Detaching Traces to and from Carriages and other Vehicles.
Year: 1885

page_text: Detaching Traces to and from Carriages and other Vehicles.
I ALFRED JESSE BLEW of Fawley Lodge Hythe near Southampton Gentlenian
do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
OR MEANS FOR ATTACHING AND DETACHING TRACES TO AND FROM CARRIAGES
AND OTHER VEHICLES" to be as follows :—
My Invention has for its object to provide simple apparatus or means for readily
attaching and detaching Traces to and from Carriages and other Vehicles and
consists in fitting to the "roller bolts " " dart bolts or studs on which the Traces
are placed or in close proximity thereto hinged pieces or locking plates arranged
as hereinafter described so as to be capable of being turned into position to admit
of the traces being readily placed on and removed from the said roller bolts or
studs and also to securely hold the traces on the said roller bolts or studs and
prevent them from becoming accidentally detached therefrom.
In carrying out my Invention I fit to the outer end of each of the roller bolts
or studs on which the loops of the traces are placed three flaps or hinged pieces
capable of being turned into a position parallel to the axis of the stud so as to
admit of the loop in the Trace being passed easily over them on to the stud and of
then being turned into a position about right angles to the axis of the stud so as to
prevent the Trace becoming accidentally detached from the said stud. The hinge
pins of two of these flaps are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the outer
end of the stud parallel to the line of draught the said two flaps when turned
down being caused to stand at about right angles to the axis of the stud and to
the line of draught so as to form an abutment to prevent the trace from slipping
off the said stud.
'
The third hinged piece or flap is arranged to turn at a right angle to the two
flaps or hinged pieces before described and when turned down is caused to enter
between the hinges of the said two flaps so as to lock them in their turned down
position and thus prevent them being accidentally raised into position to release
the Trace from the stud. In order to release the trace from the stud the third or
locking hinged piece or flap is first raised so as to release the other two hinged
'

page_text: pieces which may then be turned into position to admit of the trace being easily
slipped off the stud and the horse or the like readily detached from the carriage or
other vehicle.
Instead of employing three hinged pieces as described one piece only may be
fitted to turn on a centre in proximity to the dart bolt roller bolt or stud on which
the Trace is placed the said piece being caused to engage with or abut against the
end of the stud so as to prevent the trace from becoming accidentally detached but
which engaging or abutting piece may be readily turned on its centre away from
the stud to admit of the trace being detached from the stud.
This abutting or engaging piece may be locked in position for holding the trace
on the stud by any suitable means such for example as a spring catch or bolt,
carried on the engaging or abutting piece and entering a hole or notch in the stud
on which the Trace is placed or as I prefer the said engaging piece may be provided
with a hinged flap having a pin or projection which when the hinged flap is closed
on to the abutting or engaging piece passes through an opening therein into a hole
or recess in the "roller bolt" dart bolt" or stud carrying the Trace thereby
preventing the said abutting or engaging piece from being accidentally removed
from the stud This locking hinged piece may form a step to assist persons in
ascending into and descending from the vehicle.
Improvements in Apparatus
or Means for Attaching and
Detaching Traces to and from Carriages and other vehicles.
ALFRED JESSE BLEW of Tawley Lodge, Hythe near Southampton, Gentleman
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:
My Invention has for its object to provide simple apparatus or means for readily
attaching and detaching traces to and from Carriages and other vehicles and
consists in fitting on or in close proximity to the roller bolts, blocks or studs on
which the traces are placed hinged pieces or plates arranged as hereinafter described
so as to be capable of being turned into position to admit of the traces being
readily placed on and removed from the said roller bolts or studs and also to
securely hold the traces on the said roller bolts or studs and prevent them from
becoming accidentally detached therefrom I will describe, my Invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings Figures 1, 2 and 3 of which represent

page_text: a
respectively a front elevation, an end view, and a plan of a portion of a splinter
bar of a vehicle fitted with roller blocks or studs provided with means according
to my Invention for readily attaching and detaching the traces of a double
harness. Figures 4 and 5 represent in front elevation and plan respectively
modification and Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a plan and side elevation of
a portion of a "futchel" bar fitted with improved means according to my Invention
for attaching and detaching the traces of a single harness. Referring to Figures 1,
2 and 3 A represents a portion of the splinter bar of a carriage and B one of the
roller bolts, blocks, or studs upon which the loops of the traces are placed. To the
upper end of each of these roller blocks are hinged as shewn at b b and b', three
flaps or pieces a a and a³ which for the purpose of placing the loop of the trace on
to the roller bolt are raised into the position shewn by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2
but which when the loop of the trace is placed on the said roller bolt are turned
down into the position shewn by the full lines, the flaps or pieces a a being first
turned down and afterwards the flap or piece a³ which enters the space between
the hinges of the pieces a a so as to lock them in their turned down position and
thus prevent them being accidentally raised into position to release the trace
from the roller bolt or stud-In order to release the trace from the roller bolt the
locking hinged piece or flap a' is first raised into the vertical position so as to
release the other two hinged pieces a a which may then be also turned into a
vertical position and thus admit of the trace being easily slipped off the roller bolt
and the horse or the like readily detached from the carriage or other vehicle.
Instead of employing three hinged pieces as described, one piece a only may
be fitted to turn on a centre c on the splinter bar at a short distance from the
roller bolt or stud B on which the trace is placed as shewn in Figures 4 and 5 the
said piece being caused to engage with, or abut against the end of the stud so as to
prevent the trace from becoming accidentally detached but which engaging or
abutting piece a, may be readily turned on its centre c away from the stud B to
admit of the trace being attached thereto or detached therefrom.
This abutting or engaging piece may be locked in position for holding the trace
on the stud by any suitable means such for example as a spring catch or bolt
carried on the engaging or abutting piece and entering a hole or notch in the stud
on which the trace is placed, or as I prefer, the said engaging piece may be
provided with a hinged flap or plate a hinged at a³ to the piece a and provided on
the underside with a pin or projection at which when the hinged flap a' is closed
on to the abutting or engaging piece a, as shown by the full lines Figure 4, passes
through an opening therein into a hole or recess in the roller bolt or stud B thereby
preventing the piece a from being accidentally turned on its centre and removed
out of contact with the stud B the trace being thus securely retained on the said
stud or roller block.
When it is desired to remove the trace from the roller block or.stud B the
hinged plate a is raised into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 4
thereby releasing the piece a which may then be readily turned on its centre or
stud c into the position shewn by dotted lines in Figure 5 so as to admit of the
loop of the trace being easily slipped off the roller block or stud B and thus
facilitate the release of the horse from the vehicle.
The plate a' may serve as a step to assist persons in ascending and descending to
and from the vehicle.
A similar arrangement to that last described may be employed for readily
attaching and detaching the traces of single harness to and from the blocks or
studs provided for the purpose on the futchel bars of vehicles as shewn in
Figures 6, 7 and 8 in which Figures A represents a portion of a "futchel bar,"
B one of the "dragon tongues," bolts or studs, on which the end of the traces are
placed and which may be separate from or formed in one with the bolt d upon
which the shaft of the vehicle is mounted.
A piece a provided with a notch a' is fitted to turn on a centre or stud c
arranged at a short distance from the bolt or stud B, the notch a³ when the piece a

page_text: is turned into position for securing the trace, engaging the bolt or stud, as shewn
in Figures 6 and 7, or the piece a may be without a slot and made to abut against
the end of the bolt B as shewn in Figure 8, a stop c being provided to limit its
motion. In order to detach the trace from the bolt or stud B it is simply necessary
to raise the piece a into the position shewn by dotted lines in Figures 7 and 8
when the trace may be slipped off the bolt or stud and thereby facilitate the
release of the horse or other animal from the vehicle.
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 :-
First Providing the roller blocks, bolts or studs by which traces are attached
to vehicles with hinged pieces or flaps, constructed and arranged substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein before described with reference to Figures 1,
2 and 3 of my drawings.
Second: In apparatus or means for attaching and detaching traces to and from
vehicles, a plate fitted to turn on a centre in proximity to the roller block, bolt or
stud upon which the loop of the trace is placed, and capable of being turned on its
centre over the end of the roller block bolt or stud, so as to form a flange thereto
to retain the trace thereon and of being readily turned away from the end of the
said roller block bolt or stud for the purpose of releasing the trace substantially
as herein before described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of my drawings.
Third: The combination with the subject matter of the last preceding claiming
clause of a locking device for preventing the trace from being accidentally detached
from the vehicle substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 4
and 5 of my drawings.
Fourth-Means for readily attaching and detaching traces to and from vehicles
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 of my
drawings.