Year: 1886

page_text: I, THOMAS SWINTON of 17 Small's Wynd, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Coach Builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
This Invention, which relates to an improved mechanical contrivance for opening
carriage heads, consists in so arranging springs in relation to the folding frames
thereof that, when the said heads are slightly elevated by hand, the influence of
the springs effects the closing operation.. In applying the present Invention to a
Landau, a cylindrical tube is pivoted by its lower end to the carriage body at or
near the top corner of the door. In this tube, a second tube or piston is arranged
to slide telescopically and a spiral or equivalent spring bears against the end of
the said second tube or piston and tends always to press it outwards. In the outer
end of the second tube or piston an adjustable screwed eye is secured, the said eye
engaging with a pin fixed at or near the centre of one lever of the folding frame.
The lower end of this lever is pivoted to the body of the carriage at its rear part
and the upper end of which is pivoted to a bent lever and to-the lower end of that
arched portion which supports the upper rear corner of the head. The upper end
of the bent lever is pivoted to that part of the carriage frame which constitutes the
rear vertical side of the window frame, while, at its angle, the said bent lever is
pivoted to the lower end of a connecting link, the upper end of which is pivoted to
that part of the carriage frame which constitutes the fourth or upper side of the
window frame, at a point therein near to, but differing fron, that at which the
said upper side is pivoted to the before mentioned vertical side. A second arched
frame for supporting the crown or roof of the head is pivoted at its lower ends to
brackets secured to the before mentioned vertical side.
In applying the present Invention to Victorias and other such-like carriages; the
telescopic tubes are arranged in the manner herein before described, but the con-
struction of the folding framing is modified to suit the particular shape of the
carriage head employed.

page_text: The aforementioned arrangement of framing is such as enables it being enclosed
between the outer leather covering and the lining of the head; and the pillar hinge
covering the joint on the lower half, prevents water from leaking in. Under this
arrangement also the cant rail joint admits of a cross stick or rail being screwed
on to the top of the cant rail instead of as heretofore, behind the pillar.
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Petitioner's Agents,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mechanical Contrivance for Opening Carriage
Heads.
I, THOMAS SWINTON of 17 Small's Wynd, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Coach Builder do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED. MECHANICAL CONTRIVANCE FOR OPENING CARRIAGE HEADS and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My Invention relates to improved contrivances for opening and closing carriage
heads especially of Landau and Victoria carriages.
My improvements cousist in the employment of springs in combination with the
folding framing supporting the carriage head, with the object of raising the carriage
head automatically when a part of the head is slightly elevated by hand, and by.
my said Invention other improvements are effected as hereinafter explained.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of the one half or
portion of the carriage head, the outer covering or leather not being represented,
in order to show the arrangement and construction of the folding framing more
clearly..
Figure 2, is a corresponding view but with the framing thrown back and folded
as when the carriage bead is opened.
Figure 3 (sheet 2), is a side elevation illustrating my said improvements as
applied to a Victoria carriage.
Pivoted to the corners K of the carriage A, at both sides of the carriage are the
telescope springs B. The said springs are contained within the tubes b, and tend
under compression to force out the inner tube or piston b. In the outer end of
the said inner tube or piston an adjustable screwed eye b², is secured, the said eye

page_text: engaging with a pin 6³, fixed at or near the centre of the lever C. The lower
extremity of the said lever is pivoted to the back of the carriage at the corner a,
of the frame thereof and the upper extremity of the lever is pivoted at c, to the
one extremity of the lever D, and is also pivoted upon the same pin or joint as
supports the back hoop E, which supports the head at the rear corner thereof. The
short arm or bent portion of the lever D, is pivoted to the part F of the window
frame. At the angle or bend d³, of the said lever D, is pivoted the one extremity
of the link G, the opposite end of which is pivoted at g, to that part of the carriage
frame which covers the top of the window, the said pivot g, being in close proximity
as shewn, with the hinge of the said top portion H.. A central supporting hoop
stick I, is pivoted at its extremities to brackets i, secured to the window frame.
In order to open the carriage head, the rear hoop stick E, is pulled down, which
causes the two levers C, and D, to give way at their joint c, and thus cause the
springs in the cases b, to be compressed, and when the head is thrown fully back
and the levers and supports lie or are folded in the positions. shewn at Figure 2,
the springs within their cases b, are locked in their most compressed position. To
close the carriage head it is only necessary to slightly pull up the folded parts.
when the springs are brought in a position to allow them to expand, and in s0
doing to automatically raise or assist to raise the head portion into the closed
position shewn at Figure 1.
In applying my said improvements to Victoria Phaetons and similar carriages the
arrangement of levers and supports is modified as shewn at Figure 3, in which
Figure the supports L, M, are shewn pivoted upon the common pivot P, the hoop
stick or support N, being pivoted upon its front hoop stick M, as shewn. The
link Q, corresponding to the lever or link D; of Figure 1, is jointed direct to the
side of the front hoop stick or support L. The rear hoop stick R, corresponding to
the hoop stick E, Figure 1, is jointed to the pivoted lever C, at c¹, in lieu of being
jointed as shewn at Figure 1. My improvements are also subject to other modifi-
cations of a like nature according as my said improvements are to be adapted to
other kinds of carriages.
By my said improvements outside joints are dispensed with, there is little
tendency for the parts getting out of order and there is not the usual tendency of
the head to rise when open; also by my said improvements the folding of the head
when open takes up less room, and allows the body of the carriage to be made
shorter and more compact than heretofore.
ú
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what,
I claim is
First. In Landau and similar carriages, the arrangement and construction of the
folding framings F, I, and E, in combination with the levers C and D, substantially
as herein before described and shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Second. The arrangement and construction of the bent levers D, and link G,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and shewn in Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In Victoria and similar carriages, the arrangement and construction of
the folding framings L, and R, in combination with the levers C and D, substantially
as herein before described and shewn in Figure 3, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this eighth day of October 1886
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Applicant's Agents.