IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUR-WHEELED CARRIAGES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PHILIP
WILLIAM PHILLIPS, of Clarence Place, Bristol, Gentleman, and WILLIAM;
BISHOP PECK, of Broad Street, Bristol, Wine Merchant, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifteenth day of February, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Philip William Phillips and William Bishop Peck, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Philip William Phillips
and William Bishop Peck, our exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Philip William Phillips and William Bishop Peck, our exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plan-
tations abroad, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUR-WHEELED CARRIAGES;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said Philip
William Phillips and William Bishop Peck, or one of us, shall cause a parti-
cular description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference, being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear..
:

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Philip William Phillips and William Bishop Peck, do hereby declare that the
nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures 5
and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates.to such description of four-wheeled carriages as have
two bodies capable of independent motion; and such improvements. have for
their object better means of connecting two separate bodies, in constructing a
four-wheeled carriage, by which the locking action and general character of
such description of four-wheeled carriages will be improved. And in order that
our Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into effect we
will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a four-wheeled carriage, with two
independent bodies, constructed according to our Invention; and Figure 2
is an under side view, looking from below, upwards. a is the fore body,
and b is the hind body, which are independent of each other, and have
each their pair of-wheels; and the two bodies a and b are attached by
means of what may be called a locking apparatus, consisting of the circular
hoop or plate c, affixed on the hind body 6 of the carriage. d is a circular
hoop or strap, which embraces the hoop c, and turns freely therein, as the
hoop or strap d is kept in its place by means of circular rings c', affixed on
the upper and under surfaces of the hoop c, as is shewn; and the nature of
these parts will readily be traced on examining the Drawing. To the hoop d
is affixed the short pole or bar e, as is shewn; and in order to insure strength,
there are two plates of iron f, welded to the hoop d, and affixed to the
bar e, as is shown. The short pole or bar e passes into straps .g, g, affixed
to the under side of the fore body of the carriage as is shown, and there are
two bolts passing through the bar e, and through the bottom of the fore
body, by means of which bolts, and the screw nuts placed thereon, the bar e
'is securely fastened to the fore body a of the carriage. The two bodies are
shown in outline, but it should be remarked that the shape or character of
'the two bodies may be varied according to the judgment of the builder, our
Invention not relating to the construction of the two bodies, but to the means
of connecting two bodies together, so as to obtain a good locking action
with comparatively large fore wheels, without requiring a space between the
two carriages for the fore wheels to lock into in.going round curves. On the

page_text: under side of the fore body a is affixed a plate h, on which the curved end of
the fore part of the hind body rests, the curved plate h being a portion of
a circle struck from the centre of the hoop c. By these arrangements the
locking action will be very easy and smooth, and the carriage, notwithstanding
the height of the fore wheels, will lock or turn with safety in a curve of a
very short radius, as will readily be understood on examining Figure 2, where
the parts are shown to be on the lock by dotted lines. On the hoop or strap &
is affixed a stop i, which limits the extent of the locking motion, such
stop i coming against the projecting stops ; on the plate c¹; all which will
readily be understood on examining the Drawings. And it only remains to be
added, that we do not confine ourselves to the arrangement of springs shown;
as they may if desired be varied; and although the carriage above described
is shown as constructed for a single horse to draw by means of shafts applied
to the fore body a, yet by applying a pole, as is well understood, the carriage
may be made suitable for receiving two horses; and it may be remarked
that, by detaching the hind body 6 from the fore body a, the fore body may
be used as a gig.
We will now proceed to describe another arrangement of a carriage having
two separate bodies connected by a peculiar locking apparatus. Figure 3
represents a side elevation of a carriage constructed according to our Inven-
tion; Figures 4 and 5 show under side views looking from below upwards,
Figure 4 shewing the parts in the positions they would appear when the
carriage is being drawn in a straight line; and Figure 5 shews the parts
in the positions they would assume when locking. In these Figures the
same letters are used to indicate the same parts as those before described
where the parts in the present carriage are similar to those above-described;
In place of the circular hoop or ring c, which serves as an enlarged axis,
on which the fore body locks in respect to the hind body, in the present
arrangement there is the grooved plate & affixed to the under surface of the
hind body, and to the under side of the fore body a is affixed to the bar e,
which has a projection m affixed at its upper surface, such projection m
working in the grove k; and it is prevented coming out of such groove, by
having an enlarged head, which works within the plate k. n is a connecting
rod or link attached by pin joints to the hind bodies as is shewn, and to
the bar l, and the groove in the plate k is composed of two arcs of a circle
struck from the fore più joint of the link or connecting rod when that
joint is in the positions of the two extreme locking points. of the fore
body. o, o, are two stops to the bar n. In other respects the parts of the
carriage are similar to what has been above described, and the same obser-

page_text: vations as were made with regard to the shape and character of the bodies,
and the arrangement of springs, and the drawing by one or two horses, also
apply to this carriage.
We will now describe another arrangement or construction of locking
apparatus for a carriage having two separate bodies. Figure 6 shews a side
elevation of a carriage constructed according to our Invention. Figures 7 and
8 show two plans or under side views, looking from below upwards. In these
Figures the same letters are used to indicate similar parts to those before-
described. In this case there are two curved locking bars used for connecting
the fore and hind bodies a and b. Figure 9 shows one of the curved locking
bars separately, the other being similar, but bent or curved in opposite directions..
These bent or curved bars work in curved grooves formed in plates affixed to
the under parts of the fore and hind bodies, such curved grooves being, when
closed together as shown in Figure 7, of a similar figure to the bars which
work therein; but the curved groove of each bent or curved bar is one half
affixed on the fore body and one half on the hind body, as will readily be
understood on examining the Drawing. p is one of the curved bars which
works in the grooves p³, p¹, and q is the other bent or curved bar which works
in the groove q'; and it should be stated, that the grooves p', q', are covered
over and the bars enclosed when in action, but the covering is not shewn in
order that the action may be more readily traced, and it will readily be
understood on examining the Drawing, particularly Figure 8, where the parts
are shewn on the lock. The fore body, when moving or locking in the
direction shewn in the Drawing, will cause the part of the bent or curved
bar P which works in the part of the groove p', which is affixed to the fore
body, to be drawn out a distance in proportion to the sharpness of the curve
the carriage is moving in, whilst that part of the bent or curved bar P. which
works in the part of the groove p¹ affixed to the hind body, will remain within
the groove, and at the same time the part of the bent or curved bar q, which
works in the part of the groove q¹ affixed to the hind body, will be drawn out
of that groove, and the other part of the bar g, which works in the part of the
groove q¹ affixed to the fore body, will remain in that part of the groove, and
when locking in the opposite direction the reverse of these movements will
take place. On the bars p and q are affixed hinges r and s, by which the
angles of the two bodies are hinged together; thus the bar p by a hinge joint
is attached to the fore body at the point r, and to the hind body by a hinge
joint, and bar 7 is attached to the fore body by a hinged joint s, and to the
hind body by a hinge joint at the point.st. t, t, are stops to the bars p and q to
control the extent of locking of the fore body in respect to the hind body. In

page_text: this carriage very high weels are used, and yet the locking is very safe and
easy. We would remark, that the observations before made with respect to
the shape and character of the bodies, and of the arrangement of the springs,
and of the adapting the carriage to be drawn by two horses, apply to this
carriage.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the precise arrangements of details shewn, provided the general
character of either of the locking apparatus, in combination with two inde-
pendent or separate bodies, be retained. But what we claim as our Inven-
tion is,
First, the mode of constructing four-wheeled carriages with two separate
bodies, when combined with locking apparatus, such as is described in respect
to Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly, we claim the mode of constructing four-wheeled carriages with
two separate bodies, when combined with locking apparatus such as is
described in respect to Figures 3, 4, and 5.
And thirdly, we claim the mode of constructing four-wheeled carriages, when
combined with locking apparatus such as is described in respect to Figures 6,
7, 8, and 9.
In witness whereof, we, the said Philip William Phillips and William
Bishop Peck, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day
of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
forty-one.
PHILIP W PHILLIPS. (L.S.)
WILL B. PECK. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Ninth day of August, in
the year of our Lord 1841, the aforesaid Philip William Phillips and William
Bishop Peck came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery,
and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Inrolled the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-one