IMPROVEMENTS IN CABRIAGES. VEHICLES, OR CONVEYANCES PROPELLED OR MOVED BY MANUAL POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Austin Chambers, of Fairfield Road, Bow, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CABRIAGES. VEHICLES, OR CONVEYANCES PROPELLED OR MOVED BY MANUAL
POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
Scaled the 31st August 1869, and dated the 31st March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Austin Chambers at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st March 1869.
I, AUSTIN CHAMBERS, of Fairfield Road, Bow, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN CAERIAGES, VEHICLES, OR CONVEYANCES, PROPELLED OR
MOVED BY MANUAL POWER, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO
TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object improvements in carriages, vehicles,
or conveyances, propelled or moved by
nal power; parts of which
Die S/1

page_text: improvements are applicable also to other purposes, and its distinctive
peculiarities consist,-
Firstly. In the method of combining the various parts so that the
weight of the vehicle and its contents may be borne principally by two
main wheels having a common axis, as herein-after described.
Secondly. In the simplicity and effectiveness of the means for
dispensing with cranked axles in conveyances of the kind already
mentioned, and for enabling driving wheels of lighter construction
than heretofore to be employed in the same and other carriages, vehicles,
conveyances, and engines carrying their own motive power by com-
bining the driving wheels with the driving shaft or axle, so that motion
can be transmitted direct to the rims or felloes of the wheels, and their
spokes relieved from the strain to which they are subjected when the
driving motion is conveyed thro' them to the rims or felloes of the wheels
in the ordinary manner.
Thirdly. In the means for enabling the vehicle to travel round curves
or over uneven roads without twisting or straining the main shaft or
axle by providing for inequality in the speeds of rotation of the respec-
tive driving wheels when one wheel has to travel over a greater distance
than the other within a given time.
Fourthly. In the means for propelling or moving the vehicle in such
manner as to provide all the healthful advantages of the exercise of
boat rowing without its attendant dangers, and so that the arms may
be supported instead of having to bear their own weight, thus leaving
their full power available for effective work in propelling the vehicle.
Fifthly. In the simplicity of the means whereby the vehicle is
balanced and steered with a minimum expenditure of power as herein
described.
Jn carrying out my Invention the body of the vehicle is suspended
to springs carried by the main axle. In fixing the driving wheel it is
placed freely upon the axle to which a bar or bars is or are attached,
and the end or ends of the said bar. or bars is or are firmly secured to
the rim or felloc of the driving wheel.
In order that the vehicle may travel round curves or over uneven
roads without twisting or straining the main shaft or axle, one only of
the wheels is firmly fixed to the axle, as described, or otherwise, in
order to enable either of the wheels to slip upon the axle as occasion

page_text: may require, the rotatory motion may be transmitted to the bars and
wheels by friction in such manner as to enable both to serve as driving
wheels and to allow either of them by slipping more or less upon the
axle on encountering excessive resistance, to rotate at a slower speed
than the other without twisting or straining the shaft ọr axle.
The necessary power for propelling or moving the vehicle is applied
by occupants to cross handles carried by standards, links, or levers
which vibrate on suitable fulcra; the reciprocating motion from these
standards, links, or levers being transmitted through connecting rods to
pins affixed to radial bars which serve as cranks and cause the shaft
or axle and wheels to rotate and propel the vehicle; or in some cases
separate cranks fixed to the ends of the shaft or axle may be employed.
the shaft or axle itself in both instances being made straight.
In the body or receptacle of the vehicle seats are provided, and they
are arranged in such manner that their positions may be regulated to
dispose the weight carried, so that the steering wheel or wheels may
bear upon the ground just sufficiently to guide the vehicle in its course
without needlessly obstructing its progress. Over the main axle (by
preference) a seat is provided for the steersman who works the steering
wheel or wheels by ropes, rods, levers, or other convenient means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Austin Chambers in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHAMBERS, of Fairfield Road, Bow, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Austin Chambers, Her special licence that I,
the said Austin Chambers, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Austin Chambers, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: 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,
VEHICLES, OR CONVEYANCES PROPELLED OR MOVED BY MANUAL POWER, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Austin Chambers, my
exccutors 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Austin Chambers, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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, that is to say:-
My Invention has for its object improvements in carriages, vehicles,
or conveyances propelled or moved by manual power, parts of which
improvements are applicable also to other purposes, and its distinctive
peculiarities consist,―
Firstly. In the simplicity and effectiveness of the means for dispensing
with cranked axles in conveyances propelled or moved by manual power,
and for enabling driving wheels of lighter construction than heretofore
to be employed in the same and other carriages, vehicles, conveyances,
and engines carrying their own motive power by combining the driving
wheels with the driving shaft or axle, so that motion can be transmitted
direct to the rims or felloes of the wheels, and their spokes relieved
from the strain to which they are subjected when the driving motion
is conveyed through them from the bosses to the rims or fellocs of the
wheels in the ordinary manner.
Secondly. In the means for enabling the vehicle to travel round
curves or over uneven roads without twisting or straining the main
shaft or axle by providing for inequality in the speeds of rotation of the
respective driving wheels when one wheel has to travel over a greater
distance than the other within a given time.
Thirdly. In the means for propelling or moving the vehicle in such
manner as to provide all the healthful advantages of the exercise of
boat rowing without its attendant dangers, and so that the arms of the

page_text: operators may be supported, instead of having to bear their own weight,
thus leaving their full power available for effective work in propelling
the vehicle.
Fourthly. In the method of combining the various parts so that the
weight of the vehicle and its contents may be borne principally by two
main wheels having a common axis, as herein-after described.
In carrying out my Invention the body of the vehicle is by preference
suspended to springs carried by the main axle. In fixing the one
driving wheel it is placed freely upon the axle, to which a bar or bars
is or arc attached, and the end or ends of the said bar or bars is or are
firmly secured to the rim or felloe of the driving wheel.
In order that the vehicle may travel round curves or over uneven
roads without twisting or straining the main shaft or axle, one only of
the wheels is firmly fixed to the axle as described, or otherwise, in
order to enable either of the wheels to slip upon the axle as occasion
may require; the rotatory motion may be transmitted to the wheels
by friction in such manner as to enable both to serve as driving wheels,
and to allow cither of them by slipping more or less upon the axle on
encountering excessive resistance to rotate at a slower speed than the
other without twisting or straining the shaft or axle.
The necessary power for propelling or moving the vehicle is applied
by the occupants to cross handles carried by standards, radial rods, or
levers, which vibrate on suitable fulcra; the reciprocating motion from
these standards, radial rods, or levers, being transmitted through con-
necting rods to pins affixed to cross or spring clip bars, which serve as
cranks and cause the shaft or axle and wheels to rotate and propel the
vehicle; or in some cases separate cranks fixed to the ends of the shaft
or axle may be employed, the shaft or axle itself in both instances being
made straight.
In the following description the same letters of reference are used to
denote corresponding parts in all the views.
Sheet 1 illustrates one arrangement of carriage constructed according
to my Invention (which may be provided with ordinary breaks worked
by hand or foot), Figure 1 shewing a side elevation of the vehicle;
Fig. 2, a plan of the same; Fig. 3, a section of the boss of the wheel
and part of the main axle, shewing the attachment of the cross bars by

page_text: which motion is transmitted to the rims or felloes of the wheels, in
Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 17, 18, 19, and 20.
Figures 4, 5, and 6, views shewing the connection of the ends of the
cross clip bars and spring clip bars, with the rims or felloes of the wheels
in Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
a is the body or main framing of the vehicle, which in this case is
formed of two side boards connected together by means of the seats 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, the footboards a' and the stretchers, a, a, a, a³, a³;
b, b, are the main springs; c is the main axle, it passes thro' eyes formed
at the upper ends of the bolts 6', 6', which pass down to the bar b², and
this bar bears against the india-rubber spring b, as shewn; d, d', are
the driving wheels, they are secured on to the axle as shewn in Fig. 3.
The parts c' of the axle are made square in cross section, and the cross
bars e, e', are made to fit thereon; the extremities of the axles are
formed with screw threads provided with nuts c, by which the cross
bars are secured in position on the axle, the spring clip bars.being made
to press more or less against the peripheries of the wheels by adjusting
the positions of their nuts c. This applies also to the spring clip bars
shown in other Figures. The cross bars are provided with crank pins f
and f. The ends of the cross clip bar c are secured to the wheel d
by means of clips g, g, which are secured on to the rim or felloe of the
wheel, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6. The spring clip bar e' is made
of steel, and its extremities are provided with blocks of wood e faced
with pads of leather which press against the rim or felloe of the
wheel d', as shewn in Figure 4, so as to communicate rotatory motion
to it by friction; this arrangement provides for a certain amount of
slip between the ends of the spring clip bar e¹ and the rim of the wheel
d', so that the two wheels d, d', may travel at different speeds when
turning round sharp corners, or on encountering any obstruction. h, h,
are the cross handles, they consist of tubes of wood threaded freely on
to iron rods; i, are the standards or radial rods radiating from centres
at j, and carrying the handles. The lower ends of the radial rods are
formed at right angles to their other portions, and pass through holes
in suitable metal bearing plates attached to the side framing; the rods
are formed with collars to prevent their passing too far through the
holes; they are also screwed at their extremities and provided with nuts
for keeping them in position. are the connecting rods by which the
handles and radial rods are connected together, and the connecting
rods which connect them with the crank pins f, f. Holes

page_text: may be formed in the rauial rods and cross clip bars, as shown,
so that the stroke may be altered. In some cases slots may be substituted
for these holes. 1, are the steering wheels; m is their axle which
turns on a suitable pivot, but is prevented from turning too far by the
framing of the vehicle, or suitable stops may be provided for this pur-
pose when necessary; mare india-rubber springs interposed between the
axle m and the body of the vehicle; are leather reins or cords con-
nected to the axle me for turning it on its pivot, so as to steer the vehicle.
The machine is propelled by the occupants of seats Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4,
and is steered by the occupant of seat No. 5 by means of the steering
reins or cords 7, much in the same way that a horse is driven. The
Occupants of seats 1 and 2 sit with their faces towards the back of the
vehicle, and their feet against the stretchers a, a'; the occupants of the
other seats (including the steersman) sit in the contrary direction. The
stroke in one direction is performed by Nos. 1 and 2, and the contrary
stroke by Nos. 3 and 4; by these means a quicker stroke can be made
with case than is the case in rowing, because the two men who are
making their return stroke are assisted during the early part of that
stroke by the two other men.
On Sheet 2, Figure 6 shows a side elevation, and Figure 7 a plan of
another arrangement of vehicle constructed according to my Invention.
The body, springs, and seats of this vehicle are designed so that the
weight is mainly supported by the two driving wheels d, d. The main
steel springs b, b, are by preference made so that when the vehicle is
empty only the two driving wheels and the steering wheel rest upon
the ground, the rim of the other small wheel being some little
distance above the level of the road; but when the vehicle is loaded,
and the main springs are consequently depressed, then the small
wheel just bears against the ground slightly, but so as still to leave
the principal burden upon the other wheels, which arrangement con-
siderably increases the facility of steering the vehicle. The vehicle is
propelled by means of two cross handles h, h, which are connected to
the crank pins, f', by rods ', as shown. The occupants of seats Nos.
1 and 3 sit with their faces towards the back of the vehicle, and the
others sit in the contrary direction. The steersman's seat No. 5 is not
placed quite centrally, but is so situated that though he will be
supported principally by the driving wheels his weight will at the same
time be thrown partly upon the steering wheel 7, and not at all on the
small wheel. The spring m' of the steering wheel is pivotted to

page_text: the main framing at m². The other end of the spring rests against a
curved. slotted bar o and is provided with a pin m³, which works in the
slot of the said bar. The steering reins pass round guides p, as shown.
The spring m of the small wheel is pivotted at m³, and at its other
end rests against a slotted bar o', and is provided with a pin mo, which
works in the slot in the bar.
On Sheet 31 have illustrated an arrangement of vehicle designed to
carry two persons; Figure & being a side elevation, and Figure 9 a plan.
The arrangement will be readily understood from the Drawings. The
two occupants sit face to face and propel the vehicle by means of the
cross handle h, which is carried by the radial rods i and is connected
to the crank pins f, f', by rods . The occupant of seat 2 steers the
vehicle by means of his feet which rest on the foot plate or pivotted
stretcher I which is connected with the axle of the steering wheels.
In some cases I place spring clip bars e' at both sides of each wheel, as
shown in Figures 10, 11, and 12. In such cases I make the body of the
axle rather larger in diameter than its ends; I then form at each end,
first, a square part for the bar e'; second, a round part for the boss of
the wheel; third, a smaller square part for the outer bar e'; and, lastly,
a screwed portion for the nut c². In some cases also instead of com-
municating the motion to the rim of the wheel I provide special rings or
plates, which are attached to the spokes of the wheel, as shown at
Figures 11 and 12.
On Sheet 4, Figure 13 shows a side elevation of another modification
of vehicle constructed according to my Invention. The arrangement
will be readily understood on reference to the Drawing, by which it will
be seen that there are two cross handles h, h, each to be grasped by two
of the occupants of the vehicle seated face to face. The steersman's
seat is situated nearly over the axle of the steering wheels in the forward
part of the vehicle, and he steers by means of a handle s connected by
a vertical rod to the steering axle m, as shown.
Figure 14 is a side elevation, and Figure 15 a plan view of an
arrangement of vehicle having oue front driving wheel only, to whose
rim or felloe motion is imparted by means of two spring clip bars e', as
shown. The vehicle in this case is arranged to carry only one person,
who steers it, by turning the handle tube on its rod. For this purpose
two cords n, n', are attached to the axle m. These cords pass under the
bent lower ends of the radial arms at j, which serve as guides. The

page_text: upper end of the cord n is passed round the handle tube h in one
direction, and the corresponding end of the other cord n' is passed
round the other end of the handle tube in the contrary direction, so that
when the handle tube is caused to rotate on its rod one cord will be
wound still further around the tube so as to draw back the correspond-
ing end of the axle m, while the other cord n' will be in like manner
unwound so as to permit its end of the axle to move outwards. Separate
cranks are provided for actuating the driving shaft, which conveys
motion to the driving wheel through the two spring clip bars e', as
shown.
On Sheet 5, are illustrated several modifications of my Invention as
applied to the propulsion of ordinary perambulators and invalid
carriages. Figure 16 being a side elevation of a perambulator
provided with radial rods i carrying a cross handle h, from which motion
is conveyed by the connecting rods k¹, to the axle of the front wheel
which imparts motion to the wheel itself by friction thro' the spring
clip bars e, as shown. This arrangement is suitable for invalid
carriages and for ascending gradients at a slow speed. In this case the
vehicle cannot be steered by the occupant, but must be guided by means
of the handle y by a person walking behind.
Figure 17 is a side clevation, and Figure 18 a plan of an arrangement
in which two driving wheels are employed. The framing of the front
steering wheel is provided with a cross bar having two cords n, n',
passing over guide pullies, and each attached to the hinged footboard as
shown, so that by pressing down the footboard q, the cord n will draw
back that end of the cross bar to which it is attached, and when the
footboard q' is pressed down, the cord n' will draw back the other end
of the cross bar for steering the vehicle in a contrary direction
Figure 19 illustrates an arrangement with an ordinary steering
handle, and Figure 20 shows another modification in which the cross
handle is carried by levers i of the first order pivotted at ; to the sides
of the vehicle, these levers are provided with connecting rods which
communicate motion through crank pins to the spring clip bars e¹ which
actuate the two larger wheels as shown. The steering arrangements in
this case may be similar to those shown in and described with reference
to Figures 17 and 18.
In attaching the driving wheels of locomotive engines according to
my Invention the cross clip bars may be kept in position on the

page_text: driving shaft by means of large nuts and split pins, or other suitable
devices may be employed to prevent the nuts from changing their
positions. The same mode of attachment may be modified to suit other
cases in which it is desired to communicate motion to the rims of wheels
without straining their spokes.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same may be conveniently carried into effect, I would
remark that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn in the
Drawings, as the same may be readily modified to suit the requirements
of particular cases, thus for instance, it may be found desirable to
construct vehicles for carrying a greater number of persons than I have
provided for in the arrangements shewn in the Drawings, and to place
the steersman's seat in different positions from those shewn. It may also
be advantageous to provide for carrying luggage or merchandize, and for
the conveyance of passengers who take no part in propelling or
managing the vehicle. What I claim as new is,--
First. The cross clip bar and spring clip bar for conveying motion
to the driving wheels without straining the axles or the spokes of
the wheels, by the means herein set forth and shewn in the Drawings.
Secondly. The arrangements in combination and general construction
shewn in and described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6,
Figures 6 and 7, Figures 8 and 9, Figure 10, Figures 11 and 12,
Figure 13, Figures 14 and 15, Figure 16, Figures 17 and 18, Figure 19,
and Figure 20 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Austin Chambers, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
AUSTIN CHAMBERS. (L.S.)