A New or Improved Shelter for use in connection with Park Chairs and Omnibus and Tram-car Seats.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Shelter for use in connection with Park Chairs
and Omnibus and Tram-car Seats.
I, HENRY WILFRED of 24 Gloucester Crescent, Regents Park in the County of
Middlesex, Teacher of Foreign Languages do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide park chairs and omnibus and tram-car
seats with suitable protection, in the shape of shades or awnings, for use in case of
rain or bright sunshine, such shelters or awnings to be readily opened or shut, as
required.
For this purpose I employ, in the case of tram-cars or omnibusses, two wood or
metal uprights which I secure to suitable parts of the roof, preferably, one at each
end thereof. These uprights may be hollow or may have grooves in their sides, for
purposes to be hereinafter described. In length they will be about six feet six
inclics, so that when placed in position, as described, their tops will be higher than
a tall passenger standing erect, with his hat on.
Between the two uprights, and at the extreme top thereof, I secure a horizontal
roller of metal, wood, or other suitable material, which shall be capable of being
revolved on its axis by springs, weights or other suitable means. To this roller Ï
secure the edges of two sheets of canvas, duck or other suitable material, and of
such width that, when unwound from the roller, the other edges will reach beyond
the edge or side of the tram-car or 'bus. The outer edges of the canvas or duck I
turn in about one inch, and, through the loops so formed by the stitching, I pass
metal or other kind of rods so as to stiffen and weight them.
I now fix upon each upright two hinged arms which are capable of being moved
into a horizontal or vertical position by weights, springs or other suitable means.
These arms are of sufficient length to extend from the uprights to the sides of the
tram car or omnibus, and may be of any suitable shape.
To the free ends of the arms I secure the free edges of the canvas or duck sheets,
in such a manner that, when the arms are extended horizontally the canvas or duck
will be unrolled from the roller so as to form a canopy extending the full length of
the omnibus or tram-car and with a slope toward the sides thereof from the
horizontal roller, and, when the arms are in a vertical position their ends will lay
against the horizontal roller upon which the canvas or duck will be wound, as I will
now describe.
As I stated before, the uprights are hollow so that I may pass wire cord through
them from the roof of the tram-car or omnibus to the top, where the roller is pivoted.
At each end of the roller I secure a roughened or milled wheel over which I pass
the wire cord or cords, giving it or them at least one coil so that it or they "bites"
the said wheels. From the said wheels the cord or cords pass down through the
hollow uprights to the roof. Thence, I may either carry them across the roof
under a suitable cover or I may pass then through the roof, and, by means of a
pulley or pulleys carry it or them to that side of the tram or 'bus farthest from the
steps (under the stairway). Here I pass it or them over a wheel or wheels, so
arranged, that by turning a small crank handle or other suitable device, the conductor
will be able to wind the cord or cords so as to rotate the horizontal roller on the
uprights before mentioned and thus allow the arms on the said uprights to draw
out the canvas awning from the said horizontal roller so as to form the shelter over
the omnibus or tram. Or I may use the grooves in the sides of the uprights as
guides for weights, the raising or lowering of which will operate the horizontal

page_text: roller and the hinged arms before described. In carrying out the above described
shelter or awning I may erect the uprights at the ends of each seat so as to enable
the passengers to open or shut the shelters as they desire. In this case the rollers
would be placed across the tram or 'bus, or over each seat.
In applying the above described mechanism to park chairs and seats I may place
a wheel, similar to that which the conductor operates on the bus or tram, muder
the seat, or at the back thereof and arrange it in connection with a coin freed
mechanism so that the shelter can be used only upon the insertion of a coin, and
when the sent or chair is vacated, will, by means of weights or springs or other
suitable means, fold up and become lorkel until another coin is inserted."
I may also make the loops in the canvas or duck about six inches from the edge
so that when the metal stiffening rods are passed through, the narrow strip of canvas
will hang down vertically for the better protection of the passengers from the rain
driving under the awning as well as for advertising purposes.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1890.
HENRY WILFRED.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Shelter for use in connection with Park Chairs
and Omnibus and Tram-car Seats.
I, HENRY WILFRED of 10 Bernard Street Russell Square in the County of
Middlesex but formerly of 24 Gloucester Crescent Regents Park in the same
County Teacher of Foreign Languages 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide park chairs and omnibus and tram car
seats with suitable protection in the shape of shades or awnings for use in case of
rain or bright sunshine sneh shelters or awnings to be adapted to be readily opened
or closed as required.
For this purpose employ in the ease of tram ears or omnibuses two wood or
metal uprights which I secure to suitable parts of the roof preferably one at each end.
These uprights may be hollow or may have grooves in their sides for purposes to
be hereinafter described.
In length they should be about six feet six inches so that when placed in position
as described their tops will be higher than a tall passenger standing erect with his
hat on.
Between the two uprights and at the extreme top thereof 1 secure a horizontal
roller of metal, wood or other suitable material, which shall be capable of being
revolved on its axis by springs, weights or other suitable means.
To this roller I veure the edges of two sheets of canvas, duck or other suitable
material and of such width that when unwound from the roller, the other edges will
reach beyond the edge or side rail of the tram car or 'bus.
The outer edges of the canvas or duck I turn in about an inch and through the
hems or loops so formed by the stitching 1 pass metal or other kind of rods so as to
stiffen and weight them.
I now fix upon each upright two hinged arms which are capable of being moved
into a horizontal or vertical position by weights springs or other suitable means.
These arns are of sufficient length to extend from the uprights to the sides of
the train car or omnibus and may be of any suitable shape.
To the free ends of the arms f secure the free edges of the canvas or duck sheets
in such a manner that when the arms are extended horizontally the canvas or duck
will be unrolled from the roller so as to form a canopy extending the full length of
the omnibus or tramcar and with a slope toward the side thereof from the horizontal
roller and when the arms are in a vertical position their ends will be against the

page_text: horizontal roller upon which the canvas or duck will be wound as I will now
describe.
As herein before described the uprights are formed hollow so that I may pass wire
cord through them from the roof of the tramcar or omnibus to the top where the
roller is pivotted.
At each end of the roller I secure a wheel or drum over which I pass the wire
cord or cords giving it or them at least one coil so that they "bite" the said wheels.
From the said wheels the cord or cords pass down through the hollow uprights
to the roof.
Thence I may either carry them across the roof under a suitable cover or may
pass them through the roof and, by means of a pulley or pulleys carry it or them to
that side of the tram or 'bus farthest from the steps under the stairway.
Here I pass it or them over a wheel or wheels so arranged that by turning a
small crank handle or other suitable device the conductor will be able to wind the
cord or cords so as to rotate the horizontal roller on the uprights before mentioned
and thus allow the arms on the said uprights to draw out the canvas awning from the
said horizontal roller so as to form the shelter over the omnibus or tramcar.
Or 1 may use the grooves in the sides of the uprights as guides for weights the
raising or lowering of which will operate the horizontal roller and the hinged arms
before described.
In carrying out the above described shelter or awning 1 may erect the uprights
at the end of each seat so as to enable the passengers themselves to open or shut the
shelters as they desire.
In this case the rollers would be placed across the tram or 'bus or over each seat.
In applying the above described mechanism to park chairs and seats I may
arrange it in connection with a coin freed mechanism so that the shelter can be used
only upon the insertion of a coin and when the seat or chair is vacated will by means
of weights springs or other suitable means fold up and become locked until another
coin is inserted.
I may also make the loops in the canvas or duck about six inches from the edge
so that when the metal stiffening rods are passed through the narrow strip of
canvas will hang down vertically for better protection from the rain driving under
the awning as well as for advertising purposes.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to desile the mom

page_text: the roof thereof, upon which are fixed two vertical tubular standards or uprights b
upon the upper end of each of which is fixed a ring or cap formed with a vertical
dise and extending between the two standards and at its ends removeably fixed
to the dises is a semi-cylindrical cover or case **
Within the case ** is located a horizontal blind roller e which at its ends is
provided with axes which are received with capability of revolution into corre-
sponding recesses or hearings formed in the discs and to this roller c are secured the
inner edges of two blinds or awnings formed of sheets of canvas duck or other
suitable material which are of such width as to extend from end to end of the roller e
and of such length as to reach when extended or drawn down to the rail of the
omnibus and the outer edges of the blinds or awnings I turn in for a suitable distance
and stitch so as to form a tubular hem and into such hem I insert a tube or rod ele
of metal or other suitable material so as to hold distended and weight the blinds or
awnings
Mounted upon an axis of motion d upon each standard are two curved arms d 1
and these arms are extended beyond their axes and have attached to the ends
thereof the upper ends of springs the lower ends of which are attached to the
standards and these spring d constantly exert a force to throw the arms d
forward into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2.
To the upper or free ends of these arms d are attached the ends of the tube or
rod so that when the arms are thrown forward horizontally by the force of the
springs d the blinds or awnings will be drawn off the roller and extended into
the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2 -o as to form an awning or
canopy extending the full length of the omnibus and with a slope from the roller e
towards the side rails of the omnibus.
In order to overcome the force of the springs and wind the blinds upon the
roller and thus retain them I employ the following means,
""
2
Upon the roller and at each end thereof 1 provide a reel or drum to which I
attach one end of a cord or chain which passes down the hollow standard 6 through
a hole provided in the roof a' of the omnibus thence around several guide rollers 3
mounted within a casing and finally it passes to and is coiled several times around
a reel or drum fixed upon a shaft at one end mounted with capability of
revolution in a hearing provided in the front of the omnibus and at the other
end passing through a similar bearing provided in the back of the omnibus.
Upon the rear end of the shaft is fixed a crank handle which is located in a 3
convenient position to be operated by the conductor and is provided with a spring
latch lever mounted upon a centre of motion and formed at its end with a
locking latch or bolt *** which passes through a slot formed in the crank and
normally engages one or other of a circle of notches e formed in a plate e' fixed
npon the back of the body a of the omnibus.
"
4
By this arrangement of parts when the blinds or awnings are required to be
lowered or wond of the roller the conductor grasps the crank handle e and
disengages the locking latch or bolt from the notched plate and rotates it in
the desired direction when the springs d' will assert themselves and throw the arms d
forward and draw the blinds or awnings off the roller c at the same time unwinding 4
the cord or chain from the reels or drums and winding it upon the reels whilst
when the blinds or awnings are required to be raised or wound on to the roller & the
crank handle is rotated in the opposite direction thus unwinding the cords or
chains from the reels and winding them upon the reels e and thereby winding the
blinds or screens upon the roller and overcoming the resistance of the springs 5
and folding the arms d into their vertical position against the standards the locking
latch or bolt. retaining the parts in their respective positions until it is again
actuated to lower the blinds or awnings e³.
The blinds or awnings are preferably provided with a vertically hanging
screen to serve as a better protection against driving rain or slanting sunbeams 5
and also for advertising purposes.

page_text: It will be understood that in lieu of the springs d' I may if desired employ
weights placed within the standards or otherwise suitably encased and guided to
automatically throw forward the arms d.
r
In the arrangement represented at Figure 7 the arms d are dispensed with and
the blinds or awnings are normally raised or wound upon a spring roller mounted
in bearings similar to those hereinbefore described but are drawn down at the
required times by means of cords or chains e which pass around guide rollers f¹
mounted upon the upper ends of hollow posts fixed at the four corners of the roof a¹
and the cords or chains e thence pass down the posts and around guide pulleys e¹
to one side of the omnibus whence they descend to a horizontal shaft such as
that e shown and described with respect to Figures 1 to 6 by the aid of which the
blinds or awnings may be drawn down and permitted to rise or roll up by rotating
the crank handle in the required direction.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 8 which represents the garden seat of an
omnibus a vertical standard or support is fixed to the back of the sent # at each
side thereof and a spring roller c is at each end mounted in bearings carried by the
standards in a similar manner to that hercinbefore described whilst the case or
cover 61** is carried down at the backs of the standards in the form of a sheathing
and is secured to the back of the scat g and the outer edge of the blind or awning
is attached to a rod e₁* connecting the upper ends of two arms d which are mounted
upon centres of motion d* carried by the back of the scat 9.
At one side of the seat y is a levere which is mounted upon an axis of motion e***
carried by a bracket g' from the back of the seat g and the lever is formed with
a slot therein into which enters a stud d** carried by one of the arms d.
By these means a person occupying the seat may by depressing the lever et
bring forward the armis d and the blind or awning into the position indicated by
the dotted lines whilst by reversing the movement the parts will be restored to their
normal positions and inasmuch as each seat of an omnibus is fitted with a similar
device the occupant has only to consult his individual wishes and lower or raise the
blind or awning at will.
In the arrangement illustrated at Figure 9 which represents a park chair the
parts are similar to those described with respect to the previous figure but in this
example the lever is dispensed with and the arins d are locked in their normal
position by means of a coin freed apparatus until a coin of a predetermined kind
representing the charge for the use of the blind has been inserted therein.
This coin freed apparatus may be of any suitable construction such for example
as the following:-
represents a metal case fixed to the side of the chair g and ' is a slot into which
the coin is inserted; the coin falls into a corresponding slot * formed in a
slide and is supported by a table ** and is carried by the inward traverse of
the slide against the lower arm of a bellerank lever mounted upon a centre of
motion and whose upper arm acts as a detent and normally engages a ratchet
wheel fixed upon one of the levers d and the inward traverse of the slide 4² thus
releases the arm d and blind e¹ so that it may be drawn down the weight of the
arms & thus retaining it and upon the full inward traverse of the slide which is
rendered positive by a stud * upon the ratchet wheel acting against the inner
end thereof the coin is carried beyond the table 4*** and falls into the money com-
partment & and the slide at the same moment engages a spring detent / which
holds it in its inward position and consequently the pawl or detent arm of the hell-
crank lever clear of the ratchet wheel hand thus prevents the parts again locking
until the blind or awning has been raised or returned to its normal position when
a stud ** upon the ratchet wheel acts upon a projection * of the detent h*
thereby depressing it and freeing the slide which is then returned to its normal
position by a spring **** and upon the blind e¹ being raised by the occupant upon
vacating the chair a the parts will again become locked.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is,
1. In a shelter for omnibus seats park chairs and the like the combination of a
roller a blind or blinds normally wound upon such roller and means for lowering
and raising the blind or blinds and thus retaining it or them substantially as herein
shown and described.
2. In a shelter for omnibus sents park chairs and the like the combination of a
spring roller a blind or blinds normally wound upon such roller and means for
lowering and raising the blind or blinds and thus retaining it or them substantially as
herein shown and described.
3. In a shelter for omnibus seats or the like the combination of a roller arranged
centrally of the roof two blinds normally wound upon such roller and means for
lowering and raising such blinds from the platform of the vehicle and thus retaining
them substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a shelter for omnibus seats or the like the combination of two hollow
standards mounted upon the roof of the vehicle, a roller arranged centrally of the
roof and supported upon the standards, two blinds normally wound upon the roller
reels or drums upon the roller, flexible connections from the drums passing down
the hollow standards and around guide wheels to a shaft provided with a crank
handle located above the platform of the vehicle and arms at or near their lower
ends mounted upon axes of motion upon the standards at their upper ends attached
to the blinds and acting in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
. In a shelter for a garden seat of an omnibus or the like or a park chair, the
combination of a spring roller mounted upon uprights attached to the hack thereof,
a blind normally wound upon the roller and arins at their lower ends mounted upon
axes of motion upon the back of the seat or chair and at their upper ends attached
to the blind and means for neting upon such arms to lower and raise the blind sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
6. In a shelter for a park chair or the like, the combination of a spring roller
mounted upon uprights attached to the back thereof, a blind normally wound upon
the roller, arms at their lower ends mounted upon axes of motion upon the back of
the chair and at their upper ends attached to the blind and a coin freed apparatus
for locking the parts in their normal position substantially as herein shown and
described.
7. The improved shelter for use in connection with park chairs and omnibus and
tram car seats substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 8th day of July 1891
WHITE & WOODINGTON.
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.