Year: 1888

page_text: We LEWIS MILLER, Carriage Manufacturer, and MAURICE LANCHLIN WRIGHT,
County Judge, both of Mexico, in the County of Oswego, and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same 19 to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the class of thill couplings in which the shackle eye of the
thill iron is composed of two parts one of which is integral with the thill-iron, and the
other is hinged to the rigid part, and a clamp holds the hinged part in its closed
position.
Our present improvements consist mainly in an improved construction of the latch
carrying the bail by which the hinged-eye section is held in its closed position. Said
improved latch being formed with a rearward extending guard which embraces the
rear of the hinged portion of the shackle eye and is extended below the axle-clip when
the thills are raised into a position to lutch the horse thereto. Said guard being then
in such proximity to the axle-clip as to prevent its being raised and thus the latch is
securely locked in its position.
Said latch being also provided with a thumb piece to facilitate the manipulation
thereof And our improvements also consist in novel means of affording to the
locking hail the required elasticity all as hereinafter fully described and specifically
set forth in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing Fig 1 is a side elevation and partly a vertical
transverse section of a thill coupling embodying our improvements and Fig. 2 is a
detached side view of the thill iron with its shackle eye and auxiliary devices con-
1

page_text: A-represents the front axle of a vehicle, B―the axle-clip from which the shaft-
shackle C projects. Said shaft-shackle may be either of the form of a rectangular
horizontal eye projecting from the front of the clip tie as shown in Fig. 1 of the
drawing, or consist of ears projecting from the front of the clip proper and provided
with transverse eyes for the reception of the coupling bolt in the ordinary and well
When formed as shown in the drawing, the front cross bar-D-of
the shackle constitutes the coupling bolt.
known manner.
E denotes the thill-iron which we form with the rigid eye-section--F-to the rear
portion of which we hinge the eye-section-G The latter is formed with the
forwardly projecting tongue-H-which lies closely to the underside of the thill-iron
when the shackle eye section-G-1s in its closed position as shown in Fig 1 of the
Drawing. I denotes the latch which is hinged to the top of the thill-iron as shewn.
Jis the bail which is hung on the latch and adapted to embrace the tongue-H-so
as to confine the same in the aforesaid position. The point of connection of the bail
with the latch is in such a position in relation to the pivot of the latch and hold of the
bail on the tongue-H-as to cause the bail to draw the latch down on to the top of
the eye-section-F-when the eye is closed In order to allow the latch to be swung
into the aforesaid position, with the bail engaged with the tongue-H-said bail
requires a certain degree of elasticity, and to attain which we construct said bail of a
plain rectangular form and provide the underside of the tongue-H-with a
recess -K-in which we place a rubber cushion-L- -on which the bail bears when in
position for holding the latch in its closed position We may however bend the bail
into coils (as shewn in Fig. 3) which serve as springs. The coiled bail may be used in
combination with the rubber cushion-L-or without as preferred. We form the
latch with a rearwardly extended and downwardly curved tongue-M-which extends
between the rear of the eye-sections-F and G-and axle clip and below the latter,
and embraces the hinged end of the oye section-F-when the thill is raised into a
position for hitching the horse thereto. The proximity of the free end of the
tongue-M-to the inner face of the eye in the clip tie or shackle-G-effectually
prevents the said tongue from being raised and thus said tongue serves as a safety
guard to prevent accidental detachment of the thill from the axle
To facilitate the manipulation of this peculiarly shaped latch and guard combined
we form the same with a thumb piece-N-as shown Around the coupling pin-D-
we place the usual bushing-0-of either leather, or rubber or other suitable material
to guard against rattling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is .-
1. A thill coupling composed of a shackle-eye formed in two sections, one of which
is rigidly attached to or integral with the thill-iron, and the other section, hinged to
the rigid section, a clamp for holding the hinged eye-section in its closed position, and
a safety guard connected to the thill-iron and adapted to embrace the said hinged eye
section as set forth.
2. In combination with the axle chip and shaft-shackle projecting therefrom, the
thill-iron-E-formed with the rigid eye-section-F, the eye-section-G-hinged
on the rear portion of the rigid eye-section and formed with the forwardly projecting
tongue-E the latch-I-hinged on the thill-iron and formed with the rearwardly
projecting guard-M-extending between the rear of the eye-sections-F G-and
axle clip and below the said clip, substantially as described and shown.
3 In combination with the thill-E-formed with the eye-section-F—, the eye-
section G-hinged on the section-F-and having the forwardly projecting
tongue H provided with the recess-K-and the latch-I-hinged to the thill-
iran, the bail J-formed plain or with coils, and connected to the said latch and
adapted to enter into the recess-K-and the rubber cushion-L-seated in said recess
substantially as described and shown.

page_text: 4. In combination with the thill-iron-E-formed with the rigid eye-section-F-
and the eye-section-G-hinged on the rear portion of the rigid eye-section and
formed with the forwardly projecting tongue H, the latch-I-hinged to the thill
iron and formed with the thumb-piece-N-and with the rearwardly extending
guard M-embracing the rear portions of the eye sections-F G-and the bail-J▬
connected to the latch and embracing the tongue H-, substantially as described and
shown.