NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF EASING, EQUALIZING, AND FACILITATING THE DRAUGHT OF CARRIAGES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, AND FOR EASING THE BODY OF. CARRIAGES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION IN THE HANGING OF THE SAME, AND FOR THE MORE SECURELY FIXING TENTS AND MARQUEES, AND PREVENTING THE INCONVENIENCE ATTENDING THE PRESENT MODE OF FIXING THE SAME
Year: 1798

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
SHORTER, of Giltspur Street, in the City of London, Clockmaker, and WILLIAM
ANTHONY, of the, Parish of St. John, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex,
Watchmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty. King George the Third, by His
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Tenth day of November, in the thirty-ninth year of the
reign of His said Majesty ; after reciting that we, the said Edward Shorter
and William Anthony, had, by our Petition, humbly represented unto His
Majesty that we had, with much study, application, and expence, invented a
"NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF EASING, EQUALIZING, AND FACILITATING THE
DRAUGHT OF CARRIAGES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, AND FOR EASING THE BODY OF.
CARRIAGES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION IN THE HANGING OF THE SAME, AND FOR THE MORE
SECURELY FIXING TENTS AND MARQUEES, AND PREVENTING THE INCONVENIENCE
ATTENDING THE PRESENT MODE OF FIXING THE SAME," and which Invention was.
likewise applicable to other useful purposes, and which we believed would be
of great public utility, and that we were the first and true: Inventors thereof,
and that the same had not been made or practised by any other person or
persons whomsoever to our knowledge or belief, and that we therefore most
humbly prayed that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to grant unto us
His Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of. Great Britain, for the

page_text: sole use, excercise, benefit, and advantage of our said Invention, within that
part of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called England, Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen years,
according to the form of the Statute in that case made and provided, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Edward
Shorter and William Anthony, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
His Majesty's especial licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that
we, the said Edward Shorter and William Anthony, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and every of them, by ourselves and themselves, or by
our and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as we,
the said Edward Shorter and William Anthony, our executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend our said Invention within
that part of Great Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to us, the said Edward Shorter and
William Anthony, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should in our
discretions seem meet; and that we, the said Edward Shorter and William
Anthony, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully
might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit; commodity, and advantage
from. time to time coming, growing, accruing, and arising by reason of the
said Invention for and during the term of years therein mentioned; to have,
hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advantages
therein-before granted or mentioned to be granted unto us, the said Edward
Shorter and William Anthony, our executors, administrators, and assigns, for,
during, and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of the
said Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat
and ended according to the form of the Statute in such case made and
provided,, and to the end that we, the said Edward Shorter and William
Anthony, our executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them,
might have and enjoy the full benefit and the sole use and exercise of our
said. Invention, according to His Majesty's gracious intention therein-before
declared, His Majesty did thereby, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
require and strictly command all and every person and persons, bodies politick
and corporate, and all other His Majesty's subjects whatsoever, of what estate,
quality, degree, name, or condition soever they be, within that said part of
Great Britain called England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed aforesaid, that neither they nor any of them, at any time during
the continuance of the said term of fourteen years thereby granted, either

page_text: directly or indirectly, do make, use, or put in practice the said Invention, or
any part of the same, so attained unto by us, the said Edward Shorter and
William Anthony as aforesaid, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble
the same, nor should make or cause to be made any addition thereunto
or substraction from the same, whereby to pretend himself or themselves
the inventor or inventors, devisor or devisors thereof, without the licence,
consent, or agreement of us, the said Edward Shorter and William Anthony,
our executors, administrators, or assigns, in writing under our or their hands
and seals first had and obtained in that behalf, upon such pains and penalties
as could or might be justly inflicted on such offenders for their contempt of
that, His Majesty's Royal command, and further to be answerable to us, the
said Edward Shorter and William Anthony, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, according to law, for our and their damages thereby occasioned:
and in which said recited Letters Patents was and is contained a proviso, that
if we, the said Edward Shorter and William Anthony, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, and cause the same to
be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, anything
therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding,
as in and by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, may more
fully and at large appear.
NOW THEREFORE KNOW YE, that in conformity to and in compliance
with the intent and meaning of the said Letters Patent, and particularly of
the said proviso therein contained and herein-before recited, we, the said
Edward Shorter and William Anthony, do hereby declare that our said
Invention of a New and Improved Method of Easing, Equalizing, and Facili-
tating the Draught of Carriages of every Description, and for Easing the
Body of Carriages of every Description in the Hanging of the same,
and for the more Securely Fixing Tents and Marquees, and Preventing the
Inconvenience attending the Present Mode of Fixing the same, is made,
performed, and intended to be affixed and used in manner and according
to the several Drawings, and the references or explanations thereof
thereunder written, and hereunto annexed; and we, the said Edward
Shorter and William Anthony, do hereby further declare, that our Invention
consists in the application of springs, with or without snails (or rolers so

page_text: applied as to have the effect of snails) by means of which the force exerted
by the elasticity of the springs may be two, three, or more times increased to
answer the purposes and to produce the effect herein-after particularly
described; and before we proceed to such description it is necessary to state;
that by the term "our apparatus" we mean and intend any of the springs
shewn and described in the Drawings and explanations thereof hereunto
annexed, or springs of any other shape or form, with or without the snail or
roler, and whatever may be requisite to their application; and by the word
"trace" we mean and intend trace or traces, of whatever materials and of
whatever form and by whatever name the same may be called or described;
and by the word." carriage" we mean and intend carriages of every sort and
description; and by the word "horse" we mean and intend horse or horses,
as may be necessary or used in the drawing the carriage..
The first application of our apparatus is to the splinter bar, or any other
part of the carriage, to which the trace may, with convenience, be affixed or
fastned; and the apparatus being so applied or fixed, it will effectually prevent
any sudden jerk or shake, which is frequently occasioned by any obstacle
whereby a carriage is suddenly checked or wholly stopp'd in its motion by the
spring of the apparatus bending or winding up, and by that means giving out
a-portion of its tuig or strap, and thereby enabling or permitting the horse to
proceed with only feeling a regular and gradual increasing resistance instead
of those violent jerks and checks sustained in the usual mode of attachment,
by which the harness is very frequently broke, the horse fatigued, dispirited,
or irritated, and his shoulders galled; and as the resistance of the spring is
continually and uniformly increasing until the obstacle is overcome, when
that end is attained the carriage will proceed as before the obstacle arose, the
spring will wind up its tug or strap into its former situation, and thus equalize
thie draught, and as by this means the carriage will rise less suddenly over the
obstacle, whatever it may be, the danger of its being overturned will be
considerably lessened. It is to be observed, that when the motion of the
carriage is impeded or wholly stopp'd, and the horse permitted or enabled to
proceed by the bending or winding up of the springs, their tendency to unbend
or unwind will continue to increase, and their strength, of course, be much
accumulated until the instant the resistance begins to overcome, when this
accumulated strength will co-operate with the exertions of the horse; and
by that means facilitate the draught, and the horse, not feeling a firm
resistance to his first efforts, will be encouraged to proceed, whereas a dead
pull very often occasions a tired or restive horse to refuse to go on, and some-
times leads to dangerous consequences. By means of the apparatus it is also

page_text: clear that the disagreeable effects occasioned by the horse beginning to draw
the carriage from a state of rest, or suddenly stopping when in motion, which
frequently throws the passengers (if not on their guard) from their seats,
is effectually prevented, as well as similar effects from the starting of the
horse.
Secondly, our apparatus is applied with great advantage to the main braces
that support the body of the carriage, either instead of the springs now in use
or in addition thereto, as clearly shewn by Figures 4, 5, & 6, in the Drawing,
and the explanation thereof; and as springs of every description are liable to
break, our apparatus possesses this peculiar advantage when used instead
of common springs, that should the spring of our apparatus break, yet the
body of the carriage will be supported from falling and kept nearly in the.
same position it was before, as the main brace will still remain attached to
the carriage by the other parts of the apparatus, and as evidently appears by
Figures 4, 5, & 6, in the Drawing, and therefore all inconvenience and
apprehensions on that ground entirely prevented. Another great advantage
that our apparatus possesses is, in having more freedom of action than springs
in common use, and being capable of having its force increased or diminished
at pleasure, sufficiently to support the body of the carriages at the same height,
although loaded with a greater or less weight. This is done by winding or
unwinding the spring harbour, a square being left, and furnished with a click
and ratchet for that purpose, and as appears by Figure 20 in the Drawing
within the dotted lines. The weight of the body of the carriage and its contents
may also be ascertained, as shown by letter d in Figure 6, in the Drawing,
and the explanation thereof. Our apparatus is also applicable, with the
above advantages, to collar braces and every other brace or support used to
the body of carriages in general.
The manner of applying our apparatus to tents or marquees, and things of
the like nature, is shewn by Figure 16 in the Drawing, and in the explanation
thereof; and the springs may be applied with or without the snails or rolers,
and will be the means of preventing accidents which frequently occur,
occasioned by the violence of the wind tearing up the pins or stakes, and
breaking of the cords, whereby the tent or marquee gets overturned or blown
down. The elasticity of the springs and their communication with the cords
causing a greater number of the cords to act at the same time, will of course
form a stronger and a better resistance to the wind, and the springs will
immediately, after the wind abating, cause the cords and canvass to return
to their former situation. They will also act in the same manner after rain,
and while the cords and canvass are wet, and thereby contracted, the springs

page_text: will gradually give way, so as effectually to prevent their breaking by
contraction.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Ninth
day of January, in the thirty-ninth year of the reign of our Sovereign
Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France,
and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, and in the
year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of January, in
the thirty-ninth year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third,
the said William Anthony came before our said Lord the King in His
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 several Statutes
made in the sixth year of the reign of the late King and Queen William and
Mary of England and so forth, and in the seventeenth, twenty-third, and
thirty-seventh years of the reign of His present Majesty King George the
Third.
Inrolled the Tenth day of January in the year above written.

page_text: d
marked a. a. B.B.B. The Barrell to the inside of which the spring is hooked or fastned by its outer eye a. C.C.C. The Spring Arbor (which may be used as the roler bolt / to which the spring is to be
and inner eye at each end!
hooked by its eye at the inner end a. D.D.D. The snail (or a roler may be used instead of it) fixed to the barrell B or for greater security may be of one piece with the barrell E. E. The hug or
strop fastned to the snail at b. and being wrap'd round the snail as at D will cause the place of action continually to approach the center as the spring is winding up and thus add to the increasin
power of the spring The trace is to be hooked or fastned to the tug at c. _ P. a Roller which if used instead of the snail by having the shap wound round it will nearly.
the snail G. G. a plate affixed to the snail or roler to prevent the tug or stap being displaced when the trace is slackend H.H.H. The nut and screw to fasten the Apparatus to the splinter Bar 1.1.1.
answer the same purpose as
The cover to the barrell which incloses the spring and makes the head of the Roler bolt. Figure 3. the barrell spring and barrell arbor without its cover,
Figures 4. 5 & 6. The application of the Apparatus to the main brace of the Carriage as applied to the b
showing the spring when in the Barrell..
applied to the body loop but may be applied to the Shackle of the Spring instead of the Roler and the
Roler may be placed to the body loop d. in figure 6" an Index plate to shew the weight of the body of the Carriage and its contents Figures 7 and 8. These figures represent the still yard spiral
worn or check spring one or more may be used to a Carriage and may either pass through the splinter bar or a plate to be fixed on it to which the hace is to be fixed at one end of the bolt is a tube
or box against the bottom of which one end of the spring rests the other end of the Spring bearing against the splinter bar or plate fixed thereto or may be fixed to any other part of the Carriage thought
more convenient For this Apparatus fixed See figures I and 10. Figure 9. the Splinter bar of a four wheel carriage to which four of the springs described in figures 7 and 8 are affixed Figure 10.
The shaft and fore bar of a two wheel carriage to which one of the springs described in figures 7 & 8 is affixed Figure 1. The shafts and fore bar of a single horse carriage with the apparatus
described in figures 1 & 2 affixed Figure 12. a perch vide plate of a Curricle with the Apparatus described in figures 1 & 2 affixed. Figure 13, the Splinter bar of a four wheel carriage with the Apparatus
described in figures 1 & 2 fixed to a bar across the futchells to which is to be fast wed a chain skap or anything thought more fot to lead to the fre howe when more than two une drawing the Carriage
Figure 14. The splinter bar of a four wheel carriage with two Grasshopper Springs affixed thereto in a manner to contrived as to have nearly the same effect as the before mentioned Springs to each
end of the Grasshopper springs the traces are to be fastned or bolts may pass through the Splinter bar and attached at one end to the spring and at the other end to the haces Figute 15 The Shafts
of a hoo wheel Carriage and fore bar with the Grasshopper Spring affixed thereto Figure 16 a tent with a Stillyard spiral worm or check spring or other spring fixed thereto the Spring is applied to the
pole of the marquee
or tent and is put upon the pin or spindle (usually fixed to the top of the pole and resting on the top of the pole is to support the tube which must be made to move freely upon
the pin or spindle that it may follow the motion of the spring. The hibe is to have a shong and broad colar or flanch on which the crown of the canvas is to rest or be fastned. The Spring may
also be applied at the bottom end of the cords pullies may. be applied to ease the cords if thought necessary Figure 17 the section of the barrell and spring Arbor as described in figure / letters I.B.C&H with
additional top and bottom to the barrell if thought necessary to be made use of. A. The inside of the Barrell B. the bottom of the barrell C the hook to which the Spring is fastned D & E an additional top and
bottom to the barrell to prevent the wet from penchating I the barrell Arbor & a pin or screw to which the shap or tug is fastned. I the nut to the screw figure 18 the section of the Apparatus framed as constructed(-
for the hanging of the Carriage with an addition similar to that in figure 17 to preserve the internal parts from wet Figure 19 a perspective view of the Apparatus frame and pillars as described in figure 10
pillar passing through the eye of the spring or other support to the Carriage and the other pillar to be fastned to the main brace which passing over à
the pin or screw G. by which it is fastned to the spring box Figure 20 the Ratchet click and spring which cannot be seen in figure 19, for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the thength of the spring Figure
-pully fixed in the body loop returns and is attached to,
21 The underside of the additional top of the barrell Figure 22. A horizontal section of "Figure 17 with the spring in the barrell. -
one
The
i
Spring A Figure 1 has been described as it is applyed when enclosed in a barrell or box but springs in some cases. I may be used without the barrell or box by supporting the Spring arbor between f
too upright studds or in a frame constructed for that purpose the inner eye of the spring to be hooked to the arbor as before explained and the outer end fastned to some convenient part of the frame or such part
of the Carriage to which the uprights.
· are attached in this construction the rounds of the spring may be so open as not to touch each other when in action and may be japanned both to ornament them and
defend them from the weather. The snail or roler with its side plates may be firmly fixed upon the spring arbor or may be fitted upon it so as to hum round and connected with the spring by.
placed upon the side plates of the snail and the other upon the spring arbor.__
ratchet and click the
one.
means.
of ax