IM- PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO OMNIBUSES AND OTHER LIKE CARRIAGES, TO ADAPT THEM FOR USE ON RAIL OR TRAM ROADS, AS WELL AS COMMON HIGHWAYS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Parker Bath, of Aigburth, near Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Coach Proprietor, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO OMNIBUSES AND OTHER LIKE CARRIAGES, TO ADAPT
THEM FOR USE ON RAIL OR TRAM ROADS, AS WELL AS COMMON HIGHWAYS."
Sealed the 14th July 1868, and dated the 15th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Parker Bath at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th January 1863.
I, JAMES PARKER BATH, of Aigburth, near Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Coach Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO OMNIBUSES AND OTHER LIKE CARRIAGES
TO ADAPT THEM FOR USE ON RAIL OR TRAM ROADS, AS WELL AS COMMON HIGH-
WAYS," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
These improvements have for their object a simple arrangement, whereby
omnibuses and other likei vehicles are rendered equally available for travelling
upon rail or tram ways or common high roads, and consist in suspending by
joints to the under side to the axletree of the fore carriage two short pendulous
arms, to the lower ends of which are attached axletrees running parallel
with the main axletree on the outside of these arms, and carrying thereon
vertical revolving face plates, to the front of each of which is secured a disc,
annular ring, or wheel, which extending a short distance beyond the ordinary

page_text: running wheels, acts as a flanch for keeping the bearing wheels on the rail.
The inner ends of the axletrees on the inside of the pendulous arms it is
preferred for the sake of strength to bend upwards and attach them to the
centre of the main axletree by a suitable joint or joints. When the guides
are in use, they are held in position by india-rubber or helical springs attached
on one side to the lower end of the pendulous arms, and to the ends of cross
beams or arms extending across the main axletree. When the carriage is
required to run on the ordinary road, the guides are drawn up (by preference
in a backward direction by means of a "bridle chain" or cord, and small
windlass or their mechanical equivalent worked by the driver or other person.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Parker Bath in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PARKER BATH, of Aigburth, near Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Coach Proprietor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth
year of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Parker Bath, Her special licence, that I, the
said James Parker Bath, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Parker Bath, 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 APPLICABLE TO OMNIBUSES AND OTHER LIKE CARRIAGES, TO
ADAPT THEM FOR USE ON RAIL OR TRAM ROADS, AS WELL AS COMMON HIGHWAYS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Parker Bath,
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Parker Bath, 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 (that is to say) :-
These my said improvements have for their object a simple arrangement,
whereby omnibuses and other like vehicles are rendered equally available for
travelling upon rail or tram ways, or common high roads, and consists in sus-
pending by joints to the under side of the "fore carriage" two short pendulous
arms, to the lower ends of which are attached axletrees running parallel with
the main axletree on the outside of these arms, and carrying thereon vertical
revolving face plates, to the front of each of which is secured a disc, annular
ring; or wheel, which extending a short distance beyond the ordinary running
wheels, acts as a flanch for keeping the bearing wheels on the rails. The
inner ends of the axletrees on the inside of the pendulous arms, I prefer for
the sake of strength to bend upwards, and attach them to the centre of the
main axletree by a suitable joint or joints. When the guides are in use, they
are held in position by india-rubber or helical springs, attached on each side
to the lower end of the pendulous arms, and to the ends of cross beams or armis
extending across the main axletree. When the carriage is required to run on
the ordinary road, the guides are drawn up (by preference in a backward
direction) by means of a "bridle chain" or cord, and small windlass, or their
mechanical equivalent, worked by the driver or other person.
That this my said Invention may be more readily seen and understood, I
have hereunto annexed Drawings in illustration of one mode of applying the
improvements to an omnibus, like letters and figures marked thereon being
used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an omnibus, seen with the off fore wheel re-
moved to exhibit my improvements; and Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of
the same, without the off fore wheel removed; Figure 3 is an enlarged partial
elevation of the fore carriage; and Figure 4 a partial side elevation, showing
one of the guide wheels, fore spring, and a portion of the rear check chain.
A, body of the omnibus; B and B', the running wheels of the fore carriage
which are mounted on C the axle arms of D the axletree, which is fitted with
the ordinary lock plate turning on a "perch bolt;" E and E' the pendulous
axles, on the arms of which revolve F and F the sleeved guide wheels, which
are held in position by washers formed with octagonal, or otherwise suitably
shaped holes, which fit on to the outer ends of the axle arm, and are secured
thereto by nuts on the ends of the axle arms, and the whole are covered by a
cap screwed into the face of the centre of the guide wheels. G, cross beam

page_text: connected to the lower side of the axle of the fore running wheels by
the straps g, and H, bolts on which the pendulous axles swing; I, rigid
horizontal arms, .extending forward from the cross beam (G), and to
which are attached K, india-rubber springs, attached to the pendulous
axles by L straps and link eye; M, a bridle chain attached to the rear of
the pendulous arms, and passing over N a pulley wheel,fitted into a mortice
formed in P a lever arm, jointed to the bottom of the carriage body,,and
which is jointed at its lower end to a link rod, which is jointed to R
.an horizontal draw.rod, working through suitable.glands, and which is formed
with a screw on its outer or rear end, which works through a female screw.
formed in the nave of S, an actuating wheel for working the guide gear; T, a
rod jointed to the bottom of the body of the carriage, and the front of which
.is formed with ‚or has attached to it a bolt or clip, which locks the fore.car-
riage, and prevents its turning on the "perch bolt," and is connected to the
jointed lever, (P) by Uan horizontal .link rod.
By the improvements herein-before described and set forth, it will be
readily seen that should the guide wheels meet with any obstruction in their
path, the india-rubber or other springs.attached to the front of their pendulous
axles will yield, and allow the guide wheels to pass backwards and upwards,
.until the wheels have passed over the obstacle, when they will immediately.be
drawn forward again to their proper position as guide wheels. And when it
is required to move the guide wheels out of action, it can be done with the
greatest facility, by merely turning round the actuating wheel. (S) at the rear
of the carriage.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details, relative proportions, or dimensions, as it will be readily seen that the
same may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention, but
what I do claim, is,―
First, mounting the guide wheels on pendulous axles attached to the, axles
of the running wheels of the omnibus or other carriage, as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
Secondly, the application and use of india-rubber, helical, or other like
draw springs applied to the front of the pendulous axles of the guide wheels,
as herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
Thirdly, the peculiar mode of locking the fore carriage, herein.before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
Fourthly, peculiar arrangement of bridle, chain, jointed lever, link rod,

page_text: horizontal screwed rod, and actuating wheel, for putting into or taking out
of use the guide wheels, as herein-before described and set forth or any mere
modification of the same.
And, lastly, the general arrangement and combination of the various parts of
the apparatus herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification
thereof, when applied to omnibuses or other like carriages, to adapt them for
use on rail or tram roads, as well as common highways.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Parker Bath, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal this Fourteenth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
JAMES PARKER (L.s.) BATH.