IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY GALLOPING OR TROTTING HORSES AND CARRIAGES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY
GALLOPING OR TROTTING HORSES AND CARRIAGES." A communication from
abroad by Lewis Seasongood, of Cincinnati, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th July 1877.
"
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY GALLOPING OR TROTTING HORSES AND CARRIAGES."
[A communication from abroad by Lewis Seasongood, of Cincinnati, United States of
America.]
This Invention of improvements in toy galloping or trotting horses and carriages
relates to the construction of a toy carriage and horses, in which the wheels of the
carriage are propelled by alternate tension and slacking of the reins in the hands of
the child who occupies the carriage, and is designed to approach nearly to a
representation of real life by concealing, as it were, the means. of propulsion, and
give to the turn-out the appearance of being operated by the unaided action of the
horse or horses.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved
toy with galloping horses; and Figure 2, a similar view of the toy with a single

page_text: preferable to use two galloping horses, and connect them as follows:-The axle D is
in two parts (Figure 1), each having a crank d, to which is attached a pitman E,
whose forward end is loosely coupled to a double-sided lever F, which pivots on a
fixed bar f, and has its upper end secured firmly to the body of the horse, as shown
in dotted lines. The fixed bars or studs ƒ are firmly secured to the tongue, and
project from each side of the same. The mouth of each horse is fitted with metal
rings on each side to imitate the usual bit, and the reins G are secured to these rings
as shown.
When the horses are fragile structures a metal strap may run from the bit rings,
and connect firmly with the body. By reason of the fact that the horses are attached
so as to oscillate on the fixed pivots f, and carry levers F, which connect in the
manner shewn with the cranks of the divided axle, the rider in the vehicle is enabled by
the alternate pulling of the two lines G to give the requisite motion to the vehicle.
This alternate movement however is only necessary when two galloping horses are
used, and they are adjusted to gallop alternately.
When one horse is used, or when the two are adjusted to gallop together, both
lines are pulled at the same time, and consequently slackened at the same time, to
allow the return of the crank or cranks without any opposing strain on the reins.
To support the horses off the ground and for steering purposes there is provided
the swiveling wheel H, which is journaled in a fork whose upper end projects
through the tongue, and carries a sheave wheel I. A swiveling bar J at the front
end of the vehicle is also fitted with a sheave wheel I'. A cord or wire rope K
passes around these sheave wheels, and in order to prevent slipping and consequent
displacement of the proper relation between the front wheel and bar J there are
loops on the sheave wheels, to which the driving cord or rope K is secured. The
feet of the rider rest upon the opposing arms of the bar J, and through this
positively attached cord conveniently operate the steering wheel H.
Owing to the fact that the axle D is divided preferably when two galloping
horses are used, the cranks change their relation in describing curves, and for running
in straight lines they may be adjusted originally by the rider before starting off,
either to gallop together or alternately.
As an additional feature of my improvement, which may of course be dispensed
with, there is attached either one or two levers L by pivot pins to the body of the
vehicle, the lever or levers having a link connection M. with the pitman or pitmen
E. By means of one of these the return of the crank after it has pulled in one
direction by the tension on the lines may be facilitated. To dispense however with
the necessity for these levers the pivots of the horse or horses are placed so far to
the rear of the centre of gravity of the animal that the forward weight will of itself
create or facilitate tliis return movement, and this is sometimes further facilitated
by the employment of a coiled spring acting to keep the horses down in front.
"
I have said that when one horse alone is used the axle may be continuous or in
one piece, having one crank, a "return or U shaped crank as it is termed, but in
some cases, even when one horse is used, the crank axle may be divided with a
crank to each division, one crank to the horse and the other to a hand lever L, or
there may be two cranks to oue division and one to the other, one on each division
being connected to a hand lever L, and the other to the horse.
In the toy shewn in Figure 2 the steering apparatus is the same as in Figure 1,
and the carriage made with shafts A', the divided axle having the cranks d. Straps N
connect these cranks with the hinged fore legs of the horse, and these hinged or
pivoted fore legs have rigid arnis O, to which the reins connect, and the alternate
pulling on the reins gives the requisite motion to the wheels of the vehicle.
To complete the trotting action the right hinged fore leg is connected with the
left hinged hind leg by rod P, and the left fore leg to the right hind leg by rod P¹.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
January 1878.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOY GALLOPING OR TROTTING HORSES AND CARRIAGES."
A communication from abroad by Lewis Seasongood, of Cincinnati, United States
of America.
In conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, and the Invention relates to
the construction of a toy carriage and horses, in which the wheels of the carriage
are propelled by alternate tension and slacking of the reins in the hands of the
child who occupies the carriage, and is designed to approach nearly to a represen-
tation of real life by concealing, as it were, the means of propulsion, and give to the
turn out the appearance of being operated by the unaided action of the horse or
horses.
In the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved toy with
galloping horses; and Figure 2, a similar view of the toy with a single trotting
horse.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
A is the body of the vehicle; B, the tongue of the same; and C a seat supported
on flat springs c, c, for the occupancy of the child who is to occupy and propel the
vehicle. When the vehicle is to be propelled by one galloping horse only, the axle
may be in one piece with a "return crank" to connect with the horse, but it is
preferable to use two galloping horses, and connect themi as follows:-The axle D
is in two parts (Figure 1), each having a crank d, to which is attached a pitman E,
whose forward end is loosely coupled to a double-sided lever F, which pivots on a
fixed bar f, and has its upper end secured firmly to the body of the horse, as shown
in dotted lines. The fixed bars or studs f are firmly secured to the tongue, and
project from each side of the same. The mouth of each horse is fitted with metal
rings on each side to imitate the usual bit, and the reins G are secured to these rings
as shown.
When the horses are fragile structures a metal strap may run from the bit rings,
and connect firmly with the body. By reason of the fact that the horses are attached
so as to oscillate on the fixed pivots f, and carry levers F which connect in the
manner shown with the cranks of the divided axle, the rider in the vehicle is enabled
by the alternate pulling of the two lines G to give the requisite motion to the
vehicle. This alternate movement however is only necessary when two galloping
horses are used, and they are adjusted to gallop alternately.
When one horse is used, or when the two are adjusted to gallop together, both
lines are pulled at the same time, and consequently slackened at the same time, to
allow the return of the crank or cranks without any opposing strain on the reins.
To support the horses off the ground and for steering purposes there is provided
the swivelling wheel H, which is journalled in a fork whose upper end projects through
the tongue, and carries a sheave wheel I; a swiveling bar J at the front end of the
vehicle is also fitted with a sheave wheel I¹. A cord or wire rope K passes around
these sheave wheels, and in order to prevent slipping and consequent displacement
of the proper relation between the front wheel and bar J, there are loops i on the
sheave wheels, to which the driving cord or rope K is secured. The feet of the
rider rest upon the opposing arms of the bar J, and through this positively attached
cord conveniently operate the steering wheel H.
Owing to the fact that the axle D is divided preferably when two galloping horses
are used the cranks change their relation in describing curves, and for running in
straight lines they may be adjusted originally by the rider before starting off, either
to gallop together or alternately,
:

page_text: As an additional feature of the improvement, which may of course be dispensed
with, there is attached either one or two levers L by pivot pins to the body of the
vehicle, the lever or levers having a link connection M with the pitman or pitmen E.
By means of one of these the return of the crank, after it has pulled in one direction
by the tension on the lines, may be facilitated. To dispense however with the
necessity for these levers the pivots of the horse or horses are placed so far to the
rear of the centre of gravity of the animal that the forward weight will of itself
create or facilitate this return movement, and this is sometimes further facilitated
by the employinent of a coiled spring acting to keep the horses down in front.
I have said that when one horse alone is used the axle may be continuous or in
one piece, having one crank, a " return or U shaped crank, as it is termed, but in
some cases, even when one horse is used, the crank axle may be divided with a
crank to each division, one crank to the horse and the other to a hand lever L, or
there may be two cranks to one division and one to the other, one on each division
being connected to a hand lever L, and the other to the horse.
In the toy shown in Figure 2 the steering apparatus is the same as in Figure 1,
and the carriage made with shafts A¹, the divided axle having the cranks d.
Straps N connect these cranks with the hinged fore legs of the horse, and these
hinged or pivotted fore legs have rigid arms O, to which the reins connect, and the
alternate pulling on the reins gives the requisite motion to the wheels of the
vehicle.
To complete the trotting action the right hinged fore leg is connected with the
left hinged hind leg by rod P, and the left fore leg to the right hind leg by rod P¹.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The combination, substantially as specified, of a toy galloping horse mounted
upon a carriage, and intermediate means between the horse and the propelling
devices of the carriage, whereby the galloping of the horse will cause the propulsion
of the carriage, or vice versa.
Second. The combination, substantially. as specified, of the galloping horse, the
reins for actuating it, the wheels of the carriage, and intermediate mechanism for
transmitting motion from the horse to the wheels.
Third. The combination, substantially as specified, of the carriage and the trotting
horse having hinged fore legs actuated by the reins and linked to the cranks of the
wheels, and hinged hind legs connected to the fore legs by cross rods.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)