An Apparatus for Opening and Closing Roofs and Covers of Covered Wagons, Feeding Racks, and other Receptacles.
Year: 1885

page_text: An Apparatus for Opening and Closing Roofs and Covers of
Covered Wagons, Feeding Racks, and other Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM TURNER, of Newtown in the County of Montgomery, North Wales,
Iron and Brass Founder, and Agricultural Implement Maker & do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for AN APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING ROOFS
AND COVERS OF COVERED WAGONS, FEEDING RACKS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES, to
be as follows :—
This invention is specially designed to facilitate the opening and closing of
heavy or large covers, roofs, or lids, such as are used on sheep feeding-racks, and is
also applicable to all kinds of covered vans, carts, or wagons, or other receptacles,
some portion, or all of the lids, or roofs of which, are required to open occasionally.
In the case of roofs of the ordinary kind, whether flat, lean-to, or arched, one
half of the roof is usually fixed, and the other half is arranged to open by means of
hinges or joints. The moveable part has to be lifted or tilted back by hand, and
when the cover, as often happens, is of considerable size and weight it is a difficult
and somewhat dangerous operation.
My invention consists of two similar series of jointed levers and connecting rods,
each of which form when at rest an irregular quadrant, the rim or periphery of
which is fastened to the end of the cover to be raised. One of these quadrants is
pivoted to each end of the wagon, or sheep-rack, and is connected with the other
by means of levers attached to a horizontal iron bar running through or across the
wagon. From this bar is projected a short lever, to which, in the case of a Sheep-
rack, a foot lever is attached. The result is that by placing the foot on the foot
lever the horizontal bar revolves, and simultaneously the quadrants at each end are
set in motion, whereby the moveable cover is slightly lifted and caused to slide back
without tilting, over the fixed part of the cover, as far as desired, and when
required is readily brought forward into its normal position.
In the case of sheep-racks the foot lever is preferably placed in the centre of the
rack, but it may be at the end if desired, and in the case of wagons a hand lever
may be substituted.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Patent Agent,
97, Nowgate Street, London, E.Q.

page_text: Covered Wagons, Feeding-racks, and other Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM TURNER of Newtown, in the County of Montgomery, North Wales,
Iron and Brass Founder, and Agricultural Implement maker, & do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for AN APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING ROOFS,
AND COVERS OF COVERED WAGONS, FEEDING-RACKS AND OTHER RECEPTACLES, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention is specially designed to overcome the difficulties attending the
opening and closing of large and weighty covers, roofs or lids and while applicable
to any kind of wagon, cart, ashbin, or other receptacle, and to garden forcing
frames or lights, it is especially adapted to cattle feeding-racks, such as are largely
employed in feeding sheep and other cattle and are usually stationed in the fields
for that purpose.
The roofs of these racks are usually formed of two portions one of which is fixed
and the other hinged to the fixed portion.
The moveable part has hitherto been opened by lifting or tilting it back by hand,
and when the cover is, as often happens, of considerable weight, it is no casy
matter for one man to do this and it is attended by considerable risk.
Hinges
My invention enables one man to perform this task easily and quickly.
are altogether dispensed with, and there is no undue strain on the cover itself.
My system is applicable with slight modifications to roofs of almost any
pattern, whether flat, lean-to, or arched, or whether partly fastened or wholly
unfixed. .
It consists of two series of jointed levers, one at each end of the cover, con-
nected by an iron bar, and worked by means of a lever or levers attached to
the bar.
These sets of levers resemble when at rest an irregular quadrant. or triangle
according to the form of roof to be raised.
In the accompanying drawings they are shown in the quadrant form, as adapted
to an arched roof (see figure 11.).
One of these quadrants is placed at each end of the wagon or sheep-rack either
inside or outside as may be preferred, and they are connected together by a
horizontal iron bar, so that they must work simultaneously.
A lever of some sort being attached to the horizontal bar, and pressure being
applied, the bar is caused to revolve when the quadrants at each. end are imme-
diately set in motion, whereby the movable cover is slightly lifted and caused to
slide back without tilting as far as desired, and when required is readily brought
forward into its normal position.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters denote similar parts in both
figures.
From the centre of the horizontal bar (B) a short lever (C) is projected and from
the end of this lever there falls a rod with a foot rest (D).

page_text: The horizontal bar (B) is therefore to be set in motion by the pressure of the
foot applied to this foot rest (D).
It is however obvious that the required lever action might be applied at either
end of the bar, and by means of many other forms of leverage, and that such
leverage might be applied by the hand instead of the foot if preferred.
Figure I-represents a sheep-rack fitted with my apparatus, and also having
guards placed over the wheels to prevent the sheep injuring themselves by contact
therewith.
Figure II-shews the apparatus detached from the receptacle.
A is the series of levers, of irregular quadrant shape at the end of the wagon
or rack.
B-is the horizontal bar.
C-the lever to which the foot pressure is applied.
D is the foot rest and rod.
E is the cover in the open position with quadrant attached.
I wish distinctly to state that I do not confine myself to the precise form or
number of levers employed, but claim to adapt the mechanial details to the
specific work devolving upon any particular apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method herein explained of opening heavy lids or covers by means of a
double series of levers connected by a horizontal bar substantially as described.
2. The system of lifting and sliding back the cover instead of tilting it, by
means of the foregoing or any similar apparatus.
3. The mode of actuating the aforesaid or any similar apparatus by means of
a lever worked by the foot or hand as herein set forth.