IM- PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Hart, of 79, New Bond Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Builder, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES."
I, SAMUEL HART, of 79, New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Coach Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
The improvements in carriages consists in the making of the driving
seat of waggonettes and Stanhope phaetons in two parts so as to allow
persons to pass from the back part of the waggonette to the driving seat
and also making the back seat of the Stanhope phaeton in two parts so
that persons can get in from behind the carriage, and by having the

page_text: front or driving seat of the phaeton in two parts also persons can by
this means get on the carriage without getting in over the wheels by
the use of the small steps placed at the side as now in use in that
class of carriage the Stanhope phaeton. I adopt the following method
in the making of these seats for carriages :-I make my driving seat in
two parts for the waggonette and place them in the usual position, I
then place the under parts of the two halves of the seat in grooves, or fit
them on guide rods or rollers to allow them to move freely, or other
similar contrivance, so that when the two halves of the seat are pulled
away from each other it will leave sufficient space for persons to pass
through, the seats are then pulled close together; they are fixed by
locks or bolts if required to keep them firmly in their place. These
sliding seats can be used as the usual driving seats in waggonettes or
the driver's and back seats of Stanhope phaetons. I place a step at the
back of this carriage where the two seats join to allow persons to get
in and out. These seats are acted upon by a screw, or lever, or other
similar contrivance to open or close them or by the hand only.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Hart in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st February 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
HART, of 79, New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex, Coach
Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Hart, Her special
licence that I, the said Samuel Hart, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Hart, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Samuel Hart, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Hart, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements in carriages relate to that class of carriages in
which cross seats are used, as in waggonettes and Stanhope phactons.
Heretofore it has been proposed to divide the front and back seats in
two parts so as to enable ladies and others to obtain access to the front
seats without climbing over the front wheels, and also to enable them
to obtain access to the back seat of a Stanhope phaeton or other similar
vehicle from steps at the back thereof, but such seats have been pro-
posed to be made to turn on hinge or pin joints.
Now according to my Invention I mount the seats on or in suitable
guides or grooves, and cause them to move outwards away from each
other for the purpose of making a passage between them. The seats
may be pulled open and colosed together by the hand, or if desired
screws or levers or other suitable contrivance may be used to open and
close them, and when not employing screws the two halves of the seats.
may be held in position by locks or bolts.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will procced, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION. OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: I would here remark that my Invention is equally applicable to other
descriptions of carriages in which similar seats are used.
a, a, is the front seat, which as heretofore is divided into two parts,
but according to my Invention I fix to such seats guides a¹ to fit
against other guides 6 fixed to the body of the carriage, and in order to 5
facilitate the motion of the seats I provide such guides 6 with wheels
or rollers 6' against which the guides a¹ act.
Instead of forming such guides a, b, as shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5, they may be formed as shown, at Figure 6, or the seats may run
on rods or other suitable guides.
1
The front seat I have shown arranged to be operated by a right and
left handed screw c, which takes into nuts d, fixed to the under side of the
seat, by which means the two halves of the seat may be moved to and
fro as desired and securely locked into position,.but if desired the two
halves of the seat may be moved by hand, as shown with respect to the 1
back seat, in which case they will be locked in position by suitable
locks, bolts, or catches.
The back e¹ of the body is also divided into two parts, which are
connected to the two halves of the back seat e and travel with them.
In the case of a Stanhope phaeton or other carriage having a back 2
seat constructed according to my Invention, a step is provided at the
back of the carriage as heretofore proposed.
By these means a lady or other person is enabled to obtain access to
the front and back seats of such descriptions of carriages without the
necessity of climbing over the front or back wheels whilst the seats are 2
held firmly in position when in use.
If desired, provision may be made for the introduction of an extra
seat between the two half seats when they are moved away from each
other.
I would here remark that the form and description of the guides used 30
may be varied as desired, and that the mode of moving the two halves
of the seats to and fro may also be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
mode in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood 35
that what I do claim is, the mounting of the two halves of the back
and front seats of carriages such as waggonettes and Stanhope phactons

page_text: on or in suitable guides so as to enable them to be moved to and fro
in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Hart, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.