CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS OR DRAGS FOR WHEELED CARRIAGES, AND IN ADAPTING THE CARRIAGES FOR THE APPLICATION AND USE OF SUCH BREAKS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Murray, of Marygold, in the County
of Berwick, Scotland, Farmer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS OR DRAGS FOR WHEELED CARRIAGES, AND IN
ADAPTING THE CARRIAGES FOR THE APPLICATION AND USE OF SUCH
BREAKS."
Sealed the 27th October 1853, and dated the 10th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Murray
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th May 1853.
I, THOMAS MURRAY, of Marygold, in the County of Berwick,
Scotland, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BREAKS OR DRAGS FOR WHEELED CAR-
RIAGES, AND IN ADAPTING THE CARRIAGES FOR THE APPLICATION AND USE OF
SUCH BREAKS," to be as follows:-

page_text: My Invention consists in adapting and applying breaks or drags to
wheeled carriages, in which the axle boxes are made sufficiently large
to admit of the body of the carriage being pushed back, so as to throw
the centre of gravity a limited distance behind the axle, and at the
same time bring the breaks or drags in contact with the wheels. The
breaks or drags are bolted to the frame of the carriage, their acting
face extending therefrom to within such a distance in front of the
wheels, that when the body of the carriage is pushed back the breaks
or drags may be made to bear against the periphery of the wheels.
The axle is locked or fixed in order to put back the body of the car-
riage by means of an instrument passed through staples, or guides fixed
on the outer side of the axle box. This instrument consists of a strong
metal bar or rod; with a handle on its end, and a projecting piece,
which is brought to rest against one of the fixed staples, and to lock or
fix the axle, when required, by confining it between such projection
and the hinder end of the hollow space within the axle box.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Murray in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 10th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS MURRAY, of Marygold, in the County of Berwick, Scotland,
Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Murray, Her special license
that I, the said Thomas Murray, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Murray, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 'the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for CERTAIN IM
PROVEMENTS IN BREAKS OR DRAGS (FORL WHEELED CARRIAGES, AND DIN
ADAPTING THE CARRIAGES FOR THE APPLICATION AND USE OF SUCH 'BREAKS,'":
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Murray,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should 'par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and 'cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said Thomas Murray, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner 'the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described "and. ascertainedíin and
by the following statement, reference being had to: the Drawing's
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
.
1 '..
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in Breaks or: Drags for
Wheeled Carriages, and in adapting the Carriages for the Application
and Use of such Breaks," has reference to carriages, the bodies of which
may be pushed back, so as to change the relative position's of the car-
riage body and the axle, the object being to throw the centre of gravity
of the carriage behind the axle, and at the same time to bring the
breaks or drags in contact with the wheels...
And this object is accomplished by enlarging the space within the
axle boxes, so as to admit of the axle-tree being changed. in. its posi
tion therein, and by fixing blocks of wood or other suitable. material
on to the frame of the carriage in front of the wheels, the acting face
of such blocks being at such a distance from the periphery of the
wheels as to be made to bear forcibly against them when the body of
the carriage is pushed back, so that the hinder part thereof may extend
an increased distance over the axle: ...
i
When it is required to keep the body of the carriage forward, or
when it has been pushed back, the axle-tree must be locked or fixed in

page_text: the boxes, which may be done as nerein-after described, or in any other
convenient manner.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood;
I will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings, which represent
the breaks in and out of action, and two modes of constructing a cart,
so as to admit of the body being put back as required. Fig. 1, is a lon
gitudinal elevation of the cart with one wheel-removed, shewing the
breaks out of action, and one mode of sliding the body; Fig. 2, is a
similar view, shewing them in action; and Fig. 3, and 4, are similar
views, shewing the breaks in and out of action, and adapted to another
mode of sliding the body. A, is the body of the carriage; B, the
- axle of the wheels; C, one of the axle boxes, which, it will be seen, bas
a space c, within which the axle is capable of moving; D, is one of
the breaks, consisting of á block of wood or other suitable material
bolted into the frame of the carriage; E, is the instrument for locking
the axle when the body of the carriage is put back, and the breaks
brought upon the wheels, and unlocking it when required; F, (Fig. 4,)
is a frame on which the carriage body may be slidden on rollers, being
guided by the ribs. G, working in grooves in the upright pieces H.
The operation. of the breaks or drags is as follows:-When it is
desired to keep them out of action the lower end of the instrument or
lever E, is raised, and the piece or drop e, on the other end of the lever
will fall into the space in front of the axle-trée,, and keep it in the back
part of the space in the box, and the wheels out of contact with the
breaks; but when it is required to bring them into action, the end of
the lever E, is depressed, and the drop e, raised, the body of the carriage
is then slidden back, and the drop e, made to fall behind the axle-tree,
instead of in front of it as before, or a moveable wedge may be placed
behind the same.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise modes represented
and described, either of locking the axle-tree or of sliding the body of
the carriage; but what I claim as of my Invention is, the adaptation and
application to wheeled carriages of breaks or drags fixed in front of the

page_text: wheels, and which may be brought into action upon the wheels by
putting back the body of the carriage, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Murray, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
THOS MURRAY. (L.S.)
R. N. COTTON, Witness.