Improvements in Carriages for Transporting Military or other Tents and Appliances.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carriages for Transporting Military or other Tents
and Appliances.
I, CHARLES GORDON, of No. 90, Ledbury Road, Paddington, in the County of
London, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved carriage for transporting military or
other tents and appliances, a part of which improvements is applicable to a carriage
of a somewhat similar kind and for which Letters Patent dated the 6th day of,
December 1890, No. 19945, were granted to me, and has for its object to obtain
a narrow carriage of light draught and considerable carrying capacity by means of
which tents and other heavy objects may be readily conveyed from place to place
with facility and which is capable of travelling along narrow paths or roads which
would not admit of the passage of ordinary vehicles and which when at rest is
capable of serving as a framework or support for a covering to serve as a tent.
For this purpose, a single road or carrying wheel is employed which is fixed
upon a shaft or axle at its ends mounted in bearings carried by elliptic springs or
the like which at their ends are shackled to a skeleton frame hereinafter more fully
described.
The skeleton frame is constructed of metal pipe or hollow bars such for
example as iron gas barrel or tubes of steel or aluminium, and it is formed of two
sides which are united above the carrying wheel in the form of an arch and
descend upon each side to a suitable distance below the axle of the said wheel and
the frame is composed of several vertical transverse frames arched at the tops
and connected together by longitudinal bars extending from end to end of the
device, those transverse frames which are at each end of the device are at the lower
part and near the upper part thereof coupled by transverse hollow bars.
The longitudinal bars are fixed with the transverse frames at the points of
crossing by means of tubular junction pieces of a shape the two parts of the ±
being arranged in different planes.
The longitudinal bars and the transverse frames are passed through the cross
junction pieces and are fixed therewith by brazing or otherwise and where the
longitudinal bars meet the end transverse frames the union or junction pieces are
shaped accordingly.
At each end of the carriage is a separate moveable transverse frame which at its
upper end is fixed with a tubular rod or bar which passes between guides, by
preference, carried by short vertical bars depending from each arch of the
transverse frames and having their lower ends fixed with a transverse bar.
These moveable end frames are thus adapted to be drawn out or extended to the
full length of the tubular rods or bars in order to form an extended support as
hereinafter described and each end frame is in addition to the tubular rod or bar
provided with horizontal studs which in the compressed condition of the moveable
ends enter the open ends of the tubular horizontal bars; and the moveable end
frames are thus rigidly fixed with the carriage when the latter is in transit.
Each of the moveable end frames is provided at each side with a fork in which
is mounted a small guard wheel so that in the event of the carriage unduly tilting
when in transit; the guard wheels will support the carriage at that end or side, and
prevent the body thereof coming into contact, with the road.
1.

page_text: In order to lock the moveable end frames with the body of the carriage and also
to strengthen the former, tie rods are employed which at their inner ends are
pivotally connected with the underside of the carriage and at their outer ends are
when the moveable end frames are in their closed position secured to the uprights of
such end frames or to extensions of the axles of the guard wheels. These tie rods
when they are disconnected from the end frames and when the vehicle is at rest
serve also as struts or legs to limit and arrest the tilting thereof.
The tie rods lastly described are also applicable to carriages constructed in
accordance with the invention for which the hereinbefore cited Letters Patent were
granted to me.
At each end of the frame and upon the interior thereof, is mounted a saddle and
in suitable bearings formed in brackets located at each side of the frame and
depending therefrom is mounted a pedal axle near to each end of which is fixed a
small chain wheel whilst upon the axle of the road or carrying wheel are fixed
corresponding chain wheels of larger diameter which are by chains coupled with
the small chain wheels of the pedal axle and by these means one or more riders
seated within the frame or carriage are enabled to propel or assist to propel
the same.
When the vehicle is in transit it may be guided by another person or persons
who might at the same time assist to propel it.
When the carriage is in transit, the tent or like article may be folded and carried
as a package upon the skeleton frame or it might be thrown across the same so as
to form a cover thereto, and a number of articles may also be attached to or
suspended on the frame by means of rings or hooks, or shelves or the like.
might be provided for that purpose and the carriage may thus be heavily
laden and yet, if the load is properly balanced by reason of its being supported
upon a single wheel, the draught will be exceedingly light..
In lieu of having seats and driving gear for two persons as herein before described
one or more seats with corresponding gear may be provided.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings.
more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a side elevation of a carriage constructed according to the present
invention.
Figures 2. and 3, are respectively an end elevation and a plan thereof.
Figures 4. and 5. are detail views showing more particularly the arrangement of
the cross pieces and the connection of the tubular bars of the frame therewith.
Figure 6. is a detail view showing the connection of a stay with the crown of
the fork of a guard wheel.
Figure 7. is a plan illustrating a modified method of connecting a stay with the
moveable end frame, and,
Figure 8, is a perspective view representing a further slight modification
thereof.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference, Figures 4. to 8. are drawn to an increased scale with respect to
Figures 1. to 3.
Referring to Figures 1. to 6. a, represents a single road or carrying wheel which
is fixed upon a shaft or axle a' which at its ends is mounted in bearings a²* carried
by: half elliptic springs a³ or the like which at their ends are shackled to pro-
jections upon a skeleton frame b. as herein before more fully described.
: The skeleton frame b. is constructed of metal pipe or hollow bars such for
example as gas barrel or tubes of steel or aluminium and it is formed of two sides
which are united above the carrying wheel a. by parts 62 in the form of an arch
and descend upon each side of the carrying wheel a.. to a suitable distance below

page_text: the axle a thereof and the frame is composed of several transverse frames or,
arches 6 which are connected together by longitudinal bars b. extending from end
to end of the device, the transverse frames 62 at each end of the device and both.
at the lower part and near the upper part thereof being coupled by transverse;
hollow bars b³.
The longitudinal bars b. are fixed with the transverse frames 62 at the points of
crossing by means of tubular junction pieces 6 of + shape as represented more
particularly at Figures 4. and 5.
The longitudinal bars b. and the transverse frames 62 are passed through the
cross junction pieces 64 and they are fixed therewith by brazing or otherwise, and
where the longitudinal bars b. meet the end transverse frames b³ the union or
junction pieces are shaped accordingly.
At each end of the carriage is a separate moveable transverse frame c. which at,
it its upper end is by a transverse bar fixed with a tubular rod or bar c which
passes between grooved wheels or rollers arranged in pairs each pair being.
carried by a short vertical bar 66 depending from each arch of the transverse,
sections of the main frame and the lower end of which dependent bar 66 is fixed'
with a transverse bar b³ thereof.
These moveable end frames c. are thus adapted to be drawn out or extended to
the full length of their tubular rods or bars c in order to form an extended support
for the tent as hereinafter described, and each end frame c. is in addition to the
tubular rod or bar e provided with horizontal studs c² which in the compressed.
position of the moveable ends c and as represented at the right hand of Figure 1.,
enter the open ends of the tubular horizontal bars b. and the moveable end
frames c. are thus rigidly fixed with the carriage when the latter is in transit.
Each of the moveable end frames c. is provided at each side thereof with a
fork in which is mounted the axle of a small guard wheel e so that in the
event of the carriage unduly tilting when in transit the guard wheels c will.
support the carriage at that end and prevent the body thereof coming into contact
with the road.
In order to lock the moveable end frames c. with the body of the carriage, tie
rods d are employed which at their inner ends are pivotally connected at d₁ with
the underside of the carriage and at their outer ends are perforated to receive a
pin or bolt c which is passed therethrough and through the ends of a strap_co
on the frame c. immediately above the crown of the fork or the stays might be
otherwise locked with the frames c. as hereinafter described.
At each end of the body b. of the carriage and upon the interior thereof is
mounted a saddle e and in suitable bearings formed in brackets 6' located at each
side of the frame at each end thereof and depending therefrom is mounted a pedal
axle e near to each end of which is fixed a small chain wheel whilst upon the
axle al of the road or carrying wheel a. near to each end thereof are fixed two pairs
of corresponding chain wheels a² but of larger diameter which are by chains e³
coupled with the small wheels e² of the pedal axle e¹ and by these means two riders
seated within the frame or carriage upon the saddles e. are enabled to propel or to
assist in propelling the same through the road or carrying wheel a.
When in transit, the vehicle may be guided by another person or persons
grasping the frame and this person or persons might at the same time assist to
propel the vehicle.
In the example given at Figure 7., the stay rod d. is bifurcated or forked to
embrace the guard wheel c whilst the ends of the limbs are further forked
to embrace the fork of the guard wheel c, spring pins or cotters c passing
through holes in the end forks being employed to lock the stay rod with the
fork c³.
In the example given at Figure 8., the device shown is similar to that represented
at Figure 7. except that the end forks are turned at right angles to those
represented at Figure 7. and are caused to embrace the axle of the guard wheel c*.
When the vehicle is in transit, the tent or like article is folded and carried as a

page_text: package upon or thrown across so as to form a cover. to the skeleton frame b, and a
number of articles may also be attached to the frame by means of rings 68, or
shelves or the like might be provided for that purpose and the carriage may thus
be heavily laden and yet if the load is properly balanced by reason of its being
supported upon a single wheel the draught will be exceedingly light.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A transport carriage, comprising a skeleton frame supported upon a single
road wheel of large diameter and extending over and downward at each side of
such wheel, extensible end frames carried by rods or bars mounted with capability
of longitudinal movement between guides carried by the main frame, studs or pins
upon the end frames entering sockets upon the main frame in the compressed
position of the parts, guard wheels at the lower ends of the end extensible frames
and stay rods at one end pivotted to the main frame and at the other end formed
to engage and lock the end frames in their compressed position, substantially as
herein shown and described.
2. A transport carriage, comprising a skeleton frame supported upon a single
road wheel of large diameter and extending over and downward at each side of
such wheel, extensible end frames, and pivotted stay rods for engaging and locking
the end frames in their compressed position, substantially as herein shown and
described.
3. A transport carriage comprising a skeleton frame supported upon a single
road wheel of large diameter and extending over and downward at each side of the
wheel, one or more scats or saddles and pedal axles located near to the ends of the
frame, chain wheels upon the pedal axles, corresponding chain wheels upon
the axle of the carrying wheel and chains for coupling the chain wheels,
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of June, 1895.