New or Improved Means for Releasing Runaway and Fallen Horses from Carriages and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb.. 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means for Releasing Runaway and Fallen Horses
from Carriages and other Vehicles.
I, ALFRED WOOD, of Fairlight House, Bouverie Road, Folkestone, Carriage
Builder, 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 new or improved means for releasing runaway and fallen
horses from carriages and other vehicles and consists of mechanism or devices
whereby the horse's traces may be first released from the splinter bars or draw
bars of vehicles after which the collar chains or straps can be detached from the
pole-head to which they are yoked, under the horse's own impetus.
The accompanying 2 sheets of drawing illustrate two different arrangements for
releasing the traces from the splinter bars or draw bars and the collar chains or
straps from the pole-heads.
In each separate sheet like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
throughout the figures.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one arrangement for releasing the traces from the
splinter bar or draw bar.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 a rear elevation of another similar
arrangement.
Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the mechanism for automatically
releasing the collar chains or straps from the pole-head.
Figs. 5 and 6 are views of a modified form of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4
whereby the release of the collar chains or straps is effected by hand.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is the roller bolt, f the base or frame
having an undercut slot to receive the heel-piece h of the roller bolt r the under
surface of which is provided with a spring blade a, the latter however is not
indispensable. c is an inclined tubular casing in the solid with the base fand fixed
to, or formed integrally with the splinter bar or draw bar S by means of its two
flanges gone on each side, and enclosing a spiral spring coiled upon the stem of
the bolt 6 which is furnished with a knob k. The latter carries a hook n entering
a depression or recess formed in the rim m at the lower end of the casing c in order
to be turned round and bear against the narrowed part of the said rim m, which
holds it when the roller bolt r is in its fixed position so that it may not be
accidentally pulled out. The top of the bolt 6 locks the heel-piece by bearing
against the inside and back of the same. By releasing the hook n, that is to say
by turning the same round and withdrawing it through the depression before
mentioned the bolt 6 can be pulled out with the aid of the knob k and the roller
bolt released.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the heel-piece h is locked by the
horizontal end of the crank bolt 6 furnished with a knob k, and turning on the
pivot p secured to the plate e and to the lateral extension or flange o of the base
or frame f. The knob kis turned to the right hand side to release the heel
piece and to the left to lock it. Instead of a crank bolt pivoted on one side I
may use a straight bolt pivoted on the flange o. I may also connect the bolt 6 of
the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 by means of suitable levers and connecting rods
to a handle placed within reach of the driver in a similar manner to that illustrated
in my former Letters Patent No. 23,668 A.D. 1892 so that the said driver may
release the traces whenever required without descending from his box.
With rererence to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, p is the pole-head and S the socket provided
at its front end with a lateral opening or slot c in which the two perforated and

page_text: reduced inner ends of the spring-arms b, bare pivoted on a central pin O, these two
ends are half the thickness of the arms b, 6' and fit together being cut on two opposite
sides of the said arms. The outer extremities of the latter are recessed to receive
the outer ends of the brackets g pivoted at a to the socket S by means of their
flexible stems or stems or ends a¹ which extend along the said socket and are
furnished with the pegs d' having heads d and entering the recesses d' formed in
the socket. The front end of the socket S is likewise provided with two inner
recesses terminating in the slot c aforesaid and arranged on each side of the axis
of the pole-head, these recesses containing two spiral springs resting at one end
against the bottom of the same and bearing at the other against the enlarged front
end of the plugs e, e¹ which enter the said springs. These enlarged ends bear
against the edges of the arms b, b', respectively. d are the rings to which the collar
chains or straps are attached. Should the horses run away, their traces will be
first released from the splinter-bar or draw bar S with the aid of the arrangement
shown in Fig. 1, when their impetus will cause the chains to push the arms b, 1
out while the springs s are depressed and pass off the now free ends of the brackets w
Fig. 4. In that figure, one part shows the arm blocked while the other part shows
the arm b' released. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the arms bb' are
rigidly fixed to the pole-head p which is solid, but the brackets a are movable on
the pivots and are formed integrally with or attached to horizontal or spring
blades a furnished at their rear ends with knobs d, the shanks d' of which enter
recesses d formed in the socket S. To release the rings d the brackets a are
turned round on their pivot e Fig. 5, after the knobs d have first been removed
from the recesses d' wherein they spring again as soon as the said brackets are
turned back to engage within the recesses of the fixed arms b.
The arrangement shown in Fig. for releasing the traces of runaway horses
operates in conjunction with the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 for automatically
releasing the collar chains or straps, but the arrangements shown in Figs. 2 and 3
intended to be solely operated by hand are to be used in connection with the
arrangements shown in Figs. 4 to 6 which can all be operated by hand in the
case of fallen horses.
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. The improved means or mechanism for releasing the traces from the splinter
bars of carriages and other vehicles arranged and operating substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and 3 of the drawings.
2. The improved means or mechanism for releasing automatically or by hand the
collar chains from the pole-head of carriages and other vehicles, arranged and
constructed substantially as herein described and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
3. The modified form of the mechanism set forth in Claim 2 for releasing by
hand the collar chains or straps from the pole-head of carriages and other vehicles
substantially as herein described and shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 15th day of February 1893.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.