Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 19th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I
I, EMIL ALEXANDER SOMMERFRUECHTE of 2017 N. 9th Street, St. Louis,
Missouri, U.S.A., Carriage Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In this invention the collapsible carriage top is supported on a number of bows
having their arms substantially vertical and pivotally supported and suitably
braced. The front bow has short arms which are preferably curved to give
clearance for entering and leaving the vehicle, their lower ends being pivotally
supported on the forward ends of jointed side braces which have a lever action on
the front bow. The lever portion is fulcrummed on the front vertical arm of the
bow near the top and the other portion is pivotted to the rear bow arm. A jointed
brace braces the front bow forward and also breaks upward. A heel and stop
limits the backward movement of the rear vertical arm and a similar heel and stop
the forward movement of the front vertical arm. The rear vertical arm 19
furnished with a joint to allow of the upper part above the joint turning back-
wards and folding horizontally upon the lower part when the top is turned back.
Dated this 19th day of July 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, EMIL ALEXANDER SOMMERFRUECHTE of 2017 N. 9th Street, St. Louis,
Missouri, U.S.A., Carriage Maker, 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 a carriage top supported on a plurality of bows having
their arms substantially vertical, pivotally supported, and suitably, braced; to a
front bow and its support on a lever brace; to jointed side arms for one of said
bows and to other details.
In the drawing
"
Fig. 1 is a side view of a carriage top of this invention in the raised position.
Fix similes viain in the deanned darun nosition

page_text: A is the body of a vehicle having a seat B and side rail C, to which latter are
attached the side arms of bows D, E by pivots d,e. The rear bow is jointed on
each side at F so that the lower end E¹ may throw forward. A heel and stop G
prevent backward movement of the part E' and a similar heel and stop G¹ prevent
the bow D from throwing forward. Other means for bracing the top as a whole
may be employed.
The top proper H is supported on the bows as usual but 'the front how I
supporting the hood has short arms which are preferably curved as shewn, to give
clearance in entering and leaving the vehicle. The lower ends are pivotally
supported at i on the forward ends of the jointed side braces J which have a lever
action on the front bow. The lever portion of this brace is fulcrummed at Kon
the bow arm D near the top and the other portion is pivotted to the bow arm E
with the joint between said bows and preferably breaking upward. A secondary
jointed brace L braces the front bow outward "and also' breaks upward; its'ends
are pivotted at P and Q.
+
When the frame work is in the position shewn in Fig. 1, the heels and stops G, G',
assisted by the back strips M maintain the structure from tipping forward or back-
ward as a whole. The tension of the top H and the outward thrust of the brace J
prevents the joint F in the rear bow, from breaking in until the joint ; is broken
upward as indicated by the arrow. This throws downward the outer end of the
lever portion of the brace, to which is pivotted 'the front bow and allows the lower
part E of the rear bow to throw forward alongside the rail whilst the upper part
doubles up and throws backward thereon, as shewn in Fig. 2. A rubber cushion O
supports it when down. The bow D throws backward simultaneously and lies
parallel to E as shewn, whilst the front bow is drawn in by the action of the lever
braće J, thus the whole frame work collapses at once on breaking up of this brace
which is the key to the structure on each side, it being understood that the other
side of the carriage' is in 'duplicate.
Fig. 3 3 shews how the brace L may be broken upward independently and the
front bow 'thrown back without disturbing the remainder of the top, but it is not:
necessary to touch this brace in collapsing the 'top. The rectangular space below
the brace L is shortened on 'one diagonal and lengthened on the other as the pivot
point is thrown down in an arc'about K. This causes (the brace L to 'break'up
automatically, assisted if necessary by a projection on the bow D. The rear bow
is curved backward at the top and drops below the level of the seat when down
while the arms of the front bow lie against the adjacent bow D. As the braces
are inside they may be easily operated without 'rising from the seat. The open
side below the main brace gives a clear view. The short arms of the front bow
facilitate entering and leaving the vehicle while the lever brace mount operates
the bow automatically in collapsing. The simplicity of construction renders it
easy to operate and manufacture. The side arms of bows D, E, may be supported
otherwise than on the rail C.
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 :-
1. The combination with a 'collapsible carriage top, of a pair of substantially
vertical side arms on each side, each arm pivotted at its lower end and adapted to
turn towards its mate, and one arm of each pair, having a hinge joint breaking
inward, and a horizontal brace for each pair near the top to press them apart and
put said top under tension; substantially as described and shewn.
2. In a carriage top, the combination with the main bows and a front bow having
short side arms, of a jointed brace pivotted to said main bows, the forward portiou
constituting a levér support for said front bow pivotally secured thereto, and a
secondary brace for said front bow, substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a carriage top, the-combination with a pair of main bows having sub-
stantially vertical side arms pivotally supported at their lower ends, one bow having

page_text: hinge joints in the side arms, and a front bow with short arms, of a jointed lever
brace on each side of the top pivotally secured to the main bow arms and extending
forward to support the corresponding end of the front bow arm, and a secondary
jointed brace for said front bow, adapted to be broken at the joint when the said
lever brace is broken, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a carriage top, the combination with the seat rail having opposing stops,
of the main bows and their side arms D and E, E', having the joint F, the brace J
fulcrummed at K, the front bow I, the secondary brace L, and the top proper H,
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 17th dow of Mor 1805
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.