Improvements in Carriages, Carts, Carrier Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1890-Accepted. 18th Oct. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages, Carts, Carrier Tricycles, and other
Vehicles.
We, HENRY KINSEY of 13 Terrace Road, Engineer and WILLIAM USHER of
14 Picton Place Financial Agent both of Swansea in the County of Glamorgan do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to carriages, carts, carrier tricycles, trucks and other vehicles
which it is desired shall occupy little room when not in use and to this end our
invention consists in the construction of certain forms of folding vehicles, the same
being a modification or improvement on the invention of one of us (the said Henry
Kinsey) described in an Application No. 3816 dated the 5th March 1889.
According to our present invention we so hinge the sides and bottom of a truck
or other vehicle that it will fold closely up without extending in length and employ
to connect the wheels and give increased rigidity a folding tie bar or axle, which
when open is readily locked and held in that position notwithstanding any side twist
on the wheels.
In one form of the folding axle which we employ the two parts close to each
wheel where they are required to hinge overlap each other and are pivoted on a pin ;
one carries a projecting rib or pin an the other a groove or hole which will be caused
to interlock by a turn of a handle having an inclined face and working against a
corresponding face on one of the parts.
According to another construction the parts are hinged or pivoted and are locked
in position by a sliding case which may be drawn back or by a pivoted clamp which
may be readily thrown up out of the way when desired. At the point in the centre
of the axle where it requires to be hinged similar locking devices may be employed.
We may also employ a hinged and pivoted tie bar placed close under the bottom of
the vehicle which would support. it and prevent the sides from bulging out. An
axle having one or other of the locking arrangements referred to but without the
centre joint may also be employed with vehicles folding in other ways to that
described herein.
The handles of the vehicle may conveniently be made to fold up or down so as to
occupy less room and for this purpose they have preferably attached to them grooved
arms with which a pin affixed to the body of the vehicle engages.
To afford further rigidity when open, pivoted cross bars may be employed to
connect the two sides, or in place of same the sides at the top and bottom may be
connected together by pivoted bars which are in turn connected by a vertical rod
pivoted to same which when forced up will cause the two sides to be drawn
together, the bottom to be raised, and the cover if any to be thrown open.
In some cases the lower part of the pivoted cross bars at each end of the vehicle
may terminate in toothed segments engaging with each other with one of which a
spur wheel at either end would engage, so that upon these latter being operated the
vehicle would be quickly and easily closed up, or opened for use or in place of this
arrangement a pulley worked by a handle may be employed, a cord attached to said
pulley operating through a sliding cross bar and connecting rods, the pivoted
cross bars.
The body or box portion of a carrier tricycle would be made to fold up in the same
way and the machine may be provided with a hinged axle or tie bar as described.
The frame work of the vehicle would be hinged and could be readily collapsed with
the body or box. in the same way an ordinary riding tricycle may be provided with
one of the pivoted axles or tie bars and its frame be hinged so as to collapse in a
similar manner.

page_text: What are known as "Mail Carts" such as used by children can also be made
collapsible in the same way.
In place of dividing and hinging the bottom of the vehicle it may be pivoted about
the middle to the framework at either end. In this way by turning it round into a
vertical position it may be closed with the ends and sides.
Dated this 14th day of December 1889.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages, Carts, Carrier Tricycles, and other
Vehicles.
We, HENRY KINSEY of 13 Terrace Road, Engineer, and WILLIAM USHER of
14 Picton Place, Financial Agent, both of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan,
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
Our invention relates to carriages, carts, carrier tricycles, trucks, and other vehicles
which it is desired shall occupy little room when not in use, and to this end our
invention consists in the construction of certain forms of folding vehicles, the same
being a modification or improvement on the invention of one of us (Henry Kinsey)
described in Specification to Letters Patent No. 3816, dated the 5th March 1889.
To clearly explain our invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings
in which :-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a closed truck constructed according to one form of our
present invention, folding up without increasing in length and being provided with a
folding and locking axle or tie bar.
and
Fig. 2 is a plan of same.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the truck when open.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of another form of truck.
Fig. 5 is an end view of same open, and
Fig. 6 is an end view closed.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of a carrier tricycle, and
Fig. 8 is a plan of same closed, its open position being shown in dotted lines.
Fig. 9 shows a pair of wheels with one form of folding and locking axle.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of another form of folding and locking axle, and
Fig. 11 is an elevation of one end of same.
Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate on an enlarged scale a construction of folding handle,
Fig. 14 a modified form of spring arrangement.
In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the bottom 2 of the truck is hinged to the
side 1 and folds upwardly in the middle, while the ends 3 are hinged to either side
and fold inward. The body is carried on springs 25 of any suitable form and the
wheels are connected by an axle or tie bar formed in two parts 4 4 pivoted or hinged
in the middle and at each end near the wheels. The construction of axle shewn in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figs. 10 and 11 where it will
be seen that each bar 4 is slotted and is pivoted to the tongue 5 which works in said
slot. This tongue 5 forms the end of the part 4ª which terminates in the pin 6 on
which the wheel is carried. Pivoted to this part is a clamp 7 which when the vehicle
open and the axle is in line with the pin 6, is turned down so as to hold and lock
the parts, but when the vehicle is to be folded up is thrown up as shown in dotted
lines (Fig. 11) so that the bars 4 can be turned into the position shown in Fig. 10.
A similar clamp may be applied if desired to the central pivot or hinge so that it also
may be locked.
is
In the form of folding axle shewn in Fig. 9 the two parts close to each wheel where

page_text: they are required to hinge overlap each other and are pivoted on a screwed bolt 8,
the bar 4 having a groove therein and the part 4ª a projecting rib 9 engaging
therewith. The part 4 has on it a stud 10 upon which a nut on a handle 11 works
so that when the nnt and handle are loosened on the screwed bolt the parts 4 and 4ª
may be separated so that the axle can be folded, the grooved part being lifted up
from the rib 9 for this purpose. In place of the rib and groove a pin and hole may
be employed, or the stud 10 may have an inclined face on which a corresponding face
on the nut engages. We may also employ a hinged and pivoted bar or bars placed
close under the bottom of the vehicle and connecting the two sides which would serve
to support and stiffen the body. An axle having one or other of the locking arrange-
ments referred to but without the centre joint may also be employed with vehicles
folding in other ways to that described herein, such for instance as those described in
the Specification before referred to.
The handles 12 of the truck may be conveniently made to fold down when not in
use. One form of arrangement for this purpose consists in providing them with
pivoted grooved arms 13 which are bent at the ends 14. A pin 15 affixed to the
side of the vehicle engages with this groove and when the handle is up engages with
the part 14, so that the handle is prevented from being forced down without first
raising the arms 13. In place of the bent part 14 notches may evidently be provided
to engage with the pin 15.
To afford rigidity when open cross bars 16, 16, pivoted at 17, and at the points 18, 18,
on the sides may be employed. The lower ends of these bars carry pins 19 which
engage with slots formed in or on the supporting legs of the truck, said pins sliding
down the slots when the truck is being closed up.
In place of this arrangement that illustrated as applied to the truck shown in
Figs. 4, and 6 may be employed. This truck has a pair of wheels carried by the
pins 6 and has for supporting purposes when not in motion four light bent metal
legs 20 affixed to the bottom. The wheel is carried in a bracket 21, the pin 6 having
projections 22, 22, formed thereon which slide in grooves in said bracket. To further
guide and support same a vertical rod 23 similarly formed in one with the pin 6
projects upward and passes through a bearing 24 in the bracket while the spring 25
is carried by a rod which passes through the bottom plate 26 of the bracket. The
spring is kept in place by a cap 27.
At each end of the truck in this instance are the pivoted bars by which when the
body is to be collapsed the bottom is forced up, the sides are drawn together and
the cover (when employed) is raised. The arrangement consists of a pair of upright
bars 28, 28, in which are pivoted bars 29 29,30 30, at the bottom and top respectively.
These bars are pivoted in turn to a central bar 31 which has a slot 32 in which slides
a block 33, to which are pivoted the bars 34 34, which are in turn pivoted to the
bars 30 30. The covers 35 35 carry slotted metal plates 36 36 with which engage
pins or studs 37 37, secured upon the bars 3 30.
The bottom 2 of the truck is formed in halves to which the bottom bars 29 29 are
secured, but the ends or tail boards 3 3 are each in one piece and are hinged
respectively on opposite sides of the ends of the truck so that they may be folded in
as shown in Fig. 6. When this is done the truck is lifted by the handles 12 so that
the weight is thrown on to the small wheels or rollers 38 38 carried on the back
legs 20, and the two handles 12 are pressed together, which causes the wheels 38 to
approach each other, and the bottom bars 29 to rise, bringing the bottom with them,
forcing the bar 31 up and through the bars 34 34 and 30 30, drawing the sides
together and lifting the covers 35 35 up, the pins 37 moving down the grooves in
the slotted plates 36 36.
If desired the bottom may be in one piece and be pivoted so as to be thrown up
at one side only, or it may be in one piece and be pivoted at the middle so that when
turned into a vertical position the sides can be closed in.
To open the covers when the cart is open it will be seen that they need only be
lifted up when the pins 37 will pass out of the vertical portion of the grooves in the
plates 36. Any suitable locking device may be provided on the covers.
In place

page_text: of these slotted plates links or hooks may be employed to attach the cover to the
bars 30. The truck may have handles at each end if desired and rollers 38 on all
of the legs 20. Another form of folding handle is shown applied to this truck and
also on an enlarged scale in Figs. 12 and 13. In this the handle 12 is formed with
a toothed or serrated disc 38 having a cavity in which is a spring 39, said spring
seating also in the cavity of a second similar disc 40 which may be attached to the
body or some point of the vehicle. A bolt passes through these two discs, and on
the screwed end of this is a nut 41 to which a small handle 42 is attached. To bring
the handle 12 down the handle 42 has a turn given to it when the spring forces the
discs 38, 40 apart as shown in Fig. 13, and to affix it in any desired position a
reverse turn is given to the handle 20 so that the serrated teeth of the discs are
brought into engagement with each other.
Other arrangements of folding handles may also be employed.
In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a collapsible carrier tricycle for the conveyance of small
goods. The body portion of the tricycle is formed with the pivoted bars at the ends,
and the main wheels are carried in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4. The
tricycle has a front wheel 43 driven by any convenient arrangement of pedals and
chain or other gearing. It has preferably tubular bars 44 suitably pivoted at 44ª to
the head of the fork 46. To these bars 44 we pivot the bars or tubes 45 45 and 46 46,
which are in turn pivoted at the points 45" 45", 46" 46", to the body or box
portion. The body is collapsed by folding in the ends and pressing the sides together
as previously described, thus causing the tubes 45 45, 46 46, to approach each other.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular arrangement of the framework but that
shown is simple and convenient for the purpose.
A folding and locking axle may be applied to the truck shown in Fig. 4 as well
as to the carrier tricycle (Fig. 7). In the latter case however the axle would have
to be of the "cranked" type if the body portion were to be kept low down.
An ordinary riding tricycle may be provided with one of the pivoted locking
axles or tie bars and its frame be hinged so as to collapse in a similar manner.
"Mail Carts" such as used by children can also be made collapsible in one of the.
ways before described.
In Fig. 14 another method of carrying the body is illustrated. An ordinary
spring 25 is here employed, to which is attached the upright rod 23 having the
projections or arms 22 22 and 22ª 22ª sliding in the grooves of a bracket 21.
The pin portions 6 on which the wheels are carried may be connected by one of the
folding and locking axles or tie bars cranked or otherwise if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A folding vehicle having its body portion so hinged or pivoted that it will fold
up without increasing in length and provided with a folding and locking axle,
substantially as described.
2. A folding vehicle provided with an axle or tie bar and pivoted cross bars,
substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
3. A folding vehicle provided with the arrangement of pivoted bars, substantially
as shown on the truck represented in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
4. A folding vehicle provided with one of the arrangements of folding and locking
axles, substantially as illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
Dated this 12th day of Sentember 1800
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicants.