Improvements in Sleighs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1892—Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sleighs.
I EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of 38 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, (a communication to me from abroad by Olaus A. Normann,
of St. Olaff, in the County of Otter Tail and State of Minnesota, U.S. America,
Manufacturer) do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in sleighs, and has for its object to produce
a sleigh of simple construction which may be cheaply built, which will not easily
capsize, which will conform to the inequalities of the road and will not jump, and
which by reason of its flexibility, will ride very easily.
According to my invention I provide runners of the usual construction, except
that they are provided with a metallic facing on the upper side to increase their
strength, and secured centrally to each runner is a trussed knee having on its inner
side a brace, which extends diagonally upward, the upper ends of the knees and
braces terminating in laterally extending lugs, so arranged as to point in opposite
directions. These lugs enter eyebolts on the under side of a bolster, which bolster
extends transversely beneath the sleigh-body and has centrally upon each end, a
spring. These springs are provided at their ends, with depending links to which
they are pivoted, the lower ends of the links being pivoted to the upper curved
ends of rods firmly secured at their lower ends to the sleigh-runners.
The forward rods are also connected with braces, which are attached to the rods
near the centre, the lower braces being curved downward, so as to connect with the
sleigh-runner near the bottom of the latter; the upper braces extending forward
and upward, being secured to the front portion of the runners by clips, which also
support thill-couplings. The springs are connected together by parallel cross-bars,
which are arranged on each side of the bolster, and the sleigh-box is firmly secured
to the bolster and to the cross-bars.
Dated this 25th day of March 1802
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sleighs.
I EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of 38, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Olaus A. Norman, of St. Olaff, in the County
of Otter Tail, and State of Minnesota, U.S. America, Manufacturer) to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in sleighs, and the object of my invention
is to produce a sleigh of simple construction which may be cheaply built, which will
not easily capsize, which will conform to the inequalities of the road and will not
jump, and which is so flexible that it will ride very easily.
To this end my invention consists of a sleigh constructed substantially as herein-
after described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sleigh embodying my invention.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the same, and
Fig. 3 is a broken vertical cross-section.
The runners 10 are of the usual construction, except that they are provided with
a metallic facing on the upper side to increase their strength, and secured centrally
to each runner is a trussel knee 11, each knee having on its inner side a brace 12,
which extends diagonally upward, and the upper ends of the knees and braces
terminate in laterally-extending lugs 13, the lugs on the braces and trusses being
arranged so as to point in opposite directions. These lugs 13 enter eye-bolts 14 on the
under side of the bolster 15, which bolster extends transversely beneath the sleigh
body and has centrally upon each end a spring 16, the springs being preferably two-
leaved springs, and it will be seen that they will extend above and parallel with the
runners.
The springs 16 are provided at the ends with depending links 17, to which they
are pivoted, and the lower ends of the links are pivoted to the upper curved ends
of rods 18 which rods are firmly secured at their lower ends to the sleigh-runners 10.
The forward rods 18 are also connected with braces 19 and 20, which are attached
to the rods near the centre, the braces 19 extending forward and being curved
downward, so as to connect with the sleigh-runner near the bottom of the latter,
and the braces 20 extend forward and upward, and are secured to the front portion
of the runners by clips 21, which clips also support thill-couplings 22. The
springs 16 are connected together by parallel cross-bars 23, which are arranged on
each side of the bolster 15, and the sleigh-box 24 is firmly secured to the bolster
and to the cross-bars.
I have shown a square box for the sleigh somewhat like a buggy-box, but it is
obvious that any form of box may be used. The box 24 is connected at its forward
corners with the upper ends of the runners 10 by flat curved springs 25, which are
hinged to the runners and to the sleigh-box, and it will be observed that by means
of this connection the front portion of the sleigh-runners will be capable of a vertical
movement and will be held from moving laterally.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the sleigh meets with
any obstruction or inequalities in the road the box 24, by means of its hinged
connection with the running gear, will remain in a level position, so that the riders
will not be jolted, while the runners will oscillate and pass easily over the
obstruction. It will also be seen that the runners are to a certain extent inde-
pendent of each other and that if one runner meets with an obstruction, while the
other does not, the flexible connections between the runners and between the
runners and the body-box will cause the sleigh to pass over the obstruction without
jumping, and it will be seen from the foregoing description that the sleigh
constructed as described is extremely simple and cheap, as well as durable and of
easy draft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runners and knees secured thereto, of a
body pivotally supported on the knees, springs connected to the body, one at each
side thereof, and link connections between the springs and the runners, substantially
as described.
2. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runners and knees secured thereto, of a
body pivotally supported on the knees, springs connected to the body, one at each
side thereof, rods secured to the runners, and links pivoted to the said rods and to
the ends of the springs, substantially as described.
3. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runners provided with knees, of a body
pivotally supported on the knees, springs connected to the body, one at each side
thereof, rods secured to the runners, links pivoted to the rods and springs, and
springs connecting the upper ends of the runners with the forward part of the body,
substantially as herein shown and described.

page_text: 4. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runners and knees secured to the runners
and provided with diagonal braces said knees and braces having laterally-extending
lugs, of a body provided on its under side with a bolster having eyes to receive the
said lugs, springs secured to the bolster, cross-bars connecting the springs and
secured to the body, rods secured to the runners, and links pivoted to the rods and
springs, substantially as described.
5. In a sleigh, the combination, with the runners and knees secured thereto, of a
body provided on its under side with a bolster, to which the knees are pivoted,
springs secured to the ends of the bolster, cross-bars connecting the springs and
secured to the body, rods secured to the runners, links pivoted to the rods and
springs, and springs hinged to the upper ends of the runners and to the forward
part of the body, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 24th day of December 1892.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.