Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKING GEAR OF THE FORE CARRIAGE OF WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Loftus Perkins, of Seaford Street, Gray's Inn
Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKING GEAR OF THE FORE CARRIAGE OF WHEELED
VEHICLES."
Scaled the 7th March 1871, and dated the 8th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Loftus Perkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th September 1870.
I, LOFTUS PERKINS, of Seaford Street, Gray's Inn Road, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKING GEAR OF THE FORE CARRIAGE OF WHEELED
VEHICLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the locking gear
of the fore carriage of wheeled vehicles, and the improvements relate to
that arrangement of locking gear in which the fore carriage is capable
of rocking on a central horizontal bolt placed longitudinally of the

page_text: vehicle. When the fore carriage is thus capable of rocking on a central
bolt it is requisite when the fore carriage is locked round to turn the
vehicle that the fore carriage should no longer be able to rock on this
bolt, otherwise the wheels would tend to run from under the carriage.
To effect this I form the lower circular wheel plate which is carried by
the locking carriage with a bar passing across it, this bar is at right
angles to the axle of the wheels, when in order to turn the vehicle the
fore carriage is locked round this bar is brought round with it into a
position across the vehicle and then comes under and bears against two
opposite sides of a check ring, and all rocking of the fore carriage upon
its horizontal bolt is arrested, the check ring is fixed concentric with the
perch bolt, and is carried by brackets from the under side of the vehicle,
the horizontal bolt upon which the fore carriage rocks-is-also-passed-
through it. In order that as the fore carriage is turned or locked round
the extent to which it is capable of rocking on the horizontal bolt may
be gradually diminished until it is entirely arrested, the under side
of the check ring is of a curved form, the points where the horizontal
bolt passes through it being the highest parts of the ring, whilst on
the two opposite sides of the bolt the ring is curved downwards so
that its lowest points are in a line at right angles to the bolt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Loftus Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOFTUS
PERKINS, of Seaford Street, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Loftus Perkins, Her special license
that I, the said Loftus Perkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Loftus Perkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,

page_text: should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCKING GEAR
OF THE FORE CARRIAGE OF WHEELED VEHICLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said. Loftus Perkins,. my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands.
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Loftus Perkins, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the locking gear
of the fore carriage of wheeled vehicles, and the improvements relate
to that arrangement of locking gear in which the fore carriage is
capable of rocking on a central horizontal bolt placed longitudinally of
the vehicle. When the fore carriage is thus capable of rocking on a
central bolt it is requisite when the fore carriage is locked round to
turn the vehicle that the fore carriage should no longer be able to
rock on this bolt, otherwise the wheels would tend to run from under
the carriage. To effect this I form the lower circular wheel plate which
is carried by the locking carriage with a bar passing across it, and this
bar is at right angles to the axle of the wheels. When in order to turn
the vehicle the fore carriage is locked round the bar is brought round
with it into a position across the vehicle and then comes under and
bears against two opposite sides of a check ring, and all rocking of the
fore carriage upon its horizontal bolt is arrested. The check ring is
fixed concentric with the perch bolt and is carried by brackets from the
under side of the vehicle; the horizontal bolt upon which the fore
carriage rocks is also passed through it. In order that as the forc
carriage is turned or locked round, the extent to which it is capable of
rocking on the horizontal bolt may be gradually diminished until it is
entirely arrested, the under side of the check ring is of a curved form,
the points where the horizontal bolt passes through it being the highest
parts of the ring, whilst on the two opposite sides of the bolt the ring

page_text: ULICE
constructed according to my Invention; so that the fore axle can rock
freely to allow the wheels to adjust themselves to the inequalities of
the road or surface so long as they are parallel to the body of the
vehicle, but_as_the_fore_carriage locks round this freedom is gradually
reduced; Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 à front elevation
of the same, showing also a part of the body of the vehicle.
a, a, are the springs carried by the fore axle, which is not shown, they
support the cross frame b to which the lower circular or wheel plate c
is fixed; c¹ is a cross bar running diametrically across this plate. The
perch pin or bolt & passes through the centre of the frame b and through
the cross bar c³, and connects with them the upper circular plate e,
which is similar to the plate c in form and rests upon it; e¹, e¹, are
sockets fixed on the plate e to receive the bolt or axis f which passes
through bearings or eyes g fixed upon the under side of the body / of
the vehicle; i, is the check ring which is also fixed to the body of the
vehicle by the lugs , the bolt or axis f passes through it, and there
are ferrules on the axis to stiffen the construction; j is the splinter bar,
it is fixed to the fore part of the frame b and to the wheel plate c;
the fittings shown upon the splinter bar are such as are usual for
military waggons. The form of the check ring i is such that when
the parts are in the position shown in the Drawings, the fore carriage
is able to rock to any extent within that which would bring the wheels
into contact with the body. The dotted lines in Figure 3 show various 3
inclines which may be given to the under side of the check ring
according as more or less freedom is on this account admissible.. As.
the fore carriage locks round the amount of freedom is, in consequence
of the inclined form and position of the ring, gradually reduced, until
when the fore axle becomes parallel with the bolt or axis f, the bar c' 3
rests on the check ring and prevents any rocking motion of the fore
carriage.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the exact details described; but I claim,
the construction of the locking gear of the fore carriage of wheeled
vehicles in such manner that the freedom of the fore axle to rock is
gradually reduced as the fore carriage locks round, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Loftus Perkins. have hereunto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Loftus Perkins, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.