Improvements in Brake and Load Distributing Apparatus for Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake and Load Distributing Apparatus for
Wheeled Vehicles.
1-BENJAMIN WELCH, of Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, Retired Smith, do hereby.
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus to be employed principally in connection with
two-wheeled vehicles such as dog-carts, tradesmans' carts &c., the object being to
enable the driver or other person to throw the body of the cart backwards or
forwards relatively to the axle so as to throw weight on to the shafts, or take the
same off, as may be desirable.
There are two ways of effecting this result, the first of which consists in attaching
the front end of the spring to the lower end of a vertical lever, the fulcrum of
which is fixed to the shaft or side timber of the cart, the back end of the spring
connected by link and bracket to the body of the cart in the usual manner.
:
A lever similarly placed to the ordinary brake lever is connected to the upper
end of the vertical lever aforesaid by a link or rod, and by operating this lever
(which I shall call the brake lever) in the usual manner, the body of the cart can
be moved backwards or forwards relatively to the axle, to the extent of the length:
of the are through which the link connecting the back end of the spring to the
bracket is capable of oscillating.
When the body of the cart is moved sufficiently far back, a brake fixed to the
shaft or to some part of the body is brought into contact with the tyre of the wheel
and acts in the usual manner.
This form of my invention is particularly applicable to vehicles having C springs,
the construction and fittings of which permit of a considerable extent of motion.
The second method of carrying out my invention is applicable to all classes of
vehicles and consists in forming the axle blocks in two parts dovetailed or otherwise
fitted together in such manner that one may slide upon the other, the extent of,
auch sliding motion being limited by a stop piece fixed to one of the parts. The
lower half of the block is connected to a lover arrangement similar to that previously'
described, with similar result.
To reduce friction, metal balls or rollers may be introduced between the two
halves of the axle block..
The rack which retains the brake lever in position, is formed with rectangular
teeth, so as to resist the motion of the brake lever in both directions: The latter
is capable of being sprung clear of the rack, when necessary, in the usual manner.
Dated this 15th day of July 1891.
$
B
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
1.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brake and Load Distributing Apparatus for
Wheeled Vehicles.
4,
I BENJAMIN WELCH of Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, Retired Smith, 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
statementS
::
•
This invention relates to apparatus to be employed principally in connection with
*

page_text: .
two wheeled vehicles such as dog-carta tradesmen's carts etc., the object being to
enable the driver or other person to throw the body of the cart backwards or
forwards relatively to the axle so as to throw weight on to the shafts or take the
same off as may be desirable.
There are two ways of effecting this result, the first of which consists in attaching
the front end of the spring to the lower end of a vertical lever the fulcrum of which
is fixed to the shaft of side timber of the cart, the back end of the spring being
connected by link and bracket to the body of the cart in the usual manner. A lever
similarly placed to the ordinary break lever is connected to the upper end of the
vertical lever aforesaid by a link or rod and by operating this lever (which I shall
call the brake lever) in the usual manner.the body of the cart can be moved back-
wards or forwards relatively to the axle to the extent of the length of the arc
through which the link connecting the back end of the spring to the bracket is
capable of oscillating.
!
When the body of the cart is moved sufficiently far back a brake fixed to the
shaft or to some part of the wheel is brought into contact with the tyre of the wheel
and acts in the usual manner. This form of my invention is particularly applicable
to vehicles having C-springs the construction and fittings of which permit of a
considerable extent of motion.
The second method of carrying out my invention is applicable to all classes of
vehicles and consists in forming the axle blocks in two parts dovetailed or otherwise
fitted together in auch manner that one may slide upon the other, the extent of
Buch sliding motion being limited by a stop piece fixed to one of the parts. The
lower half of the block is connected to a lever arrangement similar to that previously
described with similar result. To reduce friction, metal balls or rollers, may be
introduced between the two halves of the axle block.
The rack which retains the brake lever in position is formed with rectangular
teeth, so as to resist the motion of the brake lever in both directions. The latter is.
capable of being sprung clear of the rack when necessary, in the usual manner.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan showing my invention applied to à
light vehicle.
:
Figs. 3 to 6-illustrate my invention applied to a heavy vehicle, Figs. 3 and 4
being side elevations showing the load shifting or brake mechanism at rest and in
operation respectively, and igs. 5 and 6 are details.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
According to my invention, the front end of the carriage springac (Fig. 1) is
jointed to the lower end of a lever I-fulcrummed at i upon the side of the carriage..
body, and the upper end of which is connected. by a rod to a hand lever
fulcrummed to the bracket f secured to one side of the carriage body and passing
through the slotted bar g, this lever, being furnished with a projection p whoreby it
can be held between any two successive teeth of the toothed inner edge of the said
alotted bar g (Fig. 2). The rear end of the spring is suspended by a link to the
carriage body in the usual manner, a is the axle and 6 the fixed brake shoe.
When the vehicle is driven down hill the hand lever his moved back in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 1 and the spring c, axle a, and wheel w are moved bodily
forward thus shifting back the load in-the carriage until the wheel tyre abuts
against the fixed brake shoe b. When travelling subsequently on level ground, the
lever is moved forward in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the spring c, axle a, and
spring to return to their normal position.
The mechanism shown in Figs. 3 to 6 is intended for heavy carts. a is the axle-
tree connected by the staples n to the books msecured to the open box j,, the
staples n being bolted to a cross har k bearing against the underside of the axle
tree a. This box is capable of sliding within another open box of metal fixed to
a rearward extension of the shaft or to the carriage body. The rod passes
through the axle tree a being secured thereto at one end by a nut while its other
end
disjointed to the crank lever. A moving against a notched quadrant g’within two
"

page_text: successive notches of which the rear end of the spring rod is fixed in any
desired' position.
When the cart is driven down hill, the hand lever his moved from the position
shown in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4 thus causing the box and with it the
axle.tree a to slide forward in the box the load in the cart being thus thrown
backward and away froin tlie horse.
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. The improved load shifting and braking mechanism for liglit vehicles arranged,
constructed, and operating,, substantially as herein described and shown and for
the purpose set forth.
2. The improved load shifting mechanism for heavy vehicles arranged, con-
structed, and operating substantially as herein described and shown and for the
purpose set forth.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.