Improvements in or Additions to Two Wheeled Road Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Additions to Two Wheeled Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM GAY, of Selly Oak, near the City of Birmingham, Gentleman,
and WALTER BROWN, of Vaughton Street South, Birmingham aforesaid, Coach
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in, or additions to two wheeled vehicles,
such for example as cabs, dog carts, traps, gigs and the like, and has for its object,
the keeping of the body of the vehicle in a constant horizontal plane at all times,
whether the said vehicle be ascending or descending inclines, or passing along level
roads.
In ordinary two wheeled vehicles, the inner ends of the shafts are connected
rigidly to the body of the vehicle, in manner that the said body always partakes
of the general direction of the shafts, or in a direction relative to the shafts.
Thus, the build of an ordinary vehicle is such, that on the same being drawn up
an incline, the occupants carried are tilted or made to lean backwards by the rear
canting of the body of the vehicle, consequent upon the centre of gravity being
thrown backwards.
On descending, the body of the vehicle is thrown forward, with the centre of
gravity in front of the axis of the wheel, and the occupants are made to follow
the said direction.
Now according to our improvements, the body of the vehicle is relatively
balanced, and the centre of gravity of the body made to fall directly over the
axle at all times, hence the keeping of the said body in a constant plane.
This is accomplished by an arrangement worked by hand, which when operated,
changes the directions of the shafts, relative to the body, and relative to the road,
with the shafts following the road of traction.
In carrying out our invention, the body of the vehicle is hung upon springs,
which are mounted upon the axle of the wheel as usual, and with the ends of the
said springs connected to the back under and front underside of the body of the
vehicle, by hangers and upright brackets, and with the connections made by
shackles.
The fore part of the vehicle in front of the dash board, is fitted with inclined
pillar brackets or props, upon the summits of which, the inner ends of the shafts
are jointed, and turn about the said brackets or props as fulcra.
It is understood that the said connection of the shafts with the vehicle is, at
some distance from their inner ends, whilst the extreme inner ends of the said
shafts, are connected by a link to one end of a double armed lever, jointed and
fulcrumed to a bracket carried by and at the underside of the body, and with the
other end of the said double armed lever connected by a second long link, to a
travelling screw box, taking upon the lower end of a rotating rod fitted with
brackets, or turning within bearings or guides, disposed at the back of the
vehicle, and with the upper end of the said rod, which is disposed at, and passes
from top to bottom of, the vehicle is a handle or turn.
The axis upon which the double armed lever turns, or the double armed lever
itself, may be provided with a supplementary arm, terminated by a brake block,
which is brought into contact with the periphery of the wheel, on the mechanism
being operated for keeping the body horizontal in descending inclines.

page_text: lever turned upon its fulcrum, or joint centre, the rear arm raised, and the front
arm lowered, which latter being connected to the shaft link, pulls down the
inner end of the shafts, and slopes upwards the outer ends, by the shafts turning
or moving about the ends of the brackets disposed in front of the vehicle, as
centres of motion.
By turning the handle in the reverse direction, the screw box is lowered, the
double armed lever turned in a reverse direction, and the inner ends of the shaft
rear of the centre or joint fulcra, are elevated, and lowering the fore parts of
the shafts.
Assuming the vehicle to be running upon a level road, and about to ascend a
steep gradient, as the vehicle proceeds, so the driver changes the position of
the shafts relative to the body, in manner that the shafts are made to follow the
gradient, leaving the body in a horizontal position, and this is accomplished by
traversing the screw box or runner upwards, the tipping of the rear arm of the
double armed lever upwards, and the pulling down of the shaft link connecting
the inner ends of the shafts to the end of the forward arm of the double
armed lever, by which means the shafts are made to take the general direction of
a gradient being ascended.
On the other hand, assuming that the vehicle is ascending a gradient, and with
the shafts and body acting the same as in ordinary vehicles, then the turning of
the handle will allow the body to take a horizontal plane, whilst the shafts
remain in practically the same plane as they were.
The adjustment of the shafts, or the adjustment of the body in descending
hills is performed in the same manner as when ascending, other than the turning
of the handle, or the working of the lever in an opposite direction, so as to
incline the shafts in the general direction of the plane over which the vehicle is
passing.
The means of adjustment can be utilized also for balancing the vehicle, as
well as for keeping the same horizontal.
Thus, assuming a weight to be put upon the front of a vehicle, and the same
to be moving upon a level road, then the inclining of the shafts will tip the
body of the vehicle backwards or forwards, and so change the position of the
centre of gravity, relative to a vertical line dropped from the centre of the axle.
Dated this 7th day of October 1892.
WILLIAM GAY,
WALTER BROWN,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Additions to Two Wheeled Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM GAY, of Selly Oak, near the City of Birmingham, Gentleman,
and WALTER BROWN, of Vaughton Street South, Birmingham aforesaid, 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 relates to improvements in, or additions to, two wheeled
vehicles, such for example as cabs, dog-carts, traps, gigs and the like, and has
for its object, the keeping of the body of the vehicle in a constant horizontal
plane, whether the said vehicle be ascending or descending inclines, or passing
along level roads, and also balancing the weight of the vehicle upon its axle.
In ordinary two-wheeled vehicles, the inner or after ends of the shafts are
connected rigidly to the body of the vehicle, in manner that the said body
always partakes of the general direction of the shafts.
J

page_text: Thus, an ordinary vehicle is so mounted, that on the same being drawn up an
ncline, the occupants carried are tilted or made to lean backwards by the rear
canting of the body of the vehicle, consequent upon the centre of gravity of the
said vehicle being thrown backwards.
On descending, the body of the vehicle is thrown forward, with the centre of
gravity in front of the axis of the wheel, and the occupants are made to follow
the said direction.
.t
Now according to our improvements, the body of the vehicle is relatively
balanced, and the centre of gravity of the body made to fall directly over the
axle at all times, hence the keeping of the said body in a constant plane.
This is accomplished by rod and lever contrivances worked by hand, which when
operated, change the directions of the shafts, relative to the body, and relative to
the road, with the body of the vehicle balanced on the axle, and with the after or
inner end of the shafts lowered. In carrying out our invention, the body of the
vehicle is hung upon springs, which are mounted upon the axle of the wheel as
usual, and with the ends of the said springs connected to the back under and front
underside of the body of the vehicle, by hangers and upright brackets, and with the
connections made by shackles.
The fore part of the vehicle in front of the dash-board, is fitted with inclined
pillar brackets or props, upon the summits of which, the inner ends of the
shafts are jointed, and turn about the said brackets or props as shifting fulcra.
It is understood that the said connection of the shafts with the vehicle is at
some distance from their after ends, whilst the extreme after ends of the said shafts
are connected by a rod link to one end of a double armed lever, jointed and
fulcrummed to a bracket carried by and at the rear underside of the boot of the
body, and with the other end of the said double armed lever connected by a second
long rod link, to a travelling screw box, taking upon the lower end of a rotating
rod fitted with brackets, or turning within bearings or guides disposed at the back
of the vehicle, and on the side of the box boot, and with the upper end of the said
rod, which is disposed at, and passes from top to bottom of, the vehicle, is a handle
or turn.
The axis upon which the double armed lever turns, or the double armed lever
itself, may be provided with a supplementary arm, terminated by a brake block,
which is brought into contact with the periphery of the wheel, on the mechanism
being operated for keeping the body horizontal in descending inclines.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents partly in side elevation, and
partly in vertical section, a hansom or two wheeled vehicle hung, provided and
fitted with improvements or additions made according to our improvements.
Figure 2 is an underside plan of the same, showing the underwork, consisting of
links, levers and cognate fittings constituting our improvements.
The body of the vehicle a, is hung or mounted upon springs 5, suitably
connected at their middles, to the axle cof the wheel d, as usual, and with the
terminal ends of the said springs jointedly connected to the front and rear under-
sides of the body of the vehicle by hangers e, e¹, having shackle connections e³,
at rear.
a is the boot and a the dash-board, and with the said combined boot and
dash-board fitted with shaft-fulcrum supports, brackets or props, jointed at f,
to the after end part g¹ of the shafts g, by brackets or bearings 93. Thus, the
after or inner ends of the shafts, at some distance from the extreme after ends, turn
about the summits or upper ends of the said brackets or props f, as shifting fulcra,
so that the said shafts make a movement upon the said fulcra alike unto a double
armed lever.
Jointed at ' to a bracket 9', at the middle of the extreme inner end or after
part of the shafts 9, is a long rod link h, which is jointedly connected at its lower
end 2, to a forward arm, of a double armed lever i, jointed and carried by an
axis at, to brackets *, carried upon the rear underside of the boot a¹, and with
the after arm i¹, jointedly connected at *, to the lower end of a link rod j, whose

page_text: upper end 18 jointed at 2, to a traversing screw box k, taking upon a square screwed
lower part m³, of a rotating rod m, whose upper part m³, works within bearings m
and is terminated by a handle m³, whilst the middle part of the said rod is
supported by and turns within brackets me.
The axis, carries an upright arm i, terminated by a brake block 7, which
comes into its acting position on the mechanism being operated for keeping the
body of the vehicle horizontal in descending gradients.
OPERATION.
By turning the handle m³ from right to left, the rod m, m³, is rotated, and also
the screw m², when the screw box k, is traversed upwards, the second long link j
drawn with it, and the double armed lever i turned upon its fulcrum or joint
centre, the rear arm ¹, raised and the front arm, lowered, which latter being
connected to the shaft link h, pulls down the inner end g³, of the shafts 9, and slopes
upwards the outer ends by the shafts turning or moving about the joints of the
brackets g³.
By turning the handle mo, in the reverse direction, the screw box k is lowered, in
the direction of the arrow, the double armed lever i, turned in a reverse direction,
and the inner ends 9, of the shaft g rear of the centre or joint fulcra f2, are
elevated, and the fore parts of the shafts lowered.
Assuming the vehicle to be running upon a level road, and about to ascend a hill
or a steep gradient, as the vehicle proceeds, so the driver changes the position of
the shafts relative to the body, and the position of the body relative to the road, in
manner that the said body is made to take a horizontal plane, with the weight of
the same and its occupants duly balanced on the axle, so that the horse's back is
relieved of the weight of the vehicle and occupants, and the occupants are allowed
to sit erect or in their natural slightly reclining positions, the same as when a
vehicle is running upon a level road.
This transposition of the parts, or the change of position of the body of the
vehicle is performed by turning the handle from left to right, and traversing the
screw box upwards, which communicates its motion to the connecting links and
double armed lever, and thereby pulls down the after end or ends 93, of the shafts g,
which turn upon the fulcra f, whereby the whole of the shafts rear of their
connection with the harness saddle loops of the horse, (which form the primary
fulcra) are lowered, and also whereby the body of the vehicle tilted or brought
forward and the weight of the same (with its occupants or luggage) evenly balanced
on and over its axle.
Thus it will be seen that as the connection of the shafts with the draught animal
always remains at a constant height relative to the road, so the changing of the
shafts relative to the vehicle changes the general plane of the shafts relative
to the road, and the said shafts turn about their connections with the said draught
animal as their primary fulcra, which lowers or tips the front of the vehicle
accordingly.
On the other hand, assuming the vehicle is descending a gradient, then the
handle of the mechanism for transposing the position of the ends of the shafts, and
consequently the body, is turned in a reverse direction, so that the after ends
of the shafts, are, by the movement of the interposed mechanism, caused to tilt
upwards, which makes the general plane of the shafts, rear of their connection
with the handle rise, and the vehicle thereby made to take a horizontal plane,
and the weight of it, and the occupants and matters carried balanced on and over
the axle.
Again our invention is applicable for balancing the weight of the occupants and
goods of a vehicle, even when upon level roads.
Thus supposing that a hansom takes an occupant or occupants with heavy
Juggage, and that the said luggage is put upon the roof or boot, then the driver
balances the said weights so as to bring the centre of gravity backwards or forwards
over the axle,

page_text: The front or outside of the dash board a², is fitted with a plate n, having tooth or
snug stops n', projecting from it, and coming upon the two opposite sides of an
inwardly directed horn o, carried from the bracket g', so that should any of the
mechanism become accidentally broken or dislocated, the vehicle is prevented from
tipping forward or backwards, by one or other of the said tooth snugs n', coming
against the horn o.
It will be understood that this invention is an improvement upon or an amplifi-
cation of the invention described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Walter Brown, one of the present applicants dated the 14th January 1892
No. 799.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:―
:-
First In a two-wheeled vehicle, mounting or supporting the body of the same
directly from the axle, and the fore part or an extension of the fore part of the
said body part from joints or fulcra carried upon the inner or after ends of the
shafts at opposite points removed a suitable distance from the said extreme inner
ends, to which the last named, the operating mechanism for the balancing and
changing the plane of the body is connected, substantially as described and set
forth.
Secondly In a two-wheeled vehicle, changing the plane of and balancing the
body part by jointing the shafts to the fore part of the said body at points removed
from their extreme inner ends, and with the mechanism, which is operated by hand,
and consisting of links, levers and other adjuncts, being connected to the said shafts'
inner ends, whereby the said inner ends are raised or lowered, and the planes of the
shafts, relative to their connection with the draught animal, changed, substantially
as described and set forth.
Thirdly-In two-wheeled vehicles, the improvements in the means and
mechanism herein described for changing the plane of, and balancing, the body
of the vehicle, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Fourthly In two-wheeled vehicles, the improvements in the construction of,
and in the mounting and hanging of the bodies of the same, substantially as, and
for the purpose as, described and set forth.
Lotod
Lotos then
WILLIAM GAY,
WALTER BROWN,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.