Im- PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OR OTHER 'SHAPED' FRONT PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OR OTHER 'SHAPED' FRONT LIGHTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Edwin Curtis, of the Firm of Edwin
Kesterton and Company, of Nos. 93 and 94, Long Acre, in the
County of Middlesex, Carriage Builders, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OR OTHER 'SHAPED' FRONT
PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OR OTHER 'SHAPED' FRONT
LIGHTS."
Scaled the 19th August 1873, and dated the 8th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edwin Curtis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th April 1873.
I, CHARLES EDWIN CURTIS, of the Firm of Edwin Kesterton and
Company, of Nos. 93 and 94, Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex,
Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OF OTHER SHAPED'
FRONT LIGHTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates specially to carriages with bow, curved, or
shaped fronts in which glass or other frames can be lowered into the
body from the upper part at the front, the object being to transform a

page_text: curved front lighted closed carriage into an open one at the will of the
occupants.
The front pillar or upright of each side is jointed to the body upright
pillar to fall to the front of the body, and rest upon the neck, the upper
ends of the front pillars having the top front rail jointed to them to
enable the top front rail to fall inwards and upon the front pillars when
folded. The cant rails are jointed at the back to the back pillars, and
these with their top leather stand up vertically, or are folded over upon
the back head leather to fall down with the back head on its being
lowered by striking the back outside joints in the usual manner.
According to another method the back upper pillars have the cant
rails jointed to them, these being also jointed to the top rail of the front
light. The front top rail is capable of being folded inwards upon the
top leather to fall in a compact manner with the back head. The front
upper pillars only, in this case, fall to the front, where they are held in
position by studs provided at the sides for them, or by portions of the
lamp irons, as found convenient.
My Invention is, as before stated, specially intended for bowed, curved,
hexagonal, or other shaped fronted carriages with front lights, and the
movable parts may have springs connected to ease or to assist the rising
and falling motions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Edwin Curtis in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
EDWIN CURTIS, of the Firm of Edwin Kesterton and Company, of
Nos. 93 and 94, Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex, Carriage
Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year;
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Edwin Curtis, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Edwin Curtis, my executors, adminis.

page_text: trators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Charles Edwin Curtis,
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 IN CARRIAGES WITH FRONT BOWED OR OTHER 'SHAPED' FRONT
LIGHTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Edwin Curtis, 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 Charles Edwin Curtis, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention relates specially to carriages with bow, curved, or
shaped fronts in which glass or other frames can be lowered into the
body from the upper part at the front, the object being to transform a
curved front lighted closed carriage into an open one, and vice verså, at
the will of the occupants.
According to the first improvement the front pillar or upright a of
each side is jointed to the body upright pillar b, as shown in Figures 1
and 2 of the annexed Drawings, to fall to the front of the body and rest
upon the neck or boot d, the upper ends of the front pillars a, a, having
the top front rail e fixed to them to cause the top front rail to fall
inwards and upon the front pillars when folded. The cant rails ƒ, f, are
jointed at the back to the back pillars 9, 9, and these, with their top
leather, stand up vertically, or are folded over upon the back head
leather to fall down with the back head on its being lowered, as in
Figure 2, by striking the back outside joints h, h, in the usual manner.
According to another method the back upper pillars g have the cant
rails f, f, jointed to them, and these have jointed to them the top rail e
of the front light. The front top rail e, after the "light" or the front

page_text: panel, as the case may be, is lowered into the front body, is capable of
being folded inwards, as shown in Figure 3, upon the top leather to fall
in a compact manner with the back head. The front upper pillars a, a,
only, with the extension pieces i, i, in this case, fall to the front, where
they are held in position by studs provided at the sides for them, or by
portions of the lamp irons, as found convenient.
My Invention is, as before stated, specially intended for bowed, curved,
hexagonal, or other shaped fronted carriages with front lights, and the
movable parts may have springs connected to ease or to assist the rising
and falling motions.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The construction and arrangement of the head frames of
bowed or shaped fronted carriages, as herein-before described and shown
with reference to Figures 1 and 2, whereby such carriages can be trans- 1
formed from close carriages into open ones, and vice versa, when
desired.
Secondly. I claim the construction and arrangement of head
frames of bowed or shaped fronted carriages, as described and shown
with reference to Figure 3 of the annexed Drawings, whereby such 2
carriages can be transformed from close carriages into open ones, and
vice versa, when desired.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Edwin Curtis, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
TA ATDATS
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