IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTS OR WAGGONS FOR HOLDING AND DISCHARGING MUD, OR OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Bettger at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1882.
ALFRED BETTGER, of Victoria Road, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTS OR WAGGONS FOR HOLDING AND DISCHARGING MUD, OR
OTHER MATERIALS
"
My invention relates to carts or waggons used for receiving and conveying mud,
dirt, earth, or other materials, and for discharging such materials in any desired
place;
and it has for its objects novel methods of constructing such carts or waggons,
so that they are simple and easily made, are supported upon springs of a novel
method of construction and arrangement for the purpose of lessening splashing or
waste by jolting when the cart or waggon is full, are very readily and easily
discharged when necessary, and fixed and retained in their proper position when
full.
In order to put my invention in operation I fix to the hinder axle of an ordinary
four wheeled carriage upon which the cart or waggon is supported, the back ends
of two parallel bars or plates preferably of wrought iron the front ends of which are
supported upon the fore carriage of the cart.
At a suitable point between the axles holes or bearings are formed in these side
bars or plates, in which fit pivots at the ends of a transverse bar or plate which
turns in them, and upon this transverse bar are arranged a sufficient number of
springs of steel, india rubber, or other sufficiently elastic material, but preferably
helical springs of steel. Upon the upper ends of these springs rests the bottom of
a rectangular vessel or tank of iron, wood, or other suitable material, which serves
as a receptacle for the mud, dirt, or other material which is to be collected and
conveyed.
Below this vessel are fixed to it a sufficient number of vertical guide bars which
after passing through the springs pass through corresponding holes in the transverse
pivotted bar, the springs being situated therefore between the transverse bar and
the bottom of the vessel, and the latter being free to rise and fall within sufficient
limits compressing the springs more or less as it does so. The point in the length
of the vessel where it rests upon the springs is near or at the middle, but preferably
nearer to its back end so that whilst when filled it rests steadily in a horizontal

page_text: position its front end can be tipped tip with little exertion of force in order to
discharge its contents from the back end."
Above the front axle of the carriage I arrange a transverse bar the outer ends of
which are connected to the side bars or plates already described and upon the upper
surface of which, and preferably in recesses provided for them, I arrange two or
more springs, of a kind preferably similar to those already described, and which
carry the front end of the vessel or tank when it is in its horizontal position. It
will be seen, therefore, that the vessel or tank is entirely supported upon springs
which are compressed more or less as it is more or less filled, so that splashing and
waste by jolting are prevented or lessened; whilst the filled vessel can be readily
tipped up between the side bars or plates in order to discharge its contents at its
back end, and when emptied can be replaced in its original position its front end
dropping upon the springs last described. The process of tilting the tank in order
to empty it may be effected by direct manual force, or by means of a rope or chain
passed round a windlass or other equivalent means.
In order to retain the tank or vessel in its horizontal position as long as necessary,
I arrange a bolt, catch, or other suitable fastening upon the front carriage of the
cart by which the front end of the tank can be attached or detached; and in order
that such catch may not prevent the necessary rise and fall of the tank upon the
springs I prefer to make and arrange it in the following manner.
-
I fix to the front end of the tank a hollow staple into which drops a vertical bolt
the upper-end-of which is hinged to one end of a short horizontal bar the other
or front end of which is hinged to a fixed standard: The-short-horizontal bar
therefore allows the bolt and the staple into which it fits to rise and fall for a short
distance, but prevents the front end of the tank from being tipped up unless the
bolt has been first withdrawn from the staple.