IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT AND OPERATION, OF THILL COUPLINGS, HORSE DETACHERS, OR OF DEVICES FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASES OF ACCIDENTS BY RUNAWAY HORSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Duby Green of Cincinnati in the state of Ohio U.S.A for
an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT AND
OPERATION, OF THILL COUPLINGS, HORSE DETACHERS, OR OF DEVICES FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Duby Green at the Office
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd January 1883.
DUBY GREEN of Cincinnati in the State of Ohio U.S.A.
THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT AND OPERATION OF THILL COUPLINGS HORSE
DETACHERS, OR OF DEVICES FOR SAVING LIFE IN CASES OF ACCIDENTS BY
RUNAWAY HORSES,"
The object of this invention is to provide a thill coupling so constructed and
arranged as to absolutely prevent all noise or rattling of the different parts, and
has also a detaching device so combined and arranged that the thill iron can be
instantaneously released from the clips by the occupants of the vehicle and further
so arranged that when the occupant disengages the shaft or thill iron a brake is
automatically applied to the forward wheels to check the speed of the moving
vehicle.
In carrying this invention into practice I provide a clip constructed in the usual
manner and provided on the front side with a housing designed to receive a
peculiarly formed elastic cushion. The housing is preferably cast or forged with
the clip and is open above and below and the upper half of the front wall is also
cut away. To the rear of a chamber on the upper side of the housing is a
transverse aperture or hole designed to receive a rod which rod also passes through
the ears of a lid which fits over the upper opening of the chamber. The rod or bar
in the housing is however, capable of being rotated independently.of the lid, and
in practice extends across to the opposite clip on the axle An arin is secured to
this bar by the side of each clip and it projects forward and downward terminating
in a right angled projection which extends under the thill iron

page_text: Centrally the said rod has an arm which projects forward and provided with an
eye to which is hinged the lower end of another bar, rod or standard or to which a
rope or strap may be attached whereby the occupants of the vehicle can operate the
arm first above mentioned
The elastic cushion made of any suitable material is designed to fit snugly
within the chamber or housing
In its upper face is a semi-circular or curved socket corresponding with the
curved hook of the thill iron. The under forward corner of the cushion is cut away
and provided with a semi-circular seat concentric with but of smaller are than the
Bocket or aperture above referred to and the cushion also extends to the forward
side of a yoke extension so as to thoroughly encase it.
The yoke projects forward and is bent upward at right angles terminating in a
scroll which fits into the seat of the elastic cushion. The hook of the thill iron is
placed in the socket of the cushion and the upturned end and scroll therefore
constitute the support for the thill iron in connection with the elastic cushion.
The hook of the thill iron is thereby entirely prevented from coming in contact
with metal as well as the upturned end and the lid prevents extraneous matter
and moisture from entering. The lid is preferably lined on the under side with
rubber, felt or similar material to prevent rattling in case it should become loose.
The outer ends of the rod in the housing are provided with arms which project
upward and rearward These arms are designed to pass simply down on the inner
ends of the hubs and the arms are provided with flaring sides

page_text: ACCIDENTS DI
RUNAWAY HORSES
"
Fig 1. is a perspective elevation of the improved thill coupling, detacher and
brake as applied to the front axle of a vehicle.
Fig 2. is a sectional view of the clip, thill iron and detacher.
Fig 3. is a front perspective view of the clip itself
Fig 4. perspective view of the lid, and
Fig 5. side sectional view of the rubber packing.
:
The object of this invention is to provide a thill coupling, so constructed and
arranged as to absolutely prevent all noise or rattling of the different parts, and
has also a detaching device so combined and arranged that the thill iron can be
instantaneously released from the clips by the occupants of the vehicle, and further
so arranged that when the occupant disengages the shaft or thill iron, a brake is
automatically applied to the forward wheels to check the speed of the moving
vehicle
The clip A is constructed in the usual manner, and is provided on the front side
with a housing B, which is designed to receive a peculiarly formed elastic cushion C.
The housing B is preferably cast or forged with the clip A, and is open above and
below, and the upper half of the front wall is also cut away, as shown by D. Fig 3.
To the rear of the chamber E, on the upper side of the housing, is a transverse
aperture or hole F designed to receive a rod G, which rod also passes through the
ears Hof a lid H, which fits over the upper opening of the chamber E. The rod
or bar G is however, capable of being rotated independently of the lid H, and in
practice extends across to the opposite clip on the axle, An arm I is secured to this
bar by the side of each clip, and it projects forward and downward, torminating in
a right angled projection J, which extends under the thill iron.
Centrally the rod G has an arm J', which projects forwardly, and provided with
an eye J", to which is hinged the lower end of a bar, rod, or standard, or to which
a rope or strap K may be attached, whereby the occupants of the vehicle can
operate the arm I.
The elastic cushion C made of any suitable material is designed to fit snugly
within the chamber E.
In its upper face is a semicircular or curved socket L, corresponding with the
curved hook M of the thill iron N. The under forward corner of the cushion is
cut away and provided with a semi circular seat O, concentric with, but of smaller
are than the socket or aperture L, and the cushion also extends to the forward side
of the yoke extension so as to thoroughly encase it.
The yoke P projects forward and is bent upwardly at right angles, as shown
at Q, terminating in a scroll R, which fits into the seat O of the cushion C. The
hook M of the thill iron N is placed in the socket L of the cushion C, and the
upturned end Q and scroll R therefore constitute the support for the thill iron in
connection with the elastic cushion.
It will be observed that the hook M is thereby entirely prevented from coming

page_text: in contact with metal, as well as the upturned end Q, and since the lid H prevents
extraneous matter and moisture from entering, the liability of wear is reduced to
the minimum The lid H is preferably lined on the under side with rubber, felt,
or similar material to prevent rattling in case it should become loose.
The outer ends of the rod G are provided with arms S, which project upwardly
and rearwardly as shown in Fig 1. These arms are designed to pass simply down
on the inner ends of the hubs, and since the arms are provided with flaring sides,
the tendency of the arms will be to press outwardly against the hubs, and bind the
same so as to prevent the wheels from turning. When therefore the operator in
the vehicle draws the strap K, and disengages the shafts, the same motion binds
the arms S against the hubs, and checks the motion of the vehicle.
In the use of this device, the cushion C is first placed in the chamber E, from
the lower side, after which the upturned end Q of the yoke is inserted into the
aperture or opening 0 of the elastic cushion, so that the scroll R fits snugly in its
said seat O. At the same time the lower ends T of the clip enter the apertures of 1
the yoke, and said yoke is held firmly in position by the nuts W.
The thill iron hook M is then inserted in the curved socket L, and the device is
ready for use.
The rod or bar G, which extends from clip to clip, and carries the lover I, serves
to disengage both the books M at the same instant, when the operator draws up
strap K
Having now described this invention, and the best mode known to me of
carrying it into effect I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new
and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1 In a thill coupling, the clip A having on its forward side the chamber E, in
combination with the elastic cushion Čhaving the curved socket L and seat O,
substantially as herein shown
2nd In a thill coupling, the clip A having the chamber E and the elastic cushion as
shown, with the yoke P provided with the upturned end Q and scroll R,
substantially as herein set forth.
3rd In a thill coupling, an elastic cushion C, cast or moulded with a circular or
curved socket, to receive a curved hook as described, thereby preventing said
hook from coming in contact with metal in the housing or chamber, substan-
tially is herein shown.
4th The elastic cushion C, having the curved socket L and sent O, in combination
with the curved thill iron and the upturned yoke, substantially as herein
shown and described.
5th In thill couplings and detachers, the clip A having the transverse aperture F, in
combination with the shaft bar or rod G extending from clip to clip, having
the arm I provided with the right angled side projection J at the forward end,
and the forwardly projecting arm J" with the strap K attached thereto,
substantially as herein set forth.
Gh In thill couplings and detachers, the detaching arm I, having at the forward
end the side projection J extending under the thill iron N, and in combination
therewith, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown.
7th The clip A, having the housing B on the forward side, lid H, elástic cushion C
provided with the curved socket L, and seat O in combination with the
yoke P having the upturned extension Q and scroll R, and with the curved
thill iron M, substantially as herein set forth.
"
8th The rod G, having the forwardly projecting operating arm J", provided at
each end with an arm or cam S, designed to give lateral pressure to the hubs
when the rod G. is turned, substantially as herein set forth.
9th The cushion C, provided with the curved slot L, and having on the forward
under side the recess O, to receive the upturned end of the yoke to thoroughly
encase it substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: 10th/ The combination of the clip having the housing B, provided with the
peculiarly formed rubber cushion C, the yoke P having the upturned end Q
the curved thill iron N, in combination with the cross shaft G, having the
cams S at the ends, and the forwardly projecting detaching arms I and the
operating arm, substantially as herein set forth
In witness whereof I the said Duby Green have hereunto set my hand and
seal this 19th day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three