IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAD-VANS OR OTHER VEHICLES IN WHICH THE LOAD REQUIRES TO BE ADJUSTED IN POSITION
Year: 1884

page_text: We THOMAS RODGERS, Van-man and WILLIAM RODGERS, Blacksmith both of
6 Morris Street, Bolton Road, Pendleton in the County of Lancaster do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAD-VANS OR
OTHER VEHICLES IN WHICH THE LOAD REQUIRES TO BE ADJUSTED IN POSITION,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the construction of a bread-van or other similar
vebicle running upon two wheels whereby the load can be moved backwards or
forwards in relation to the axle of the wheels and thus be adjusted so as to bear
more lightly or otherwise upon the borse's back and also to facilitate the adjusting
of the load as the loaves or other contents are removed from the van or other
vehicle.
Now this invention consists in so mounting the body of the van upon a frame-
work which carries the shafts and axle tree that the same can by means of a screw
operated by a pair of bevil wheels and winch handle be caused (by the driver and
without his having to dismount from the vehicle) to slide along the framework and
thus to bring the load more or less over the axle of the wheels and so as to bear
more lightly or heavily upon the horse's back as required.
.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the said Thomas Rodgers
and William Rodgers.

page_text: We THOMAS RODGERS, Van-man and WILLIAM RODGERS, Blacksmith both of
6 Morris Street, Bolton Road Pendleton do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAD-VANS OR OTHER VEHICLES, IN WHICH THE
LOAD REQUIRES TO BE ADJUSTED IN POSITION 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 the construction of a bread-van or other vehicle
running upon two wheels, whereby the load can be moved backwards or forwards
in relation to the axle of the wheels and thus be adjusted so as to bear more
lightly or otherwise upon the horse's back and also to facilitate the adjusting of
the load as the loaves or other contents are removed from the van or other vehicle.
Fig 1 on the accompanying drawing represents a side-view partly in section and
Fig 2 a plan view of the underside of a bread-van having our improvements
applied thereto.
In performing our invention we mount the body a of the van, upon a frame-
work b, which carries the shafts c and axle-tree d as illustrated. This frame b also
carries a quick-threaded screw e which revolves in fixed bearings e¹ and is operated
by a pair of bevil-wheels f and removable winch-handle g. Affixed to the bottom
of the van body a and braced thereto by the rods h is a screw nut i through which
the screw d is threaded.
It will now be seen that by revolving the winch-handle g and so causing the
screw d to turn upon its axis the van body a will be caused (by the driver and
without his having to dismount or to stop the vehicle) to slide along the frame-
work b and thus to bring the load more or less over the axle d of the wheels and
so as to bear more lightly or heavily upon the horse's back as required.
In this way we are enabled to dispense with carrying heavy weights as hitherto
practised by bread-van men for adjusting the load from time to time-and we
avoid the risk and danger of the bread-van body breaking off at the shafts-a
contingency which not unfrequently happens.
Instead of the bevil gearing for operating the screw e it will be obvious that a
worm wheel could be affixed upon the extremity of the screw e and a worm be
applied upon the spindle of the winch handle g to gear with the said worm-wheel,
but this we should consider to be a modification of our invention.
Although only hereinbefore described and illustrated in reference to bread-vans
it will be apparent that these improvements are equally applicable to other two-
wheeled vehicles in which the load requires to be adjusted in position.
"
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1st The improved construction of bread-van hereinbefore described and illustrated
on the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 2nd Mounting the body of the bread-van or other vehicle upon a framework
carrying the shafts and axle-tree, that the one can by means of a screw and bevil
or worm gearing and a winch-handle or its equivalent be adjusted in position by
the driver without dis-mounting or stopping the vehicle substantially as and for
the purposes herein described.