Improvements in and relating to Mail Carts and other Carriages for Children.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Mail Carts and other Carriages
for Children.
1, WILLIAM CLARK M°EWEN of Abbey Road Works in the Town and
County of Stirling Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
It relates to carriages for children, chiefly those which are known as
carts" and has for its main objects :—
let. To provide or equip such vehicles with extra or emergency seats.
2nd. To increase their seating capacity without increasing their bulk.
of mail
In carrying out this invention in connection with a "mail cart" each or any
apron thereof is made of wood, cane, wicker or other unyielding material hinged at
its lower edge to the cart: also divided and hinged laterally across the middle of it
so that in folding it outwards its lower half rests horizontally upon the sides shafts
or other part thereby forming a seat and the other half of the apron is kept erect
as a back rest.
This supplemental or emergency seat and back are adapted for being upholstered
with cushions and trimming: the part which constitutes the back rest is kept
upright either by stops, brackets, arms, rods, straps or other simple appliances
connected either to the back rest itself, the carriage or cart body, its shafts or
other part singly or combined.
When this device is in use as an apron it is held firmly in its place by one or
more simple catches, atraps or other appliances, so that it cannot be displaced by
inadvertent pressure imparted thereto by a child.
The central part or division of this apron is sometimes rendered watertight by an
overlapping joint.
An ordinary cart or carriage for one child can be made to seat and carry two by
the addition of this device; or an ordinary double one can be adapted to seat
and carry three or four.children by the addition of one or more of these improved
aprona.
These improved devices are designed for application to perambulators bassinettes
and other carriages as well as mail carts.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Mail Carts and other Carriages
for Children.
I, WILLIAM CLARK M°EWEN of Abbey Road Works in the Town and County
of Stirling Manufacturer, do hereby declaro 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 :-
•
It relates to carriages for children, chiefly those which are known BS
carts" and has for its main objects:
1st. To provide or equip such vehicles with extra or emergency seats;
2nd. To increase their seating capacity without increasing their bulk.
"mail
The invention will be better understood if reference is made to the accompanying
drawings in which :
Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a childs mail cart with supplemental seat
folded up as an apron.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the body and shafts of a childs mail cart with
supplemental seat.turned up as an apron.
Figure 3 is a side view in elevation of a childs mail cart with apron folded
down upon the shafts as a supplemental seat.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the body and shafts of a childs mail cart with apron
folded down as a supplemental seat.
Similar letters of reference and numeráls throughout the illustrations indicate
corresponding parts.
Referring to these drawings the body of the cart is marked B, the fixed seat B',
the "well"W and shafts-S, S.
In carrying out this invention in connection with a childs "mail cart" each or
any apron A, A, is made of wood, cane, wicker, or other unyielding material
hinged at its lower edge H, I, to the cart body B, "well" W or shafts S, S. In
the drawings it is shewn hinged at H to the upper front edge of the .cart
"well" W.
This apron is also divided at A' and hinged laterally at H, H, Fig. 4 across or
pear the middle of it, so that in folding it outwards from the fixed seat B'Fig. 2
its lower half A' rests horizontally upon the sides, shults 8, 8, or other part,
thereby forming a seat as shewn in Fig. 3 and the other or upper half A¹ of the
apron is kept erect as a back rest.
The central division or joint A of this apron is sometimes rendered watertight
by making the outer and lower part of A¹ to overlap the upper and outer part
of A' sufficient to cover the parting and prevent water getting into and through
the joint. This overlapping is shewn by dotted lines at A Fig. 2.
This supplemental or emergency seat A' and back-Aare adapted for 'being
upholstered with cushions and trimming: the cushioned or inside of the apron
joint A' is covered with leather or other material to keep out water when the joint
is not made to overlap externally as above described.
The part of the apron which constitutes the back rest 'A' is kept upright, as a
back rest, either by stops, brackets, arms, rods, straps or other simple appliances
connected either to the back rest itself, the carriage or cart body, its shafts or
other part, singly or combined. In the drawings two rods C are pivotted at C³ to
the upper part, A', of the apron and at C' to the body B of the mail cart.
When this combined apron and sent device is in use as an apron see Fig. 1 it is
held firmly in its place, as such, by one or more simple catches, straps or other
appliances, such as the rod C, so that it cannot be displaced by inadvertent pressure
imparted thereto by a child.

page_text: The rods C, pivotted at C¹ and C' prevent the apron being folded outwardly as
shown in Fig. 3 except by force applied near the joint A'. For the convenience
of removing the apron or folding it outwards as a seat, a knob or handle D
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is fixed near the joint A to the upper part A¹ of the
apron.
The rods C are not detachable from the apron or cart and the part A¹ cannot be
folded upon the part A³.
An ordinary child's mail cart or carriage for one child can be made to seat and
carry two children by the addition of this combined apron and seat device: or an
ordinary double one can be adapted to seat and carry three or more children by
the addition of one or more of these improved aprons.
These improved devices are designed for application to perambulators, bassinettos
and other carriages as well as childrens "mail carts."
I am aware that, previous to my invention childrens mail carts have been made
in which supplemental seats were combined with or hinged to the upper front edge
or other part of a fixed or sliding "well" and that metal brackets or belts pivotted
to the vehicle were used as hooks to be put on or taken off the back of the
supplemental seat; also that some of the said seats could be folded together like
a portfolio and made to hang down, some of them inside and others outside the
"well" and that others with or without folding backs were made and stowed away
in slots Within or without the "well." It will therefore be understood that I do
not claim any of these things as my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In a childs mail cart the combination therewith of a two leaved aprou
with hinged joint A³ and rods C pivotted at C', 0, all substantially as herein
described and drawn or any mere modification thereof for the purposes specified.
Second. In a childs mail cart the combination therewith of a two leaved apron
with hinged or flexible joint A' and rods C pivotted to the structure substantially
as herein described, for the purposes specified.
Third. In a childs carriage the combination therewith of a two leaved apron
with hinged joint A' and rods C pivotted at C', C* all substantially as herein
described and drawn or any mere modification thereof for the purposes specified.
Fourth. In a childs carriage the combination therewith of a two leaved apron
with hinged or flexible joint A' and roda C pivotted to the structure substantially
as herein described, for the purposes specified.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1896.
WM. CLARK M°EWEN,
Applicant.