Improvements in or relating to Hand-trucks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Hand-trucks.
I, JOHN HERBERT HEBLETHWAITE, of Greenbank, Chester, in the County of
Chester, Managing Director, North Western Co-operative Cold Storage Co.
Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to trucks or carriages for carrying heavy loads on the
floor of a warehouse, station platforms or other situation, and is designed to
provide certain improvements which will now be described.
near
each end, and
an
or
near
The truck comprises a platform or bottom of wood or other suitable material,
either with or without stand up sides or ends, and provided with a pair of
wheels
additional wheel roller
the
centre. The wheels of the ends are fixed to axles mounted in bearings on the
under side of the platform or body of the truck. The roller in the centre
is so arranged that the whole truck can be balanced and turned on it, the wheels.
at ends being in the meantime clear of the ground, and thus the load is balanced
on the centre roller, while the wheels at ends restrain the oscillation within
moderate limits. The axle of the centre roller is mounted at each end in slots,
which are by preference curved downwards towards the ends, so that when the
axle of the roller is at either end of the slots, the truck body will be tilted or
clevated somewhat by the curve of the slot, but when midway between the ends,
the body will not be tilted or only slightly owing to the dip in the curve of the
slot.
In use, the truck will ride on the centre roller and one pair of wheels only
at one end or the other, according to which end most weight is applied, and thus
can be far more easily turned in any required direction on the centre roller, the
latter constituting a pivot or base, that is to say it can be turned in any direction
as it stands in a space circumscribed by its diagonal. In pushing the truck along,
the centre roller will of course move to what is for the time being the rear
end of the slot, thus elevating the truck somewhat at that end, owing to the curve
of the slot in which the roller axle works. The centre roller has preferably a
wide bearing surface and is cone faced or rounded so as not to cut or tear up the
floor pavement or roadway, and of a diameter to suit the required rate of progress.
This rounded face will also add greatly to the efficiency of the pivoting action.
The wheels at the two ends of the truck may if desired be let into cavities on the
underside of the truck floor, so as to bring the body of the truck as near the
ground as possible.
In thus describing my invention however, I wish it to be understood that I
do not confine myself to mounting the centre roller in curved slots, as this roller
may be mounted in straight slots or simply mounted stationary in bearings, or the
roller may be pivoted to the truck body by means of vertical pivot, or it may be
otherwise arranged. One advantage however of having curved slots to mount the
roller axle in, is that the truck can be tilted so as to bring the loading end in

page_text: closer proximity to the floor, this being effected by the mere action of pushing or
pulling the truck along. This tilting is a great advantage with heavy loads as
the men by raising a package of goods by clips or dogs or otherwise at one
end, can move the adjacent end of the truck underneath sufficiently to carry the
weight. The slots enable the distance of the middle roller from the end wheels
to be increased to tilt the truck, the truck bottom when so tilted having a much
more gradual slope than would be the case if the roller rotated in fixed bearings
in centre instead of slots. To further facilitate the load being placed on the
truck, the ends of the truck platform may be chamfered off somewhat.
Dated this 17th dox of November 1898
Improvements in or relating to Hand-trucks.
I, JOHN HERBERT HEBLETHWAITE, of Greenbank, Chester, in the County of
Chester, Managing Director, North Western Co-operative Cold Storage Co.
Limited, 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 trucks or carriages for carrying heavy or other loads
on the floors of warehouses, station platforms or other places having fairly even
surfaces, and is designed to provide certain improvements which will now he
described.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved truck.
Figure 2 a plan ;
Figure 3 an end view with one end axle broken away;
Figure 4 a detail view of centre wheels and bracket;
Figures 5 and 6 a side and end elevation respectively of the centre wheels
arranged on a plan which is a mechanical equivalent of the other arrangement.
The truck comprises a platform or bottom A of wood or other suitable material
either with or without stand-up sides or ends and provided with a pair of wheels B
near each end, and an additional wheel or pair of wheels C on a short axle E
near the centre. The wheels at the ends are mounted on axles D which always
remain in one uniform position. The pair of wheels C are so arranged that the
whole truck can be balanced and turned on them thus acting as a centre axis, the
wheels B at ends being in the meantime held clear of the ground, and thus
the load is balanced on the centre wheels and the truck will revolve on its axis.
In Figures 1 to 3 the axle E of the centre wheels C is mounted at each end in the
slots of the casting I so that it will slide or roll therein, which slots are by
preference curved downwards towards the ends, so that when in motion the axle
of the wheels is at either end of the slots depending on the direction in which
the truck is proceeding. When truck is at a standstill the force of gravity causes
centre axle to roll automatically to centre of slots, thus balancing weight and
bringing truck into position for revolving. In Figures and 6, a mechanical
equivalent of the slot is shown, in which the short axle E is mounted on a fixed
spindle G arranged longitudinally of the truck, which spindle is secured by
brackets H. The wheels revolve on the axle E in this case. When the truck
is in motion the sliding axle is at one end or other of the spindle depending
upon the direction in which the truck is proceeding, thus extending the carrying
base,

page_text: In use the truck will ride on the centre wheels and one pair of wheels only
at one end or the other, according to the direction in which the truck is pulled
or pushed. In pushing or pulling the truck along, the centre wheels will of
course move into what is for the time being the rear end of the slot F or spindle G,
thus extending the carrying base and giving much more stability. The slots
or spindle may be of any suitable length. The shorter the truck the more apparent
becomes the utility of the sliding axle,
If desired, in place of providing a pair of wheels in the centre a single wheel
only may be provided having its surface cone faced or rounded so as not to tear
or cut up the floor, pavement, or roadway. This rounded face in the case of a
single wheel will add greatly to the efficiency of the pivoting action. The wheels
of the two ends of the truck may if desired be let into two cavities on the under
side of the truck floor, so as to bring the body of the truck as near the ground
as possible.
In thus describing my invention however, I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to mounting the centre wheels in the curved slots F, as these
wheels may be mounted in straight slots if desired.
Another advantage of having curved slots to mount the centre axle in is that
in very low trucks the truck can be tilted so as to bring the loading end in closer
proximity to the floor, this being effected by the mere action of pulling or
pushing the truck along. This tilting is an advantage with heavy loads when the
man by raising a package of goods by clips or dogs at one end can move the
adjacent end of the truck underneath sufficiently to carry the weight. By the
invention a truck can be turned with the greatest facility and practically without
friction.
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. A truck having a pair of wheels near each end, an additional wheel or pair
of wheels on a short axle at or near the centre, arranged parallel thereto, and on
which the whole truck can be balanced and turned as on a pivot or axis, and
means for enabling the centre axle to slide or roll towards one or other of the end
axles according to the direction in which the truck is proceeding, thus extending
the wheel base and giving more stability, substantially as described.
2. A truck having in addition to the usual wheels at the end a wheel or pair
of wheels mounted near the centre, and so arranged that the whole truck with its
load can be balanced or turned on them without friction, thus acting as a centre
pivot or axis, substantially as described.
3. A truck having a pair of wheels near each end, an additional wheel or pair
of wheels on a short axle at or near the centre arranged parallel to the others,
and on which the whole truck can be balanced and turned, brackets having hori-
zontal slots in which the axle of the centre wheel is mounted, so that it can
slide therein, whereby when the truck is set in motion the axle of the centre
wheels, will slide or roll to one end or other of the slots according to the direction
in which the truck is proceeding, thus extending the carrying base, substantially
as set forth.
4. In a truck of the kind described having an additional wheel or pair of wheels
on a short axle at or near the centre adapted to slide or roll to one end or other
of slots according to the direction in which the truck is proceeding, curving the
said slots downwards towards the ends, substantially as set forth, whereby when
the truck comes to a standstill the force of gravity causes the axle to roll auto-
matically to the centre of the slot, from either end, thus balancing the weight and
bringing the truck into position for revolving.
5. A truck having a pair of wheels near each end, an additional wheel or pair
of wheels on a short axle at or near the centre arranged parallel to the others and
on which the whole truck can be balanced and turned, in combination with a

page_text: fixed spindle arranged longitudinally of the truck on which the said axle is
mounted so as to slide thereon, whereby when the truck is set in motion the axle
will slide to one end or other of the spindle according to the direction in which
the truck is proceeding, thus extending the carrying base, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 17th day of August 1899.
WM, P. THOMPSON & Co.,
• Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, & London.