Means of Automatically Locking Railway Platform Trolleys.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Means of Automatically Locking Railway Platform Trolleys.
I, WILLIAM TATHAM, of 53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for object to provide a simple and efficient means of auto-
matically locking the wheels of trolleys such as are used on railway platforms
for the conveyance of luggage, parcels, milk cans, railway carriage lamps, etc.,
so as to prevent all danger of the trolleys running away when left standing
unattended on an inclined surface, a further object being to provide means where-
by the wheels will be unlocked by the pressure of the hands whether in pushing
or hauling the trolley by the one or the other of its upstanding ends or by the
hauling and guiding handle with which such trolleys are sometimes provided.
The preferred construction of the wheel-locking device consists of a pair of
spring or gravity projected bolts mounted to slide transversely below the floor
of the vehicle and in position when shot outwards by their springs to enter into
engagement directly or indirectly with the main wheels of the trolley. This
engagement may be effected by the ends of the bolts passing through the apertures
usually formed in the webs or between the spokes of the wheels or, where the
wheels have solid webs, the engagement may be made between the bolts and lugs
affixed to the wheels, the object in either case being to absolutely lock the wheels
by a positive engagement which is not dependent for its retarding action merely
on the strength of the springs.
The releasing mechanism for these bolts consists of a system of levers and
links in connection with the bolts and with presser bars extending along the
outer side of the top bars of the upstanding ends of the trolley, and likewise
along the cross bar of the hauling and guiding handle if any. These presser bars
are so placed as to be naturally within the grasp of the hands so that no special
operation is necessary to apply the pressure required to effect the release of the
bolts from the wheels.
Instead of locking the wheels by bolts projected into locking engagement with
them, the revolution of the wheels may be retarded by brake shoes pressed
against the wheels by the force of springs or gravity and released by mechanism
such as above described.

page_text: I, WILLIAM TATHAM, of 53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Gentleman, 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 follow-
ing statement:―
My invention has for object to provide a simple and efficient means of auto-
matically locking the wheels of a trolley (such as is used on railway platforms
for the conveyance of luggage, parcels, milk cans, railway carriage lamps, etc.,) so
as to prevent all danger of the trolley running away when left standing unattended
on an incline, the locking mechanism being so arranged and combined as to be
disengaged from the wheels when it is desired to move the trolley and to be
so retained (in the case of trolleys adapted to be normally propelled by pushing)
by the pressure or grasp of the hands in pushing or hauling the trolley by the
one or other of its upstanding ends in the ordinary way, or (in the case of trolleys
adapted to be normally propelled by hauling) by the pull exerted upon the
hauling and guiding handle.
The locking mechanism comprises gravity or spring operated bolts adapted
when in operative. position to pass between the spokes, or to enter holes in the
webs, of the wheels, or to engage with lugs upon, or otherwise to enter into
positive engagement with, the wheels (as distinguished from the mere friction
of brake blocks) so that the wheels will be absolutely locked. This locking action
of the two bolts is effected independently the one of the other and both are
under the control of the same releasing mechanism, the construction and arrange-
ment of which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate my improved locking and releasing
mechanism as applied to a trolley adapted to be propelled by pushing; and
Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the invention as applied to a trolley adapted to be
propelled by hauling. Figure 1 is an end elevation of a push-trolley, Figure 2
being a longitudinal section and Figure 3 an underside plan of the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the forward portion of a pull-trolley,
Figure 5 being a transverse section and Figure 6 an underside plan of the same.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3, A is the floor of a push-trolley, B the upstanding,
end frames, C the main wheels which may either be fast or loose on a common
axle, D and E the independent castor or swivelling wheels. F F are the locking
bolts mounted to slide in guide brackets f fixed beneath the floor A and adapted
to be projected outwards so as to enter into interlocking engagement with the
wheels C by entering holes in the webs thereof, this outward projection of the
bolts being effected by the, action of bent levers G pivoted at gin brackets fixed
beneath the floor. A and connected to the bolts at by pin and slot or link con
nection's such as to permit of the angular movement of the, levers being converted
into a rectilinear movement of the bolts. The levers G extend transversely
beneath the trolley and are loaded by weights G', whereby the bolts are inde-
pendently pressed outwards, into..position of engagement with the wheels C.
The weighted arms" of the levers extend beyond each other in the transverse
direction and are raised for the purpose of retracting the bolts by the same
releasing gear which is capable of being operated from either end of the trolley.
For this purpose levers H are pivoted at to the upstanding end frames B and
carry bars I which lie outside of, and sufficiently close to, the top bars B¹ of the
ends to admit of both of the bars I and B₁ being grasped at once by the hands.

page_text: The lower end of each lever H is jointed at h¹ to a longitudinally extending rod K
the two rods K being connected to the opposite ends of a sway lever L pivoted
at to the under side of the floor A, so that the two rods K will be moved simul-
taneously in opposite directions whenever the one or the other hand bar I is
pressed towards the adjacent bar B1. The one rod K is continued as at k beyond
its point-of-connection to the lever L and to this extension of the one rod K
and to a point on the other rod K the opposite ends of a chain M are attached,.
the said chain passing beneath the transversely extending weighted arms, of
the two levers G. The points of attachment of the ends of the chain being
at a higher level than these lever arms G it follows that when the chain is drawn
tight the lever arms will be raised and the bolts F will be retracted from engage-
ment with the wheels whilst when the chain is slackened it will sag downwards
sufficiently to allow the weighted arms to drop and bring the bolts. into operative
engagement with the wheels. This engagement of the bolts with the wheels may
be independently effected, so that should the one bolt at the moment of being pro-
jected, not enter a hole in the corresponding wheel, the other bolt will not be
prevented from so entering and the first one will enter also as soon as the wheel
has revolved sufficiently to bring a hole in the wheel opposite to the bolt. Owing
to the fact that the points of attachment k k¹, of the chain are necessarily moved
simultaneously in opposite directions and that the action of the chain upon the
levers is analogous to that of a toggle, it follows that a very slight motion of the
one or other hand bar I is sufficient to effect the simultaneous disengagement of
both of the bolts.
In order to lessen the friction of the chain and to retain it when slack in proper'
position with regard to the levers G, the chain passes through stirrup-shaped'
guides m attached to sleeves m³, loose on the levers G and capable of revolving!
thereon sufficiently to accommodate the slight longitudinal movement of the chain..
Referring now to Figures 4, 5, and 6, N is the undercarriage of a pull-trolley,"
n the kingbolt about which it swivels, and O the handle-bar attached to the
pull-rod P by which the trolley is hauled and guided. In order to adapt the
invention to existing trolleys without structural alteration to the latter, the'
existing pull-rod may be retained, a radius link Q being however interposed
between the eyes and upon the pull-rod and undercarriage respectively, for
a purpose hereafter described. In the present case the entire locking and releas-
ing mechanism (comprising bolts F, brackets f, levers G, and fulcrum brackets g)
is mounted upon the undercarriage N and partakes in its movements, the
wheels R R of the undercarriage being alone acted on by the locking device.
The chain M is fixed at its rear ends to the undercarriage and after passing
through the stirrup guides m on the levers Gas before, is attached at its forward
end to a shackle on the pin which connects the radius link Q to the eye p of the
pull rod P. So long as no pull is exerted upon handle O, the link Q is caused
by the weight of the handle and pull rod, to hang down in a substantially vertical
position as shewn in full lines in Figure 4, and this will be the case whether the
handle and pull rod be folded up against the trolley as shewn in full lines in
Figure 4 or be left lying on the ground as shewn in dotted lines at 01, P. Whilst
the link Q remains in its vertical position, the chain M hangs down slack as
shewn and permits levers G to bear downwards so as to retain the locking bolts F
in engagement with the wheels R. When however the handle-bar is hauled
on so as to bring it and the pull-rod into the dotted position 02, P2, Figure 4
(shewn also in Figure 6) the link Q is caused to swing round on p¹ to the dotted
position Q, thus tightening the chain M and thereby disengaging the locking
bars F from the wheels, which are thus released before the hauling effort exerted
on the handle O can put a tensile strain on link Q and effect the movement of
the trolley itself.
It will be obvious that the link Q might be omitted, the chain M being
lengthened and made fast to the handle-bar so as to permit of being readily
seized and pulled by the operator for the purpose of unlocking the wheels before

page_text: moving the trolley. Or the handle-bar O might be mounted on a sleeve capable
of sliding longitudinally upon the pull rod P, the chain M being attached to the
lower end of the sleeve whose movement relative to rod P (when a hauling
effort is first exerted upon the handle) would serve to tighten the chain and thus
to effect the unlocking of the wheels; the handle O then coming against a stop on
rod P so as to transmit the hauling effort thereto, as usual.
Further, although I prefer the form of releasing gear illustrated, I do not
limit myself thereto, as cam, lever, or other forms of gear may be used in lieu
of the chain for converting the motion of the presser bars I, pull rod P, or other
hand-actuated part of the mechanism, into a retractile movement of the bolts.
It will also be evident that springs may be variously applied in lieu of weights
to effect the projection of the bolts into engagement with the wheels.
The two forms illustrated in the drawings are given as types of the principal
varieties of trolley, but it will be readily understood without further explanation
that my invention is equally applicable to trolleys of other kinds, whether
adapted for propulsion by pushing or pulling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Trolley wheel locking and releasing mechanism consisting in the com-
bination, with independently acting gravity or spring actuated locking bolts
adapted to be projected into positive engagement with the wheels of the trolley,
of releasing mechanism acting to retract the bolts and actuated by the movement
of levers and pressure bars adapted to be pressed or grasped by the hands in
pushing or hauling the trolley substantially as specified.
2. Trolley wheel locking and releasing mechanism consisting in the combina-
tion, with independently acting gravity or spring actuated locking bolts adapted
to be projected into positive engagement with the wheels of the trolley, of releas-
ing mechanism consisting of pressure bars and levers at the ends of the trolley
connected by rods to a rocking lever so as to move oppositely and simultaneously,
and of a chain attached to the oppositely moving rods and acting on the bolt
operating levers substantially as specified.
3. In a trolley adapted to be propelled by hauling, the combination with
wheel-locking mechanism consisting of independently actuated locking bolts
normally engaging with the wheels of the trolley, of a handle for hauling the
trolley so attached to the vehicle as when hauled upon to perform an initial
movement relative thereto, and a chain so connected to the handle and engaging
with the locking mechanism as to effect the retraction of the bolts from the wheels
when a hauling effort is exerted on the handle and before such effort is transmitted
to the trolley itself, substantially as specified.
0711
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.