IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Stokes, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Carriage Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Stokes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th May 1871.
I, NATHAN STOKES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Carriage Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to the
heads of landaus, barouches, and other like carriages with moveable
heads so that the same may be the more easily opened and closed by
the occupiers. It consists in the use of a transverse bar surrounded by
a helical spring, one end of which is attached to the interior of the
carriage body and the other to the transverse bar. This bar projects

page_text: on each side beyond the carriage body, is formed polygonally at the
outer ends carrying the head supports, the centre rule joints of which
are arranged by preference to fold upwards and backwards.
The object of the spiral spring is that any required amount of torsion
may be applied to the bar, and from thence communicated to the jointed
supports to counteract the weight of the head to any required extent.
In some cases a transverse lever handle is attached to the transverse bar
immediately within the carriage body on one or both sides, through
which the head may be operated.
When applied to landaus the rule joint, head stretcher, or support on
the upper end is connected to the folding centre portion of the roof by
a bell crank and connecting rod so arranged that on the head stretcher
being folded from the principal joint the folding portion of the roof
is thrown back.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Nathan
Stokes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
STOKES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Carriage Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Nathan Stokes, Her special license
that I, the said Nathan Stokes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Nathan Stokes, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Nathan Stokes, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within seven
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nathan Stokes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
:-
This my said Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to
the moveable heads of carriages to enable the same to be more con-
veniently opened and closed, and which can be effected by any person
within the vehicle without their removing from their seat, and the
improved apparatus occupying no useful available space within the body
of the carriage to which it is applied.
My said Invention consists in the use of a transverse shaft or bar
extending across the back of the interior of the carriage body, the outer
ends of which project beyond the external sides thereof, and which shaft
turns within suitable bearings at each end, and which I surround for a
portion of its length by a helical or spiral spring, one end of which is
securely attached to the carriage body, and the other to the transverse
bar, by which means a power is applied to the shaft to compensate
wholly or in part the weight of the carriage head, which can be regu-
lated to the greatest nicety by turning the bar on its longitudinal axis
previous to permanently slipping on the upper end of the head joint on
to the fixed "prop
on the top of the pillar. The ends of the transverse
shaft I form with polygon sides, which ends take into corresponding
holes on the lower ends of the rule joint stretchers, commonly known as
the head joints, which are arranged, by preference, to fold backwards on
the head of the carriage being thrown down. The outer ends of the
transverse shaft alone may be used to support the lower ends of
the jointed stretchers; or the same may turn on and be supported on
horizontal sleeve pieces or collars surrounding the external ends of the
shaft or bar, and in this case may be used as bearings for the transverse
bar to work in.
"
When this my Invention is applied to landaus and other like carriages
having "cantrails" (the folding centre portion in the roof) the ruled
joint head stretcher or support at the upper end I form to work on a

page_text: fixed axis or r¢
prop," beyond which the top of the upper joint of the
stretcher extends in an inclined direction forming a bell crank, which I
attach by a short connecting rod to a lever or arm projecting from the
** cantrail or jointed side of the folding portion of the head, so that
when the head stretcher is folded from the centre rule joint the head of
the stretcher being thrown forward draws down the horizontal arm of
the folding portion of the head by means of the connecting rod, thus
opening or folding over the same; the reverse action taking place when
the head of the carriage is elevated.
By means of the spiral springs any amount of torsion may be
applied to the bar, and thence communicated to the jointed supports
to counteract the weight of the head to any required extent.
In some cases I apply a transverse lever handle attached to the
transverse bar immediately within the carriage body on one or both
sides, by which means the head of the carriage may be immediately
opened or closed by the occupant. The fore part of the carriage head I
fitted in the same manner.
no
In applying my said Invention to the heads of carriages which have
" cantrail" or folding back portion on the top, I dispense with the
extended portion of the upper joint of the rule joint stretchers which
form the curved arm or bell crank above the fixed "prop" and its
connections.
That this my said Invention may the more readily be seen and
understood, I have hereunto annexed Drawing of so much of a carriage
body with my improvements applied thereto as will be requisite to
enable any person acquainted with the art to carry the same into
practical effect. Like letters and figures marked on the Drawings being
used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a portion of a landau carriage
body and folding head see elevated, the body pannels and covering
leather of the head being removed for more conveniently exhibiting the
working part, and Figure 2 is a like elevation seen with the head
thrown down or opened; Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional
plan, showing a portion of the carriage body transverse horizontal bar
surrounded by a spring and fitted with a pair of lever handles for
operating the head of the carriage from within, and Figure 4 is a side
view of the head joints or stretchers, showing my improved curved arm
on the upper end of the top joint, and to which is jointed, Figure 5, a

page_text: connecting rod or link jointed to Figure 6, a lever arm rigidly attached
to the side of the "cantrail."
A, frame of the carriage body; B, door frame; C, the pillars; D, the
cantrail; E, the glazed frame of the door; F, the timber stretchers inside
the head jointed to the arm f which springs from the pillar C, which is
jointed to the body frame at a; G, a transverse bar or axle, which is
surrounded by H, a helical or spiral spring, one end of which is seen
rigidly attached to the body of the carriage at h, and the other to the
bar at ; J, the head joints, which are at their lower ends secured to
the transverse bar G, and are of the ordinary construction from the
points g to g¹; but beyond the upper joint or head prop they are
extended so as to form K, a curved arm, seen enlarged in Figure 4,
to which is jointed L, a connecting rod (shown enlarged at Figure 5),
and is linked by a pin joint to M, a lever arm rigidly attached to the
side of the cantrail; m, the "head prop," which in this arrangement
forms a fixed axis upon which the head joint turns; N, lever handles on
the bar (G) for operating the head.
Now it will be readily seen that the arrangement here illustrated is
equally applicable to both ends of the carriage.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not con-
fine myself to the precise relative detailed proportions or dimensions, as
it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably varied without
departing from the Invention; nor do I claim any portion of the parts
marked A, B, C, D, E, and F, as they are all old and well known to the
trade; neither do I claim any of the other parts separately when used
for other than the purposes herein-before specified; but what I do
claim is,―
Firstly. Surrounding or encompassing the bar G with a spring,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before fully
described and set forth.
Secondly. Forming the upper end of the head joints with K, a curved
lever arm, and connecting the same to the lever M on the side of the
6 "cantrail" by the link rod L, the whole being operated substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein-before specified, fully described,
and set forth.

page_text: And, lastly. The general arrangement and combination of the several
parts herein-before fully described, set forth, and illustrated, for
facilitating the opening and closing of carriage heads.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathan Stokes, have hereunto
affixed my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
NATHAN (L.S.) STOKES.