Improvements in Coupling Devices for Connecting Vehicles to one another or to Draft Animals.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Devices for Connecting Vehicles to one
another or to Draft Animals.
I, ROBERT GRIMMER, of 141, Gray's Inn Road, London, W.C., Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in shaft harness, and the like con-
nections or cuplings in attaching horses or any animals drawing vehicles or
coupling vehicles, trucks or wagons together whereby they may be attached or
detached without stoping the animal, vehicle, truck or wagon, and provides for
the part hereafter described as the staple, being part of the harness and not part
of the vehicle as before.
This invention particularly provides in case of accident, or animal falling down,
that the animal can instantly be released or detached from the vehicle by move-
ment of the lever as follows.
I provide a metal plate to be bolted to the shaft or draw bar of the vehicle, truck,
or wagon. The front end of this plate has a bevel semi-circular stop, to receive a
wrought iron staple, being part of the harness carring the draft, back, and
britchin chains or other connections which has its front end of corresponding shape
to fit the bevel semi circular stop.
At the hind end of this plate, (to receive the hind end of the above named wrought
iron staple) I provide a circular cam lever with hole therein to receive hind end
of staple of corrosponding shape and by movement of the lever, the cam firmly
holds the staple in position by means of a catch, spring or screw on the plate
or other suitable means.
A hole is provided in the end of the handle of the circular cam lever to con-
nect a cord or wire, whereby the operator can release the animal, vehicle, truck
or wagon without leaving his seat or when standing at a distance.
In lieu of the above arrangement I may provide other means to secure the hind
end of staple by means of a screw, spring, stop, lever or crank as may be desireable.
D.L 1 The 101 dow of V 1898

page_text: Improvements in Coupling Devices for Connecting Vehicles to one
another or to Draft Animals.
I, ROBERT GRIMMER, of 141, Gray's Inn Road, London, W.C., Merchant, 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 improvements in coupling vehicles to one another,
and the like couplings, or connections, in attaching draft animals to vehicles,
whereby the vehicles may be detached, and the animals detached without stopping
veliicles or anamals, and in the event of animals falling they may be instantly
released.
And in order that this my said invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying sheets
of illustrative drawings wherein, Sheet No. 1 is a side elevational view of the
attachment when used by animals working between the shafts of vehicles, and
Sheet No. 2 a plan and side elevation when used for coupling vehicles to one
another.
This invention particularly provides in case of accident, or animal falling that
the animal can instantly be released, or detached from the vehicle by movement
of the lever or other means as follows, I provide a metal plate, A, to be bolted to
the shaft of the vehicle. The front end of this plate has a bevel semi-circular
stop, B, to receive a wrought iron or metal staple, C, (being part of the harness)
carring the draft chain, D, back chain, E, and britchin chain, F', or other con-
nections, this staple has its front end of a corrosponding shapt to fit the bevel
semi-circular stop, B. At the hind end of the metal plate, I provide an indented
hole therein, G, to receive the hind end of the before named wrought iron or
metal staple, C, and I also provide a spring plate, H, to press down the staple, C,
actuated by a cam lever, J, firmly holding the staple in position as shewn in
drawing Sheet 7.
When used by draft animals working between the shafts of the vehicle the
above named staple, C, will carry the draft chains, back chain, and britchin
chains, or other connections, and immediately the releasing gear is moved the
animal can move away from the vehicle with the staple attached to the harness,
and the staple can only be disconnected from the harness by turning the connecting
links sideways.
When this invention is used in coupling vehicles to one another I provide a
coupling made with a tee, or head peice braced with iron as shown in Sheet No. 2,
to connect to the draw bar of the next vehicle. The coupling will be provided with
a strong steel or wood spring, M, to prevent it falling to the ground when detached.
The patent plate, A, will be bolted to the coupling, K, and a short chain, L, used
to connect the vehicles together.
A hole is provided in the end of the handle of the cam lever, J, to connect a
cord, or wire whereby the operator can release the animals, vehicles, trucks, or
wagons, without leaving his seat, or they can be released by any one walking or
standing near. In lieu of the arrangement above described I may provide other
actions to secure the hind end of the staple, C, to the plate, A, as follows.
When the invention is used by animals working between the shafts of vehicles,
instead of the cam lever, J, I may provide the lugs, N, with a closed top forming
a loop with a hole therein internally screw threaded to receive a screw with a small
hand wheel on top to hold down the plate, H.

page_text: Also instead of the above arrangements I may provide another action operating
sideways as follows. The indented hole, G, may be made open on one side to
enable the staple, C, to pass in sideways under a small lip, to be secured in place
by a moveable bolt or pin passing on the side of the staple, C, this bolt or pin
would be kept in position by a coil spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
is:
1 The improved coupling devices for connecting vehicles to one another, or to
draft animals substantially as herein before described and shewn in the plan and
side elevation Sheet No. 2 also in Sheet No. 1.
2. The improved means for connecting vehicles one to another by means of a
chain connected to an eye in the staple, C, as shewn in plan and side elevation, in
Sheet No. 2.
3 The improved fastening means for connecting draft animals to vehicles without
the use of hooks, as shewn in drawings in Sheet No. 1. By constructing a carrier
called the staple, C, which will carry the draw chain, D, back chain, E, and britchin
chain, F, these links or chains can only be connected to the staple, C, or discon-
nected theirfrom by turning the links sideways. By this improved means the
animal can be more readily connected to the vehicle or released by movement
of the lever, J, or by means of the screw or coil spring before described.
4 The improved fastening means for connecting draft animals to vehicles by
means of the part herein called the staple, C, as shewn in the drawings Sheet No. 1
forming an integral part of the harness and not part of the vehicle as in present
use.
Dated this 18th day of February 1809
ROBERT GRIMMER,
141, Gray's Inn Road, London, W.C. Applicant,