CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CARRIAGES AND AXLETREES OF WHEEL CARRIAGES
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PRIOR, of Royal Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Sixth day of June, in the second year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Prior, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said William Prior, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Prior, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CARRIAGES AND AXLETREES OF
WHEEL CARRIAGES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said William Prior, shall cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: axle.
This improvement, which I call "the solid locking arm," forms the front
It consists of a piece of the best steel of sufficient size and dimensions,
one end of which is formed into an arm, and the other into a hinge, and is of
the shape shewn in Figure 1. A represents the arm or axle, which may be
made either cylindrical or conical; B, a concave recess, to receive a convex
metal or iron.point or bearing attached or screwed into the axle-box, after
described; C.is a groove made all, round the arm to receive the point of a
screw, or bolt which is screwed into and through the box.of the axle so far as
to enter the groove, but not to touch it. It acts as a stopper to confine the
oil or other lubricating matter. in the box; and which can be supplied at all
times without taking off the wheels; D is a collar cut and raised out, and forms

page_text: part of the solid armı; E is a square equilateral shoulder, to which the wheel
irons are, fastened, the end is rounded to work more easily. O is a groove
turned round the shoulder, and over which a moveable iron collar with a
leather washer is attached thereto, and works or turns round with the wheel,
and which, collar and washer are screwed to the box of the axle, as after
described. On the upper part of the shoulder another groove or collar is
turned out horizontally, and raised. to receive a cap or fastening, as after
mentioned, and which also forms a small. reservoir for oil. F represents part
of the hinge, or spindle thereof, which is formed round, the upper and lower
ends of which may be made round or conical. On the inside of the collar D,
towards the arm, a leather washer may be put to prevent the escape of oil.
The arm being so constructed; a gun metal cap or box H of sufficient strength
is hollowed or turned out in order to fit and cover the upper part of the
spindle F, at the base of which cap a groove is made or turned out to form a
collar to fit into and upon the collar A in the shoulder. The top of this cap
or box is partly cut through to receive oil or other lubricating matter, and
also a screw to prevent the admission of dirt. A leather washer may be
placed at the base of this cap to rest upon the collar of the arm near the
spindle, as a further prevention against the escape of oil.
On the lower or under spindle. a gun-metal cap or box is also made to fit
and cover it, but without a hole at the bottom, and is to be supplied with oil
by means of a small aperture made beneath the spindle for the purpose,
and which may be stopt up by a small iron or steel screw. In both these caps
or boxes one or more small grooves are made to admit a supply of oil. These
caps are made square towards the bed of the carriage for greater security
and steadiness, and rounded towards the front, and are let into the ends of the
fore bed of the carriage and fastened as after mentioned; the arms being so far
completed and fitted into the caps, two strong iron or steel side braces I are
closely fitted over the caps longitudinally, and firmly bolted..and..let-into-the-
bed, and a strong iron top. plate K, with a hole or recess near the end, is made
to cover over the top of the upper cap, and a like plate to cover over the base
of the lower cap. These plates are to be strongly screwed and bolted above
and below the bed of the carriage, and the whole is further secured by a strong
iron clip or brace L placed over. the top plate and side braces, and fastened by
a coupling plate bolted through the bed of the carriage and inner braces, and
fastened or screwed below. by a nut . Through the recess in the top plate K a
hole is made to receive a screw M to fit the same and supply the cap and hinge
with oil. The improvement on the box N, which encloses the arms or axles
before mentioned, is videlicet, it is formed of wrought or cast iron, bored through

page_text: so as to fit the arm with the greatest exactness, except in the centre O, which
is turned or grooved out all round of a sufficient depth and length to form a
reservoir for oil or other lubricating matter, and which part so turned out or
grooved does not touch the arm. The external end of the box is fitted
or closed up hermetically by means of a gun metal cap P, firmly screwed in
or brased to the box N, the internal side being turned convexly to fit the concave
end of the arm B, against which it works. Another groove is also turned out
to fit the internal collar and washer, on both of which the box works. This
box is let into and fixed or fastened to the nave of the wheel by means of
screws or bolts Q (screwed or bolted through the moveable collar and washer
on the shoulder of the arm) into three or more holes or sockets drilled into
flanges R, made on the exterior of the box for the purpose, and wedged in
after the usual manner with the common guiding or regulating pin attached
to the nave; S is another groove in the box to supply oil, and it will be evident
that the improved box is suitable for similar axletrees, as above stated,
whether they be formed according to the first part of my Invention or affixed
in the ordinary manner.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved spring which I call
"a double counteracting scroll spring." Figure 2 is made with sufficient
number of steel plates, according to the strength required, and consists of two
parts fastened to each other by coupling plates and bolts, or shackles; it
counteracts or lessens the jolting of the carriage when passing over uneven
ground. It is as easy as the C or whip spring, and is admirably adapted to
carriages of all descriptions, particularly those which are fitted with mail
springs, but with this peculiar advantage and novelty, videlicet, that,
whereas carriages fitted up with mail springs are made only with perches, they
can by means of this new spring be made without a perch, and equally strong
and secure (that is, by fitting the fore carriage with mail springs and hanging the
body with a centre stay fastened at the bottom of the bed and to the centre of
the hind cross spring, and made fast to the body span iron, and letting it work
free in the mail spring made for that purpose, which improvement and mode
of suspension I claim); it prevents the reaction of the pole or shafts
occasioned by the action of the horses, and gives additional security to the
carriage. The improved spring may be inserted by inserting the plates, and
may be used for single and double, carriages by placing the same between the
fore wheels, in which case-the perch bolt is fastened to the body of the carriage,
and let through the new springs by means of holes, above and below, made for
the purpose, and through the bed, and by the addition of a hind centre stay
(and in such case the perch-bolt may be either fixed to the body of the carriage

page_text: and left free) to and through the springs and bed thereof, or contrarywise by
fastening it beneath the bed and working free above, taking care to leave a
space in the block sufficient to give it play enough. To the arins so constructed
two wheel-irons are fastened to an horizontal bar 2, Drawing Figure 3, and
the bed of the carriage and transom, which are bolted together firmly,
see Drawing, Figure 3. (1) are the wheel-irons fastened to the shoulders of
the axles a, a, by clips and nuts, and also to an horizontal bar (2), into
which the wheel-irons are let in and bolted to the bar-socket so as to
play or work by the action of the pole or shafts (3) as constructed, which are
moveable; (4) is a centre stay, which is also fixed to the horizontal bar (2)
by a bolt on which it turns or traverses when moved by the pole, which is
secured to a centre stay a socket and bolted thereto, and also by a
socket attached to the centre of a felly piece (5); a stay or iron (6)
is also attached to the centre stay (4), and bolted into the bed and transom
by the perch bolt, which all work together; (7) are two moveable splinter
bars attached to the ends of the centre stay (4) by bolts, or, instead of
these splinter bars, a straight bar may be used with a bolt through it; (8) are
the mail springs, the hanging of which, as before described, I claim as
new when turned by the pole or shaft to allow of its turning on the centre stay.
The dotted lines in the Drawing shew the line of the difference of the lock on
the wheels by the improved plan and the common plan; in the latter case the
wheels traverse on the common perch bolt, thereby proving the advantage of
the improved method.
I bolt the beds and transom of the carriage together, and fix the sockets as
above described, to give additional security to the carriage. The Drawings z
describes a carriage, if worked by two horses, and z, z, by one horse; but in
the latter case the horizontal bar 2 is placed behind. The perch shewn at
Figure 4 in the usual way, but cut asunder in the centre or end, on one end of
the parts so separated, an iron or metal tube of from twelve to eighteen inches
in length, and of sufficient thickness, is put on and fitted firmly (the perch
being reduced or lessened for the purpose,) with two holes made therein at
each extremity to receive two strong iron bolts or screws to secure the same to
the other part of the perch; which last part, at the end where it is cut off, is let
into a similar tube (of sufficient diameter to admit the other) fastened thereon,
so as to allow of its revolving; upon the other two grooves are also cut out, one
above and the other below, and across and through the outer tube, to the extent
of a fourth of its circumference, or thereabouts, to admit of the said two bolts,.
which are screwed through the grooves into the holes in the under tube of the
perch first mentioned, so far as the level of the outer tube, by which means the

page_text: It
two severed parts are secured to each other, or by any such like contrivance, so
that one tube can turn or revolve in the other. Over the screws and grooves
a thin plate or ring of iron or metal may be fastened round the outer tube, to
prevent the bolts being removed. The tubes to be lubricated when necessary.
A revolving body loop, shewn at Figure 5, formed of metal or iron.
consists of a bolt or bar, with a ball at the end which revolves in a ball socket
or cup, with a similar bar; or the same may be secured by passing the bolt
through a semi ball cup, socket, or cup, with a hole to allow it to revolve; both
ends of the bars to have screw lines cut to screw into the loop (18). The
points are screwed or fastened in the centre of the body loop, and forms
a collar, which is fastened to the body of the carriage in the usual way,
and attached to the braces. It gives case, and prevents the side motion
of the carriage. An improvement on carriages, which I call "accele-
rating bars;" because, by fixing or suspending the body of the carriage on
them, instead of attaching it on the cross centre of the bed, the weight is
thrown forward, which forces or propels the carriage, thereby easing the
draught considerably by the pressure of the weight, so much so on a plane,
that a carriage will run with a very small power when set in motion. The
improvement consists of two bars or spurs of wood or iron, (of sufficient
strength, and well secured,) projecting from the fore and hind beds forward,
and strongly fastened to the beds of the length of twelve or eighteen inches,
more or less. Fix the body of the carriage, or upon the springs if the body
rests on springs, on these bars, in the same way as if the same was fixed to the
fore and hind beds.
An improved window blind for carriages, which I call a ventilating blind and
shutter. It consists of fine wove wire, or wire gauze, of gold, silver, or brass,
or any other substance fit for the purpose, strained on mahogany, or other
frames used or applicable for carriage blinds, windows, or shutters; by its use,
the carriage can be ventilated, without the danger of taking cold in wet
or hot weather, and prevents the dust from entering. It is to be applied to
coach or carriage windows, blinds, or shutters only.
Another part of my Invention relates to the construction of hinges for
carriage doors, and consists of flat surfaces. Figure 6 shows part of a carriago
door, with a binge applied, constructed according to my Invention. Figure 7
shews a plan of the same; a is a flat bolt or bar, which is affixed to the door;
and 6 is the recess, formed by two plates of metal; and c is a hinge joint or
pin, on which the bar or plate a moves.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would remark that I lay no claim to any of the parts

page_text: separately nor combined, other than are herein fully set forth and expressed;
but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing the fore carriage and axletrees for obtaining
the locking motion.
Secondly, I claim the mode of making complete circular recesses in axle-
tree boxes for oil.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of combining the spring, Figure 2, which I have
called the double counteracting scroll spring.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of constructing the perches of wheeled
carriages, by making one part moveable in respect to the other.
Fifthly, I claim the mode of constructing the parts called "the revolving
body loop."
Sixthly, I claim the mode of constructing carriages with what I have called
the accelerating bar.
Seventhly, I claim the mode of constructing carriage window blinds, by the
application of woven wire cloth.
And lastly, I claim the construction of hinge, shewn at Figures 6 and 7.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Prior, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, One thousand eight hun-
dred and thirty-ning