IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND TRUCKS OR BARROWS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Baildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND TRUCKS OR BARROWS." A communication from
abroad by Edward Jenner Leyburn, of Fredericksburg, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. " IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND TRUCKS OR
BARROWS." A communication from abroad by Edward Jenner Leyburn, of
Fredericksburg, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in hand-trucks or barrows for loading
railway vehicles with trunks or luggage, and for carrying articles to be dumped.
The said Invention is also applicable for use in hospitals, and for loading cannon
or other ordnance with heavy projectiles and for other purposes.
The main object of this Invention is the production of a hand-truck or barrow
with a platform or load-bed that can be elevated more or less, which truck is so
constructed as to deliver its load at the side of a vehicle and be entirely inde-
pendent of such vehicle for its support, and is so arranged as to stand up alone
and be self supporting, when its platform is fully raised for the delivery of a load
therefrom or the reception of a load thereon; and which truck among other
purposes may be used for the delivery of heavy projectiles into the mouths of
cannon and other ordnance during the act of loading the same, as above stated,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hand-truck or barrow, shewing its
normal position when closed and not in use, and
Figure 2 is an underside view of the said truck.
Figure 3 is a side elevation shewing the platform or load-bed of the truck
elevated, and as it will appear when the truck is run alongside of a railway-vehicle
to receive luggago therefrom or to deliver trunks thereto.
Figure 4 represents in side elevation a modification, hereinafter described, of the
supporting legs of the truck, shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

page_text: Figures 5, 6, and 7 are a side elevation, a plan, and a central longitudinal vertical
section of a truck provided with a platform or load-bed adapted for use in loading
cannon and other ordnance, and hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A indicates the platform or load bed of the truck; this platform is composed
of longitudinal side-pieces a which at one end terminate in handle a¹ to be grasped
by the operator of longitudinal intermediate picces a³ (not shown in Figure 6) and
cross-pieces a³, a', the whole of the said picces being framed or put together, as
indicated in the Drawing, in a suitable manner.
As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, supporting legs b, having rollers as at b¹, are
applied to the longitudinal side-pieces a, and at the rear end of the truck a guard c
is framed into and crosswise of the platform, while at its forward end a metal
plate c', as is usual in trucks, is provided; B, B, are the supporting wheels of the
truck upon which the truck is wheeled from place to place either when the
platform A is shut down, as in Figure 1, or before it is fully elevated, as shewn in
Figure 3. These wheels are loosely fitted upon an axle e which extends from
wheel to wheel, the said wheels being arranged at the outside of the truck, as
shewn; C, C, are two outer supporting legs, and C, C', two inner supporting legs
on each side of the truck; these legs afford a firm support for the platform A
independently of the wheels B, B, when the said legs are adjusted from the position
shewn in Figure 1 to the position shewn in Figure 3 to fully elevate the platform A
to the position shewn in Figure 3. Each of these supporting legs is at a point
about central of its lengtb, so bent as to form an obtuse angle at, and at
such bent portion the axle e is made to pass through each of said legs, which are
free to turn upon the said axle during the act of elevating the platform A, and
have a full bearing upon the axle when the platform is in the position shewn in
Figure 3. The legs C, C, are preferably constructed with more or less bend and
of greater or less length, according to the height the platform A is to be raised
when the truck is in uso; and instead of bending them so as to form an obtuse
angle at a point midway or thereabouts of their length, they may be made bowing
or in curved form. But instead of the said legs being made either bent or bowing,
they may be made straight, as represented at C in Figure 4, in which case they
are each provided on their under side with a bracket D, suitably constructed to turn
upon the axle of the truck, as shewn in full lines in Figure 4. These brackets
serve as a central brace support for the truck when closed or shut down. The
outer supporting legs C on either side of the truck are at one end pivotally con-
nected with a transverse shaft F, clearly shewn in Figure 2. This shaft is provided
at the centro of its length with a chain-wheel g and near its ends with rollers h,
the said wheel and rollers being made fast to the said shaft. Guide-rods i, i, have
their ends driven into the underside of the longitudinal pieces a³, so as to confine
the shaft F above the said rods, and at the same time compel the periphery of the
rollers to impinge against the underside of the longitudinal pieces a during the
act of elevating the platform A, the said shaft during such elevation being made
to travel from its position, shewn in Figures 1 and 2, to the position shown in
Figure 3.
As the rollers on the shaft F are provided with circular flanges h',
which project above the under surface of the pieces a, the rollers h are always kept
in their proper track during the movements of the shaft F. The inner supporting
legs Cat each side of the truck are at one end pivotally connected to a
metal plate which is securely fixed to the longitudinal side pieces a of the
platform A, as indicated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and thus the rear end of
the platform A can have a pivotal articulation upon its supporting legs C¹, C¹.
At the rear end of the truck a crank-shaft , provided with a handle l,
is secured in a proper manner to the short legs b, as shewn, and a chain m having
one end fastened to the shaft extends forward around the chain-wheel g
and thence back to the cross piece a³ to which it is securely fastened. At
one end of the shaft a ratchet wheel is applied, this wheel revolves with the
shaft, while a pawl r attached to the inside surface of one of the handles a¹ is

page_text: As
caused to engage with the teeth of the said ratchet-wheel r by means of a
spring 2; and while the shaft is rotated by the handle in a direction to wind
the chain upon the said shaft, the pawl will slide over the teeth of the ratchet-
wheel, but on such movement ceasing the pawl instantly engages with the
teeth of the ratchet-wheel, thereby preventing a back movement of the ratchet-
wheel and shaft l, and holding the platform A in the position to which it may
have been elevated by the rotation of the said shaft. Supposing the said truck to
be in the position shown in Figure 1, by rotating the shaft l, as above described,
the chain will be wound up thereon, thereby rotating the chain-wheel g and shaft F,
at the same time drawing the shaft F along upon the guide rods i from the front
end of the truck, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, until the further movement of the
said shaft F is arrested by striking against the rear ends of the guide rods i, at
which moment the truck will have assumed the position shown in Figure 3.
one end of the supporting legs C is pivotted to the shaft F, the moment the said
shaft commences its rearward movement the forward limbs t of the said legs
simultaneously become raised, while their rear limbs or free portions t¹ become
correspondingly depressed, and the platform A correspondingly elevated; and as
one end of each of the legs C¹ are pivoted at l to the platform, the elevation of the
platform correspondingly elevates the rear limbs t of the legs C, and at the same
tine depresses their forward limbs or free portions 3 until finally the said limbs t' and
3 of the legs C, C', come in contact with the floor or ground upon which the
truck is used, and so form a firm support for the platform and any load thereon,
either in conjunction with the wheels B, or, if desired, independently of the
wheels B, B, as shewn in Figure 3. If the pawl be then released from the
ratchet-wheel the truck will automatically resume its original position with
the legs C, C¹, folded up as in Figure 1. It will thus be seen that under this
construction for supporting and elevating the platform A I utilize supporting
legs or bars of a length suflicient to elevate the platform of the truck to the
height desired, the said legs or bars being connected to the platform at one of
their ends, while their other ends are capable of being depressed so as to form
a firm support for the platform and any load thereon, either in conjunction
with the support of the main wheels of the truck, or otherwise, as the operator of
the truck may desire; in other words, when the truck is caused to assume the
position shown in Figure 3 it can stand alone and is self-supporting.
"
I connect the outer supporting legs C by a bar f, one end of this bar being
connected with the underside of the limb t of the leg C on one side of the truck,
and its opposite end with the underside of the limb t¹ of the corresponding leg C
on the other side of the truck. Another cross-bar f1 is arranged to connect the
forward limbs t of the said legs C, C, this bar being attached to the said limbs on
the top edge or surface thereof, and thus the said bars serve to limit the "throw
of the respective legs C, C, and C, C' when being folded together into the
position shown in Figures 1 and 2. I also apply cross-bars f' between the
respective limbs 2 and 3 of the legs C', C', but these bars (one of which is not
shown in the Drawings) act merely as "stays" for the said legs. Braces 8 connect
the short legs b with the longitudinal side-pieces a of the platform A; and at the
forward end of the said pieces a 1 apply buffers, as at V, against which the
extreme ends of the forward limbs t of the legs C, C, strike, when the legs C, C, are
changed from their position shown in Figure 3 to their position shown in Figure 1.
The curved face of these buffers may be lined with rubber to thus better adapt
them to receive the shock of the legs C, C. To save time in winding up the chain
or rope m, and consequently the elevating of the platform A, that portion of the
shaft upon which the chain or rope m is wound may be made cone shaped, as
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, and when heavy lifting is to be done gearing
may be employed between a hand-crank-shaft and the shaft upon which the
chain m is wound up in the act of elevating the platform. The position of tho
truck, as shown in Figure 1, may be changed by tilting down its forward end, and
thus be in proper position for receiving a load upon the forward end of the platform.

page_text: For use in hospitals the truck may be made lighter than for heavy work, and as
it can be wheeled up to the side of a bed or cot with either a mattress or a stretcher
upon it, and is easily raised or lowered and held in any desired position, and can
be tilted either forward or backward to suit the patient, its adaptability for such
use is manifest. A "brake" may be applied to the shaft if desired.
This
In Figures 5, 6, and 7, I have shewn the platform A adapted at its forward end
to receive and sustain in proper position a cannon-ball, or other ordnance-projectile,
preparatory to loading the same into a cannon or other great gun. In Figure 5
the platform A is shewn let down upon its supporting frame ready to receive a
projectile P thereon. In Figure 6 the platform A is shewn in its elevated position
in line with the mouth M of a cannon preparatory to loading the projectile P
therein. The platform A in these Figures is shown with some of the parts referred
to in the preceding Figures left off, the same being unnecessary for the purpose of
loading a cannon with a projectile; and, as in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the said platform
is at or near its rear end hinged or pivotally connected to supporting mechanism
beneath it, and with a capability of being elevated therefrom or let down thereupon,
the said mechanism being however of different construction to that above described.
The foundation support of the plaform in this instance is composed of side
supports E, E, of triangular form, as shewn, framed together by cross tics n, n¹,
thus constituting a rigid foundation supporting frame. To the upper portion of
this frame metal plates are secured, as shewn, and to these plates the platform A
is pivotally connected, as indicated at e, Figure 5, so that the platform may turn
upon such pivotal connection and be held in proper place when it is either raised
from its position, as shewn in Figure 5, to its elevated position, as shewn in
Figure 7, or shut down upon the rails n of the foundation frame when lowered
from the position shewn in Figure 7 to the position shewn in Figure 5, ready to
receive a projectile P upon the projectile-bed P on its forward end.
foundation supporting frame is properly mounted upon the axle w of the wheels w'
and the axle w of the wheels w³; L is a frame composed of side pieces ≫ framed
together by cross ties 15. This frame is applied to the axle w of the wheels w¹
between the side foundation supports E, E, the said axle passing loosely through
the lower ends of the side pieces ', as shewn, thus allowing the frame L to freely
turn upon the axle w. The upper ends of the side-pieces are connected to the
shaft of the chain wheel g by loosely fitting straps 8. The several parts a, a',
a³, a², 1, l', r, ², m, F, g, h, ', and i are substantially the same as the corresponding
parts shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, so that when the crank, shewn in Figures 5
and 6, is sufficiently turned in the proper direction the shaft F will be drawn
rearwardly along beneath the platform A, thereby drawing up the frame L and
platform A from the position shewn in Figure 5 to the position shewn in Figures 6
and 7. The bed P1, on which the projectile rests, is provided with concave rollers v,
as shewn, one of which, as at v', is provided with suitable flanges v² on its periphery
and has a crank y upon its axle, so that by turning the said crank the projectile P
can be readily thrust from its bed P' into the mouth M of a cannon. An upwardly
extended portion of the projectile-bed P', as at Z, is provided with upright rods =¹,
between which a crowbar or other proper implement can be inserted either to effect
the foreing of the projectile off of its bed into the cannon or assist the operation of the
cranky in so doing. A flanged roller vl and crank y may also be applied to the
opposite end of the bed P¹ if desired, and so allow the projectile to be moved into
the mouth of a cannon from either side of the platform A.
The platform A, herein described, may be provided either with an ordinary metal
plate cor with a projectile-bed P1 at will, and either of the foundation supports
above described for the platform A may be employed in combination with such
plate c' or bed P¹.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A truck provided with supporting legs, one end of which is connected

page_text: with the platform of the truck, and with their outer ends free, so that when the
platform is fully elevated the free ends of the legs will be depressed into such a
position that the said legs will constitute a firm support for the platform, and the
truck will become self supporting, substantially as above described and for the
purposes specified.
Second. The combination of the supporting legs having the limbs t, the
supporting legs having the limbs 3, the platforin, the axle c, and the wheels B, B,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination of the shaft provided with the chain wheel and the
flanged rollers, the guide rods, the chain, and the ratchet-wheel-shaft, substantially
as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination in a truck or barrow of the platform with the
supporting legs which have their forward limbs t connected with the forward end
of the said platform, and with the supporting legs which have their rear limbs &
connected with the rear end of the said platform, and each of said legs connected
with the axle e, substantially as herein described.
Fifth. A hand-truck having a platform which is capable of being elevated upon
its foundation-support, and is provided with a bed adapted to receive a cannon-ball
or other projectile for ordnance, and from which bed the said ball or projectile may
be delivered into the mouth of a cannon or of other ordnance, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
sight hundred and sighty