Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels of Luggage or other Barrows, or other Vehicles, used at Railway Stations, or for other purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels
of Luggage or other Barrows, or other Vehicles, used at Railway
Stations, or for other purposes.
We, MATTHEW EDWARD LYNCH, of 8, Grange Road, Darlington, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, and EDWIN WOOD, of Balmoral Terrace, Coatham, Red-
car, in the County of York, Railway Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates more especially to the four-wheeled hand barrows or
trucks used on the platforms of railway stations for moving passengers' luggage.
It is important that the wheels of such barrows or trucks should run as easily
as possible when they are in use but when not in use it is advisable that some
or all of the wheels should be prevented from revolving, as it is well known
that serious accidents have occurred from such barrows running away by them-
selves, where the platform is sloping, or from the force of the wind or from
other causes, and falling upon the railway in front of an approaching train.
Our invention has for its object a novel method of construction by which
such occurrences are rendered impossible, some or all of the wheels of the bar-
row or truck being automatically prevented from revolving when not in use.
Assuming our invention to be applied to an ordinary four-wheeled hand bar-
row, the two front wheels being carried in the usual way upon a separate frame
which turns upon a vertical pin fitted to the body of the truck or barrow, we
fix to the front of the said frame a transverse tube, into the two hollow ends of
which are fitted freely two separate bars the outer ends of which are opposite
to the inner side of the tyres or felloes of the two wheels upon the axle, which
are provided with a sufficient number of holes round their circumference, coming
in turn opposite to the ends of the bars as the wheels revolve, which ends aro
of such size and shape as to be capable of entering the holes in the wheel for a
sufficient depth, and so preventing the wheels from turning.
The sides of the tyre or felloes are preferably provided with a thin metallic
plate, through which the holes are made.
The front sides of the tubes in which the bars fit are slotted longitudinally
near their ends so as to allow studs or brackets to pass through them and be
screwed or fixed to the bars, and to the outer ends of these brackets are pivotted
the ends of connecting links which connect them with the ends of a horizontal
transverse bar which is guided in a suitable guide strongly fixed to the frame
of the front carriage.
The transverse bar is fitted at the centre of its length with a friction roller,
which is acted upon by a suitably shaped double cam upon the inner end of the
pivotted handle by which the truck or barrow is moved about.

page_text: A spring fixed to the frame tends to force the friction roller and transverse
bar against the cam. This cam is of such shape that when the handle is in
the proper position for propelling the barrow, the friction roller is allowed by
the action of the spring or by a grooved cam to move forward with the cross-
bar, and the links upon the ends of the latter draw back the bars into the tubes,
so as to leave the wheels perfectly free to revolve. If, however, the handle is
dropped, the lower side of the cam upon its inner end presses back the friction
roller and crossbar, and the links pivotted, to the latter force out the bars the
ends of which enter the holes in the wheel tyres or felloes which first come
opposite to them, and the wheels are prevented from revolving and the barrow
from being accidentally moved from its place.
If, on the other hand, the handle be raised completely up so as to rest against
or over the front edge of the truck, the other side of the cam comes into opera-
tion and similarly forces back the friction roller and transverse bar, and forces
out the ends of the bars into the holes in the wheel tyres or felloes.
The wheels are, therefore, prevented from revolving except when the handle
is in the position for pulling or propelling the barrow or truck, whilst when it
is in such position they are perfectly free to revolve.
Our invention is applicable to vehicles of different descriptions, such, for
instance, as carts, omnibuses or wagonettes, or it may be applied to perambu-
lators, pivotted shafts being used, the shafts being provided with cams by which
the wheels are prevented from revolving when the shafts are dropped or turned
vertically upwards.
Instead of the ends of the locking bars entering holes in the felloes or tyres
of the wheels, they may be provided with brake or friction blocks which are
pressed against the wheels with sufficient force to prevent them from revolving
freely.
.
A barrow or truck fitted with our improved apparatus will always be abso-
lutely lecked automatically when not in use, as the wheels are only free to
revolve when the handle of the barrow is held in position for pulling or push-
ing, a position which the handle can never assume of itself. The act of a person
releasing the handle of a barrow which is so common a cause of accident would,
with this invention, effect absolute safety, as, when the barrow is left to itself,
the wheels are automatically locked, and the barrow will then, of its own
accord, remain immoveable and secure, even on a steep incline.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details of the apparatus described,
which may be modified more or less to suit different circumstances, as, for
instance, for its application to existing barrows, our invention consisting essen-
tially in apparatus applied to luggage trucks or barrows, or other wheeled
vehicles, in such manner that when the handle or shafts by which they are pro-
pelled is in its or their natural position for moving the vehicle, the wheels
are perfectly free to revolve, whilst when the handle or shafts are moved out of
such position the wheels are prevented from revolving, and the vehicle remains
stationary.
It is evident that these locking devices may be made to operate upon either
the front or the back wheels.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels
of Luggage or other Barrows, or other Vehicles, used at Railway
Stations, or for other purposes.
We, MATTHEW EDWARD LYNCH, of 8, Grange Road, Darlington, in the County
of Durham, Engineer, and EDWIN WOOD, of Balmoral Terrace, Coatham, Red-
car, in the County of York, Railway Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates more especially to the four-wheeled hand barrows or
trucks used on the platforms of railway stations for moving passengers' luggage.
It is important that the wheels of such barrows or trucks should run as easily
as possible when they are in use but when not in use it is advisable that some
or all of the wheels should be prevented from revolving, as it is well known
that serious accidents have occurred from such barrows running away of them-
selves, where the platform is sloping, or from the force of the wind or from
other causes, and falling upon the railway in front of an approaching train.
Our invention has for its object a novel method of construction by which
such occurrences are rendered impossible, some or all of the wheels of the bar-
row or truck being automatically prevented from revolving when not in use.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention, assuming it
to be applied to an ordinary four-wheeled hand barrow, the two front wheels
of which are carried in the usual way upon a separate frame which turns upon
a vertical pin fitted to the body of the truck or barrow.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section;
Figure 2 a plan; and
Figure 3 a separate view showing the sliding locking bolts.
To the front of the frame which carries the front wheels, is fixed a transverse
tube a, or slotted bar, into the two hollow ends or slots of which are fitted
freely two separate bolts b, b, the outer ends of which are directly opposite to
the inner side of the tyres or felloes of the two wheels upon the axle, which
are provided with a sufficient number of holes or gaps, or notches, at d, round
their circumference, coming in turn opposite to the ends of the bars or bolts b, b,
as the wheels revolve, which ends are of such size and shape as to be capable
of entering the holes or gaps, or notches, at d, in the wheel for a sufficient
depth, and so preventing the wheels themselves from turning.
The sides of the tyres or felloes are preferably provided with a metallic plate,
in which the holes, or gaps or notches, are made.
The front sides of the tube or bar a in which the bolts b, b, fit are slotted
longitudinally for a portion of their length so as to allow studs or brackets to
pass through them and be screwed or otherwise firmly fixed to the bolts inside,
and to the outer ends of these brackets e are pivotted at f the ends of connect-
ing links g, g, which connect them by pivots at h with the ends of a horizontal
transverse bar i.
The transverse bar is fitted at the centre of its length with a friction roller k,
which is acted upon by a suitably shaped double cam upon the inner end of
the pivotted handle m by which the truck or barrow is moved about.
A spring fixed to the frame of the truck tends to force the friction roller k
and transverse bar against the cam /. This cam is of such shape that when
the handle m is in the proper position for drawing or propelling the barrow, the
friction roller is allowed by the action of the spring, (or, instead of a spring,

page_text: by means of a grooved cam) to move forward with the crossbar i, and the
links g, g, upon the ends of the latter accordingly draw back the bars or bolts b, b,
into the ends of the tube «, so as to leave the wheels perfectly free to revolve.
If, however, the handle m is dropped, the lower side of the cam upon its
inner end rises and presses back the friction roller and crossbar i, and the
links g, g, pivotted to the latter force out the bars b, b, the ends of which enter
the holes, or gaps or notches, in the wheel tyres or felloes which first come
opposite to them, and the wheels are prevented from revolving, and the barrow
from being accidentally moved from its place.
If, on the other hand, the handle m be raised completely up so as to rest
against or over the front edge of the barrow, the other or upper side of the
cam comes down into operation, and similarly forces back the friction roller k
and transverse bar i, and forces out the ends of the bars b,b into the holes, or
gaps or notches, in the metal plates fixed on the wheel tyres or felloes.
The wheels are, therefore, prevented from revolving when the handle is in
any position except that required for pulling or propelling the barrow or truck,
whilst when is in such last-named position they are perfectly free to revolve.
Our invention is applicable to vehicles of different description such, for
instance, as carts, omnibuses or wagonettes, or it may be applied to perambu-
lators, pivotted shafts being used, the shafts being provided with cams, operat-
ing upon bolts by which the wheels are prevented, in the way described above,
from revolving when the shafts are dropped or turned vertically upwards.
Instead of the ends of the locking bars entering holes in the felloes or tyres
of the wheels, they may be provided with brake or friction blocks which are
pressed against the wheels with sufficient force to prevent them from revolving
freely.
A barrow or truck fitted with our improved apparatus will always be abso-
lutely locked automatically when not in use, as the wheels are only free to
-revolve-when-the-handle of the barrow is held in position for pulling or push-
ing, a position which the handle can never assume of itself. The act of a person
releasing the handle of a barrow which is so common a cause of accident would,
with this invention, effect absolute safety, as, when the barrow is left to itself,
the wheels are automatically locked, and the barrow will then, of its own
accord, remain immoveable and secure, even on a steep incline.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details of the apparatus described,
which may be modified more or less to suit different circumstances, as for
instance, for its application to existing barrows, our invention consisting essen-
tially in apparatus applied to luggage trucks or barrows, or other wheeled.
vehicles, and consisting of a cam upon the axis of the handle or shafts of the
barrow, operating moveable bolts in such manner that when the handle or
shafts by which the truck or barrow is propelled is in its or their natural position
for moving the vehicle, the wheels are perfectly free to revolve, whilst when
the handle or shafts are moved out of such position the wheels are prevented
from revolving, by the action of the cam upon the locking bolts, and the
vehicle remains stationary.
It is evident that these locking devices may be made to operate upon either
the front or the back wheels.
We do not confine ourselves to the exact details of construction or operation,
which may be varied more or less to suit different circumstances and conditions,
but.
Having now particularly. described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the sanie is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:
1. Apparatus for automatically locking the wheels of luggage or other bar-
rows or other vehicles, consisting of a suitably shaped cam fixed upon the axis
of the handle or shafts and operating upon bolts fitting against or into corre-

page_text: sponding holes, gaps, or notches, on the inner sides of the rim of the wheels,
in such manner that when the handle is at the proper height for moving or
propelling the barrow, the bolt or bolts are withdrawn from the wheels, which
are then free to revolve, whilst if the handle is raised or lowered from such
position the bolts are forced by the cam to press against or into the holes, or
gaps or notches in the rim of the wheels which are then prevented from revolv-
ing, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In apparatus of the kind described and claimed in Claim 1, the combi-
nation with the frame carrying the front wheels, of the slotted tube or har a,
bolts b, b, holes, gaps, or notches d, pivotted links g, g, transverse bar i, friction
roller k, cam, handle or shafts m, and spring n, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899,
EDWARDS AND CO.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.