Improvements in and connected with Cattle Trucks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Cattle Trucks.
I, MICHAEL ANGELO EATMAN, of Meridian, Lauderdale County, in the State of
Mississippi, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The invention relates to improvements in attachments for cattle cars.
The object of the present invention is to provide for cattle cars, an attachment
adapted to prevent stock, during shipment, from falling down in a car, and
capable of being readily operated to arrange it in its supporting position after a
car has been loaded, and also to lower it to the bottom of the car, to permit the
latter to be unloaded. Another object of the invention is to enable the attachment
to be raised and lowered from the exterior of the car, and also to be arranged at
the top of a car, out of the way when it is not desired to use it.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings:-
-
Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a car provided with an attachment
constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view.
Figure 4 is a detail view of one of the side ratchets.
Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the supporting frame.
Figures 6 and 7 are detail views of the bearing brackets.
Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
1 designates an oblong frame designed to be arranged within a cattle car 2,
and composed of sides 3, and ends 4. and longitudinal and transverse rods 5 and 6,
which divide the space within the frame into smaller spaces, adapted to receive the
legs of cattle. The frame is designed to be of substantially the same area as the
bottom of the car, and the sides and ends are preferably constructed of tubular
metal, but they may be solid, if desired, and any other material can be employed
in the construction of the frame, which should be of sufficient strength to support
the weight of cattle. The longitudinal and transverse bars, which may be
arranged at any suitable intervals, are provided at their terminals with eyes 8,
and are secured to the sides and ends of the frame by clips 9, consisting of bands
embracing the frame, and provided with extended terminals 10, connected by
bolts 11, which pass through the eyes of the rods.
The frame is provided at points between its ends with transverse rods 12, of
greater thickness than the other rods, and these rods 12 are connected by chains 13,
vith parallel transverse shafts, which are journaled in suitable bearings at opposite

page_text: sides of the car and as near the top thereof as possible. The transverse shafts 14
and 15 have cog wheels 16 and 17, secured to them by means of set screws or other
suitable fastening devices, and these cog wheels, which are preferably bevel gear,
mesh with bevel pinions 18 and 19, of a longitudinal shaft 20, whereby the
transverse shafts are simultaneously rotated to wind up the chains 13 and unwind
them therefrom. The bevel gear wheels are arranged at one side of the car, and
the longitudinal shaft is journaled in suitable bearings at the same side.
In order to enable the frame to be raised or lowered from the exterior of the car,
the bevel gear wheel 16 meshes with a horizontal bevel pinion 21, of a short
vertical operating shaft 22, which extends through the top of the car and carries
a suitable hand wheel 23. The hand wheel and the vertical shaft, which are
located adjacent to one side of the car, are designed to be made of standard size,
similar to brake mechanism, in order to offer no obstruction.
The vertically adjustable frame is secured at any desired point by means of
a horizontal ratchet wheel 24, arranged upon the top of the car and suitably fixed
to the vertical shaft. The teeth of the ratchet wheel are engaged by a spring-
actuated pawl 25, of the ordinary construction, and a wear plate 26 is preferably
arranged upon the top of the car, to receive the pawl and ratchet and prevent the
same from wearing the woodwork.
As an additional security, one end of each transverse shaft carries an exterior
vertically disposed ratchet wheel 27, arranged on one side of the car adjacent to the
hand wheel, and engaged by a spring actuated pawl 28, and the latter which is
pivoted at a point between its ends, has its inner portion engaged by a coiled
spring 29, while a chain 30, is connected with its outer portion, to enable its inner
end to be readily disengaged from the ratchet wheel. The chain depends from
the pawl and is designed to be within easy reach from the ground, and any suit-
able means may be employed for holding it down. The coiled spring 29 is suitably
secured to a stand or post 31, of a plate 32, and in order to prevent the transverse
shafts from leaving their bearings, their other ends are provided with washers 33,
or other suitable devices for effecting this result.
The longitudinal shaft has its ends arranged in bearings of substantially
L-shaped brackets 34, secured to the adjacent sides of the car and having arms
extending therefrom, and perforated to receive the shaft. The lower end of the
short vertical operating shaft is supported by an L-shaped bracket 35, secured to
the top and side of the car and provided with bearing openings receiving the said
vertical shaft and the transverse shaft 14.
The bearings for the transverse shafts are supported by uprights 36, which are
connected their tops by transverse beams 37, and this construction preferably
forms a part of the framework of the car. The car is provided at its bottom with
short vertically disposed pieces 38, tapering towards their upper ends, as clearly
shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, and adapted to prevent the
supporting frame from swinging while the car is in motion.
The invention has the following advantages:
The supporting frame, which is of substantially the same area as the bottom of
the car, is adapted to support the entire load of animals, and does not have to be
adjusted to suit the position of the animal further than to raise and lower it into
and out of operation, and it will prevent an animal from falling to the bottom
of the car and being trampled on by the other animals. The device is also adapted
to retain the animals in their respective places and prevent them from crowding
one another. When the device is not in use, it can be arranged at the top of the
In loading a car, it can be arranged close to the bottom, say about six inches
therefrom, and after a car has received its load it is preferably elevated to about
car.
14 inches.
It will be readily understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and
minor details of construction, such as varying the bearings and the means for
supporting the parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit o
sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination, with a car, of a rigid frame provided with leg openings,
and means for moving said frame toward and from the floor of the car in sub-
stantial-parallelism therewith.
2. The combination, with a car, of a rigid frame near the bottom and provided
with leg openings, a plurality of hoisting shafts journaled near the top of the car,
flexible supports between the shafts and the frame, and means for operating said
shafts in unison whereby the frame is moved toward and from the bottom of the
car in substantial parallelism therewith.
3. The combination, with a car, of a rigid frame provided with leg openings,
L-shaped brackets near the top of the car, each leg of one of which brackets is
provided with a bearing, parallel hoisting shafts journalled in the bearings of
said bracket, one end of each of which shafts projects through the side of the car,
a shaft through the top of the car provided with means for operating it, a shaft
between the parallel shafts near one end, all of said shafts being provided with
beveled gearing for operating the same, and flexible supports from the parallel
shafts to the frame.
4. The combination, with a car, of a rigid frame provided with cross pieces
forming leg openings, a portion of the cross pieces intermediate the ends of the
frame being larger than the others, shafts above and parallel with said larger
cross pieces, means for operating said shafts in unison, and flexible supports from
the shafts to the larger cross pieces.
5. The combination, with a car, of a rigid frame provided with leg openings,
of means for flexibly supporting the frame above the floor of the car and for
moving it toward and from the same in substantial parallelism therewith, and
tapering pieces secured to the sides of the car for engaging with and preventing
lateral movement of the frame.
6. A frame for stock cars comprising a rectangular border, cross-pieces therein,
each end of each of said cross-pieces being provided with an eye, a clip for each
cross-piece, the terminals of, which are extended and perforated, and a bolt
through said perforations, and through the eye of the cross-piece for securing
the clip and the cross-piece to the border.
Dated this 20th day of September 1899
For ne Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, MI.E.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.