IMPROVEMENTS IN DOG CARTS AND OTHER TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Osmond, of Breakspeare Road, New Cross, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOG CARTS AND
OTHER TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES."
Sealed the 28th October 1876, and dated the 4th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Osmond at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1876.
JOHN OSMOND, of Breakspeare Road, New Cross, in the County of Kent. "Iж-
PROVEMENTS IN DOG CARTS AND OTHER TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES."
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 5th August 1875,
No. 2750, I described a method of mounting the shafts of a dog cart or other two-
wheeled vehicle by links pivotted on the springs, such links being so set that when
the shafts where advanced they were also elevated.
My present Invention relates to an improved construction for this purpose, and
also to means of determining the position of the shafts and body of the vehicle in
relation to the axle when the body is mounted on rollers as described in a Pro-
visional Specification filed by me on the 6th March 1876.
On the front part of the body, preferably under the usually inclined footboard
nt cach side, I provide an inclined slot or an inclined guide, the front part of which
is higher than the back part, and in or on this I fit a stud, slide, or clip carrying a
fulcrum for the shaft which is jointed thereto. The back end of the shaft is either
jointed to a radius rod or link pivotted to the spring as described in my former
Specification referred to above, or it might be pivotted to the body in like manner,
or it is fitted to slide longitudinally in a swivelling socket attached to the back
part of the body or to the back end of the spring. When the shaft is advanced its
fulcrum working in or on the front incline causes the front end of the shaft to be
raised so as to suit a higher horse, and the shaft can be fixed in such altered position
by tightening a screw, securing its fulcrum at any desired part of the said incline,
or securing its back end in any desired part of the socket.
As a convenient arrangement for shifting and securing the shaft, the inclined slot
referred to above may be toothed on one side, and the slide of the shaft fulcrum
may have corresponding teeth caused to engage with those of the slot by tighten-
ing a loop, or clip; by a screw and nut. When it is desired to shift the shaft
this loop or clip is loosened, so far as to disengage the teeth, whereupon the fulcrum
slide of the shaft can be shifted along the slot and made to engage with another
set of teeth by screwing up the clip or loop. The incline instead of being on the
Price 6d1

page_text: body may be on the shaft, the fulcrum guide being in that case on the body. With
this arrangement for altering the advance and elevation of the shaft may be com-
bined the arrangement described in my Provisional Specification above referred to
of mounting the body on rollers carried in jaws at the ends of the springs so that
the body can be advanced or retracted for the purpose of balancing the vehicle.
When the body is mounted in this manner, the shafts being set in a fixed position
relatively to the body, I provide for maintaining the body and shafts in their
desired position relatively to the axle, and for causing them to assume automatically
the position for balance when descending a slope in the following manner :-I
connect the front part of the body at each side to the spring by means of a link or
short piece of chain attached at one end to the spring, and at the other end to an
arm on a rocking spindle, which is mounted on the body and extends across it
from side to side. This spindle being turned a little in the one direction or the
other by means of a worm and wheel, or a screw and nut, causes the body with the
shafts to be advanced or retracted relatively to the springs.
By using a slotted link or slack piece of chain when the vehicle is descending
a slope the horse pushing back the shafts and body is enabled to move their weight
backwards relatively to the axle, and thus to relieve himself of a portion of that
weight.
A like result may also be obtained by connecting the front part of the body to the
axle, or to any part of the springs by chains which can be tightened or slackened,
thus dispensing with the rocking spindle and its arms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Osmond in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd February 1877.
JOHN OSMOND, of Breakspeare Road, New Cross, in the County of Kent.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN DOG CARTS AND OTHER TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES."
•
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 5th August 1875,
No. 2756, I described a method of mounting the shafts of a dog cart or other two-
wheeled vehicle by links pivotted on the springs, such links being so set that when
the shafts where advanced they were also elevated.
My present Invention relates to an improved construction for this purpose, and
also to means of determining the position of the shafts and body of the vehicle in
relation to the axle when the body is mounted in rollers as described in a Pro-
visional Specification filed by me on the 6th March 1876.
On the front part of the body, preferably under the usually inclined footboard
at each side I provide an inclined slot or an inclined guide, the front part of which
is higher than the back part, and in or on this I fit a stud, slide, or clip carrying a
fulcrum for the shaft which is jointed thereto. The back end of the shaft is either
jointed to a radius rod or link pivotted to the spring as described in my former
Specification referred to above, or it might be pivotted to the body in like manner,
or it is fitted to slide longitudinally in a swivelling socket attached to the back
part of the body or to the back end of the spring. When the shaft is advanced
its fulcrum working in or on the front incline causes the front end of the shaft to
be raised so as to suit a higher horse, and the shaft can be fixed in such altered
position by tightening a screw securing its fulcrum at any desired part of the said
incline, or securing its back end in any desired part of the socket.
As a convenient arrangement for shifting and securing the shaft the inclined slot
referred to above may be toothed on one side, and the slide of the shaft fulcrum
may have corresponding teeth caused to engage with those of the slot by tightening
a loop or clip by a screw and nut. When it is desired to shift the shaft this loop
or clip is lowered so far as to disengage the teeth, whereupon the fulcrum slide of
the shaft can be shifted along the slot and made to engage with another set of

page_text: to the springs as in my former Patent, the advantage is gained that the adjust-
ment of the body relatively to the wheels is obtained without altering the position
of the body relatively to the horse, as was the case in the previous arrangement.
The adjustment of the body on the wheels may be effected automatically on going
up or down hill, by merely liberating the shifting lever I from its catch and
allowing the pull of the horse in the one case to draw the body forward on the
wheels to the required extent, and in the other case allowing the backward thrust
exerted by the horse to push the body backwards on the wheels, the lever I being
made to spring into its catch and thus lock the body in its position again when the
desired adjustinent has been obtained. The same automatic adjustment might also
be obtained by placing the lower end of the lever I immediately above its point
of connection to the spring and effecting such connection by a short chain or slotted
link, which would allow of the before described self-adjustment within certain
limits without requiring to shift the lever.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim―
First. Effecting the adjustment of the height of the shafts by raising or lowering
them at an intermediate point of their length, the back ends being held in fixed
sockets or links, substantially as herein described.
Second. Effecting simultaneously the adjustment of the height and of the length
of the shafts by means of inclined slots fixed either on the body of the vehicle or on
the shafts, in which clips or bolts either carried by the shafts or fixed to the body
can be adjusted in position, substantially as herein described.
Third. Arranging the shafts together with the body to be adjustable relatively to
the axle of of wheels, substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Osmond, have hereunto set my hand
"
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JOHN OSMOND. (L.S.)