Improvements in Elastic Couplings between Vehicles and the Draught Animals.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1887
Complete Left, 28th Jan.. 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
Improvements in Elastic Couplings between Vehicles and the
Draught Animals.
I EMIL MOSSBERG of 23 Lilla Nygatan. Stockholm, Sweden, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to obtain elasticity between the animal or animals
and carriage, and the invention can be applied to the carriage without altering it or
the harness whereby obtain an elastic coupling between the carriage or other
vehicle and the animal or animals.
According to my invention I employ plate springs fixed either to the single or
swingle tree or whiffle tree or in the ends of the shafts the extent of elasticity being
regulated by links or other analogous means and in such manner that when the
spring or springs is or are in the normal state, it or they, is, or are, close or adjacent
to the white trees.
The single or swingle tree or whiffle tree is attached to the frame of the carriage or
other vehicle by a loop or loops. This loop is lengthened with a pin connecting the
single or swingle tree or whittle tree and the spring. The traces are attached to
hooks pivotted on pivots fixed in the ends of the springs. The said ends of the
springs are bifurcated and in the fork a link is fixed surrounding pivots fixed in the
like bifurcated ends of the white tree. When the horse pulls. the spring will
expand, the links when more strained coming against the pins. The length of these
links thus determines how far the spring may be bent, the links constituting at the
same time a safety coupling in the event of the spring breaking. For two horses,
corresponding perfectly with the arrangement first described, safety links may
evidently likewise be adapted in the same manner. Sometimes the spring straightens
when pulled until it lies close to the whiffle tree, the pin projecting from the loop
serving here as safety coupling. The whiffle tree clasp may be bent at the ends and
fixed by means of pins in the frame, whilst the spring ends are by means of pins fixed
to the hooks which in their turn are fixed to the shafts by means of pins. Two
oblong rings may be fixed to their respective pins in the frame of the carriage and in
the shafts and connected by a short chain the length of which determines how much

page_text: the spring may be strained this arrangement serving at the same time as a saftey
coupling. One end of the springs may be fixed to pins or bolts which are fixed in
the frame of the carriage and their other ends by means of bolts in the shafts,
whereby a similar safety coupling is obtained to those before described. The fore
end of the shafts may have an elastic lengthening and for this purpose two spring
plates are fixed to the shafts; one spring plate having a greater curve or swing in
order to afford a greater swing at the draught. One of these plates clasps the other
plate most in front by means of a hasp so that both are carrying the burden affecting
for instance the shafts of a cart. A shoulder prevents the spring from being pulled
out more than to a certain limit, whereby a hasp secured to the plate, then comes
against a shoulder. There are holes for the shaft bolt, the pin holding the shafts to
the harness.
The invention is applicable to carriages or other vehicles with shafts or traces.

page_text: I, EMIL MOSSBERG of 23 Lilla Nygatan, Stockholm, Sweden, Engineer 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:
The object of my invention is to construct an elastic coupling between the draught
animal or animals and the carriage, in such manner that the said elastic coupling
may be applied without alteration, or without material alteration to either harness or
carriages of ordinary constructions.
According to my invention. I employ as an elastic medium plate springs disposed
intermedially between the animals and the vehicles to be drawn the amount of
elasticity being regulated by links or other analogous contrivances and the said
springs being secured and fitted all as hereafter described.
And in order that my invention may be easily and clearly understood I will
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference refer to like parts in the various figures.
Figure 1 is a plan of a single or swingle or whiffle tree to which a plate spring is
attached it being secured at or about the centre thereof. Figure 2 is an elevation of
same. Figure 3 is a side view of one of the hooks on same; Figure 4 represents in
plan a similar arrangement of elastic coupling shewn applied to a swing bar
connecting the whiffle-trees for two horses together, and to the carriage or vehicle.
Figure 5 represents in plan another arrangement wherein the traces are fixed
directly to the whiffle-tree and the bar itself being elastically connected to the
carriage.
Figure 6 shews in plan an elastic connection constructed according to my invention
and applied to a vehicle where shafts are used for traction instead of the traces
hereinbefore mentioned.
Figure 7 shews in elevation a safety coupling suitable for use with the last
arrangement namely that shewn at Figure 6. Figure 8 shews in plan another
modification or arrangement in which shafts are used.
Figure 9 shews an arrangement where the spring forms a continuation of the
shaft, and Figure 10) is a cross section on line xx of the before mentioned figure.
According to my invention the whiffle tree is attached to the frame of the
carriage or other vehicle by a loop or loops a as shewn at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
With this loop a is connected or formed a pin a¹ for connecting the whiffle-tree band
the spring e together, the before mentioned loop a being employed to connect both to
the carriage; the traces for the use of which the arrangements at Figures 1 to 5 are
particularly applicable, are attached to hooks or loops g see Figs. I and 3 held on
pivots fixed in the ends of the springs c.

page_text: The ends of the said springs c are bifurcated or forked, and in the forks thus
formed are held links or loops through which pass pins d which are held in
bifurcated ends of the whiffle-tree.
When the draught animal pulls by the traces the spring c will bend to say the
position shewn in dotted lines at e¹ Figure 1, the links when the spring c is drawn
back to its desired limit coming against the pins d, the length of the links thus
deciding the extent to which the spring e may be bent while at the same time they
form a safety coupling in the event of the spring c breaking.
The arrangement of elastic coupling shewn at Figure 4 is arranged for two draught
animals and is otherwise similar to the arrangement described and shewn with
reference to Figures 1 to 3 and it will be evident from an inspection of the drawing
Figure that safety links are as equally applicable as in the foregoing examples.
Sometimes and as shewn at Figure 5 the spring c may be so arranged as to
straighten until it lies close to the whiffle tree instead of curving when in action, the
pin a of the loop a serving in this case as a safety device.
b
When as shewn at Figure 6 the shafts are employed as the traction medium
between the draught animal or animals and the vehicle which is here represented by
a portion of the frame m of a carriage the whiffle tree may be bent at the ends and
fixed by means of pins or bolts and nuts in the frame m whilst the spring ends are by
means of pins e fixed to the hooks or loops g which in their turn are fixed to the
shafts by means of the pins or nuts and bolts n. Two oblong rings i Figures 6 and 7
may be fixed to pins d in the frame of the carriage and two similar rings k may be
held to the shafts the said rings and being connected by a short chain Figure 7
the length of which determines how much the spring may give or bend, this
ment serving at the same time as a safety coupling.
arrange-
As shewn at Figure 8 one end of the springs e may be fixed to the carriage frame
by the pins or bolts and nuts e, and their other ends by means of the bolts and nuts n
to the shafts, whereby a similar safety arrangement is obtained to those before
described. Figure 9 shews an arrangement for an elastic coupling forming a
continuation of the end of the shafts 1. The two spring plates c and d are fixed to
the shafts, the spring plate e having a greater curve or spring, in order to afford a
greater swing at the draught. One of these plates d clasps the other plate spring e
by a hasp e, so that both are carrying the burden to be drawn by for instance the
shafts of a cart. A shoulder or stop prevents the spring being pulled out more
than to a certain limit, at which the hasp e secured to the plate d comes against the
shoulder g.
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 :-
The elastic couplings between vehicles and the draught animal or animals composed
of springs either fixed to the single or swingle tree or whittle tree or to the ends of
the shafts the extent of elasticity being regulated within certain limits by links or
equivalent safety devices all substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
with reference to the accompanying drawings together with any mere modification or
modifications thereof.