IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUCKS FOR CONVEYING CATTLE AND HORSES.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Henry Beavan, of 84, Leadenhall Street,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRUCKS FOR CONVEYING CATTLE AND HORSES.".
Sealed the 18th July 1875, and dated the 20th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Henry Beavan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th May 1875.
I, ARTHUR HENRY BEAVAN, of 34, Leadenhall Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of tho said Invention for "IM-.
PROVEMENTS IN TRUCKS FOR CONVEYING CATTLE AND HORSES,” to be as
follows:-
1
This Invention has for its object improvements in trucks for conveying
cattle and horses.
For this purpose-in-place of constructing the sides of railway trucks
for conveying cattle entirely of wood as heretofore I -place-along-each
side of the truck a flexible band or bands of vulcanised india-rubber

page_text: belting, or it might be other bands or strips capable of yielding to some
extent should the beasts be thrown against them, so that if the beasts
are thrown towards the sides of the truck they are supported by these
elastic bands, which are to some extent free to yield, and the more
valuable portions of the animals are thus preserved from contusions.
At one end of each band provision may be made for tightening it up by
a roller and ratchet wheel or otherwise.
The door by which the beasts are to enter and leave the trucks may
also similarly be provided with a horizontal band or bands of flexible
material.
The beasts as heretofore are placed crosswise of the truck, and between
each of them I place a light partition of flexible planking, by preference
of ash, or it might be of other suitable material. These partitions may
at their ends be either secured to the flexible bands, or they may be con-
nected to the uprights of the truck sides in such a manner as to allow.of
the partitions springing or bending in case of a beast being thrown or
jerked against them. By this means the beasts will be divided off from
one another, and prevented from falling or from being thrown violently
against one another, and in addition their hinder quarters will not be
liable to be bruised as they come against the clastic band or bands i
instead of against rigid wooden sides as heretofore.
Water troughs may also be placed along the sides of the trucks to
allow of the animals drinking during transit, and to prevent the water
from being jerked out of the troughs there may be a perforated floating
partition kept slightly below the surface of the water in the trough, a
and which the beasts can readily press downwards when drinking.
г
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Henry Beavan in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th November 1875.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR 30
HENRY BEAVAN, of 34, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, send

page_text: and this combined tank and trough I construct as herein-after described
in such manner that no water shall be lost or spilt, either from the
motion of the train or from the effect of the roughest concussion atten-
dant upon shunting, etc. These tank troughs need be filled up but once
at starting, and when emptied or not in uso can be readily removed
entirely out of the way. By this means I abolish the necessity for tanks
or cisterns attached to any portion of the truck as heretofore, with their
attendant regulating cocks and other complicated apparatus for supplying
the drinking troughs.
The tank troughs can be placed if required either at the sides, ends, or 1
centre of the truck, in one length or in sections, and are available for
any description of animal, oxen, sheep, pigs, or horses, and they can be
placed upon the flooring or at any suitable elevation.
To prevent injury and contusions to the hind quarters of the animals
against the sides or ends of the truck, and also to obviate danger from 1
their being violently pushed one against the other and thrown down
during shunting, &c., I propose to place strips or bands of india-rubber
or other elastic and soft material along the sides and ends of the truck,
and to use moveable divisions of light pliable wood, such as ash, birch,
&c., of suitable shape and size, or combination of wood and metal, 2
placed by preference across the truck, and capable by a simple fastening
of forming divisions for each animal if required, and of any size. These
will keep them from tumbling one against the other. These divisions
can be made in several forms, and can be stowed away when not required
in a compact form in the interior of truck.
2
A hay rack is formed at top of truck of rod iron or other suitable
material so hinged that it can be folded up flat and secured with a catch.
The ends and sides of this rack can be made either of strong cord or
wire netting or rods of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and
capable of being folded up. The racks can be arranged at sides, ends, 8
or centre of truck.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn a cattle truck fitted
up according to my Invention, and also various views of the water
trough and hay racks.
Figure 1 is an end view of the truck. It is roofed over as shewn, and 3

page_text: Along the sides and ends of the truck are carried a flexible band
or. bands. These are secured to the uprights of the truck away from the
outer planking, so that they may be free to yield by their elasticity in
case of a beast being thrown against them, or if the planking is on the
inner side of the uprights the planking may be removed wherever the
band or bands are applied.
The door by which the beasts are to enter and leave the truck may
also similarly be provided with a horizontal band or bands of elastic
material. I have not thought, it necessary to shew these bands in the
Drawing, as the way in which they are to be applied will be understood
from the description above given.
•
One of the light flexible cross partitions is shewn at A. It is formed
preferably of birch or ash about 1 inch thick, B is the water trough.
Two different modes of disposing of these troughs when out of use are
shewn on the two opposite sides of Figure 1. The mode shewn on the
right-hand side of the Figure is to keep it suspended close under the
roof by means of chains and counterweights. In this case when
the trough is required for use it is lowered down and filled with water.
The mode shewn on the left-hand side of the Figure is to lower it
beneath a false flooring O. The opening in the false floor can he
closed over with a hinged flap D. In this case also the trough may be
suspended by chains and counterbalance weights to facilitate its being
raised and lowered. When the trough is raised the flap will fall down
and the trough may then rest upon it.
The water trough I form in the manner shown by the sectional view
Figure 2. The edge of the trough is turned downwards, as shewn at E,
and within the trough is a float F fitted with a metal rim G around its
edge. The rim G comes inside the turned-down edge around the opening
at the top of the trough and prevents the water from being jerked out
and spilt, entirely preventing loss by motion of the train or from con-
cussion during shunting.
•
Figure 3 shows a plan view of one of the troughs. It is made by
preference of wrought iron for the sake of lightness. The ends of the
trough are completely covered over as shown, and may be either made
flat-on-the-top-or-slightly-arched-or-domed.-
Figure 4 shews a plan view of the float. It is made by preference-of
wood (it can be constructed, however, with a wooden frame and metal

page_text: centre, or other combination of wood or cork and metal), and has holes
bored through it at the centre. These may sometimes be covered over
with perforated zinc to avoid fouling.
The float is made in two parts connected by screws H or otherwise for
convenience of removal for repairs. Cattle and other animals can readily 5
depress the float and drink, the float serving to quiet and still the bulk
of water and the metal rims ensuring the water from being spilt and
lost.
The float may if desired be made with portions cut out of its side or
with variations in the number and size of the holes bored through it to 1
allow of its being more or less easily depressed. The rim also may
sometimes be partially perforated.
K, K, are hay racks. These I form in such manner that they will
fold
up and remain out of the way when not in use.
Various ways in which the racks may be constructed to thus fold up 1
are shewn at Figures 5, 6, and 7. Figure 5 shews a rack composed of
a grating L turning upon a joint at M, as shewn, so that it can either be
let down and secured by a catch as at N, so as to form a rack or be
folded and held close to the roof when out of use.
up
open at the ends to allow hay to be inserted. Figure 6
The rack is left
shews a similar 2
rack formed of a grating L turning at its lower end on a joint M, so that
it can either stand out from the wall or be folded back to lie close up to
it when out of use.
The ends of the rack may be closed by netting or
by bars with a knuckle joint at the centre.
Another way of constructing the folding hay rack is shewn at 2
Figure 7. In this arrangement the sides and ends of the rack are
jointed together so that it may be folded up either sidewise or length-
wise. When thus folded up and out of use it may if desired be slid
upon rails to the centre of the roof of the truck.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of 30
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,―
First. The combined construction of cattle truck, substantially as
described.
Second. The construction of water troughs, substantially as described.
Third. The mounting of the water troughs, substantially in the ways 31

page_text: described to allow of their being readily put out of the way when not
required for use.
Fourth. The application to cattle trucks of folding hay racks, sub-
stantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Henry Beavan, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.