Improvements in or relating to Trucks, Trolleys, Gun Carriages, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 13th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Trucks, Trolleys, Gun Carriages, and
the like.
A communication from THEODOR LOUIS DEBRUYN-SEGERS, of Rozendaal, in
the Kingdom of Holland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a novel, convenient and practical means
of carrying goods or parcels from place to place.
Having in view the wonderful results now achieved in locomotion generally by
cycles, velocipedes, and the like and considering the remarkable power of displace-
ment which machines of this class exhibit, in comparison with the amount of
muscular strength expended, my correspondent has been struck by the idea that
improvements of such importance ought to be put to advantage also for the
transport of goods, parcels, luggage, in fact all those articles for the conveyance of
which up to the present time carts, vans, or trucks and barrows moved by hand
have been employed.
Most persons will have noticed with what comparative ease the men, at stations
and the like move along vans and wagons by simply pushing the wheels by hand
from time to time. The facility with which the wheels are thus moved along is
quite out of proportion to their size or weight as may readily be ascertained by
trying to carry the wheel from place to place either by hand or on a barrow.
These observations have induced my correspondent to devise the carrying
wheel forming the subject of this invention. It mainly consists of a wheel of
comparatively large diameter and extremely light construction combined with a
frame offering the necessary points of support to the load, whatever it may be to
be transported. The power of locomotion is in this machine supplied by the
attendant to whose body is fitted a suitably constructed device, serving as the
operating lever.
The essential features are the wheel the frame-work in which the wheel is
movably fitted and the load-carrying frame rigidly connected with the wheel-frame
by means of uprights.
A spring serves as usual to deaden the shocks or vibrations during motion.
A double bent piece or yoke connects the frame with a species of belt or ring
within which is provided another belt intended to facilitate operation. Handles at
the ends of a handle-bar serve to steer the wheel.
Boards or laths may be arranged upon the frame the better to support the load
to be conveyed, or a continuous floor or platform, or a net, may be employed
instead. To the right and left of the wheel hooks may be provided to which
either additional luggage or accessory articles such as lamps, sunshade or umbrella
supports for the protection of the attendant may be attached.
From the foregoing it will readily be understood that this carrying wheel or cycle
will form a valuable substitute for the wheel-barrows and trucks hitherto used in
conveying luggage or goods from place to place.
As before stated motion is imparted to this wheel by the attendant to whose body
may be fitted either a belt, a spring or an elastic band in the form of straps or
braces attached to the shoulders, round the waist, etc., the means to be adopted being
in each case selected according to circumstances, with a view to the easiest possible
displacement and steering of the machine, the strain being applied to the right or
left side as the case may be.

page_text: In order to lighten the construction as much as possible it may be partly
constructed of metal preferably aluminium, and lined or covered say by an india-
rubber tyre.
Instead of one wheel only, two or more wheels may be mounted in the same
frame-work without departure from the principle of the invention.
In some cases, where the frame is to be used as a table bed-plate or supporting
platform, the wheel may be arranged removably, so that the attendant on arriving
at his destination can disconnect it from the frame or support, and allow this to
stand simply on the ground.
The wheel may be provided with all accessories such as lamps and the like.
The cycle can be specially designed for the transport of ordnance or to replace
the ordinary gun-carriage. For this purpose it is provided with a case arranged
on each side of the wheel for the reception of ammunition and articles of military
equipment generally. A belt and handle-bar are provided for the attendant as in
the first case.
A very convenient arrangement of the frame consists in erecting it upon legs or
uprights telescoping within hollow uprights or supports and adjustable in these as
required by means of set-screws. This arrangement enables the gun to be fixed in
a horizontal position whatever the nature of the ground on inclines, hills etc., and
greatly facilitates aiming. The great practical importance of a convenient device
such as this in time of war, will be easily conceived when it is remembered what
difficulty has at the present time to be overcome in regard to the carriage of ordnance,
each heavy gun requiring sometimes as many as six horses to be conveyed to the
required spot. The facilities afforded by the present arrangement will make it
almost as easy for artillery men to carry their own cannon from place to place as it
is now for the infantry to carry their rifles.
In a further modification the wheel is constructed in hinged sections, and is
adapted to be folded up into campact shape and attached to a knapsack.or other
similar article enabling it to be carried on the back or shoulders of one man. The
joints between the folding parts may be situated at any convenient points according
to circumstances and practical requirements. The two terminal or side pieces may
either come down perfectly flat upon the central portion or form a triangle when
folded up.
A knapsack may be arranged to facilitate the attachment and removal of the wheel
and it will be seen that in this manner an artillery regiment may with comparative
facility carry about the wheels required at any given moment for carrying along
heavy ordnance ammunition and articles of equipment for long distances. To stand
in battle-array the soldiers need only disconnect the wheels, fold them up and tie
them to their backs which they can easily and quickly do owing to the light and
portable construction of the same.
The carrying wheels or cycles herein described will obviously answer a variety
of other purposes besides those mentioned above and may accordingly be modified
in the details of construction without departure from the main object of the
invention, which is to provide a ready means of transport by human power
involving a great saving of muscular strength and suitable both for military and
industrial purposes.
It will be understood that all the details requisite for carrying out this invention
cannot be set forth in this Provisional Specification, these are reserved for their
proper place in the Complete Specification. Modifications in the parts described
may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.
Dated this 13th day of July 1892.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Trucks, Trolleys, Gun Carriages, and
the like.
A communication from THEODOR LOUIS DEBRUYN-SEGERS, of Rozendaal, in
the Kingdom of Holland.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a novel, convenient and practical means
of carrying goods or parcels from place to place.
Having in view the wonderful results now achieved in locomotion generally by
cycles, velocipedes and the like, and considering the remarkable power of displace-
ment which machines of this class exhibit, in comparsion with the amount of
muscular strength expended, my correspondent has been struck by the idea that
improvements of such importance ought to be put to advantage also for the
transport of goods, parcels, luggage, in fact all those articles for the conveyance of
which up to the present time carts, vans, or trucks, and barrows, moved by hand
have been employed or which had to be carried on the head.
Most persons will have noticed with what comparative ease the men, at stations
aud the like move along vans and wagons by simply pushing the wheels by hand
from time to time. The facility with which the wheels are thus moved along is
quite out of proportion to their size or weight, as may readily be ascertained by
trying to carry the wheel from place to place either by hand or on a barrow.
These observations have induced my correspondent to devise the carrying wheel
forming the subject of this invention. It mainly consists of a wheel of comparatively
large diameter and extremely light construction, suitably mounted in a frame.
The power of locomotion is in this machine supplied by the attendant around whose
body is fitted a belt or who occupies a position in the fork which is provided with
handles for the purpose of steering and guiding the machine.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent respectively in side elevation and plan a carrying-wheel
or cycle constructed in accordance with this invention. C is the frame or support
in or on which are placed the goods and underneath the middle of which is arranged
the wheel A which is yieldingly or elastically connected to the frame by springs E.
At the side of the load-carrying frame C are provided a yoke J bent outwardly
and a small handle J' grasped by the person who is operating the wheel. The case
or load-carrying frame is however really supported or held by means of a belt H³
encircling the waist of the operator and secured to the vehicle by snap hooks or
equivalent H, two or more sets of which as shown may be provided to suit
operators of different height, and a strap or cord H' which may also be similarly
secured to the vehicle, and is provided with a loop H' through which is passed the
arm of the operator by whom the apparatus is to be moved as shown in Fig. 1.
By this means the load-carrying frame is not only effectually prevented from
turning over, but the above arrangement also enables the whole of the carrying
wheel or cycle to be moved along and guided with facility so that loads of
considerable weight can be transported by one person without any great effort; any
suitable arrangement of belts and straps other than that shown may however be
employed.
Figs. 1 and 2 represent a modification of this invention. A here designates
the wheel and B the frame on which the wheel is arranged to turn.
C is the case
or receptacle used instead of the load-carrying frame represented in Fig. 1, which
case is secured to the lower frame B by means of uprights or supports D.
The yoke F connects the carrying-belt with the frame-B. - A second elastic belt H

page_text: is arranged within the frame in order to absorb or deaden the vibrations caused by
shocks. The handles I serve to enable the apparatus to be guided.
Fig. 2 represents the frame C provided with a floor made of boards or laths K
for the reception of all kinds of sinall articles; instead of this floor however a net
may be used, or devices such as hooks, etc., may be provided to or on which articles
or goods may be attached or hung.
The wheel may be constructed of any suitable material such as aluminium, and
may be provided with a pneumatic tyre of indiarubber or it may be of any other
suitable material. The wheel is preferably arranged in such a manner that it can
be easily detached from the frame, thus enabling the frame to be placed on the
ground and to be used as a table. The reference letters employed in Fig. 3
designate the same parts. A receptacle or case L is arranged on each side of the
carrying wheel A and may serve for the reception of ammunition for fire-arms.
The handles are also arranged on both sides of the wheel to enable the latter to be
operated by two persons or soldiers. In order to tightly secure the frame, which
is in this instance intended to carry and transport ordnance of small calibre, varying
in size between the ordnance used by the infantry and that used by the artillery,
legs or uprights O are adjustably arranged in hollow uprights P, in which they
may be secured by means of set-screws Q. The handles N, which are arranged on
the top of the frame and may be operated by one person, are intended for
facilitating the moving of the carrying-wheel or cycle when transporting ordnance.
The machine may thus be moved along either by one, two or more persons, as
required by the nature of the ground. The advantage this arrangement offers is
that when great obstacles have to be overcome, one man can carry the ordnance or
cannon, a second and third the frame and a fourth one the wheel and thus easily
effect the ascent of an incline or overcome any obstacle met with in the road,
whereas on level ground two men can easily keep the apparatus going at a running
pace. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent a carrying wheel divided into several (in this case
three) parts which when folded up enable the wheel to be comfortably attached to
a knapsack or carried in any other suitable manner.
The division may be effected in two different ways, the three parts or pieces RST
may be placed perfectly flat one on top of the other or may be folded together in
such a manner as to form a triangle.
Foot regiments are thus enabled to make use of this carrying wheel during long
marches as their rifles and the rest of their military equipment may be carried on
the wheel the latter being hung on their shoulders or attached to the knapsack
when attacking the enemy or ascending an incline.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
1. A carrying device or vehicle characterized by the arrangement of a frame or
support C intended for the reception of goods to be transported underneath which
is a wheel A the frame being provided on the side with devices for holding and
securing in such a manner that the person moving the vehicle along is at the side of
the wheel the weight of the load being borne by the wheel substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. A carrying device or vehicle such as characterized in Claim 1 having a folding
and removable wheel substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete carrying
device substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th dar of Annil 2009
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.