail of a retaining tappet hereinafter referred to.
Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views of parts for uniting the hood rods, as
hereinafter described.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 show further details of the invention, and
Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate a modification of the invention.
My improved hood comprises the following essential parts, that is to say a gallery,
two rear columns, the frame with the material forming the hood proper, two front
columns and the back constituting a box.
The gallery a is made of wrought iron and supports the back which forms a box,
the said gallery being fixed to the carriage seat by means of legs a¹.
The two rear columns are fixed to the seat by a square shoulder at their
lower ends and to the gallery a by collars c at their upper ends.
These columns are made hollow and are adapted to receive the lower part of the
rods of the frame when the hood is open. They have at their upper extremity
three longitudinal slits for enabling a collar d to be tightened, in order to fix the
blocks of the frame in their position and to ensure at the same time the perfect
rigidity of the back.
The frame of the hood is fixed to the hollow rear columns b by means of the
cylindrical blocks which engage with an opening in these columns (Figures 4
and 5). The said blocks fare provided with vertical rods g which connect trans-
verse rod g' to form the framework of the rear part of the hood.
The above-mentioned blocks fare provided with projecting pieces and i one of
which is provided with a small retaining tappet (Figure 6) serving to support
momentarily the framework at the extremity of the columns when it is desired to
open the hood and before tightening the collars c. The second projecting piece i
has articulated thereto a rod which is nearly horizontal and extends in front of
the carriage, this rod being made in two parts j and jone part j being fitted to
slide in a sleeve or bush k fitted in the end of the part j', when the hood is
folded up.
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection of the rods jj¹, the
sleeve and the articulated rods o and p.
The outer extremities of the said rods j' are connected by a hollow rod j
extending transversely of the carriage and slit throughout its length. This hollow
rod serves for the reception of two rods and m of about three millimetres in
diameter as shown in Figure 8 which is a transverse section of the rod. One
of these rods 1 serves to retain the straps, while the other rod m serves to retain
the material forming the hood proper. The latter is provided at its extremities
with a milled nut n to prevent its displacement in the transverse tube j³ above
referred to.
Upon the aforesaid sleeve k are articulated two rods, one o of which, extending
upwards, forms an intermediate frame for the hood with a cross-piece o'. In like
manner articulated rods p form with their cross piece p'a second frame placed
between the frames o o¹ o and j³ ³² j':
The front columns are fixed to the seat in the same manner as the rear columns
and to the gallery by milled nuts. They are arranged for receiving stretcher rods q
for the framework when the hood is open Figures 9, 10 and 11.
Screws placed at the upper extremity of each column keep the stretcher rods q
in their proper position.
The back forming a box made for example of sheet copper or other metal

page_text: padded exteriorly on its two faces consists of two parts s, s' connected at their
lower part by means of a hinge; it is arranged to serve for the reception of the
upper part of the rods of the framework and the material forming the hood
proper. This back is held closed by two catches u provided each at one of its
extremities and by a buckle y placed in the middle of its upper part.
For opening the hood I first open the back s s' and raise the rods of the frame
from the columns b, b with the material forming the hood proper to the height
necessary for the above-mentioned two blocks f to be flush with the upper edge
of the rear columns b. At this moment the retaining tappets intervene and
support the frame, thus enabling the aforesaid collars d to be tightened.
The back frames 9, 9' are now in the position shown in Figures and 2, I then
turn down the front frames so as to cause them to occupy the position likewise
shown in Figures 1 and 2, and retain them in position by the stretcher rods 9 which
are drawn up from the front columns and hooked to the aforesaid rods j, the said
stretcher rods being locked in position by screws so as to provide a second
point of support for the hood.
บ
1 then stretch the straps by attaching them at their rear extremities to the
hooks and I do the same with the material of the hood which is secured at the
front to the hooks e, behind the seat to the hooks v and on the two sides of
the hood nearly in the middle by slit rings or eyes t, which are carried by the rods j'.
I then close the box of the back by means of a buckle y in the middle and by
catches placed on the sides. In the unfolding of the hood the hollow rod j' is
slid along the interior rod and when the stop-ring with which the rod jis
provided, butts against the sleeve k, I ensure the position of the two rods relatively
to each other, for example by means of a pin or tightening screw so as to retain
the parts in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The inverse operation is effected with equal facility. For closing the hood 1
first open the box constituting the back, unfasten the material forming the hood
proper and the straps at evt, unhook the stretcher rods to return them into the
front columns r, fold up the frames, move them to the rear, and put them together,
then loosen the collars d and raise the retaining tappets ', which enables the
blocks and uprights to be introduced into the hollow rear columns to such an
extent that the transverse rods and also the material forming the hood proper are
completely placed in the backs, s' whereupon the latter is closed.
A hood, which I have above described for a carriage seating two persons, is
composed in the case of a carriage seating four persons of all the essential parts set
forth. The gallery is made in the form shown in Figure 12.
In this instance the diameter of the rear columns is augmented in accordance with
the reinforced rods of the frame which have to be placed therein. The frame is
formed of two lower rods placed one in front and the other at the rear of the
carriage; three or four intermediate rods which have counter bends and are
articulated to the lower rods; and lastly a rod which has a counter bend back and
is fixed upon the blocks. These blocks are similar to those used in the first case,
but in lieu of two projections they have three which are arranged at hin
Figures 13 and 14. There are four front columns in lieu of two and the back
remains similar to that employed in the first described arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A hood for carriages with one, two or more seats, substantially composed
of a gallery supporting the back or box, two rear columns supporting the frame
work of the hood, the framework with the material of the hood, two front columns
and the back or box, which hood can be easily folded up into a small compass and
placed entirely in the back of the seat without leaving any trace of its existence,
substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.

page_text: Second. In the arrangement characterised in the first claim, in which a rod (j)
of the front frame of the hook is placed in the hollow part j' when the hood is
closed, the two parts jj being united by a sleeve k which carries the articulated
rods o and p of the intermediary frames (o o' o) and (p p' p), the whole as herein-
before described and represented in the drawing.
Third. In the arrangement characterised by the first claim the hollow rear
columns b serving for the reception of the rods of the hood and each provided
with a block f and retaining catches 'the whole as herein described and represented
in the drawing.
Dated this 18th day of Januar 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.