Improvements in or relating to Cattle Trucks.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cattle Trucks.
We, WATKIN HALL, of College Road, Great Crosby, in the County of Lancaster,
Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM KNOWLES, of 131, St. Domingo Vale, in the City of
Liverpool, Cattle Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Cattle trucks at the present time are divided into small, medium, and large
trucks, and a large truck or a medium truck is usually supplied with a movable
partition so that a small truck or a medium truck can be divided off from it. Now
the trouble is that cattle dealers very frequently ask for a small truck and then
when a large truck with the partition is supplied them they pack the small com-
partment with cattle as tightly as possible and then after the train has started or
at the next stopping place remove the partition so as to give these cattle the entire
truck.
Now our invention is designed to prevent this sharp practice and to cause the
insertion of the animals themselves into the truck to lock the partition, so that it
cannot be moved until the animals are removed. The way we propose to effect
this locking is as follows; The partition is suspended by pivots in a horizontal
or slightly oblique slot and on the floor are two cross balks or sills against which
this partition can abut. The pivot slides in the slots and has a hook rigidly fixed
to its end. This hook catches into either of two studs one at the point where the
partition stops to form a small truck and the other where it stops to form the
medium truck. When the partition is held horizontal or nearly horizontal it can
be shoved to and fro in the slots without the hooks coming in contact with the
studs, but if it be hanging down the hooks rigidly interlock with the studs con-
sequently if the partition be placed so as to make a small truck and the cattle be
placed in the truck it is absolutely impossible to move the partition till the cattle
are removed as they are in the way of bringing the partition into a horizontal or
The moment
nearly horizontal position so as to free the hooks from the studs.
however the cattle are turned out of the truck the partition can be held in the
horizontal position and shoved on to the stopping place for a medium truck or to
the end when it becomes a large truck. In order to prevent (in shunting or in
going up a steep incline), the partition swinging against the legs of the cattle
we place two concealed or sliding bolts in the body of the partition entering into
the sides of the wagon and to prevent the cattle from getting their horns into the
slots we may arrange hanging flaps pushed to one side by the pivots as they pass
on, such flaps covering the slots on the inside.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Cattle Trucks.
We, WATKIN HALL, of College Road, Great Crosby, in the County of Lancaster,
Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM KNOWLES, of 131, St. Domingo Vale, in the City of
Liverpool, Cattle Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Cattle trucks at the present time are divided into small, medium, and large
trucks, and a large truck or a medium truck is usually supplied with a movable
partition so that a small truck or a medium truck can be divided off from it. Now
the trouble is that cattle dealers very frequently ask for a small truck and then
when a large truck with the partition is supplied them they pack the small com-
partment with cattle as tightly as possible and then after the train has started or
at the next stopping place remove the partition so as to give these cattle the entire
truck.
Now our invention is designed to prevent this sharp practice and to cause the
insertion of the animals themselves into the truck to lock the partition, so that it
cannot be moved until the animals are removed. The partition can moreover be
taken out bodily to allow the loading up of mixed consignments.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side view of part of a wagon with our apparatus in position ;
Figure 2 section of same; Figure 3 detail view of end of partition; Figure 4 similar
detail of modification.
In these A is a partition suspended by pivots B in a horizontal or slightly
oblique slot C and on the floor are two cross balks or sills DD against which this
partition can abut. The pivot B slides in the slots C and has a hook H rigidly
fixed to its end. This hook catches into either of two studs F F¹, one F at the
point where the partition stops to form a small truck and the other F1 where it
stops to form the medium truck. When the partition is held horizontal or nearly
horizontal it can be shoved to and fro in the slots without the hooks coming in
contact with the studs, but if it be hanging down the hooks rigidly interlock with
the studs consequently if the partition be placed so as to make a small truck and
the cattle be placed in the truck it is absolutely impossible to move the partition
till the cattle are removed as they are in the way of bringing the partition into a
horizontal or nearly horizontal position so as to free the hooks from the studs.
The moment however the cattle are turned cut of the truck the partition can be
held in the horizontal position and shoved on to the stopping place for a medium
truck or to the end when it becomes a large truck. In order to prevent (in shunt-
ing or in going up a steep incline) the partition swinging against the legs of the
cattle, we place two concealed or sliding bolts G in the body of the partition
entering into the sides of the wagon and to prevent the cattle from getting their
horns into the slots we may arrange hanging flaps not shown pushed to one side
by the pivots as they pass on, such flaps covering the slots on the inside.
The opening K allows the partition to be taken out bodily to allow the loading
up of mixed consignments.
In thus describing our invention it is obvious that if desired the slots and pivots
need not go quite through the sides of the wagon, the hooks H and studs F F 4
being in such case on the inside, or inserted in the timber forming the side of the
wagon, or slots or sills can be arranged on the sides to prevent the partition from
rising, and a projection I, substantially as shown in Figure 4, or two pins a little
distance apart, be placed on each end of the partition fitting into quadrant. shaped
recesses i in the bottoms of the slots C thus preventing the partition from being 5

page_text: moved laterally until it has been made to assume the horizontal or nearly the
horizontal position. Further in place of a slot or sill at top any other impediment
can be adopted to prevent the partition from being raised vertically to clear the
obstruction until the partition has assumed a nearly horizontal position; the main
principle of our invention being to so arrange the partition and its appurtenances
that while easily moved to any desired position when the truck is empty by bring-
ing the partition into a horizontal or sufficiently oblique position it is impossible
to move it when the partitioned off part is packed with cattle, as the cattle them-
selves prevent it from being brought into such a horizontal or oblique position as
shall enable it to clear the obstruction and be moved to another position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The improvement in a cattle truck which consists in forming it with a
movable partition arranged so as to divide it off into a small truck or a medium
truck or allow the use of the whole truck, said partition and its holding devices
being arranged in such manner that the partition is prevented from being moved
so as to increase the space allowed, until the said partition is swung inward into
that space to a very oblique or nearly horizontal position before clearing the
holding devices.
2. The combination of a partition, stops or sills near the bottom against which
it abuts, a pivot or its equivalent at each end on which it can swing, a horizontal
guide for said pivot and means for locking the pivot in position (while allowing
motion of rotation on that pivot) until the partition has been made to assume a
nearly horizontal or oblique position.
1
3. In combination with the subject matter of Claim 1 or 2 side bolts or other
fastening to prevent the partition from flying against the legs of the cattle
during shunting.
4. The herein described and illustrated arrangements of partition and its accom-
paniments substantially as and for the purposes described.
11113
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.