Improvements in Hitching Devices for Preventing Horses from Running Away.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hitching Devices for Preventing Horses from
Running Away.
I, OLOF WILLIAM ORELL of the City of Minneapolis, in the County of
Hennepin and State of Minnesota, United States of America, Carpenter, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in hitching devices of the class used by
drivers for preventing the horses or teams from moving or running away while the
drivers occasionally have to leave the vehicles, as is especially the case with milk-
wagons, express and delivery wagons in general.
The object of my invention is to provide a hitching device that will automatically
hitch and unhitch the horse every time the driver leaves or enters the wagon,
regardless of the driver's memory or diligence, so that the driver cannot possibly
leave the wagon and the horse unhitched except by his full intention and by taking
trouble to avoid hitching the horse.
I attain this object by the novel construction and combination of parts illustrated
in the accompanying drawing, in which―
Figure 1, is a front end view of a portion of the bottom of a wagon or other
vehicle provided with my hitching device.
Fig. 2, is an inverted plan view of a portion of a wagon bottom with my hitching
device secured to it, the same as in Fig. 1, only that the hitching weight, the
spring 7, and the disc 47, are not shown.
Fig. 3, is a sectional side view taken, substantially as on the line a, a, in Figs. 1,
and 2, and looking in the direction of the arrow b, in Fig. 1, (wagon bottom and
step left out).
Fig. 4, is a sectional side view as on the line c, c, in Fig. 3, looking from left
to right.
Fig. 5, is a detail bottom view of the lever 54, in Fig. 2, and the cog-wheel and
spring operating same.
Fig. 6, is a side elevation of the toothed wheel or cam in Fig. 5, and the shaft
secured in it.
Fig. 7, is the top end of an externally spiral grooved cylinder or spindle, in
which the shaft in Fig. 6, is to revolve with the wheel resting on the top of the
cylinder.
Figs. 8, and 9, are further detail views.
Fig. 10, a modification of the connection of the carriage or wagon step with
the hitching device.
Fig. 11, is a central sectional view of the spiral grooved spindle 25, and its
housing.
Fig. 12, is a right-hand side view of Fig. 5.
Referring to the drawings by reference numerals 1, designates the portion of the
bottom of a truck, wagon, or carriage to which my device is secured; 2, is the
step on which the driver places his foot in mounting or dismounting his seat on
the wagon. The step 2, is secured at the outer end of the arm 3, of a bell crank
lever 3, 4, which at the junction of its arms is fulcrumed at 105, in a bracket 5,
secured at 6, up under the bottom of the wagon. 7, is a spring secured at 8, to the
FLQ 1

page_text: wagon bottom 1, and with its outer end 9, pressing downward upon the arm 4, of
the bell crank lever, tends at all times to hold the step 2, in an elevated position.
10, is a metallic frame plate secured up under the wagon box by the screws 11, 11,
and provided with two downwardly projecting lugs 12, to which I secure by the
screws 19, the flange or bridge plate 18, which has a centrally depending, in the
upper end, open cylindrical case 20, (best shown in Fig. 9), with two oppositely
located longitudinal slots 21, and upon the inner side of its bottom 22, a round
stem 23, with a conical hollow 24, in the top, (best shown in Figs. 9, and 11).
25, is a round metallic bar or spindle with two oppositely located slanty threads or
spiral grooves 26, of which the lower ends 27, run straight and longitudinal with
the spindle. In the top end view Fig. 7, it will be seen that this spiral grooved
spindle 25, is provided with two ratchet notches 28, and with an axial bole 29,
through it. The cam-shaped cog wheel 30-30x, (best shown in Figs. 5, and 6,)
is rigidly secured upon the shaft 31, and is provided with the cogs 32, upon its
widest and the cogs 32* upon its smallest segment, and at the opposite edge I pivot
to it at 33, a pawl or dog 34, which is held in a downwardly slanting position by
the spring 35, secured at 36, to the wheel. The partly toothed wheel 30-30×
may be made in one single wheel like 30 ouly, and the racks 15 and 16, arranged
upon opposite sides thereof; but for purpose of gaining back the power lost by
the location of the rack 16, farther from the working center 91, than the rack 15,
I prefer using a small gear as 30 for driving the rack 16, and a larger gear 30*
for driving the rack 15, the two gears are however, practically one, double gear
or gear wheel, and will hereinafter for shortness be referred to as one.
The parts
thus described and shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11, are in Fig. 11, put together
by dropping the shaft 31, down into the hole 29, till the wheel 30, rests on the top
of the spindle 25, with the spring-held dog 34, engaging one of the notches 28;
the spindle 25, is then dropped into the cylinder or casing 20, so that the lower
end of the hole 29, guides on the pin or stud 23, and the pointed end 37, of the
shaft 31, rests and turns in the central conical hollow 24, in said stud, and the top
end of the shaft is journaled at 49, in the frame plate (see top of Fig. 3). The
flange or bridge plate 18, is then secured by the screws 19, to the lugs 12, of the
bedplate 10, with the wheel 30-30* located between the bedplate and the top of
the spindle 25, (as best shown in Fig. 3), and engaging the segmental rack
bars 15, and 16, of the yoke 13-15-16, which forms a part of the yoke-shaped
lever 54, so that when the spindle 25, (scillates back and forth half a turn, the
notches 28, engaging alternately the dog 34, cause the wheel 30-30 to make half
a turn at a time and between each move stand still until the spindle has moved
back so as to engage with its next notch 28, the pawl 34, of the wheel 30-30*,
and is again oscillated forward with its new hold of the pawi, thus moving the
yoke (as in Figs. 1, and 5), to the right by engaging the rack bar 10, and when the
cogs of the wheel 30-30 release the rack 15, they engage the rack bar 16, aml
move the yoke to the left and so on the cogs of the wheel 80-30* engage
alternately the two rack Lars and cause the yoke to make a full stroke in both
directions for each time the spiral spindle is given half a turn toward the point of
the pawl 34, and when the spindle returns to take a new hold, the spring-held
pawl springs out of one and drops into the other of the notches 28, while the
wheel 30-30x and the yoke stand still. The oscillating motion of the spindle 25,
is caused by the ring 39, having the internal guiding ribs 40, slidingly fitted in the
slots 21, of the casing 20, and the internal studs 41, provided with friction
rollers 42, (shown in Figs. 3, and 8,) engaging the spiral grooves 26, of the spindle.
43, are studs or trunnions provided upon the outer sides of the ring 39, and engage
slots or notches as 44, in the arms 45, of the fork 46, which is an extension of the
lever arm 4, so that when the driver steps on the treadle 2, the ring 39, is moved
upward till it stops against the bridge plate 18, and when the step 2, is released
the spring 7, causes the arm 4, and ring 39, to move downward until the ring stops
against the disc 47, which for that purpose is secured by a screw 48, to the
bottom 22, of the casing 20.

page_text: The frame plate 10, is further provided with two rigid lugs 50, between which
is fulcrumed at 76, a lever 51, (presently to be more fully described), and a rigid
semi-cylindrical spring house 52, of which the edges of the walls are notched or
cut away at 53, to give room for the yoke-shaped lever 54, to swing; which lever is
formed with the large central opening 55; the locking notches 58, a hub 59, and
sleeve 60, (shown in Figs. 5, and 12, and in section in Fig. 3), fitting between the
bedplate 10, and a round disc. 61, located close against the inner side of and having
a round hub 62, projecting through a central aperture 63, in the bottom 64, of the
spring house 52. 65, is a bolt passed through the frame plate 10, the hub 59,
sleeve 60, and disc 61, so that the sleeve swings or rocks on and the disc and
disc hub turn on it. 66, is a twisting coil spring placed upon the sleeve 60, and
having one end engaging the lever 54, at 67, and its other end engaging a hole 68,
in the dise 61, it tends at all times to throw the lever 54, in the direction of the
arrow e, in Fig. 2, and thus lift the hitching weight; the disc 61, (as best shown
in Fig. 2), is provided with a circular row of holes 69, registering with the hole 70,
in the bottom 64, of the spring house; the outer end 71, of the disc hub 62, is
made four-cornered so that a wrench may be put on it, the disc turned to give the
proper tension to the spring 66, and then lock the disc by inserting a pin as 72,
into the hole 70, and one of the holes 69. The lever 51, pivoted between the
lugs 50, is by the spring 74, secured at 75, to one of the lugs 12, of the frame
plate, and having its free end acting outward against the said lever 51,
normally held outward, so as to either engage one of the notches 58, in the
lever 54, or against the inner edge 77, of the lever between the said notches.
Below the fulcrum 76, the lever 31, has pivoted to it at 78, a dog 80, which swings
at right angle with the motion of the fulcrum joint 76, and can bend only in one
direction namely, against the resistance of the spring 79, which is secured at 81, to
the lever 51, and presses with its lower end 82, against the side of the dog 80, so
that the latter is normally kept substantially in a straight line with the lower arm
of the lever 51, and with the stopping lips 83, held against each other. The lower
end of the dog 80, is provided with a hook or tooth 84, having the inclined planes
or faces 85, and 86; 87, is a lug or projection provided upon one of the arms 45, of
the fork 46; it is formed with two inclined faces or planes 88, and 89, adapted to
press respectively against the inclined planes 85, and 86, of the dog tooth 84, when
the fork 45 passes up and down by the said tooth. The lever 54, is provided with
an arm 90, to which is pivotally secured at 91, a sheavehoud 92, housing a sheave
or pulley 93. 94, is a hollow bracket or hood secured up under the bottom of the
wagon and carrying a revoluble pulley 95, and a rigid pin 96. 97, is a belt, wire
rope, chain or other suitable cord, secured with one end to the pin 96, passed over
the pulley 93, in the hood 92, then over the pulley 95, and having its free end 99,
secured to the hitching weight 98, to which is also secured the rear end of the
hitching strap 100, of which the opposite end (not shown) is attached to the bridle
or reins of the horse.
In the modification Fig. 10, is shown how the fork 46, lever arm 4, and
bracket 101, may be located at any suitable piace or part of the wagon, while the
step or treadle 2, arm 3, and bracket 102, may be secured to such other part of the
wagon as may be most convenient for the driver to leave and enter the wagon from;
the lever arms 3, and 4, are in such cases secured upon the ends of a rock_shaft
as 103, which may be of any desired length between the brackets 101, and 102.
In Fig. 1, is shown in dotted lines a secondary lever arm 104, engaging with its
inuer and forked end the notches 44, in the fork arms 45; this lever arm 104, is
extended in opposite direction of the lever arm 4, and in like manner with the latter
provided with a bracket as 5, step arm as 3, and step 2, so that if the driver should
find convenient to step down alternately from both sides of the wagon the fork 46,
will be operated either by the lever arm 4, or the lever arm 104.
In operation, it will be understood that when the driver in entering the vehicle,
depresses the step 2, by his foot, the ring 39, is thereby moved upward so that the
incline 88, acts on the dog 80, and swings out of the notch 58, the lever end 73,

page_text: leaving it to ride on the edge 77, until it drops into the next notch 58; as soon as
the lever 54, has moved that far by the action of the friction rollers 42, in the spiral
grooves 26, of the cylinder 25, which by one of its notches 28, engages the pawl 34,
imparts half a turn to the gear wheel 30-30*, which by engaging the teeth of the
rack 15, throws the lever 54, in the direction of the arrow e, thus lifting the
hitching weight; about half the gravity of the hitching weight is however lifted by
the spring 66. When the step is released from the pressure of the foot the
spring 7, throws the step and its bell crank lever and ring 39, into their normal
position ready for new action; as the fork 46, descends the dog 80, is thrown out
of the way by the contact of the inclines 86, and 89, the spring-held joint 78,
giving way and straightening itself again after the projection 87, of the fork has
passed the dog. When the ring 39, thus descends, it turns the spindle 25, backward
half a turn so that its next notch 28, engages the pawl 34, and is ready to turn the
wheel 30-50 upon the rack 16, and thus throw the lever 54, in the opposite
direction, which takes place when the driver depresses the step by descending from
the vehicle; at the same time the spring 66, is wound up by the descension of the
driver and the hitching weight and thus ready for assisting in lifting the weight
when the driver again enters the vehicle. The winding of the spring and motion
of the lever 54, continue some after the weight has reached the ground,
thereby leaving a slack in the lifting rope 97, so that a slight motion of the vehicle
will stretch the hitching strap 100, without stretching the lifting cord 97.
the ring 39, commences to move upward its inner studs 41, or friction rollers 42,
move in the straight portions 27, of the grooves 26, so as not to turn the spindle 25,
until the incline 88, of the projection 87, has acted against the incline 85, of the
dog 80, and thereby caused the end 73, of the lever 51, to swing inward from the
notch 58, thus setting the lever 54, free to move, and said motion begins before
the inclines quite pass each other, so that when they have passed each other the
lever end 73, cannot drop back into the notch 58, but will strike the edge 77, on
which it is slidingly kept back until received by the next notch 58.
When
From the above description it will be seen that I provide a hitching device which
will tie and untie the horse by the driver's stepping on a treadle or step for getting
upon or down from his seat on the wagon, and that in order to reduce as much as
possible the motion of the treadle or step the mechanism is so constructed that the
lifting of the hitching weight is by means of a re-acting spring divided upon the two
motions given to the treadle in stepping twice on it, in order to get down from and
back upon the wagon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion am in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A hitching device adapted to be secured to a velicle and having a pivoted
swinging step for the driver to step on in entering and leaving the vehicle, a
swinging lever operated by said step, said lever being pivoted at one end and having
to its swinging end secured a sheave or pulley over which passes a loop of a rope,
belt or chain having one of its ends secured to the vehicle and its other end secured
to the hitching weight after being passed over a pulley secured to the vehicle so
that the motion of the weight is twice that of the end of the swinging lever, and
means for locking the lever, substantially and for the purpose set forth.
2. A hitching device adapted to be secured to the vehicle and having a pivoted
swinging step adapted to be operated by the driver's foot in entering and leaving
the vehicle, a swinging lever operated by said step and which is pivoted at one end
and by its swinging end raises and lowers the hitching weight, and a spring assisting
in operating the lever so as to lift the weight; said spring being so arranged that
it is wound up or given tension by the descension of the driver and the weight, and
unwound or expanded when the driver uses the step for entering the vehicle and
raise the weight, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a hitching device adapted to be secured to the bottom of a vehicle, the

page_text: combination of the frame plate 10, having the lugs 12, the lever 54, having the
yoke 13-15-16, with the toothed rack bars 15, and 16, the gear 30-30* adapted
to engage alternately the said racks and having the spring-held pawl 34, and the
shaft 31, the oscillating externally spiral-grooved spindle 25, having the central
hole 29, for receiving the shaft 31, and the two notches 28, by which to engage the
pawl 34, and rotate the gear; the bridge or retaining plate 18, secured to the
lugs 12, and having the central pocket or casing 20, with the side slots 21, and
bottom stem 23, with the central cavity 24, forming journals respectively for the
lower end of the spindle 25, and the shaft 31, the latter having its upper end
journaled in the frame plate as at 49; the said swinging yoke-shaped lever 54,
being pivoted with one end to the frame plate and having its free or swinging end
provided with a hood as 92, carrying a sheave as 93, the bracket 94, having the
sheave 95, and pin 96, the hitching weight 98, having attached to it the hitching
strap 100, and the cord or strap 97, passing over the pulleys or sheaves 95, 93, and
having its upper end secured to the pin or bolt 96; the ring 39, having the guiding
ribs 40, the internal studs 41, and friction rollers thereon adapted to engage the
spiral grooves of the spindle 25, and the external studs or trunnions 43, the fork 46,
having the notches 44, in its arms, fitting upon said trunnions; the bracket 5, and
bell crank lever 3, 4, pivoted therein and having secured to one of its arms the
fork 46, and to its other arm a step plate as 2, for the driver to step on in entering
and leaving the vehicle, a spring for holding said step plate normally elevated and
the means for automatically locking and unlocking the lever 54, both when the
weight is down and when it is up, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 30th day of May 1895.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.