IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC VEHICLES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
STEWART DUNCAN, of the City of London, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Third day of March, in the tenth year of Her reign, did give and grant
unto me, the said Charles Stuart Duncan, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Charles Stewart Duncan, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times hereafter, during the term of years therein mentioned, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC VEHICLES;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said
Charles Stewart Duncan, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Stewart Duncan, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and

page_text: in manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists,-
First, in constructing of the roofs of public vehicles of glass, combined with
either wood or metal framing, and so arranging such framing that the squares
of glass may be taken in and out at pleasure, and to be so arranged as to
receive either one or two thicknesses of glass. If one thickness of glass is
used, I propose staining and burning in permanent colored advertisements in
the inner surface of the glass, or cementing on a painted or printed advertise-
ment on a transparent medium. If two thicknesses are used I propose placing
a printed or painted advertisement on any transparent medium between the
said two thicknesses of glass, thereby rendering these advertisements readable
and transparent, and likewise affording an agreeable light to passengers.
Second, the illuminating of the afore-mentioned transparent roof by means
of lamps, thereby rendering these advertisements readable by night. Also,
Third, the burning in of coloured advertisements on the side, front, or back
lights of public vehicles; or the placing of printed or painted advertisements
between two thicknesses of glass, to be used as side, back, or front lights of
public vehicles.
Fourth, the method of covering the glass roof by night with a casing formed
of metal or any other material, and lining such casing with reflectors, so as
to equalise the distribution of light over the entire surface of the roof.
Fifth, the use of stained or painted glass advertisements, to be placed in a
frame suspended by the interior of the existing roofs of public vehicles, all
of which is fully shewn in the annexed Drawing, making part of the
Specification.
Drawings No. 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse sections of an
omnibus or public vehicle, shewing the glass roof and casings, forms the
reflection with the lamps inserted. A, A, A, the glass roof. B, B, B, the
reflector or casing. C, C, C, the lamps.
Drawings No. 3 and 4 are side and end elevations of an omnibus, shewing
the transparent windows marked D, D, D.
Drawings 5 and 6 shews a section and plan of the frame made to receive
the opaque glass advertisements as marked E and F.
What I claim as of my Invention is,-
First, the use of glass as herein described for the roofs of public vehicles. Also
the using of either one or two thicknesses of glass, either with the transparent

page_text: CHA STEWT (L.s.) DUNCAN.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of September, in
the eleventh year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said
Charles Stewart Duncan came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every
thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the
Instrument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
made in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the
Third.