Improved Means for Supporting the Shafts of Four-wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Means for Supporting the Shafts of Four-wheeled
Vehicles.
We, ALBERT GREEN VOWLES, of 2, Seabank Avenue, Liscard, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, and WILLIAM MORGAN, of 33, Salisbury Road, Wavertree, in
the City of Liverpool, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to adjustable means for relieving a horse of the weight
of the shafts of a four wheeled vehicle.
According to this invention a spring or equivalent device which abuts against
or is supported by the fore-axle or other part of the fore-carriage, acts upon the
shafts in such a manner that the spring absorbs the weight of the shafts and the
latter are held in equilibrium.
Under one method of carrying out our invention we attach a braced frame or
bracket to the under side of the binders or cross pieces at the rear of the shafts,
such frame projecting in a downward direction. Attached to the axle or fore-
carriage is a cylinder or case containing a spring which operates against a piston
upon the end of a rod which passes through the outward end of said cylinder or
case. The outward end of this rod is connected by a screwed sleeve or its
equivalent and a pin joint or its equivalent to the lower portion of the frame or
bracket above mentioned. The spring within the case or cylinder, by thus
abutting against the axle or fore-carriage and re-acting upon the piston, exerts
a pressure upon the lower part of said frame or bracket under the shafts and so
takes the weight of the latter.
The spring cylinder or case is attached to the axle or fore-carriage by a pin
joint or its equivalent, whereby the cylinder may follow the movement of the
shafts.
In order that the pressure exerted by the spring may be adjusted, whereby the
elevation of the shafts may be arranged to suit horses of different height, a set-
bolt is arranged in the lower end of the spring cylinder, by which the spring is
compressed or allowed to expand. Or this adjustment may be obtained by the
Screwed sleeve by which the piston rod is coupled to the bracket. For considerable
adjustment the bracket itself may be lengthened or shortened, and where the
bracket is in the form of a V we make the legs or members thereof adjustable
one with the other or others. In most cases the bracket will possess three mem-
bers, namely two which form a V and depend from the extreme rear of the shafts,
and a stay or strut which connects the apex of the V to the binder of the shafts,
and such members will possess bolt holes spaced apart, whereby the apex or
junction of the members may be raised or lowered.

page_text: The spring employed may be a metallic spiral spring or its equivalent; or the
cylinder may be charged with liquid or with a fluid, and possess a compensating
chamber, and operate after the manner of a dash-pot.
Dated this 4th day of November 1898.
Improved Means for Supporting the Shafts of Four-wheeled
Vehicles.
We, ALBERT GREEN VOWLES, of 2, Seabank Avenue, Liscard, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, and WILLIAM MORGAN, of 33, Salisbury Road, Wavertree, in
the City of Liverpool, 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 relates to adjustable means for relieving a horse of the weight
of the shafts of a four-wheeled vehicle.
According to this invention a spring or equivalent device which abuts against
or is supported by the fore-axle or other part of the fore-carriage, acts upon the
shafts in such a manner that the spring absorbs the weight of the shafts and the
latter are held in equilibrium.
The annexed drawing illustrates our preferred method of carrying out our
invention, Figure 1 being a side elevation of the fore part of a lurry or four-
wheeled cart, provided with spring supported shafts, according to our invention.
Figure 2 is an end view of the shaft supporting-device, and Figure 3 is a sectional
view drawn to a larger scale, of the said device.
Upon reference to the drawing it will be seen that we attach a braced frame
or bracket to the underside of the binders or cross-pieces a at the rear of the
shafts. This bracket possesses three members, namely, the two members b, b,
which form a V and depend from the rear binder a, and the stay or strut c which
connects the apex of the V to the fore-binder. Pivottally attached by the clip d
to the fore-axle tree e is a cylinder or case f which by preference consists of a
piece of tubing whose ends are closed by the caps g 9. The case f contains a
spiral spring which operates against a piston i upon the end of the rod k, which
passes through the outward end of the said case. The outward end of the rod
is coupled by a pin-joint to the apex of the V-bracket before mentioned. Passing
through the rear end of the case f is a screwed bolt 1, on whose inner end is
loosely mounted a piston m. The function of the bolt is to adjust the pressure
which is exerted by the spring h on the rod k. The spring h by thus abutting
against the piston m and reacting on the piston i exerts a pressure upon the
bracket bc, and so supports the shafts in equilbrium.
The case and rod k are sufficiently long to allow of the shafts being thrown
up vertically, as shewn in the dotted lines, or of being depressed to the ground in
the event of the horse stumbling.
The spring cylinder or case f is attached to the axle-tree e by a pin-joint or
its equivalent whereby the cylinder may be follow the vertical movements of the
shafts.
The pistons and m, are by preference loosely mounted on the reduced ends
of the rods k and l.

page_text: By adjusting the pressure of the spring h by the bolt 1, the shafts may be
adjusted to suit horses of different heights.
In a modification however, this adjustment of the shafts may be obtained by
making the rod k in two parts, and connecting these parts by a right-and-left
hand screwed sleeve, whereby the length of the rod may be adjusted.
For considerable adjustment the bracket be may be lengthened or shortened,
which may be accomplished by lengthening the members b and c, and providing
them with two or more bolt holes, so that by inserting the bolt n in one or other
In this case
of these holes the angle between the members b and c is altered.
the strut c would be secured to the forebinder a by a pin-joint.
Instead of employing a metallic spiral spring within the cylinder f we may
employ a rubber spring or its equivalent; or the cylinder may be charged with
a liquid or with a fluid and possess a compensating chamber and operate after
the manner of a dash pot.
The shaft supporting device herein described and illustrated is disposed cen
trally on the fore-axle tree and shafts, a single device being sufficient to support
the latter.
An advantage afforded by our invention is that the shafts may be thrown up
vertically or allowed to rest on the ground without disconnecting the spring
supporting device in any way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
In combination for the purpose of holding the shafts of four-wheeled vehicles
in equilibrium the case f swivelled to the axle tree e and containing a spring h,
or its equivalent, which exerts pressure upon the rod p coupled to the brackets be
on the shaft binders a, whereby the weight of the shafts is borne by the said
spring, and means such as the bolt 7 for adjusting the strength of the spring h,
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
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Ja of T... 1800
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent, 10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool,
Agent for the Applicants.