Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Converting *** Wheeled Vehicles into Sleighs or. Sledges.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Converting
*** Wheeled Vehicles into Sleighs or. Sledges.
I, MARK COATSWORTH, of Polam Cottage, Darlington, in the County of Durham,
Farmer and Cattle Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in means or apparatus for
readily converting, say, in frosty or wintery weather, wheeled vehicles, such as
cabs, carriages, carts, waggons, and such like road vehicles, as well as bath
chairs, perambulators, mail carts, and the like, into sleighs or sledges without
removing the wheels from their axles, and without employing any additional
lifting mechanism.
**
According to this invention I take a shoe, skate, or runner, all of which are
hereafter termed and included in the term shoe," and arrange it so that it'
may be applied to one or each of the wheels on each side of the vehicle.
Each shoe may or may not be attached or connected to the shafts, body, or
axle of the vehicle by a cord, chain, or rod or rods, or its or their equivalent so
as to be removable or detachable from the wheel at pleasure.
The shoe may be made of metal or other suitable material and of any con-
venient length, size, and thickness according to the size of the tread and periphery
of the wheel to which it is to be applied. The main portion of the shoe may
be formed trough like and in cross section may be somewhat like the letter U
so that the upright portions of the trough will form upwardly projecting flanges
for preventing the shoe from working laterally out of position when applied
to a wheel. The flanges may or may not be curved on their upper edges, and
they are of such a length and depth as to secure a good grip upon the sides of
the wheel.
One
The shoe is provided with extending curved end pieces, one or both of which
may be detachable from the main portion of the shoe, but so arranged that when
fixed and secured by any convenient means such as screws, bayonet joints, or
the like, it or they will not work loose or out of position, when in use.
or both curved end pieces may be ridged or level and is or are made detachable
to permit of the wheel being run into the trough like portion of the shoe with-
out the employment of mechanical or other means for raising the wheel for
enabling the shoe to be placed in position.
The ends of the trough like portion of the shoe are closed by adjustable and
removable blocks or end pieces which are shaped to fit the periphery of the
wheel which also prevent it from turning round. The adjustable and removable
blocks or end pieces may be ridged or level and may be securely retained in
position either by projections thereon entering into notches or recesses in the
sides and sole plate (one or both) of the shoe, or by means of spring or other
catch. or catches, or by screw or screws, or it or their equivalents.
The above described shoe, in addition to being portable and readily applied,

page_text: is equally adaptable to either two or four wheeled vehicles, but when employed
for the latter, either a separate shoe may be employed for each wheel, or two
trough like portions may be provided for each sole plate, which in this case
would have its curved ends projecting respectively in front of one of the wheels
and at the rear of the other wheel, on each side of the vehicle.
Q
P
הד
1000
Improvements in or relating to Means or Apparatus for Converting
Wheeled Vehicles into Sleighs or Sledges.
I; MARK COATSWORTH, of Polam Cottage, Darlington, in the County of Durham
Farmer and Cattle Dealer, 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:--
瀑
This invention has reference to improvements in means or apparatus for
readily converting, say, in frosty or wintery weather, wheeled vehicles, such as
cabs, carriages, carts, waggons, and such like road vehicles, as well as bath
chairs, perambulators, mail carts, and the like, all of which are hereafter termed
and included in the term vehicle," into sleighs or sledges without removing
the wheels from their axles, and without employing any additional lifting
mechanism.
66
This invention consists of a shoe, skate, or runner, all of which are here-
after termed and included in the term shoe,"-constructed and arranged as
hereafter described and as illustrated in the annexed drawings and adapted to
be applied to one or each of the wheels on each side of the vehicle.
In the drawings hereunto annexed;-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the "shoe" constructed according to this inven-
tion, and with a portion of a wheel shown in position.
Fig. 2 a part front elevation of "shoe."
Fig. 3 a plan of "shoe."
A is the "shoe" which is made in one, two, or more parts or pieces as required.
In the drawings the "shoe is shown made in three pieces, namely, two detach-
able or removable end pieces and a central or sole portion, hereafter termed
the "sole plate."
*
"
The "shoe" A may be made of metal or other suitable material and of any
convenient length, size, and thickness according to the size of the tread and
periphery of the wheel B to which it is to be applied. The underside of the
shoe," that is the part which slides upon the ground may, or may not, be
provided with longitudinal V or other shaped grooves or recesses to prevent,
say, skidding." The sole plate of the "shoe A is formed trough like and
in cross section is somewhat like the letter U so that the upright portions of the
trough will form upwardly projecting flanges C for preventing the shoe from
working laterally out of position when applied to a wheel B. The flanges C
may be either a fixture to the sole plate of the shoe," or one or both of the
flanges may be hinged or otherwise jointed thereto as shown at D, Fig. 2; also
they may or may not be curved on their upper edges, as shown at Fig. 1 to,
say, the inner periphery of the rim of the wheel B, and they are of such a length
and depth as to secure a good grip upon the sides of the said wheel.
66
66
"
When one or both of the flanges C are, say, hinged to the sole plate of the
shoe," then they will require to be held together by, say, a clip Earranged to

page_text: grasp each flange C as well as to pass over the inner periphery of the rim of the
wheel B, and to be secured in position by one or more bolts F and thumb nuts G.
In the drawings, at Fig. 2, the clip E is shown hinged to one flange C, and its
opposite end secured by the thumb nut G to a bolt F, fixed to the opposite
flange. It will readily be understood, if so desired, a bolt F might be fixed to
each flange C; and the clip E secured thereto by two thumb nuts G instead
of one.
The "shoe" is provided with one or more extending curved end pieces, prefer-
ably one at each end of its sole plate. The end pieces are marked A¹ A2, and
either one or both of them may be detachable from the sole plate of the "shoe,"
but so arranged that when fixed and secured by any convenient means such as
screws, bayonet joints, or the like, it or they will not work loose or out of position,
when in use.
In the drawings the end pieces A¹ A2 are provided with sockets a
adapted to fit onto the tapering or other ends of the sole plate of the "shoe."
One or both curved end pieces A¹ A² may be ridged, grooved, or level and is or
are made detachable to permit of the wheel B being run into the trough like
portion of the "shoe," that is between the flanges C, without the employment
of mechanical or other means for raising the wheel B for enabling the "shoe"
to be placed in position.
The ends of the trough like portion of the shoe are closed by adjustable and
removable blocks or end pieces H, which are shaped to fit the periphery of the
wheel B, and are employed for preventing it (the wheel) from turning-round.
The adjustable and removable blocks or end pieces may be ridged, grooved, or
level, and may be securely retained in position either by projections thereon
entering into notches or recesses in the sides and sole plate (one or both) of the
shoe, or by means of spring or other catch or catches, or by screw or screws, or
it or their equivalents. Or a number of holes c may be provided in the
flanges C, as shown at Fig. 1, through one of which a pin or bolt c¹ is made to
pass, as well as through the block H for securing it in position.
The "
shoe" is connected to a swinging tree I by means of cords, or chains,
or rods, or a combination of two or more of them or it or their equivalents, all
of which are hereafter termed and included in the term " rods J." The lower
ends of the rods J may be either bolted or otherwise fixed directly to the
flanges C, or may be connected thereto by T heads arranged to be first passed
into slot holes provided in a plate K fixed to the sole plate and then turned
therein for draught purposes. In all cases it is essential that the ends of rods J
should be connected to the sole plate as near as convenient to the ground so that
when, say, the horse is drawing or pulling the vehicle and "shoe" there will
be a tendency to raise the forward end of the latter for clearing a stone or other
obstruction. The upper ends of the rods J are connected, say, by a bolt L or
its equivalent, to the swinging tree I so that the latter is free to turn on the
bolt L which forms a pivot for it. The swinging tree may or may not be
suspended from or connected to the shafts, body, or axle of the vehicle by means
of chains, cords, or rods, not shown in the drawings. Or the said swinging
tree may be simply bolted as described to the outer ends of rods J as shown, in
which case stops would require to be provided on the flanges C, or the T ends
of the rods J arranged to form stops for holding the swinging tree clear of, or
preventing it coming in contact with, say, the horse's legs and heels.
If desired, each end of the "shoe" A may (or may not) also be connected by
straps, or cords, or chains M to the wheel B as shown at Fig. 1, eyes or rings N
being provided on the end pieces A¹ A2 for this purpose.
The traces may be fixed to ends of the swinging tree by any suitable and
convenient means, such as, say, by snap hooks arranged to engage with rings
or eyes.
The above described "shoe," in addition to being portable and readily applied,
is equally adaptable to either two or four wheeled vehicles, but when employed
for the latter, either a separate shoe may be employed for each wheel, or two

page_text: trough like portions may be provided for each sole plate, which in this case would
have its curved ends projecting respectively in front of one of the wheels and
at the rear of the other wheel, on each side of the vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my_said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare I am
aware that previous to the date of this application wheeled road vehicles have
been converted into sledges by attaching skates or runners to the wheel rim by
clips and brackets, and I make no claim to such except when formed, arranged,
and applied in the manner herein before described, and what I claim is:
66
The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the shoe" for con-
verting wheeled vehicles into sleighs or sledges substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this Carand day of Dranmhon 1800
MARK COATSWORTH,
By W. Fairburn Hart,
Agent.