A New or Improved Device for Releasing or Disconnecting the Shafts of Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: A New or Improved Device for Releasing or Disconnecting the
Shafts of Vehicles.
We, JOHANN GUSTAV ALBERT RAMMOSER, Engineer, and HEINRICH GERICKE,
Merchant, both of No. 12 Oranienburger-Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
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 an improved device for releasing or disconnecting the
shafts of vehicles, and has for its object to provide means by which as soon as a horse
yoked to a vehicle falls, the weight of the animal will cause the shafts to become
automatically disconnected from the said vehicle, thus securing the double advantage,
firstly to prevent the shafts from breaking under such weight, and secondly to
preclude them from interfering with the animal in his efforts to raise itself
up_again.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a plan illustrating the mode of attachment
of the shafts to the front beam of the underframe of a vehicle. Figures 2, 3, 45, 6
and 7 are details.
To the front beam W are fixed four sleeves or sockets b. b. ¹² capable of rotating
upon their axes ii, two to each shaft e, which is further provided with a hook d
and a pin c (Figures 1 and 4). The hook d enters the socket and the hook c the
socket . The socket is constructed in the ordinary manner, but the socket bis
furnished with a peculiar contrivance which is shewn in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6.
Each socket is notched in its upper part and in this notch slides in a suitable.
groove a movable piece 2 in which is screwed a pin 63, the said pin passing
(under the control of a suitable spring) through the cover plate 6 fixed to the outer
end of the socket.
The pin is provided outside the plate with a head or crosspin which limits the
motion of the piece 2. A spring 6 wound upon the pin 63 constantly exerts pressure
in an outward direction against the piece 62. A small plate fixed to the socket
covers and protects the said spring.

page_text: The pin e enters by its front end (which may be preferably rounded) in the socket b
and is furnished for this purpose with a lateral projection which rests against the
socket. This projection however is not absolutely indispensable.
When owing to the fall of a horse a pressure from above is exerted upon the shafts
in the direction of the arrow in Figure 7, the front end of the pin c which does not
extend as far as the axis of the socket acts laterally upon the latter, in consequence
whereof the socket is caused to turn while the movable piece 62 bearing against the
pin c, is pushed back until the pin c is allowed to issue from the socket, whereupon
the hook likewise slides out of its movable socket . In order to prevent the
jamming of the movable piece b² the socket & is somewhat recessed below the end of c
as shewn at p in Figure 2.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:
A device for disconnecting the shafts of vehicles consisting of two pins or hooks d
and c fixed to the said shafts, and of two sockets secured to the front beam W of
the underframe of the vehicle, and capable of turning upon their axes, the latter
socket being provided with a movable spring piece which is drawn back and
opens the socket when the shaft is subjected to pressure from above. by the weight
of a falling horse, in consequence whereof the pins c and d are able to separate from
the sockets and b', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 27th day of November 1888.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicants.