IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN, COMMONLY CALLED PERAMBULATORS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO INVALID AND OTHER CARRIAGES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barker Thornber, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR
CHILDREN, COMMONLY CALLED PERAMBULATORS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO INVALID AND OTHER CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 25th November 1858, and dated the 31st May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barker Thoruber
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1858.
I, JOHN BARKER THORNBER, of Halifax, in the County of York, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN, COMMONLY CALLED 'PERAMBULATORS, WHICH IMPROVE-
HENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO INVALID AND OTHER CARRIAGES," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to protect the health and secure the comfort
of young children and invalids by shielding them from the rain, the sun, cold,
and high winds, or sudden changes of the weather, which they are now
exposed to by the present construction of "perambulators" and other similar
carriages when riding therein. And my improvements consist in the employ-
ment or application to such carriages of a covering or shade, constructed and
applied in such manner that it can be readily thrown over the carriage or
removed therefrom on any sudden change of the weather, or as may be

page_text: required, such cover or shale to be made of either leather, oiled silk, cloth,
or other suitable material, and to move or act upon hinges, or to slide in
grooves, or by other convenient and portable means of application, and
operated either with or without springs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Barker Thornber in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BARKER THORNBER, of Halifax, in the County of York, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One-
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and graut unto me, the said
John Barker Thornber, Her special licence that I, the said John Barker
Thornber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Barker Thornber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all tinies
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 "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN CARRIAGES FOR CHILDREN, COMMONLY CALLED PERAMBULATERS," WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO INVALID AND OTHER CARRIAGES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Barker Thornber, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six:
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Barker Thornber, 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to protect the health and secure the comfort
of young children and invalids by shielding them from the rain, the sun, cold,

page_text: and high winds, or sudden changes of the weather, and to remedy other evils
to which they are now exposed and liable by the present construction of
perambulators and other similar carriages when riding thereon. And my
improvements consist in the employment or application to such carriages of
a circular covering or shade, constructed and applied in such manner that it
can be readily thrown either partially or completely over the carriage or
lowered on any sudden change of the weather, or as may be required; such
cover or shade to be made of either leather, oiled silk, cloth, or other suitable
material, and to move or act upon hinges, or to slide in grooves, or by other
convenient and portable means of application, and operated either with or
without springs.
The manner in which my Invention is to be performed or carried into
practice will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, similar letters referring to the same parts in each of the
Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side clevation of a perambulator constructed according to my
Invention, shewing the cover raised and inclosing the carriage; Fig. 2 is a longi-
tudinal section of the same, shewing the covering lowered into a circular groove
or space provided for that purpose in the carriage, which is formed of an inner
and outer shell connected together at the angles; Fig. 3 is a plan, and Fig. 4
is a cross section of the same. A is the carriage body, which is a little more
than a semicircle, so that the covers when lowered into their grooves will be
entirely out of sight; B is the side cover, which is a semicircular glazed
window (one on each side of the carriage), suspended upon and capable of
being turned round to any extent in either direction in the grooves the
handles a, or the said side coverings may be hinged to the side of the carriage
and turned down, as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2; C is the top cover,
which is composed of a tight framework of metal or other material covered
with oiled silk, which, being of the same size as the circular groove, slides
freely therein, and is held in any position by springs, thumbscrews, or any
other suitable contrivance, so that the carriage may be entirely covered or
partially so, or lowered into the groove, according to circumstances, as may be
desired, allowing sufficient space between the sides of B and C to admit of
efficient ventilation. Fig. 3 is a plan with the covers in the grooves, and
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same. D is a seat, with a bracket hinged
thereto, which can be turned in or out; and E is another seat hinged to the
carriage, and with a flap hinged thereto, which forms a support for same
when two seats are required, or may be raised upon the bracket, and thus
form a bed or platform, or may be lowered into the position shewn by dotted

page_text: lines, forming a footboard, when only one seat is required; F is a screw for
raising or lowering the body of the carriage; G, G, are caps or lids for
covering the grooves when the covers are lowered into the grooves.
It will be seen that by these my improvements childrens or invalids may be
readily and thoroughly screened or protected from any unfavorable or sudden
change of the weather and other inconveniences.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed or carried into practical operation, I would
have it distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details of arrangement or construction herein set forth; but what I claim,
and which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been used within
the realm, is,
Firstly, portable circular coverings to perambulators, invalid and other
carriages, in manner as herein described.
And, secondly, the general arrangement and construction of perambulators
and invalid carriages as herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barker Thornber, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JNO. B. THORNBER. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John Barker Thornber, in the
presence of
EDWARD THOMAS ITUGHES, Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane, London.