Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels of Trolleys or other similar Vehicles when at Rest.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels
of Trolleys or other similar Vehicles when at Rest.
I, WILLIAM SPROWSON, of Ingleside, Alderley Edge, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
-
This invention is designed to provide for the automatic locking of trolleys such
as are used on station platforms or the like to prevent them when placed at
rest from moving down an incline or otherwise.
At the sides of the front wheels or other convenient position I place sliding
or pivoted bolts to shoot into or engage with the spokes of the wheel or holes,
notches, ratchet teeth or the like formed in or applied to the wheels. Or I
provide a brake or buffer or its equivalent to engage with the side or rim of
the wheels.
These bolts or brakes are connected to and operated by bell crank levers or
other levers pivoted to the axle or other part of the vehicle operated in one
direction by a spring or weight and in the other by the movement of the
handle or the movement of the handle may operate the bolts or brake in both
directions.
The levers by the action of the weight, spring or handle automatically move
into locking position when the handle of the trolley or truck is released and it
is left stationary or at rest.
The levers are connected by chains, connecting links, bars, or otherwise con-
nected to the operating handle of the trolley which is pivoted at one or more
parts throughout its length so that by the raising, lifting, or moving of the
handle to bring it into operation or into position to move the vehicle the bolts,
or brakes are released or withdrawn from engagement with the wheels.
the connection may be such that by pulling or moving the trolley by the handle
the bolt or brake is drawn back or released.
Or
The handle of the trolley is preferably jointed and the levers connected to
the loose or moveable portion but the invention may also be applied to rigid
handles. Or a separate lever or handle may be provided for releasing or applying
the bolts or brakes.
13 L
01-1
tal 1900
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Locking the Wheels
of Trolleys or other similar Vehicles when at Rest.
I, WILLIAM SPROWSON, of Ingleside, Alderley Edge, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
Price S11

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is designed to provide for the automatic locking of trucks or
trolleys such as are used on station platforms or the like to prevent them when
placed at rest from moving either down an incline or otherwise.
The invention consists essentially in applying a brake or locking device to
the wheels by the movement of the handle out of the operative position and the
withdrawal or release of such brake or locking device by the movement of the
handle into the operative position.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings ; —
Fig. 1. Side elevation of an arrangement of the invention.
Fig. 2. Plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. Side elevation of another arrangement or modification of the inven-
tion.
Fig. 4. Plan of same..
Fig. 5. Side elevation of further modification.
Fig. 6. Plan of same.
I find that a brake applied to the periphery of the wheel is preferable to a
bolt engaging with teeth notches or pins applied to the side of the wheels as
the brake can be brought into action by a movement of the handle when the
truck is in operation such as going down an incline for the purpose of retarding
its movement or reducing its speed.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 2 I provide a brake or buffer A or its equivalent to
engage with the rim of the front wheels B. The brake blocks A are connected
or attached to the lower members of cranked levers C pivoted to bolts or stays E
attached to the axle F or other suitable part of the vehicle. The
cranked levers C and the brake blocks A are pressed downwards against
the wheels either by their own weight or by springs or by other weight
or lever connected therewith. I prefer to utilize the movement of the handle G
to apply the brake A. the handle bar y is attached to the cross bar D so that the
movement of the handle either up or down moves the brakes. The handle is
shown in Fig. 1 in operative position with the brakes removed from the
wheels. When the handle is released it falls from the operative position to
that shown by the dotted lines and that movement applies the brakes A to the
wheels B. Thus so long as the truck is out of operation the brakes remain
applied by the weight of the handle acting upon them. The raising of the
handle into operative position again at once withdraws the brakes. When the
truck is in operation the brakes A may be applied more or less fully to the
wheels by a downward movement of the handle. The cross bar H engaging with
the bolts or stays E prevents the handle being raised too high.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the invention is shown applied to a handle G¹ the bar g¹ of
which is pivoted near the wheel to be turned back out of the way against the top
or body of the fruck. The brakes A are attached to the cranked levers C
pivoted in the bracket attached to the handle bar and serving also as a hinge
or pivot for the loose part gl of the handle bar. To the centre part of the cranked
lever C is connected or attached a bar I¹ or its equivalent (preferably in the form
of a laminated spring) by which it is connected to the operating part of the
handle G¹. When the handle is raised the lower end of the part g¹ presses upon
the bar or spring I) and moves it downwards thereby applying the brakes A
to the wheels and when the handle is lowered the part g₁ presses directly upon
the bar or spring D' and applies the brakes to the wheels. When the handle G¹
is in the central or operative position the spring of the bar D' holds the brakes
out of contact, or spiral or other springs may be applied to the levers C for
the same purpose. Thus by the raising, lifting or moving of the handle to
bring it into operation or into position to move the vehicle the brakes are released
or withdrawn from engagement with the wheels.
It is obvious that instead of brakes A engaging with the periphery of the

page_text: wheel bolts A' at the ends of the levers C may be substituted to engage with pins b
or teeth notches or the like on the sides of the wheels or with the spokes of
the wheels as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The operation of the lever C is similar
in every respect to that described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. The brake
blocks A in Figs. 1 and 2 may also have substituted for them bolts A' as in
Figs. 5 and 6.
In another modification the brakes such as A or bolts such as A¹ may be with-
drawn from the wheels by the direct pull of the handle of the truck and
applied to the wheels by springs operating upon them when the handle is released.
In another modification in the case of a handle bar pivoted or jointed links
chains or levers may be attached or connected to the movable part which when
moved about its pivot will force the brakes against the wheels or will put springs
into operation to do so.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A hand trolley or truck provided with a brake or locking device connected
to and operated by the handle which is applied to the wheels by the movement
of the handle out of the operative position and is withdrawn or released by the
movement of the handle into the operative position substantially as described.
2. A hand trolley or truck having an automatic brake or locking device sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
מה
1000
מהית
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6. Bank Street. Manchester. Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6. Bank Street. Manchester. Patent Agents.