IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELBARROWS
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st December 1875.-A communication from abroad by Ferdinand
Philippe, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELBARROWS," a com.
munication to me from abroad by Ferdinand Philippe, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of wheelbarrows in general,
and has reference particularly to a new arrangement of tipping body or
box adapted for the service of blast furnaces, mines, charcoal burners,
kilns, and for other purposes for which wheelbarrows are employed.
The Invention anhwanes the following features vizt.

page_text: is drawn towards the point of support, whereby a heavier load may be
carried by the exertion of the same force.
3rd. Whereas in ordinary barrows the slant or inclination of the sides
of the body is directed forwards, which arrangement has a tendency to
throw the load on the arms of the man drawing or propelling the barrow;
in this system on the contrary the slant or inclination is towards the
wheel, the object being to settle the load naturally whereby the man's
arms are relieved of the weight.
4th. The wheels which are employed are constructed of cast and
wrought iron, they are light and very strong, and work very easily.
5th. The legs or supports are lengthened to diminish the strain
on the loins, which ordinary barrows cause to the workman when
starting.
6th. The bodies being of sheet iron with inclined or flaring sides can
be emptied in any direction.
7th. All the parts of which this barrow is composed are united by
bolts, it may therefore be readily taken to pieces when any part becomes
injured.
8th. By reason of the special construction of these barrows they
are rendered much more durable than the ordinary wooden barrows.
9th. They are very light and possess the important advantage of
containing a larger volume without requiring on the part of the work-
man any greater exertion.
In carrying out this Invention the barrow which may be mounted on
either one or two wheels as desired, is composed of a movable body
capable of tipping forward by turning on two pivots or hinges which are
united by bolts, and placed nearly perpendicularly to the axis of the
wheel or wheels, in such a manner as to cause the point of support and
the load to rest entirely upon the wheel or wheels.
The unloading is effected without stopping, it suffices to press the
foot on a pedal acting as a lever, the jointed part of which is placed
between cross bars fixed to the legs and holding them firmly in position.
The pedal is provided with a catch which maintains the box or body
in position when loaded, and which is released for the tipping and
discharge of the barrow by the act of depressing the pedal.

page_text: A roller is provided at the extremity of the pedal, which when the
latter is manipulated presses against a round rod fixed underneath the
box, in order to preserve the sheet iron bottom from being worn by the
friction, or a projecting round bar carried on the end of the pedal may be
substituted for the roller.
box, in order to preserve the sheet iron bottom from being worn by the
friction, or a projecting round bar carried on the end of the pedal may be
substituted for the roller.
The arms of the barrow are of hollow iron curved in the usual shape
and made very light, whilst at the same time capable of resisting any
required strain.