Perambulators and other Carriages.
Year: 1885

page_text: Perambulators and other Carriages.
"
I JOHN Fox of 128 London Wall in the city of London Machinist do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR
GUIDING AND DIRECTING PERAMBULATORS AND OTHER CARRIAGES to be as
follows
"
This invention relates to an improved means for guiding perambulators, invalid
and other carriages and is carried out in the manner described as follows:-
At the rear end of the carriage a tubular rod capable of rotating on its axis is
supported (vertically or at an angle corresponding to the angle of the body of the
carriage) at its upper end by means of a bracket attached to a convenient part of
the carriage and at its lower end in a socket formed by an extension of the tie bar
which connects the front and rear axles of the carriages.
This rod carries at its top end a T shaped handle by means of which it is rotated.
The under side of the central boss of the handle is provided with a projection which
engages in a corresponding recess or recesses in the upper side of the central boss
of the supporting bracket and is retained in position by means of a coiled spring
and pin which arrangement permits of vertical motion in the line of its axis.
The bottom end of the rod carries a finger like extension which engages in a slot
in one arm of a bell crank lever; the bell crank lever being jointed to a bracket
attached to the rear axle of the carriage, from the other arm of the lever a
connecting rod extends to and is jointed to either the front axle or to an extension
of the bottom half of a cap and plate joint one half of which is attached to the
front axle and the other half directly or indirectly through a spring or other
support to the carriage body.
The result of this arrangement being that whilst the T shaped handle is used
primarily for propelling the carriage by turning it to the right or to the left the
front wheels of the carriage will follow its direction and the carriage will be
guided to the right or left accordingly.
By this arrangement also the front wheels of the carriage may be turned nearly-
at right angles to the rear wheels and when the projection on the boss of the
handle is placed in the corresponding recess in the supporting bracket the wheels
will be locked in that position and thus operate as a brake by limiting the motion
of the carriage to a circle of short radius.
In certain cases I propose to use two connecting rods by replacing the bell crank
lever by a tri-armed crank and forming a double extension to the bottom half of
the cap and plate joint.

page_text: Improvements in Means for Guiding and Directing
Perambulators and other Carriages.
I JOHN Fox of 128 London Wall in the City of London Machinist, 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 relates to an improved means for guiding and directing peram-
bulators invalid and other carriages and is carried out in the manner hereinafter
described.
The construction of the apparatus is represented in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a side view of perambulator fitted according to the invention.
Fig. 2, is view of back end.
Fig. 3, view of front end.
Fig. 4, is plan of the under carriage with body and springs removed, the fitting
being in position for straight forward driving.
Fig. 5, is plan view on enlarged scale of the parts shown in Fig. 4 but the
guiding bar and axle cranks are shown in position for turning or diverting the
carriage from straight forward progression.
Fig. 6, is detail of the guiding handle rod and parts in connection.
Fig. 7, is front view partly in section of the front wheel axle swivel joint.
At the rear end of the carriage a tubular or solid rod a, capable of being rotated
on its axis is supported (vertically or at an angle corresponding to the angle of the
body of the carriage) at its upper end by means of a bracket a¹ attached to a con-
venient part of the carriage body b and at its lower end in a socket c, formed by an
extension of the tie-bar d, which connects the front and rear axles e, e¹, of the
carriage.
The rod a carries at its top end a cross or T shaped handle by means of which it
is rotated, and a boss f. The underside of the boss f of the handle is provided with
a projection g', which engages in a corresponding recess or recesses in the upper
side of the socket boss c of the supporting bracket i, and is retained in position by
means of a coiled spring a², and pin which arrangement permits of vertical motion
of rod a, in the line of its axis.
The bottom end of the rod a carries a finger like extension k, which engages in a
slot in one arm of a bell-crank lever l. The bellcrank lever l, is jointed to the
bracket i, attached to the rear axle e¹ of the carriage. From the other arm of the
lever 1, a connecting rod 1, extends to and is jointed to either the front axle e, or to
a cross arm m³, of the bottom part of a cap and plate swivel joint m. The other
half of the swivel joint m, is attached to a cross bar attached in its turn to the
body of the carriage directly or to the springs or other support thereof.
The result of this arrangement is that whilst the T shaped handle is used
primarily for propelling the carriage by turning the handle and rod a to the right
or to the left the front wheels of the carriage will be turned to follow its direction
and the carriage will be guided to the right or left accordingly.

page_text: By this arrangement also the front wheels of the carriage may be turned nearly
at right angles to the rear wheels and when the projection g on the boss of the
handle is placed in corresponding recess in the supporting bracket boss the wheels
will be locked in that position and thus operate as a brake by limiting the motion
of the carriage to a circle of short radius.
In certain cases I propose to use two connecting rods by replacing the bell crank
lever by a tri-armed lever crank and forming a double extension to the bottom
half of the cup and plate joint.
The underside of bracket a¹ may be made with projection g and a boss be fixed
on the rod a, with corresponding recess or recesses instead of as shown on boss c, of
bracket i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
Firstly The combination of the T handled rod a with its finger like pro-
jection k engaging with the slot of the crank lever l, and supported by the
brackets a¹, and i c, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
Secondly-In combination with the actuating and guiding rod a, the recess or
recesses of boss or bracket c i, the projection g. the spring a³, and the finger like
projection engaging with the slot of crank lever 7, connected by link to the
swivel joint m of the front axle of the carriage as and for the purpose herein set
forth and shown by the drawings.
WALTER A BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.