Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 29th Feb.,
1896
Figures 3, 4, 5, 5" and ɔ are other arrangements or deals of the
Figure 6 shows a shaft when released, its normal position being indicated in
dotted lines.
A tubular piece A (Figures 1-4) is inserted at a distance of about 12 inches
from the bottom end of the shaft arm which for this purpose is divided at this
point, and is fastened at B by means of screws, pins, wedges or the like.
The sides of the free end C of this tubular piece are bent downwards so that
the remainder of the shaft arm end may be laid in the fork formed in this way.
The space between B and C serves to receive a roller D which is provided
with two edges or flanges and which contains in its interior a bar E which may
be an elastic one.
In the direction of the axis of this roller D and the tube A, a cord or wire F
is so strained that the bar E forms the support and the two ends G of the
cord are wound over pins. One of these pins is revoluble on its support disc H,
so that by turning the pin in the plane of the disc the cord or wire D may be
wound up and thus bave imparted to it a certain adjustable, spring tension which
is conveyed through the bar E and the roller. The revoluble pin is held fast in
any position by its end G₁ engaging in suitable recesses in the support disc H.
This disc H or the bar E or both together may be made of elastic material, in
order to yield when the wire F is wound up.
A cord is fastened and wound on the outer periphery of the roller D. On the
free end of this cord wire rope, belt, or band, which is passed through a slot L
in the lower middle part of the tube, is attached the other loose part of the shaft
arm and fastened thereto by means of a latch M with projection M². The
projection M¹ engages in the groove L when the shaft arm is in position, and
covers the said groove whilst retaining the shaft arm longitudinally when the
animal is drawing the vehicle.
A flap K with spring K₁ closes the lower part of the fork shaped tube end C
after the shaft end has been inserted.
In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4 the cord F is replaced by a spiral
spring fastened at one end in the roller D on the axis G and at its other end on the
inner periphery of the roller.

page_text: This spring is stretched by turning the hook-shaped spring part with its
projection G which engages in radially arranged recesses.
It is evident that the roller may be arranged with its axis longitudinally of
the shaft, as shown in Figures 1-4 or transverse to the shaft, as shown in
Figures 5, 54, 5B.
If necessary the spiral spring may also be directly attached to the shaft arm,
in which case the roller D and cord is omitted and the spring band is drawn ont
of the case by the weighted falling shaft arm, Figures 5 and 5B.
The action of the safety device is as follows:-
On the draught animal falling on one of the shaft arms, it releases the arm
from the fork C, the cord or band is unwound from the roller, the cord or
wire F is coiled up and maintained in this position until the pressure on the
shaft has ceased, whereupon an automatic re-winding of the cord which is carried
through the slot L takes place.
A similar action takes place with the arrangement shown in Figures 4, 5
and 5B, only in this case the elasticity of the coiled cord is replaced by a spiral,
Figures 3 and 4 arranged in the roller, or the roller and spiral are replaced by
an elastic wound up metal band directly connected with the shaft end, Figures A
and 5B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A device for preventing the breakage of shafts when draught animals fall,
characterized by a roller (D) revoluble in a casing and having wound thereon a
cord, wire, belt or band, the loose end of which is connected with the shaft arm
which is to be released, and a spring device or spiral arranged axially to the
roller and adapted to be coiled or twisted and the cord unwound when the shatt
arm falls under the weight of the animal, whereby on the cessation of the
pressure on the shaft, the said spring device, being in tension, will by reason of
its own elasticity cause a re-winding of the cord on the roller in order thereby to
effect the drawing back of the shaft end into its former or fastened position,
substantially as described.
2. In a device of the kind described, the modification by which the spring
power produced by the tension of a spring device or spiral spring arranged in the
interior of the roller (D) is replaced by a spring metal band (Figures 5ª and 5B)
directly connected to the loose shaft arm and to the fixed shaft end, for the purpose
of utilizing the tension produced by the pressure on the shaft arm when released
for the re-winding of the spiral and thereby the return of the shaft arm to its
original or fixed position, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.