Improvements in Under Carriages of Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Under Carriages of Vehicles.
I, JAMES HARRIS BOOTH, of Jumbunun, in the Colony of Victoria, Blacksmith,.
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:-
The object of this invention is to produce improvements in that part of the
undercarriage of vehicles which is variously known as the "wheel plate" "circle.
iron" or "fifth wheel" viz., the horizontal arcs or circular plates located between
the carriage body and the front axle. In my invention the fifth wheel is not.
connected to (nor is there used) a king bolt, but what I use comprises an upper
and a lower circular plate each made of angle iron the lower one forming a bed
or socket into which the rim of the upper one fits, and the invention consists in the
particular arrangements of parts hereafter disclosed.
Referring now to the accompanying sheet of drawings by which my invention is.
illustrated
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the lower circle iron,
Figure 2 shows the removable connecting bar by which I secure the upper and
lower circle irons in engagement with one another,
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the upper circle iron in inverted position.
with the connecting bar shown by dotted lines, and
Figure 4 shows a plan view from above of the several parts aforesaid combined
together other parts of the vehicle being indicated in Figure 4 by dotted lines.
The upper circle angle iron A is connected to the body of the vehicle, a.
diametrically arranged cross bar B having its ends riveted to A being employed
with straps C passing round B and a cross piece D on the under side of the
vehicle being secured within the same as by nuts E which hold down and secure-
tie plates F to the said straps.
The lower circle angle iron G is attached to the under gear or front axle H of
the vehicle, as by nuts and bolts I and tie plates K. I prefer to extend these tie
plates to meet the circle angle iron G and be bolted thereto as at L.
An arc M of the part G is cut away the ends N of the recess so formed acting
as stops, to limit the arc of turn of the undercarriage; the connecting bar O being.
bent sharply up at one end P so as to pass within said recess and thus play within
the said stops.
The upper circular angle iron A is not a complete circle but has two ends R.
leading off from it and between these ends is clamped or fastened by any suitable
clip S the fore end of the reach bar T which extends to the rear part under
the vehicle, and may be connected to the vehicle by a strap bolts tie plate
and nuts U. A wear plate W is inserted on each side of the said reach.
bar between the latter and the respective ends R. If no reach bar be used.
in that position then two wear plates in contact with oue another or a single
wear plate would suffice; but as the object of the wear plate or plates is to
enable the ends of the outer circle iron to be drawn closer together to com-
pensate for wear due to the friction cf the two circle irons upon one another
two plates are better. When the two circle irons have worked sufficiently loose,
one of the plates should be removed, whilst after further wear of the circle irons
the second wear plate may be removed. I prefer to make the wear plates wedge-
shaped so that they can be adjusted in the direction of their length with a view

page_text: to regulating to a nicety the degree of tightness of the upper circle iron upon
the lower.
The circle angle iron A has a lug X diametrically opposite the clip S one end P
of bar O being perforated to pass over lug X and the other end Z being slipped
under the clip S. When the bar is in this position it is fastened by a pin V as
seen in Figure 4 thus securing the whole of the parts together.
It is only necessary to remove pin V and bar O to enable the upper part of the
vehicle with the upper circle iron, to be immediately lifted clear of the under-
carriage to which the lower circle iron is attached, the advantage of which
arrangement is obvious.
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 general arrangement and combination of parts of the upper circle angle
iron, lower circle angle iron, and connecting bar O substantially as set forth.
2. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the upper circle angle
iron having the aforesaid parts B, C, R, S, T and W substantially as set forth."
3. The connecting rod O having the end P in combination with the lug X, and
the end Z in combination with the clip S substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of December 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.