Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to. Perambulators: and for other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1891
FROVISIONAL SEMIFICATION.
Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to. Perambulators:
and for other purposes.
I THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER of 14 and 15 Brittox, Devizes, in the County of
Wilts, House Furnisher, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
This invention chiefly relates to the supporting of various bodies or things upon
spiral or other springs in a state of tension or compression and I will describe it as
applied to the bodies of perambulators and similar carriages and to the seats or
saddles of velocipedes.
As applied to a perambulator body I prefer to connect the axles which carry
the wheels with a double curved framing one for each side of the vehicle; one
end of each of these frames may be curled over and carry the handle, it is then
carried down to the bottom and connected with the first axle, then along and
connected to the second axle, then curved round and brought back approximately
horizontally and the end. connected to itself near the commencement. Or, instead
of each side being carried round complete in itself they may with advantage and
increased rigidity to the structure be crossed centrally and if desired rivetted
together at the cross so that the course of each portion of the frame would be from
the handle downwards to the first. axle then across to the opposite side of the
second axle then up and back horizontally upon the opposite side of the vehicle.
If desired instead of carrying the frame back again upon the top horizontal line it
may be carried up at the second end of the vehicle so as to carry a second handle
and with this arrangement these frames may be either crossed or not as desired.
If this arrangement of the second handle is adapted some means equivalent to the
horizontal portion of the frame may be provided for connecting the upper ends
together.
Upon the bottom of the carriage body I prefer to place a bracket with arms
curving down and then branching horizontally or thereabouts and connecting these
branches by helical springs with any suitable portion of the frame, the springs by
preference, though not necessarily, lying more or less vertically. Two of these
brackets and springs would be employed. To prevent the carriage body from
springing about too much one or more springs, straps or equivalent may be
connected with any suitable parts of the carriage body and framing, the pull of
such spring being preferably in the opposite direction to that of the others. Any
suitable description of spring may be employed as for example rubber but usually.
a plain steel spiral spring will answer the purpose.
Instead of springs strained in the contrary direction as described above I may
prevent the body of the carriage from swaying by means of arms or stays. These
may be used in a variety of forms or ways, for example, one or more arms
preferably two, either in one piece or rigidly jointed together and somewhat
resembling the letter U, may be secured by hinges, staples, or equivalent devices
to the bottom of the carriage body, the free ends being hinged or connected to
some part of the framework of the carriage. This arrangement allows the body
of the carriage to rise and fall practically vertically, but prevents it from swaying
or twisting. Sometimes I effect a similar result by arms connected respectively to
the handles and body instead of the frame and body as just described.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Supporting Devices applicable to Perambulators
and for other purposes.
I, THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER of 14 and 15. Brittox, Devizes, in the County of
Wilts, House Furnisher, 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 chiefly relates to the supporting of various bodies or things upon
spiral or other springs in a state of tension or compression and I will describe it as
applied to the bodies of perambulators and similar carriages.
As applied to a perambulator body I prefer to connect the axles which carry the
wheels with a double curved framing one for each side of the vehicle; one end of
each of these frames may be curled over and carry the handle, it is then carried
down to the bottom and connected with the first axle, then along and connected to
the second axle, then curved round and brought back approximately horizontally
and the end connected to itself near the commencement. Or, instead of each side
being carried round complete in itself they may with advantage and increased
rigidity to the structure be crossed centrally and if desired rivetted together at the
cross so that the course of each portion of the frame would be from the handle
downwards to the first axle then across to the opposite side of the second axle then
up and back horizontally upon the opposite side of the vehicle. If desired instead
of carrying the frame back again upon the top horizontal line it may be carried up
at the second end of the vehicle so as to carry a second handle and with this
arrangement these frames may be either crossed or not as desired. If this arrange-
ment of the second handle is adopted some means equivalent to the horizontal
portion of the frame may be provided for connecting the upper ends together.
Upon the bottom of the carriage body I prefer to place a bracket with arms
curving down and then branching horizontally or thereabouts and connecting these
branches by helical springs with any suitable portion of the frame, the springs by
preference, though not necessarily, lying more or less vertically. Two of these
brackets and springs would be employed.
Imay-prevent the body of the carriage from swaying by means of arms or stays.
These may be used in a variety of forms or ways, for example, one or more-arms-
preferably two, either in one piece or rigidly jointed together and somewhat
resembling the letter U, may be secured by hinges, staples, or equivalent devices
to the bottom of the carriage body, the free ends being hinged or connected to
some part of the framework of the carriage. This arrangement allows the body of
the carriage to rise and fall practically vertically, but prevents it from swaying or
twisting. Sometimes I effect a similar result by arms connected respectively to
the handles and body instead of the frame and body as just described.
In the accompanying drawings:
:-
Figure 1 is a perspective underneath view of portions of a perambulator con-
structed according to this invention.
Figure 2 shows the application to a child's mail cart.
Figure 3 to a tradesman's barrow and Figure 4 to a bath chair.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of an arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 1
but with the framing altered so as to accommodate two handles.
Figure 6 is also similar to Figure 1 excepting that the link is connected to the
handle extension instead of to the framework.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In Figure 1A is the carriage body and B the framing which consists in this
case of a bar commencing with the handle carried downwards curved at the
bottom then horizontally along its lowest level curved at the end and coming
back again horizontally at a higher level again curved and finally rivetted to

page_text: the original piece. There are two of these frames one at each side of the
vehicle. Connected with each of these frames are two helical springs C
depending from the upper straight and connected at their lower ends with rods D
secured to the bottom of the carriage body and turned over at their lower ends
to receive the end of the springs which are stretched when the weight is placed
in the carriage body. E represent the axles upon the ends of which the wheels
are carried.
To the two top straights of the framings B is connected a bracket F in the
lower ends of which at F are pivotted the ends of the U-shaped radius arm or
loop G. This loop G preferably consists of a piece of round iron bent to about
the shape shown in the figure, and thus consisting of one straight portion G' two
sharp bends at G2 and two straight lengths G. This would be the equivalent of a
shaft G having two straight arms or links G rigidly connected to it and pivotted
at F. The straight portion is connected to the carriage body by brackets H.
In operation the load depresses the carriage body and extends the springs C
while the radius arms G prevent the carriage body from swaying longitudinally and
by reason of G G being all in one piece or rigidly connected the radius arm also
serves to prevent twisting or rocking motions as well as longitudinal swaying. It
will be seen that to prevent longitudinal motion only a single arm G would be
sufficient but as this would not prevent twisting and swaying in other directions I
prefer to employ the form of bracket described.
The application to the child's mail cart shown in Figure 2 is substantially the
same as that described in reference to Figure 1 excepting that the springs C carry
the axle E and the radius arm G is also directly connected with the axle E and
pivotted to the framing or portion of the vehicle at G³. The operation is the same
as in the former case, the slight alteration of details being due to the fact that in
Figure 2 the carriage body is hung direct by the springs from the axle whereas in
Figure 1 the body is hung from the framing.
In Figure 3 the same principle is carried into effect but the cart body A being
supported directly by the axle the springs C are compressed by the load while they
are extended by the load in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 3 also the axle E forms a
part of the radius arms G which may be merely extensions of the axle or as shown
in the drawing may be bolted thereto; at their other ends the arms G are pivotted
to the legs I by which the barrow is supported when at rest.
The arrangement in Figure 4 is practically the same as that in Figure 3 the
springs being in tension and the axle forming a portion of the radius arms whose
other ends are pivotted upon the carriage body.
In Figure 5 the arrangement is the same as in Figure 1 but the framing is
divided so as to provide for two handles.
The
arrangement in Figure 6 is generally similar to that of Figure 1 excepting
that the radius arms instead of being placed underneath the carriage body are
pivotted at G³ to the side walls thereof near the ends while the bearing portion G¹
is carried in bearings upon the framing or handles above the level of the carriage
body.
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 :-
1. In a supporting device for perambulator bodies and the like the combination
with the carriage body of a radius arm such as G substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a supporting device for perambulator bodies and the like the combination
with a frame such as B of tension springs C and radius arm G substantially as
described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a mail cart the combination with the axle E of tension springs C and
radius arm G substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
::

page_text: 4. In a tradesman's barrow or the like the combination with the axle E of two-
compression springs C and radius arms G substantially as described and illustrated
in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a bath chair or similar vehicle the combination with the axle E of
compression springs C and radius arms & substantially as described and illustrated 5
in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1891.
THOMAS BEAVEN SLOPER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.