Improvements in Pole Heads or Pole Crabs of Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pole Heads or Pole Crabs of Vehicles.
TER O
I FRANK SALES PERKINS, of 220, Penton Place, Walworth, in the County of
Surrey, Coach 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in pole heads or pole crabs of vehicles the
object of which is to afford means for readily releasing the horses' harness in case of
the animals falling and to minimise the risk of damage by collision of the pole with
passing objects.
For this purpose I construct the pole head or pole crab in the manner shown by the
accompanying drawings in all the figures of which the same part is indicated by
like reference letters.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete pole head or pole crab.
Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1 the buffer being removed.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of Figure 1 the hinged links being removed.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are. detail views of the bolt and button which secure the
hinged links when closed.
I make a body A being hollowed and having side pieces B to provide means of
securing the head or crab upon the pole of a vehicle. Upon the body A I secure
by a bolt or pin C in a manner to lunge thereon two links D D' by which the
horses are harnessed to the pole. These links D D' close into position to be locked
at the under side of the pole by means of a bolt E provided with a key way F in
which a feather G engages to limit the travel of the bolt E so that it may not
be separated accidentally from the pole head or pole crab when disengaging the
hinged links D D¹.
The bolt E when engaging the hinged links D D' is retained in position by the
button H confined by the pin J which allows for rotating the button to make it
coincide with the opening K in the end plate L of the bolt E when the same is to
be withdrawn.
In any other position the button H abuts upon the end plate L and so locks the
bolt E as required for securely fixing the hinged links D D¹ which can readily be
disconnected to instantly release the harness of the horses in case of a fall.
In order to minimise the risk of damage by collision of the pole with passing
the resistance of a buffer spring N and in the forked end M I secure a solid rubber
objects I provide a forked end M telescoping into the pole head or pole crab against
ball P provided with a bushing Q and suitable washers R so that it may rotate
freely upon a spindle S secured in the forked end M. Thus the india rubber ball
may serve as an auxilliary buffer and by its rotation may avoid damage which would
be produced by the same collision in the case of an ordinary pole head. The forked
end M being also free to rotate upon the spindle T by which it is retained it may
accommodate itself for the ball to roll across a surface in any direction according
to the direction in which the blow may be dealt.
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. Pole heads or pole crabs provided with hinged links capable of being locked
in the closed position by means of a bolt and button substantially as described.
2. The combination of a nole head or nale rah " spring buffer and an

page_text: auxilliary buffer in the form of a rotatable india rubber ball, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Dated this 7th day of March 1890
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Patent Agents.