Improvements in Carriages and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages and similar Vehicles.
We JOHANNES CURTZE of 3 Rockley Road, Shepherd's Bush in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, and HENRY STILES of 36 Wingate Road, Hammersmith in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
to
The object of the present invention is to prevent or neutralize the serious results
which may arise through the breaking of a carriage axle, and also to prevent the
wheels from coming off, even though they become loose.
The invention is especially applicable to Hansom cabs and similar two-wheeled
vehicles, with which any accident of the nature above indicated may be followed by a
complete upset of the vehicle, and serious injury to the occupants.
In carrying out the invention, we provide, on either side of the carriage, a strong
metal bracket, one end of which is rigidly connected to the vehicle, while the other
end is secured to a fork or collar embracing the boss on the inside of the wheel,
which is grooved or recessed circumferentially, to receive the said fork or collar.
The fork or collar is so fitted to the recessed hub, that it does not grind or bear
thereon when the carriage is in order, but should the axle become broken, the forked
brackets will take the weight of the carriage, and the wheels will be held upright by
the forks lying in the grooves of the labs, and will likewise be prevented from coming
off by the same means, should they become loose.
The safety brackets above described may be variously applied, to suit different
classes of vehicle. Whenever possible, a rigid connection to the body of the vehicle
is obtained, but in the case of applying brackets to the fore carriage of a four wheel
vehicle, the connection may be made to the iron bed or to the axle itself. In the
latter case, fracture of the axle between the wheel and the attachment of the bracket,
is guarded against, and the wheel is prevented from falling off, but fracture of the
axle at the centre, which, however is of comparatively rare occurrence, is, in this case,
unprovided for.
From the above description it will be seen that the accident of a broken axle, or a
loosened wheel cannot be attended with serious results, as the wheel is maintained in
an upright position, supporting the carriage, which can, even to some extent, continue
its journey without much inconvenience to the occupants thereof.
Dated this 24th day of September 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages and similar Vehicles.
We, JOHANNES CURTZE of 3 Rockley Road, Shepherd's Bush in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, and HENRY STILES of 36 Wingate Road, Hammersmith in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 the present invention is to prevent or neutralize the serious results
which may arise through the breaking of a carriage axle, and also to prevent the
wheels from coming off, even though they become loose.
The invention is especially applicable to Hansom cabs and similar two wheeled
vehicles, with which any accident of the nature above indicated may be followed by
a complete upset of the vehicle, and serious injury to the occupants.

page_text: In carrying out the invention, we provide, on either side of the carriage, a strong
metal bracket, one end of which is rigidly connected to the vehicle, while the other
end is secured to a fork or collar embracing the boss of the wheel, which is grooved
or recessed circumferentially to receive the said fork or collar.
The fork or collar is so fitted to the recessed hub, that it does not grind or bear
thereon when the carriage is in order, but should the axle become broken, the forked
brackets will take the weight of the carriage, and the wheels will be held upright by
the forks lying in the grooves of the hubs, and will likewise be prevented.from coming
off by the same means, should they become loose.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 illustrates, in side view, one method of carrying out our invention, and
Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section, on the line X-X of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are respectively end, side, and sectional underneath plan views of
a modified arrangement, and Figs. 6. and 7 are plan and side views of yet another
modification.
In Figs. 1 and 2, we have shewn a form of bracket A bolted to the under part of
the carriage, and having arnis to embrace the hub of the wheel, a pair of downwardly
projecting pegs a. a, which are dropped into eyes in the bracket, so as to be readily
withdrawn when it is desired to remove the wheel, constituting extremities to make
a complete fork.
B is a metal ring surrounding the hub of the wheel, and b is a groove formed
therein, extending circumferentially of the hub. The ends of the pegs a. a project
into the groove b, and thereby retain the wheel against accidental displacement, should
it become loose. The pegs a. a also tend to guide the fork of the bracket A into the
groove b, should the axle give way, or the spring break.
When the carriage is empty, the extremities of the fork only reach the groove,
but in a loaded vehicle, the depression of the spring causes closer proximity between
the fork and the hub.
If preferred, the ring B may be dispensed with, and the groove formed in the hub
itself.
In Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the bracket A is formed of a pair of arms a. a, bolted, as
the
before, to the carriage, and holding between them a fork or segmental piece A',
extremities of which project into a groove in the wheel hub, after the manner of the
pegs before mentioned.
To allow for oscillating sideway movement, in addition to up and down move-
ment, which takes place between the carriage and the wheels while travelling, the
segmental piece A is pivotally connected to the arms a. a by bolts c c, and the
shoulders dd, against which the segmental piece A' bears, are so formed (see Fig. 3)
as to permit of a rocking movement, which is however limited to a moderate devia-
tion from the vertical, so as to maintain the wheel upright, or practically so, in case
of accident.
To further provide for lateral oscillation, the ring B, wherein is the groove b
may be made capable of sliding on the hub in the direction of the line of the
wheel axle. In the present illustration, a flanged bearing is provided, surrounding
the hub, as shewn best in Figures 3 and 5.
Figures 6 and 7 shew a mode of attaching the safety support to the axle, where
attachment to the carriage body is not practicable. In this instance, the support
has the effect of guarding against accident by fracture of the axle between the whee
and the attachment; or by the wheel becoming detached, but fracture of the
axle near the middle of its length, would, with this arrangement, he unprovided
against.
In the figures 6 and 7, the bracket A is of a U shape, bolted horizontally to the
axle beneath the spring; the extremities carry a ring, or part of a ring, to embrace
the hub, as before explained with reference to the other Figures. No provision i
-however requisite for lateral oscillation, as the bracket is not subject to the movement
of the spring.
It will be obvious that the details of construction of the safety brackets, one o

page_text: which is applied to each wheel of a vehicle, may be greatly varied, to suit the require-
ments and character of such vehicle.
Wherever possible, the attachment of the bracket is effected to the body of the
vehicle, or, in the case of the fore carriage of a four wheel vehicle, to the iron
framing of the bed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
The application to wheel vehicles of safety supports engaging with grooves formed
on or in the wheel hubs, and so arranged as to prevent the displacement of a loosened
wheel, and to support the vehicle in case of fracture of an axle or spring, substantially
in the manner before described.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.