SOME EXTRACTS FROM VERY OLD ENGLISH PATENTS.
“A.D. 1691 June 12—No 269
Greene, John
New engines or carryages of certaine shapes and measures to be drawne or driven by man or beast upon one or more wheeles, wherein the lading carryed about with every revolution of the wheele, which for ease of the burthen or draft and labour exceeds all others that were ever yett invented or used, being of great benefit and service to the publique
“A.D. 1693 March 3—No 315
Hadley, John
Engines moved by wind, useful for drawing severall machines and carryages instead of horses
A.D. 1787 May 12—No 1602
George Watkin—Anti-friction axle
The axis is surrounded by a number of rollers or cylinders
A.D. 1791 October 12—No 1829
The principle lies in the interposition of rollers
A.D. 1794 August 12—No 2006
Vaughan, Philip
The axle is provided with grooves for the reception of balls which serve as anti-friction rollers, the wave of each wheel being provided with grooves corresponding with those in the arms of the axle
“PROPELLING CARRIAGES, VESSELS, &c.
“BRAMLEY AND PARKER’S SPECIFICATION.
(One drawing of this patent is used as a [frontispiece].)
“To all to whom these presents shall come, we, Thomas Bramley, Gentleman, and Robert Parker, Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, both of Mousley Priory, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
“Whereas His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and thirty, in the first year of His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Bramley and Robert Parker, ... a patent for ... Certain Improvements on Locomotive and other Carriages or Machines applicable to Rail and other Roads, which Improvements, or Part or Parts thereof, are also applicable to Moving Bodies on Water and Working other Machinery.”
Side-view locomotion carriage, applicable to common roads. Bramley & Parker. English patent.
The cut on opposite page is a part of the Bramley & Parker English patent of 1830. These early inventors were apparently the original tandem makers, and they possibly originated the expression “lay down to the work.” If the cuts fairly represent the inventors, truly no one can deny that they were handsome fellows, and that they deserve a greater reward than can be said to have accrued to them after the shades of fifty years have fallen upon this, probably the greatest effort of their lives. Below find another part of their specification, which illustrates the verbosity of legal language found in those, and to some extent in the present English patents.
“... In which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said Thomas Bramley or Robert Parker, or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty’s High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.”
A. Julien. French patent. June 30, 1830.