Improvements in Thill Couplings of Vehicles for use in Road Con- veyances to make a Yielding Connection between Thills or Poles and Front Axles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application 14th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thill Couplings of Vehicles for use in Road Con-
veyances to make a Yielding Connection between Thills or Poles
and Front Axles.
I, JOHN COSGROVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oxford, in the
County of Benton, and State of Indiana, United States of America, Mechanic,
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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a yielding spring connection between the
thills, or pole, as the case may be, and the front axle of a vehicle.
Where there is a rigid connection between the thills and the front axle, sudden
shocks, occasioned by the wheels striking an obstacle, or by cramping and one wheel
striking the vehicle body, often result in breaking the coupling, or the thills, pole, or
some part of the harness. My improvements prevent such accidents, and consist in
the mechanism hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the front part of a wagon with my improved thill coupling
attached;
Fig. 2 is a section on the line a, a, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a detailed view of part of an axle, with my thill coupling attached;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification.
Referring to the letters upon Figs. 1, 2, 3, of the drawings, A indicates a pair of
wheels; and B an axle, which may be assumed to be the front wheels and axle of
any road vehicle. C indicates a pair of thills, but a pole might of course be used.
D indicates springs, which are attached by means of clips E, or otherwise firmly to
the axle. Findicates two frame pieces, which may be cast in one piece, or formed of
separate pieces, adapted to fit on the axle, and they are secured at each end firmly to
the ends of the springs in any suitable manner. The frame pieces, by the action of
the springs, will slide backwards and forwards on the axle, and thus prevent strain
upon the thill couplings, thills, or harness on an animal. Normally, however, the
frame pieces will rest near their centers, straddling the axle horizontally, so that any
sudden strain from the front or rear will be taken up by the springs, and a severe
shock thus obviated. The frame pieces are hinged to the thills, or pole by vertical
hinges at G, as illustrated, so that the sliding motion of the frame pieces, fastened to
the ends of the springs, is accommodated without straining the fastenings.
This improved hinge and spring connection between the axle and the thills, or pole
of a vehicle, is adapted to all classes of road vehicles, and obviates ordinary liability to
such accidents as cause breaks occasioned by shocks which often frighten animals, and
result in injury or death to persons riding.
But the connection between the thill and coupling may be made rigid, and the
necessary movement of the parts may be provided for by a convolution of the spring
behind the axle, instead of by a pivotal connection between the thill and coupling.
Such a modification is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
Referring to the letters upon Fig. 4, a indicates an ordinary axle provided with
clips b, which may be continuations of the rear irons of the thills, or united to them
in any way so as to afford a rigid connection between the two. These clips straddle
and fit loosely upon the axle and allow it considerable play within them.
c and d indicate springs secured to the front and rear of the axle by clips e. The
outer ends of the springs c are secured to the ends of the thills by bolts f, or by any
convenient means. The springs d pass between the parts of the clips band are curved
around in the manner illustrated and united to the rear ends of said clips by bolts g

page_text: passing through eye-holes in the ends of the springs, or by any convenient means.
The springs c may be provided with curved ends and united to the thills in the same
manner as the springs d are united to the clips, but generally, I believe, for the front
springs a direct connection will be sufficient.
What I claim is :-
1. The combination with a vehicle axle, of front and back springs D secured
thereto, frame pieces E to which the ends of the springs are fastened, and thills, or a
pole pivoted to the frame pieces, substantially as set forth.
2. In a thill-coupling, consisting of clips adapted to be secured to the thills of a
vehicle and secured to the axle of the vehicle by means of front and back springs,
the combination with said clips of a spring secured to the axle and curved at its
ends in the manner described so as to permit free play of the clips upon the axle,
and the use of a rigid connection between the thills and the clips, substantially as
set forth.
JOHN COSGROVE.
Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.