Improvements in and Improved Apparatus for and in Connection with the Shafts of Two Wheeled Vehicles whereby the Safety of Occupants is Better Secured than heretofore in Case of Accident.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1887.
Complete Left, 16th Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 4th Oct., 1887.
Improvements in and Improved Apparatus for and in Connection
with the Shafts of Two Wheeled Vehicles whereby the Safety
of Occupants is Better Secured than heretofore in Case of
Accident.
1, ALFRED ATKINSON of 75 Church Street Hunslet, near Leeds in the County of
York, Engineer, & Iron Works Manager do hereby declare the nature of my invention
to be as follows:-
This invention consists in the construction of the shafts of two wheeled vehicles, by
making them in two lengths instead of in one length as heretofore has been usual and
in apparatus for locking together and releasing the said parts.
Those portions of the shafts or framework situated beneath or at the sides of the
body of the vehicle and attached to it either in a direct manner or otherwise, constitute
one part, and those parts to which the animal is yoked, constitute the other part, each
of the last mentioned parts is connected to the first-named part or parts by a hinge
or other suitable joint, and is fitted with my improved apparatus above referred to,
which permit those forward parts of the shafts, upon the animal stumbling or falling,
to move downward with it.
To this locking and releasing mechanism on each shaft, is attached pendently, a
support or prop, the lower part of which passes and is free to move through a suitable
fixed guide. The bottom ends of the said props may be provided with a wheel or
otherwise, and when the shafts are in their normal position are a convenient distance
from the ground so as not to interfere with the progress of the vehicle, but immediately
the animal stumbles or falls, the tilting forward of the vehicle is only such as to cause
the said props to bear on the ground and act upon the said improved apparatus in

page_text: suchwise as to unlock those parts of the shafts to which the animal is yoked and to
move downward with it, leaving the vehicle supported by the said props and the two
carrying wheels in a horizontal position or nearly so, and the occupants still retaining
their seats.
It will thus be obvious that the animal (which is not released from the shafts by
the act of stumbling or falling,) on rising, causes the shafts and the body of the vehicle
to resume their normal position and the props to leave the ground, by which combined
movements the shafts are again automatically locked in position by the improved
apparatus which is applicable to various kinds of two wheeled vehicles drawn by
animals.

page_text: I, ALFRED ATKINSON of 75 Church Street, Hunslet, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer and Ironworks Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in the construction of the shafts of two wheeled vehicles, by
making them in two lengths instead of in one length as heretofore has been usual and
in apparatus for locking together and releasing the said parts.
Those portions of the shafts or framework situated beneath or at the sides of the
body of the vehicle and attached to it either in a direct manner or otherwise, constitute
one part, and those parts to which the animal is yoked, constitute the other part, each
of the last mentioned parts is connected to the first-named part or parts by a hinge
or other suitable joint, and is fitted with my improved apparatus above referred to,
which permit those forward parts of the shafts upon the animal stumbling or falling,
to move downward with it.
To this locking and releasing mechanism on each shaft, is attached pendently,
a support or prop, the lower part of which passes and is free to move through a
suitable fixed guide, which in this case may be attached to the step. The bottom ends
of the said props may be provided with a wheel or otherwise, and when the shafts are
in their normal position are a convenient distance from the ground so as not to
interfere with the progress of the vehicle, but immediately the animal stumbles or falls,
the tilting forward of the vehicle is only such as to cause the said props to bear on the
ground and act upon the said improved apparatus in suchwise as to unlock those
parts of the shafts to which the animal is yoked and to move downward with it,
leaving the vehicle supported by the said props and the two carrying wheels in a
horizontal position or nearly so, and the occupants still retaining their seats.
It will thus be obvious that the animal (which is not released from the shafts by the
act of stumbling or falling,) upon rising, causes the shafts and the body of the vehicle
to resume their normal position and the props be raised from the ground, by which
combined movements the shafts are again automatically locked in position by the
improved apparatus which is applicable to various kinds of two wheeled vehicles
drawn by animals.
In the annexed drawings Fig. 1, shews in side elevation a two wheeled vehicle, a, is
the body, b, that portion of the under framework which in vehicles as usually constructed
is prolonged in the forward direction so as to form the shafts to which an animal is
voked.

page_text: Now according to my invention these prolonged parts c, forming the shafts are
either severed from the parts b, or constructed in separate parts, and are connected to
the said parts b, by means of binges d, or their equivalent, at their underside, and
when in their normal position for drawing the vehicle are further and rigidly connected
at their upper side by my automatically locking and releasing apparatus, which
comprises the parts or links e, each with an angular slot e 1, the pin or pins e 2 fixed
to the part b, and the pin or pins e 3 fixed to the shafts c. To parts e 4, of the links e,
is or are connected in a pendent manner a support or supports or props f, which
passes or pass through a guide or guides g, attached to the steps or other convenient
fixed part of the vehicle, the bottom end or ends of which are either turned into a gib
or hook-like form, or are each provided with a wheel f 1, for bearing upon the ground
in the event of the animal stumbling or falling and thus maintain the vehicle in
nearly a horizontal position thereby securing the safety of the occupants thereof.-
Fig. 2. shews the vehicle in side elevation with the shafts c, and the automatically
locking and releasing apparatus in their relative positions they would assume on the
animal falling, while the body of the vehicle remains as nearly as possible in the same
position as when the animal was in a standing attitude.
It will be obvious that during the falling of the animal, the props f, will come
into contact with the ground and cause the pins e 2, of the part b, to traverse the
angular slots e 1 of links e, and thus release the shafts c, from their rigid connection
with the parts b, and allow the shafts c, to move downward with the falling animal to
the position shewn, and on the animal rising, together with the shafts or the shafts
being raised to their normal position as seen in Fig. 1, they again become automatically
and rigidly locked to the parts b, as hereinabove referred to.
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. In a two wheeled vehicle, severing the shafts c, to which the animal is to be
yoked, from the part b, connected to the body a, or constructing the shafts c, in
separate parts substantially as described for the purpose specified.
2. In a two wheeled vehicle connecting the shafts c, at their underside, to the
parts such as b, or to the body a, or parts in connection therewith by means of a
hinge or hinges such as d, or their equivalent substantially as described and shewn.
3. In a two wheeled vehicle the method of rigidly connecting the shafts c, to the
parts such as 6, or to the body a, or parts in connection there with by the automatically
locking and releasing device comprising the pins e 2, fixed to the parts b, or to the
body a, or parts in connection therewith, the pins e 3, fixed to the shafts c, the links e,
with the angular slots e 1. The props or supports f, for actuating the releasing
mechanism above referred to or its equivalent and guides g, therefore, turned up ends
or wheels 1, on the said props or supports, the whole constructed arranged and
operating substantially in the manner hereinabove described for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th day of September 1887.