IMPROVEMENTS IN LANDAUS AND ALL OPEN-HEADED CARRIAGES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Bailey, cashier to Meas Aldebert and
Comp Coachbuilders of 57 Long Acre in the county of Middlesex for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN LANDAUS AND ALL OPEN-HEADED CARRIAGES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Bailey at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1883.
WILLIAM HENRY BAILEY, cashier to Mess" I. Aldebert & Comp [Coachbuilders]
of 57 Long Acre in the county of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANDAUS AND
ALL OPEN-HEADED CARRIAGES
This invention is called the "Lever locked Head" and is formed by a coil spring
working in a lever arm which runs up the backs of the pillars of Landaus and
behind the front hoop sticks of open headed carriages. The opposite end of the
lever is turned towards the pillar and has a small wheel fixed in it, covered with
india rubber or other noiseless material, which runs up and down a raised plate
with guiding pieces at the sides and over each end, so that when the head is up
the wheel runs off the raised plate and drops on the thin part of the bolt beneath
sufficiently far to hold the head up in a fixed position; but to prevent the lever
loosening the webbing the bolt beneath the plate has a curved holder on it which
when the head is locked presses on the bottom of the wheel and keeps it fixed
firm between that and the raised plate so as to form a perfect support to the head
and supply the place of outside joints. Now to open the head there is a long
hinge-fixed at one end on the top of the cant rail, while the other runs down the
back of the pillar beneath the raised plate; on this part of the hinge there is fixed
a bolt with a wedge end which when pressed down on the wheel throws it up on
the raised plate, As the head is pressed down the wheel will run up the raised
plate and into a slot at the other end, where it firmly secures itself by the pressure
of the lever; the slightest action of the cant rail will however bend the spring end
of the hinge and throw the wheel on the raised plate again. In open headed
carriages I make this bolt push up and down or otherwise according to the
requirements of the head; but in all cases the action of my invention is the same,
Luell
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page_text: for I am well aware that spring levers have been used in carriage heads before and
I therefore claim no originality for that; but what I do consider my original idea
and for which I crave protection, is, having the end of the lever arm turned round
so that the wheel can run up and down the raised plate and into the slots at each
end; the raised plate fixed as described, and the bolt beneath which throws the
wheel out of position, and which varies in shape according to the carriage it is
fixed to; also the hook on the bolt which secures the wheel when the head is
locked, and the spring hinge which works the whole arrangement; all of which
things are combined as shown in the accompanying sketches.
Fig. 1. Represents the Head down.
A. is the wheel at the end of the lever arm
B. is the raised plate over which the wheel runs.
C. C. show the slots at each end of the raised plate in which the wheel drops
and fixes itself.
D. is the bolt which throws the wheel out of position.
E represents the curved holder which secures the wheel when the head is
-locked.
F. is the spring end of the hinge which throws the wheel out of position when
the head is being raised.
G represents the hinge fixed on the cant rail.
Fig II.
Shows the Head up with the different parts mentioned in fig I. as they will
than ann
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Henry Bailey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2
10th August 1883.
WILLIAM HENRY BAILEY Cashier to Mess. Aldebert and Company Coachbuilders
of 57 Long Acre in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANDAUS AND
ALL OPEN HEADED CARRIAGES
This Invention has for its object improvements in Landaus and all open-headed 3
carriages and consists in a lever locked head as shown in the open position at
Figure 1 and in the closed position at Figure 2.
A coiled or other spring a is connected to the one end of a lever arm 6 which
runs up the backs of the pillars of Landaus and behind the front hoop sticks of
open headed carriages. This free end of the lever is turned towards the pillar o 3
and has a small friction wheel & fixed in it, which may be covered with india
rubber or other noiseless substance or it may be constructed of metal or other
material.
This friction roller d on the end of the lever arm b runs on a bridge e with
flanges or cheeks e¹ at either side for guiding the arm or wheel,
ย

page_text: In the closed position as at Figure 2 the friction pulley d is not on the bridge e
but the ends e+ 6+ thereof serve as catches to retain the pulley d in either the
closed or the open position at which times the head is firmly locked.
When it is desired to unlock this arrangement the movement of a cam or
equivalent device serves to raise the end of the lever on to the track of the bridge
piece. This cam f forms part of a hinge g the other part beyond the hinge pin g¹
being fixed on the top of the cant rail h. The cant rail is pivotted to the pillar o
at k so that by the slightest movement of the said cant rail h the cam surface fis
raised or lowered as the case may be and the friction pulley d brought to bear on
the track e of the bridge piece.
As the head is being pressed down to assume the position shown at Figure 1
the friction wheel d will run up the bridge piece e and catch and lock itself over
the end ex thereof, where it is firmly secured by the spring pressure exerted at the
one end of the lever arm b but when it is required to be raised.
The slightest action of the cant rail h, will however, bend or raise the spring
end g* of the hinge b by raising the pulley d to a level or nearly so with the track
of the bridge piece e so as to cause the hood to be closed.
In open headed carriages I make this bolt or sliding cam surface so as to be
capable of being raised or lowered or otherwise by levers as may be desired.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is carried into effect I would have it understood that I lay
no claim to the spring pivotted lever as I am well aware that such levers have
previously been used in carriage heads but what I do claim is :-
The employment of a bridge piece which serves as a track for the friction wheel
of the lever, the ends of said bridge piece or equivalent device serving to lock the
head in the open or closed position in combination with the bolt or spring or cam
surface for raising the pulley on to the track to enable the head to be closed or
opened in the manner and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said William Henry Bailey have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Ninth day of August in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
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