Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 31st Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
.
EDWIN FREDERICK SAGE 50 Cherry Street, Birmingham in the county of Warwick,
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has been devised in order to produce a stylish and convenient open or
closed vehicle, particularly that class of vehicle known as "hansom" cabs, for private
or livery purposes, and consists essentially in constructing the doors of such vehicles
in such a manner that they will slide from the centre outwards to open the entrance,
and slide inwards towards the centre to close such entrance to the vehicle, and they
further consist in the special combination and arrangements of the construction of such
vehicles as hereinafter set forth.
Generally I should prefer to make my improved vehicle of a septangular form, more
or less, the back being straight, the sides tapering outwards, from such back to their
widest part at the front edge of the seat, and then tapering inwards towards the
front, the whole giving the appearance somewhat of a miniature brougham. The front
consists of the sliding doors and their top and bottoni frames, which doors I prefer
should approach one another at an obtuse angle. At the top of the vehicle, and in
connection with the doors I provide cords or chains and pulleys, or their equivalents,
which is brought within easy reach of the driver so that the driver may open or close
the door or doors without leaving his seat, or, the said doors may be opened or closed
by the occupant. The body of the vehicle I hang upon leaf springs which may be
farther apart at the front than at the back so as to make room for the doors when
open wide, and I dispense with the transverse spring at the back, and support the
drivers seat from a stay joining the springs.

page_text: The doors are hung by rollers or "hangers" to guide bars held in a frame or
"shield" at the top, such frame or shield being screwed to or otherwise supported by
the top frame of the cab or other vehicle, and I prefer that the said doors should be
provided with horizontal rollers at the bottom, which rollers run in grooves. The
upper part of the side framework of the cab or other vehicle is made of a skeleton
construction, and furnished with glass windows.
These windows are made so that they may slide downwards.
Although I have described the controlling of the sliding doors, to be actuated by
cords or chains &c., I do not limit myself to any precise detail as various mechanical
means including levers, and such like motions may be adopted for such purposes.
Dated this 31st day of August 1886.
CHAS. T. POWELL,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hansom Cabs and other Carriages or
similar Vehicles.
1 EDWIN FREDERICK SAGE of 50 Cherry Street, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick, Engraver (a communication to me from abroad by Alfred Crace Sage,
of John Street, Macdonaldtown, near Sydney, New South Wales, coach builder)
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has been devised in order to produce a stylish and convenient open
or closed two wheeled vehicle adapted for private or livery purposes. My improvements
consist essentially in constructing the doors of hansom cabs and such like vehicles in
such a manner that they will slide from the centre outwards to open the entrance to
said cabs, and slide inwards and meet in the centre to close such entrance; and they
further consist in the special combination and arrangements hereinafter more clearly
set forth. I prefer to make my improved vehicle, septangular in form, the back being
straight, the sides tapering outwards from such back to the widest part at front edge
of the seat, and then tapering inwards towards the front, in which altogether gives the
vehicle the appearance of a miniature "Brougham." The front consists of the sliding
doors, and their top and bottom frames, which doors I prefer should approach one
another at an obtuse angle, and I sometimes provide cords, or chains and pulleys so
that the driver may open or close the doors as the case may be without leaving his
seat. The body I hang upon leaf springs which are farther apart at the front than at
the back, so as to make room for the doors when open wide, and I dispense with the
transverse springs at the back, and support the drivers seat from a cross stay joining
the springs. There is nothing special about the shaft attachments and apron, or any
other parts, other than those mentioned.
"
The doors are hung by rollers or "hangers to guide bars held in a frame or
"shield" at the top, such shield being screwed to, or otherwise supported by the top
frame of the cab and I prefer that the doors should be provided with horizontal
rollers at the bottom, which rollers run in grooves. I provide suitable pulleys upon
the hood of the vehicle, around which a cord or chain from the doors, is led to within
reach of the drivers hand.
The upper part of the side frames of the cab is all skeleton work, with glass windows
between, which, windows slide downwards. But in order that my invention may be
clearly understood I will now make reference to the drawings which shew the best
method I know of carrying my invention into practical effect.
"
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a hansom cab or miniature brougham, which I term the
Sage" and which is constructed according to my said invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan of same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the apron and shafts
removed. Figures 4 & 5 are cross sections on a larger scale of the top and bottom

page_text: door supports or guides respectively. a, is the body of the cab; b, the sliding doors;
c the wheels, d, the springs, e the apron and shafts, and f, the drivers seat. a¹ is the
back of frame, a² the sides tapering outwardly to the front of the seat a³, and inwardly
to the front. a are the upright frames, as the windows, as, is the hood or roof; b¹ is
the shield, constructed preferably of cast iron, having screwed or otherwise fastened
within it, the rod or guide 62; 63, 63 are rollers or hangers, 6 eye prop, 66 65, pulleys,
6 cords, 67 is the sill of the cab, 68 is the bottom groove or guide preferably of a cast
iron box having a front slot 69, 610 is horizontal roller, 611 is pin and stay, c' is axle,
is pump handle or loop, c³ stays, to drivers seat, d¹ stays, d² robbins, e¹ front steps,
f drivers footsteps.
It will be seen that the doors b, are hung by means of hangers 6³
upon the rod or
guide 62, and their weight supported thereby, and that the horizontal rollers 610 in
grooves 68 keep the doors close to the frame and prevent rattling, while at the same
time the rollers 610 would support part of the weight of the doors should the cab front
be out of the perpendicular.
I have shewn in Fig. 2 two methods of reeving the cords or chains 66, one in dotted
lines, giving an independent cord to either door, and one in full lines where one cord
would serve the two doors, but neither these nor any other system of controlling the
doors from the drivers seat are an essential part of my invention.
The windows a fall down within the sides of the cab leaving only the frames a*
exposed, and the doors being opened, the vehicle is transferred into an open carriage
with a hood.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to any particular dimensions, materials, or mechanical means to, of,
or by which my improved "Sage" cab may be constructed, so long as the nature of
my invention be retained, and what I claim as my improvements in hansom cabs and
such like vehicles is :-
First. Constructing the doors in such a manner that they will slide from the centre
outwards to open, and slide inwards and meet in the centre to close said cabs, substan-
tially as herein described and explained.
Second. The combination and arrangement at and with the front of such cabs of the
sliding doors b, rod or guide 62, and rollers 63, with or without shield 6, substantially
as herein described and explained, and as illustrated in the drawings.
Third. The combination and arrangement with the sliding doors b, of the box or
guide 68, slot 6, and rollers 610, substantially as herein described, and explained, and as
illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 30th day of March 1887.