IMPROVED MEANS FOR CONTRACTING PERAMBULATORS AND WHEEL CHAIRS WHEN NOT IN USE
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED HARVIE of 19 St John Street, St Peter Street, Islington in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Builder do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVED MEANS FOR CONTRACTING PERAMBULATORS AND WHEEL CHAIRS WHEN
NOT IN USE to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to provide a means for readily shortening
or contracting in length perambulators and wheel chairs so that they may occupy
as little space as possible when they are not in use.
In applying my invention to a perambulator I construct the body in two parts
fore and hind and fix the fore part of the perambulator to a stay or stays arranged
to slide upon a horizontal guide or guides situated under the seat of the peram-
bulator. Attached to the fore part of the perambulator through or upon tho
sliding stay is a screw bar into which works a screw turning in bearings under the
seat in line with the guide. This screw when turned by means of a handle or key
draws the fore part of the perambulator which is suitably shaped for the purpose,
under the hinder part and thrusts it forward again when desired. To ensure rigidity
in the perambulator when in use the front of the hinder part and the back of the
fore part of the perambulator are fitted with tapered catches consisting of long
tapered pins on the one part slipping into eyes on the other part.
By constructing a perambulator or wheel chair as above described great economy
in space in storing or packing can be attained without the necessity for removing
the hood or canopy.

page_text: I, ALFRED HARVIE, of 19 St. John Street, St. Peter Street, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Builder, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVED MEANS FOR CONTRACTING PERAMBULATORS AND WHEEL CHAIRS WHEN
NOT IN USE, 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 provide a means for readily shortening
or contracting in length, perambulators and wheel chairs so that they may occupy
as little space as possible when they are not in use.
Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawings shews in side elevation partly in section
a perambulator constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2, is an underneath
plan view of the bottom of the perambulator ready for use, and Fig. 3, is a side
elevation of the perambulator in its contracted form. Figs. 4 and 5 are views of
details to be presently described.
In applying my invention to a perambulator I construct the body in two parts
A and B, and I make the fore part A which carries the front wheels capable of
sliding under the hind part B which carries the back wheels. The fore part of the
perambulator is fixed to a metal stay Carranged to slide upon a horizontal guide C¹
situated under the seat of the perambulator. In this sliding stay is formed a screw
box D into which works a screw D₁ turning in bearings dd under the seat in a line
parallel with the guide C¹. This screw when turned by means of a handle or key
fitted at the back of the perambulator, draws the fore part of the perambulator under
the hinder part and thrusts it forward again when desired. To ensure rigidity in the
perambulator when in use the front of the hinder part B and the back of the fore
part A of the perambulator are fitted at their sides with tapered catches E, E,
(see detached view Fig. 4.) consisting of long tapered pins e, e, on the back part
slipping into eyes el e on the fore part.
Or the tapered catches may be constructed as shown in Fig. 5, 6, e, being metal
wedges slipping into tapered rebated grooves e¹, e¹, when the perambulator is
extended.
When applying my invention to perambulators or wheel chairs it will be obvious
that other devices for withdrawing the fore part under the hinder part may be
used or the devices above described may be varied to suit the varying circumstances
of construction without departing from the principle of the invention.
By constructing a perambulator or wheel-chair as above described great economy
in space in storing or packing can be attained without necessity for removing the
hood or canopy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,-
The means above described for contracting the length of perambulators or wheel
chairs by sliding the fore part under the hinder part for the purpose set forth.