Improvements in Baby-carriages.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1890-Acc.pted. 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Baby-carriages.
We, RODOLPH MCMAKIN, of New Albany, in the County of Floyd, in the State of
Indiana, one of the United States of America. Manufacturer, and JOHN PARSONS, of
New Albany, aforesaid, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved baby-carriage which
is simple and durable in construction and can easily he pushed in any direction
without lifting or using the handle as a lever to pry or twist the carriage to either
side, as is the case with carriages now in use.
The invention consists of a front axle pivotally connected with the carriage-body
and of a propelling and guiding bar extending rearward from the front axle and
provided with a handle for pushing and directing the carriage.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with part of the rear axle in
section.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the steering-gear, and
Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the same on the line of Fig. 1.
:-
The improved baby-carriage A is provided with the usual carriage-body B, con
nected on its under side by springs C with the side bars D, rigidly connected at their
rear ends with the rear axle E, carrying at its ends the usual rear wheels F. The
front ends of the side bars D are rigidly connected with the bolster G, connected by
a king-bolt H with the front axle I, carrying at its ends the front wheels J. The
fifth-wheel is interposed between the bolster G and the axle I on the king-bolt H.
From the front axle I extends rearward a propelling and guiding bar L, passing
through a transverse slot N, formed in the rear axle E, and then extending upward
at the rear of the carriage-body B to form the usual handle O for pushing and
directing the carriage. On the propelling and directing bar L is mounted to turn a
roller P, travelling in the slot N of the rear axle E, so as to ease the sidewise move-
ment of the propelling and guiding bar whenever it is desired to push the same to
one side.
The operation is as follows -When the propelling and guiding bar L extends
through the middle of the rear axle E, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and the
operator pushes on the handle O, then the carriage is propelled straight forward.
for instance the
When the operator desires to turn the carriage-around a corner,
handle is moved to one side, so that the front axle I turns on the king-bolt H,
whereby the front wheels J assume an angular position in relation to the rear
wheels F. A forward push on the handle O now causes the carriage to travel in a
curve around the corner. As soon as it is desired to again move the carriage
straight the operator again moves the handle O so that the bar L again assumes its
normal position in the middle of the axle E. It is understood that when the operator
desires to turn to the right he moves the handle O to the left, and when he desires
to turn the carriage to the left he moves the handle O-to the right. Thus it will be
seen that by a very convenient and simple device the carriage can be pushed in any
direction without lifting or using the handle as a lever to pry or twist the carriage
to either side in order to turn it, as is the case with the carriages now in use.

page_text: 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. The combination, with a baby-carriage having its front axle centrally pivoted to
turn horizontally, of a guiding and propelling bar extending from a point behind the
carriage in reach of the user downwardly and forwardly under the carriage to a point
near the front thereof and there forked, the ends of which fork are secured to the
front axle, the fork being rigidly and immovably connected with or formed upon the
said bar to move as an integral part thereof, substantially as set forth.
2. In a baby-carriage, the combination, with the carriage-body of a rear axle
rigidly connected with the said carriage-body and provided with a horizontal
longitudinally-extending slot, rear wheels mounted to turn on the said rear axle, a
bolster held on the front end of the said carriage-body, a front axle carrying the
front wheels and pivotally connected with the said bolster, a propelling and guiding
bar extending rearward from the said front axle and provided with a handle for
pushing and directing the carriage, said propelling and guiding bar passing through
said slot in the rear axle and having a free horizontal, oscillating movement therein,
substantially as shown and described.
rear axle
3. In a baby-carriage, the combination, with the carriage-body of a
rigidly connected with the said carriage-body, rear wheels mounted to turn on the
said rear axle, a bolster held on the front end of the said carriage-body, a front axle
carrying the front wheels and pivotally connected with the said bolster, a propelling
and guiding bar extending rearward from the said front axle and provided with a
handle for pushing and directing the carriage, said horizontally-oscillating propelling
and guiding-bár passing through a slot extending transversely in the said rear axle,
and a friction-wheel held on the said propelling and guiding bar in the said slot,
substantially as shown and described.
4. In a baby carriage, the combination, with the carriage-body of side bars con-
nected by springs with the said carriage-body, a rear axle rigidly connected with the
said side bars and carrying the rear wheels, a bolster rigidly connected with the front
ends of the said side bars, a front axle pivotally connected by a king-bolt with the
said holster, a fifth-wheel located between the said bolster and said front axle on the
king-bolt, front wheels held on the said front axle, and a rearwardly-extending pro-
pelling and guiding, bar guided in the rear axle and provided with an upwardly-
extending handle for pushing, and directing the carriage, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 1st. Santambar 1800.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.