Improvements in Folding Handcarts, Wheelbarrows, and other Light Road Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Handcarts, Wheelbarrows, and other
Light Road Vehicles.
I ROBERT RIACH THOM, Minister of the Free Church of Scotland, 12 London
Road Kilmarnock Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention consists of a frame, which by means of hinges can be folded into
small compass, and of a body or receptacle which fits into the frame when the latter
is distended. Before the frame can be folded, the body or receptacle has to be
removed. The wheels run on short stump axles. This invention applies to wheel-
barrows, handcarts, donkey carts and other light road vehicles having two or more
wheels, and is believed to be of great practical utility, as it meets a want that
very generally felt.
Dated this 9th day of December 1895.
Improvements in Folding Handcarts, Wheelbarrows, and other
Light Road Vehicles.
I, ROBERT RIACH THOм 12 London Road Kilmarnock, Scotland, Minister of
the Free Church of Scotland 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 consists in so constructing the framework of a handcart,
wheelbarrow or other light road vehicle, that it can be folded into small
compass.
I attain this object by means and contrivances which are fully explained here-
after, and are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which the following is
a brief description.
Fig. 1. a perspective view of the framework of the vehicle, showing the position
of the hinges, and a method of attaching the stump axles.
Fig. 2. a sectional view of the method of affixing a stump axle.
Fig. 3. a removable box.
Fig. 4. View of trebly hinged cross piece.
The front and back of the vehicle are each divided down the middle into two
equal parts, which are connected by hinges (E E Fig. 1) to each other, and by
other hinges (DD) to standards (C C) fixed to the sides. The front and back are
thus each of them trebly hinged. The arrangement of hinges shown in the
drawing, by means of which the front and back can be folded inwards, is the
best.
By reversing the arrangement, the front and back can be folded outwards. If
special strength and rigidity are required, a cross piece, trebly hinged, so as to fold
like the front or back, can be affixed to the bolster (Fig. IV).

page_text: The wheels run on short stump axles (A Fig. II). A simple and convenient
method of attaching these to the vehicle, is shown in the drawings. A metal plate
bent into a rectangular fork, (B B Fig. I-II) is fixed to the side with the ends
upwards; and to the lower part of this, the stump axle is fastened in the way
shewn (A Fig. II).
A box, (Fig. III) basket or tray, of suitable shape and size can be fitted into
the distended framework, and removed before collapsing the same. A bag, net or
any other contrivance which does not need to be removed from the frame, to allow
of the vehicle collapsing, can be attached in any convenient way to the frame or
sides. For keeping the framework distended, hooked stays can be used (F Fig. I)
at the corners if required.
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 handcart, wheelbarrow or other light vehicle, with trebly hinged ends such
as I have described.
2. The combination of such trebly hinged ends with stump axles.
3. The use of my invention in the manufacture of folding handcarts, wheelbarrows,
donkey and pony carts and other light road vehicles.
Dated this 29th day of February 1896.
ROBERT RIACH THOM.