IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARTS, CARRIAGES, OR OTHER VEHICLES.
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Robertson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1877.
JOHN ROBERTSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Coach
Builder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARTS, CARRIAGES, OR
OTHER VEHICLES.'
"
This Invention relates to the construction in a novel and improved manner of
carts or carriages of the kind commonly known as Whitechapel or dog carts, and
is designed to provide for the longitudinal adjustment and fixing of the seats of
such vehicles in a simple, convenient, and expeditious manner.
In vehicles of this class heretofore in use the seats have usually been made
movable by arrangements which are insecure, and occasion delay and the necessity
of alighting to unfix or alter the position of the seats, but by the present improve-
ments, which are also applicable to existing carriages, these inconveniences are
obviated or diminished, whilst the carriage framing is readily balanced on its
axle when any change occurs in the number of occupants of the vehicle.
The improvements consist in fixing to the under side of the sent or seats, which
may otherwise be of the ordinary construction, two or more small clasps, clamps,
or slides of iron or other material to carry the seat body, and which rest on and
partly grasp narrow angle or T headed rails fitted on the top of each side frame
of the carriage, and extending the whole or only a part of its length.
Notches or holes are made at suitable intervals in the rails, and one or more
spring catches consisting of strips of steel inserted and fixed at their inner ends in
grooves formed for them in the seat have their outer ends bent to form teeth or
pins which passing through the seat drop into the notches or holes and retain it in
any desired place. These spring catches being placed in convenient positions near
cach end of the seat are easily lifted by hand out of their corresponding notches
or holes whilst the seat body is pushed so as to slide on the rails in either
direction.
If preferred, spring catches may be provided for both sides of the seat, and a
wire rod or spindle having on each end of it fingers or levers bearing upwards on
the spring catches is fixed under and close to each outer end of the seat, and a hand
lever or loop formed at the centre of the rod or spindle is depressed to raise tho

page_text: spring catches simultaneously clear of their retaining notches or holes.„when it is
desired to move the seat longitudinally..
Instead of placing the rails on the top of the side frames of the carriage, they
may be fitted to the sides or other convenient parts of the frames, and the clasps,
clamps, or slides may be fixed to the ends or any other suitable parts of the seat
corresponding to the position of the rails on the side frames.
These improvements can be applied to existing carts, carriages, or other vehicles
by fixing angle or T headed rails on the upper edges or sides of the carriage side-
frames, and fitting the seat body with clasps, clamps, or slides and spring catches,
in the manner herein-before described.
The improvements are obviously applicable to four-wheeled and other vehicles.