Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index A Hansom cab is kind of horse- drawn carriage first designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from Leicestershire, England. Originally known as the Hansom Safety Cab, its purpose was to combine speed with safety, with a low center of gravity that was essential for safe cornering. The Hansom Cab was introduced to the United States during the late 19th century, and was most commonly used there in New York City. Books Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary by Donald H. Berkebile, Don H. Berkebile (1979) ISBN 0874741661 A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles by D.J.M. Smith (1988) Looking at Carriages by Sallie Walrond (1992) This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.