IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUR- WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Apps, of Lower Norwood, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUR-
WHEELED VEHICLES."
Sealed the 26th January 1864, and dated the 30th July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Apps at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
July 1868..
I, THOMAS APPS, of Lower Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in four-wheeled vehicles relates to four-
wheeled cabs and private carriages.
According to my improvements I dispense with the driving seat and boot
in front of the body of the carriage, and dispose in that situation a small
platform with a dash board or iron in front. This platform I utilize
in the carrying of luggage, and it may be further furnished with a hinged
or otherwise movable seat, on which outside passengers may be carried
when not occupied by luggage. The driver's seat I mount at the back
part of the body, and it may be fixed thereto, and supported and stayed
from the springs or otherwise. The driving seat is mounted at a sufficient
elevation so that the driver can see properly over the carriage, which being
entirely in front of him is easy to guide, and is thoroughly under his control,
as also the horse. The top of the cab may be also adapted to receive luggage,
the reins being carried over a guide if necessary. In carriages of this con-

page_text: struction the view of the passengers in the interior is not obstructed by the
driver, as is usually the case, and the luggage being in front, a passenger will
be able to see that none of his luggage is lost or stolen, as is often the case in
street cabs. The dash-iron may be made movable if necessary for the better
accommodation of luggage. For private carriages the front platform before!
mentioned may be fitted up permanently for outside sitters, which may give it a
better appearance than when intended for luggage principally. The axle of
the fore wheels and the locking plates come under the platform, in manner
similar to the position occupied by those parts under the driving scat, boot,
and foot board of ordinary carriages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Apps in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
Arrs, of Lower Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Apps, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Apps, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, tho said Thomas
Apps, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUR-WHEELED
VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Apps, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under iny,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Apps, do hereby declare the
nature of iny said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of improvements in four-wheeled vehicles relates to four-
wheeled cabs and other similar carriages.
According to my improvements I dispense with the usual driving seat and
boot in the front of the body of the carriage, and dispose in that situation a
small platform with a dashboard or iron in front. This platform I utilize in
the carrying of luggage, and it may be further furnished with a binged or
otherwise movable seat, on which outside passengers may be carried when
not occupied by luggage. The driver's seat I mount at the back part of the
body, and may be fixed thereto, and further supported and stayed from the
springs or otherwise. The driving seat is mounted at a sufficient elevation, so
that the driver can see properly over the carriage, which being entirely in
front of him is easy to guide, and is thoroughly under his control, as also tho
horse. The top of the cab may be also adapted to receive luggage, the reins
being carried over a guide if necessary. In carriages of this construction the
view of the passengers in the interior is not obstructed by the driver, as is
usually the case, and the luggage being in front a passenger will be able to
see that none of it is lost or stolen, as is often the case in street cabs. The
dash-iron may be made movable if necessary for the better accomodation
of luggage. For gentleman's carriages the front platform before mentioned
may be fitted up permanently for outside sitters, which may give it a better
appearance than when intended for luggage principally. The axle of the fore
wheels and the locking plates come under the platform, in manner similar to
the position occupied by those parts under the driving seat, boot, and footboard
of ordinary carriages.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent two side views of cabs constructed according to my
Invention.
In Fig. 1 the cab is shown with the driver's seat a behind, and a depository b
for luggage in front in the position usually occupied by the driver. This
depository for the luggage consists of a level platform c, immediately above
the locking plate, having in front an upright dashboard d, between which and
the body of the cab luggage is placed, as seen dotted the platform may be of
more extended area if desired. The driver's seat a I mount on light irons
resting on the springs, and attached to the back of the body at the foot-
board e, somewhat in the manner and of the form of the driver's seat of a

page_text: Hansom cab, or it may be of more extended proportions. On the roof a light
railf may be provided to retain luggage, as usual, and further a light iron g
to carry the reins over, and hold them off the top of the cab, and it may bo
the luggage. In Fig. 2 a seat g is shown, somewhat in the position of tho
ordinary driver's seat, but which in street cabs I hinge to the front of the
cab body, so that it will fall down, as seen dotted, struts i being provided to
fix it in the raised position when desired. Thus when no luggage is to
occupy the platform c, and there are more than four passengers, or it may
be when passengers desire to ride outside, they can there be accommodated
For gentlemen's carriages it may be preferable to make the
seat a fixture, and with the dashboard and platform or footboard c of more
ornmental forth and covering, or it may in such carriages be also desirable
that they may carry luggage on occasions, as in the street cab. The more
minute details of construction will be readily understood from the Drawing,
it will therefore be unnecessary to give any further description thereof.
IIaving described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention, to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the construction and use of
four-wheeled vehicles with the driving seat bebind, and with or without a
luggage platform in front, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Apps, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.