New or Improved Means for Detaching the Traces from the Splinter- bars or Draft-bolts of Carriages and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means for Detaching the Traces from the Splinter-
bars or Draft-bolts of Carriages and other Vehicles.
I, ALFRED WOOD, of Fairlight House, Bouverie Street, Folkestone, Kent,
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 detaching the traces from
the splinter-bars or draft-bolts of carriages and other vehicles, and comprises
various devices allowing the roller-bolts to which the traces are usually fixed, to
become readily detached whenever a horse falls or runs away, these devices being
operated in some cases by straps placed in proximity to the driver's seat.
My improved means are applicable to the splinter-bars of vehicles driven either
by a single horse or by a pair of horses. I have also devised means for attachment
to the cross-bars of dog-carts with a similar view.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings,
Figs. 1 to 5 show a device for releasing the roller-bolts aforesaid; Fig. 1 being
a front view, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a central vertical section of the same, Figs. 4
and 5 being separate views of the lever bolt.
Figs. 6 and 7 are a front view and an underside view of another form of
mechanism.
Figs. 8 and 11 show a removable attachment for the shafts of one horse vehicles
and Figs. 9 and 10 show a similar arrangement for the cross-bars of dog-carts.
j
Figs. 12 and 13 show another arrangement for releasing the roller bolts, while
illustrating at the same time the mode of operating the device by means of straps
placed in proximity to the driver's seat, this mode of operation being likewise
applicable to the arrangements shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and 6 and 7.
Figs. 14 and 15 show a further arrangement applicable to splinter-bars.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, 6 is the roller bolt having a base band provided
centrally with a key-hole notch 62 in which engages within the frame wherein
this base slides, the bolt formed at or fixed to one end of the lever 1, the other
end of which is thickened and rounded for convenience of manipulation. The
frame fis furnished with a lower extension f¹ whereby it is screwed to the splinter-
bar S, this extension being centrally recessed to allow the bolt to descend when
unlocking the base 6'. The bolt is recessed on both sides at 7 (Figs. 4 and 5) so
so that it can enter when turned by the lever in one position through the narrow
rectangular part of the slot in order to reach the circular part thereof when being
turned at an angle of 45° the full substance of the bolt will bear against the inner
ends of the rectangular part of the slot aforesaid and thus be lowered out of
engagement with the base 6' thus unlocking the roller-bolt.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, the rebated base i of the roller-bolt b
slides in grooves formed in the upper part of the two sides of the frame whereby
the latter is secured to the splinter-bar S. This base is bevilled in front and
locked by the bevilled upper edge of the plate p sliding betwen the two sides of
the frame and guided by the screw h moving in the recess g formed in the front
part of the frame f, this plate has a rectangular perforation wherein enters, when
the roller-bolt b is to be locked, the end of the spring bolt e, the other end c¹ of
which is reduced and passes through a boss d being provided outside with a disc d¹
for convenience of manipulation.
The spring a coiled in the bolt e is located in the splinter-bar between the two
aides of the frame f. By pulling the bolte out of the opening in the plate v; the

page_text: latter can be lowered, thus allowing the base-plate i and with it the roller-bolt to
be removed. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the base-plate a of the
roller bolt 6 is locked directly by the spring bolt located with its springs within
a front casing o attached to the frame c which is screwed by means of its extension e
to the splinter-bar m. The lower end of the bolt is screw-threaded and carries a 5
disc or washer secured thereto by a nut and in the top of which bears one end of
a curved rod d, the other end of which bears on a similar washer of the bolt fixed
to the other roller bolt (not shown on the drawings). is a roller suspended in a
bracket fixed to the splinter-bar and under which passes a strap 1 one end of
which is fixed to the rod d while the other is conveyed to the driver's seat for use i
when required to release the roller-bolt b in which case the said driver thereby
depresses the rod d (as shown in Fig. 12) and thus releases the two roller-bolts to
which one of the two horses is yoked, another similar strap enabling him to do the
same on the other side for releasing the traces of the other horse.
This arrangement of straps is similarly applicable to the arrangements already
described.
For two horse vehicles I may also use the arrangement shown in Figs. 14
and 15.
In this case I pass through the end of the splinter-bar m, which is perforated for
this purpose, a piece a having the shape shown and the reduced end of which is
screw-threaded and secured by a nut to the said splinter-bar m.
This piece carries an arm or draft-bolt having a knob c at one end and a
rectangular perforation at the other through which passes the split pin p secured to
one extremity of a strap, the other end of which is perforated and hooked onto
the knob c. The trace is fixed to the arm b between the piece a and the split pin p
by removing which the said trace can be readily withdrawn or slipped off.
Reverting now to Figs. 8 and 11, the draft-bolt b which is designed to be secured
to the shaft of a one horse vehicle between the nut n and the shoulder m, has a
rectangular opening. for the insertion of the split pin p shown separately below
Fig. 8, the latter being attached to the looped end of a strap perforated at 6' at its
other end (Fig. 11) in order to be secured to the bolt b.
Figs. 9 and 10 show another form of draft bolt designed for the cross-bar S
of dog-carts. This bolt has a perforated head m through which passes an arm o
furnished with a rectangular perforation to receive a split pin similar to that
above-described, the free end of the straps being secured to the knob q.
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 device for detaching or releasing the roller-bolts and
traces of two horse vehicles actuated by a spring lever bolt, substantially as herein
described and shown in Figs. 1 to 5.
2. The improved means or device for detaching or releasing the roller bolts and
traces of two horse vehicles by means of a locking plate and spring bolt,
substantially as herein described and shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
3. The improved means or device for detaching or releasing the roller bolts and
traces of two horse vehicles by means of a spring bolt substantially as herein
.described and shown in Figs. 12 and 13.
'
4. The improved means for enabling the above spring bolts to be operated by
the driver of a carriage with the aid of straps, substantially as herein described.
5. The improved means or device for detaching or releasing the roller bolts and
traces of two horse vehicles by means of a draft bolt and spring pin, substantially
as herein described and shown in Figs. 14 and 15.
6. The improved means or device for detaching or releasing the traces for one
horse vehicles by the aid of a split pin, substantially as herein described and shown
in Figs. 8 and 11.

page_text: 7. The improved means for detaching or releasing the traces from the cross-bar
of a dog-cart, substantially as herein described and shown in Figs. 9 and 10.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1892.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.