Improvements in Hansom-cabs and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application. 11th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hansom-cabs and other Vehicles.
I, GEORGE HENRY CROKER, of 17 Bellevue Road, Seacombe, in the County
of Chester, Carver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to Hansom-cabs and other wheeled vehicles, and has
more particularly for its object to provide in connection with the seats thereof,
normally adapted to seat two persons, means of supporting temporarily a third
person.
According to this invention (which is more particularly useful as applied to
Hansom cabs), a movable seat is provided in connection with the sent of the vehicle,
which is capable of being moved into position, by which a third passenger or fare
can be seated on occasion as required, and when not required, as happens under
ordinary conditions, can be moved out of such position.
Under one construction or arrangement under this invention, I provide an arm
or lever with an enlargement ou its end forming a seat, and hinge such arm to the
back of the sent or vehicle so that it moves about such hinge from its upward
position, down into the horizontal position, when used.
In some cases recesses will be formed in the back of the seat or vehicle in which
the occasional seat will lie or be housed when not in use; and it may be adapted
to be supported when down, by the seat proper. Or, this seat may be at a different
level in some cases, and supported from its hinge, or in other suitable manner.
Under other constructions or arrangements, the occasional seat is adapted to
move upwards into the position or slide or move out in any suitable and convenient
direction and manner.
Dated this 9th day of June 1894.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
Improvements in Hansom-cabs and other Vehicles.
I, GEORGE HENRY CROKER, of 17, Bellevue Road, Seacombe, in the County
of Chester, Carver, 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 reference to Hansoni-cabs and other wheeled vehicles, and has
more particularly for its object to provide in connection with the seats thereof,
normally adapted to seat two persons, means of supporting, temporarily, a third
person.
According to this invention (which is more particularly useful as applied to
Hansom-cabs), a movable seat is provided in connection with the seat of the vehicle,
which is capable of being moved into position, by which a third passenger or fare
can be seated on occasion, as required; and when not required, as happens under.
ordinary conditions, can be moved out of such position.

page_text: Under one construction or arrangement under this invention, I provide an arm
or lever with an enlargement on its end forming a seat, and hinge such arm to the
back of the seat or vehicle so that it moves about such hinge from its upward
position, down into the horizontal position, when used.
In some cases recesses will be formed in the back or in the seat of the vehicle in
which the occasional seat will lie or be housed when not in use; and it-the seat-
may be adapted to be supported when down, by the seat proper. Or, this seat may
be at a different level in some cases, and supported from its hinge, or in other
suitable manner.
Under other constructions or arrangements, the occasional seat is adapted to
move upwards into position, or slide or move out in any suitable and convenient
direction and manner.
Examples illustrating this invention as applied, to a vehicle seat, are given to
the annexed drawings. In these drawings,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a Hansom-cab, with the invention applied,
Figure 1 being a front elevation of the back of the cab.
Figures 2 and 24, Figures 3 and 34, Figures 4 and 4ª, and Figures 5 and 5
are, respectively, sectional elevation and plan, shewing mo.lifications of the
invention; and
Figure 6 is an elevation in section shewing a further modification.
In all of these cases it may be assumed for convenience of description that all
the seats shewn are those of a Hansom-cab.
с
Referring to the drawings, a is the ordinary seat of the vehicle, being adapted
to normally seat two occupants, and the back, these it being assumed being of
any ordinary padded or spring construction or kind; and c is the third or occasional
In the different modifications shewn, the manner of mounting and working
the seat, or the construction thereof, differs, the particulars of which will now be
_described with reference to the different sets of figures.
seat.
In the application of the invention as shewn in Figures 1 and 1^, the seat c is
supported by an arm d, hinged at e to the bottom of the seat a, about which point
it is adapted to be moved. The arm d, when the seat is down, in the position
shewn in Figure 1, lies in a recess or division in the seat a, as shewn, whilst in its
stowed position the arm & lies in a similar groove or recess in the back, the seat c
lying in an enlargement in the back, which it practically fills; when not in use, the
seat takes this position, when the vehicle presents and constitutes as regards its
seating capacity an ordinary two seated vehicle. To bring the seat into use, it is
merely drawn down into the position shewn in Figure 1, the arm & resting upon the
bottom of the seat. In the case shewn, the arm is mounted and lies, when down,
in a channel bar el running along the seat bottom as shewn, and is provided with
indiarubber washers d'. to form a cushion, and keep same firm in its seat e.
In the modification shewn in Figures 2 and 24, the occasional seat c is hinged
at e to the front edge of the seat a by a suitable bracket or bearing e', fastened to
the woodwork or bottom of the seat or carriage, and said seat is adapted when
stowed to lie in and fill an aperture in the seat a provided for it, whilst when not
in use it is moved out of said aperture and turned about its hinge into the position
shewn in the figures.
In the modification shewn in Figures 3 and 34, the occasional seat c is mounted
and hinged in about the same position in relation to the seat a as that shewn in
Figures 2 and 24, but in this modification the seat is supported when in position
for use, by a strut, which is connected at its upper end to the seat and, at its
lower end to the board g, said strut being provided with a rule-joint in the centre
at, by which it may be folded, the seat being adapted to be stowed when out of
use in a recess h in the front board y. When stowed, the strut folds inwards and
will be adapted to lie in a recess in the seat bottom. To move the seat out into
position for use, it is merely moved upwards out of the recess into the position
shewn, when the strut will be extended and a firin support afforded to the seat.
A simple modification of this arrangement is shewn in Figure 6, wherein the

page_text: strut is in a single piece, hinged at its lower end to the front board g, the upper
end working in connection with the catch on the underside of the seat c.
Otherwise than in this respect this arrangement is similar in all respects to that
shewn in Figures 3 and 34.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 4 and 4, the occasional seat c is adapted
to slide outwards and inwards on the bottom board of the seat a, and it is held by
an arm d fixed to the seat c, and adapted to slide in and out of a hollow sleeve or
tube fixed on the seat bottom, the arm & being prevented from coming out of
the tube by any known device or construction. An aperture in the seat a is
formed to suit the shape of the seat c, and to be filled thereby when the seat is
stowed. A modification of this arrangement may consist in binging the sleeve d²
at its back end to the seat board, and adapting it to move up and down in the
manner of the occasional seat set forth with reference to and shewn in Figures 1
and 1; in which case, when the seat c is stowed, it would assume the position
shewn in dotted lines in Figure 4.
The modified construction shewn in Figures 5 and 5 consists in adapting the
occasional seat c to move in the horizontal plane about a point or hinge when
moving it into position for use, and stowing it; and in employing a hinged box
-cat a. The seat in this case is hinged ate to the bottom board of the seat a,
and is carried and supported by the arm d, the seat and arm being adapted to be
swung out when the box seat a-which is hinged at a'is lifted or raised, into the
position shewn in full lines in the figures; and into the position shewn in dotted
fines when stowed. A modification of this arrangement may consist in having the
seat a fixed box or hollow seat with the front edge, a', cut away at the parts where
the arm and seat move in under the seat a.
It will be plain from the examples given of the application of the invention,
that it is not restricted to the particular details and construction of parts shewn
and specified, nor to the particular kind of vehicle to which it has been assumed it
to be applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The berein described improvement in Hansom-cabs, and other normally two
seated vehicles, consisting of the employment in connection with said seat of an
occasional seat or a seat for a third passenger, adapted to be moved into position
centrally in relation to the ordinary seat, and stowed, as and when required, for the
purposes set forth.
2. In a Hansom-cab, or other normally two seated vehicle, an occasional seat or
a seat for a third passenger, c, adapted to be moved into position centrally in
relation to the ordinary seat, a, and stowed away, as and when required; arranged,
constructed, and adapted to be operated, as or substantially as set forth with
reference to and shewn in the different figures of the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of January 1895.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.