Improvements in Floats and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Floats and other Vehicles.
I, CHARLES ALBERT SMITH, of 4, Knight Street, Berry Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Coach Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
This invention relates to vehicles such as floats, bakers' vans, governesses' carts
and the like, and consists in certain improvements which will be hereinafter
described as applied to floats. Hitherto the door of a float has been at the back,
which necessitated persons having either to climb over the seat or to push it to one
side in order to leave the vehicle and further, suca persons were compelled to step
on to the roadway. Now by this invention I place the door at the side of the
vehicle and at the forward end thereof, this having the double advantage of
enabling the occupants to step out on to the parapet or side walk and to be much
nearer the horse than when getting out at the back, and furthermore by this
arrangement a tail board can take the place of the end door which will be found
a great convenience. Another improvement relates to the shafts of vehicles and
consists in stopping off the shafts close up to the body of the vehicle but quite
clear of the same, but instead of having a rigid cross-bar connecting the ends of the
shafts, I provide a spring preferably in the form of a flat plate which is firmly
secured at the centre to a strong bracket which again is secured to the body of the
vehicle, the ends of such spring plate being fixed to the ends of the respective
shafts. Suitable supporting brackets are also provided underneath each of the
shafts.
Improvements in Floats and other venicies.
I, CHARLES ALBERT SMITH, of 4, Knight Street, Berry Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Coach Builder, 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 —
This invention relates to vehicles such as floats, bakers' vans, governesses' carts
and the like, and consists in certain improvements which will be hereinafter
described.

page_text: The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a general view of a governess cart with the invention applied
thereto;
Figure 2, a detail view showing the manner of connecting the shafts with the
vehicle.
Hitherto the door of a float, governess cart, etc., has been at the back, which
necessitated persons having either to climb over the seat or to push it to one side
in order to leave the vehicle and further, such persons were compelled to step on
to the roadway. Now by this invention I place the door at the side of the vehicle
and at the forward end thereof, namely at A, this having the double advantage
of enabling the occupants to step out on to the parapet or side walk and to be much
nearer the horse than when getting out at the back, and furthermore by this
arrangement a tail board can take the place of the end door which will be found a
great convenience. Another improvement relates to the shafts of vehicles, and
consists in stopping off the shafts B close up to the body C of the vehicle but quite
clear of the same and of the door, so as not to obstruct access thereto. Instead
also of having a rigid cross-bar connecting the ends of the shafts, I provide a
spring D preferably in the form of a flat plate which is firmly secured at the centre
to a strong bracket E which again is secured to the body C of the vehicle, the ends
of such spring plate D being fixed to the ends of the respective shafts B. Suitable
supporting brackets F are also provided underneath each of the shafts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improvement in floats, bakers' vans, governesses' carts and the like which
consists in forming them with a door at the side or sides of the vehicle at the forward
end thereof substantially as described, whereby the occupants are able to step out
of the vehicle and be much nearer the horse than when getting out at the back
and whereby also a tail-board can take the place of the end door.
2. In floats, bakers' vans, governesses' carts and the like, in which a door is
provided at the side or sides of the vehicle stopping off the shaft thereof just short
of the vehicle body so as not to obstruct the said door, and in connecting these
shafts with the vehicle by means of a springy or other connection substantially
as described.
3. In floats, bakers' vans, governesses' carts and the like, the manner of connect-
ing the shafts to the vehicle body substantially as described.
Dated S
LOOE
13016 TO
inn πρ
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham & London.