IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRICTION OF CARS AND ATHED LIKE VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Abbott, of Torridge Works, Bideford, in the County
of Devon, Carriage Builder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRICTION OF CARS AND ATHED LIKE VEHICLES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Abbott at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th January 1882.
JOHN ABBOTT of Torridge Works, Bideford, in the County of Devon, Carriage
Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CABS AND OTHER LIKE
VEHICLES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of. vehicles
whereby greater security and comfort are insured to the occupants. In order that
these objects may be carried into effect the body of the vehicle is so arranged that
its centre of gravity is nearly in a line with centre of main wheels and is kept as
near the ground as possible. In consequence of this arrangement but little weight
is borne by the fore-carriage which is attached to the body, by means of two or
more bracketted irons upon which is supported a step or platform extending the
entire width but at a lower level than the floor of the vehicle and from which
access is obtained to the interior, by means of a doorway placed behind the
coachmans seat. The front ends of the bracketted irons are carried upward and
forward, in order that they may support the foot board, the seat of the driver and
the upper wheel plate which is suspended from the footboard by a cross bar, and
front and back stays. The lower wheel plate is attached to and carried by an
arched frame, the lower ends of which are tee shaped and clamped to the springs in
the usual manner. The upper part of the arched frame forms the cross bar of the
lower wheel plate, and is provided at its centre with a shouldered boss, the neck of
which fits into a corresponding recess in the cross bar of the upper wheel plate
thus rendering the fore carriage not dependant for its security on the perch bolt.
The shaft socket irons or splinter bar, are connected by means of a rod or rods to.

page_text: jointed levers which pass under the step or platform and are attached to levers
and rods actuating the breaks. The breaks may be flexible bands or hoops fitted
with friction blocks encircling the naves, or ordinary break blocks operating upon
the periphery of the wheels may be used. This break is brought into action if
when descending an inclined plane, an excessive weight is thrown upon the fore
carriage, or the momentum of the vehicle may be reduced by simply retarding the
progress of the animal or the breaks may be applied by hand in the usual manner.
To facilitate the placing of luggage on the roof of the vehicle, the drivers seat may
be made to pivot upon the bolt by which it is secured to the seat platform and a
small ladder frame attached to the roof by a hinged joint resting at bottom on the
said platform.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Abbott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th July.
1882.
"
JOHN ABBOTT of Torridge Works, Bideford, in the County of Devon, Carriage
Builder. " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CABS AND OTHER LIKE
VEHICLES."
My said Invention consists in improvements in the construction of cabs and
other like vehicles whereby better accommodation and greater comfort is secured
to the passengers. To attain these ends I support the body of the vehicle on
springs attached to and carried by a cranked axle which not only admits of larger
wheels being used but allows the floor of the vehicle to be near the ground and,
consequently throws a considerable portion of the weight of the vehicle and its
occupants below the centre of the wheels. The body is connected to the fore-
carriage by means of bracketted irons which support a wide step or platform from
whence access is obtained to the interior of the vehicle. At the front part of the
wide step or platform the bracketted irons are carried upward and forward pro-
viding a support for the foot board and coachman's seat and the cross bar for the
upper wheel-plate of the fore-carriage. The lower wheel plate is attached to the
upper part of an arched frame which forms its cross bar having at its centre a
shouldered boss which fits into a corresponding recess formed in the cross-bar of
the upper wheel plate. The lower ends of the arched frame are tee shaped so as to
admit of their being secured to the springs by means of clips. To give the required
strength and rigidity to the fore carriage front and back stays are attached to the
lower ends of the arched frame and the lower wheel-plate. The wheel-plates are
kept in their relative positions by means of the shouldered boss of the lower cross-
bar taking its bearing in the recess of the upper cross-bar and therein secured by
the perch bolt. The shafts or splinter bar are attached by means of couplings to a
draught-bar which is connected to the upper end of a lever by means of a rod fitted
with an universal joint. The fulcrum of the main lever is supported on a pin
attached to the bracketted irons and its lower end is connected by means of a rod
to the rocking shaft to the ends of which are fastened the short levers carrying the
break blocks. Now in order that my said Invention may be the more readily
understood and carried into effect I will proceed to describe the several Figures
upon the annexed Sheet of Drawings in which the same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in each and all of the Figures.
Figure 1 is a side view of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is a front view.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the fore-carriage.
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the apparatus for actuating the breaks.
The body A is supported by the springs B B attached to the cranked axle C
and is connected to the fore carriage D by means of the bracketted irons E E.
The wide step or platform F which is lower than the floor of the body A is sup-
ported by the bracketted irons E E. The forward ends of the bracketted irons E E
support the foot board G and the coachman's seat H and are connected to the
upper wheel plate I by the cross bar J. The lower wheel plate K is connected to
the arched frame L by its upper part which forms the cross bar M having at its
centre the shouldered boss N which fits into the recess 0 of the upper cross bar J.
The lower ends P P of the arched frame L are connected to the springs QQ by
means of the clips R R and the front stay S and the back stay S₁ are fastened to
the lower ends of the arched frame L and the front and back parts of the lower

page_text: wheel plate K. The shafts or splinter bar T are attached by means of the couplings
TT to the draught bar U which is supported by the slotted arms U. U¹ in which
it is free to work. The rod V fitted with an universal joint V₁ connects the
draught bar U with the upper end of main lever W which is supported at its
fulcrum by the pin W¹ and to its lower end W" is connected the rod X. The
rod X is attached at its other end to the short lever Y' which forms part of the
rocking bar Y at the extremities of which are secured the levers Y Y¹¹ to which
are attached the break blocks Z Z. The break is brought into action, if when
descending an incline the weight of the vehicles is thrown forward, the draught
bar U is forced backward through the slots in the arms U¹ U' carrying with it the
rod V which in its turn causes the upper end W of the main lever to move
backward and the lower end W" to move in the opposite direction taking with it
the rod X. The rod X imparts motion to the lever Y¹ and thereby causing the
rocking shaft Y to operate the levers Y Y and pressing the break blocks against
the periphery of the wheel. In order to facilitate the placing of luggage on the
roof of the vehicle a small ladder 9 which is fastened to the roof at one end is
brought forward so that its other ends rests upon the coachman's seat and thereby
enable the coachman to slide the luggage easily on to the roof.
Having now described my said Invention and the manner of carrying it into
effect I would have it understood that I do not claim as novel vehicles constructed
with front entrances, but that which I claim and desire to have secured to me by
the grant of Letters Patent is :-
1st. The combined arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described of a
front entrance with the wide step or platform placed at a lower level than the
floor of the vehicle.
2nd. The bracketted irons, supporting the wide step or platform and con-
necting the body of the vehicle with the fore-carriage substantially as hereinbefore
.set forth.
3rd. The construction of the fore carriage as hereinbefore set forth and its method
of attachment to the bracketted irons.
4th. The combined arrangement of the draught bar and the slotted arms with
the rods and levers for operating the breaks substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
5th. The improvements in cabs and other like vehicles substantially as herein
before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Abbott have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twelfth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
JOHN ABBOTT. (L.S.)