Year: 1896

page_text: I, JOSEPH LECHNER of Oswego, County of Oswego, State of New York, U. S. A.,
Clergyman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective means for quickly
and easily detaching runaway horses from vehicles and at the same time applying the
brakes to the wheels of the same.
The invention consists essentially in a hollow whiffletree containing two rods forced
outwardly by the action of compressed springs. On the ends of the whiffle tree are
outwardly extending pins which span the hooks or clips on the ends of the rods, when
said rods and hooks are pushed inwardly by hand against the resistance of a spiral
spring. Spring catches are provided for engaging with notches on these rods and for
holding them in their inward position against the action of the spiral springs. The
holdback straps are each attached to a sleeve held in position by a spring on a
forwardly extending pin secured on the shaft. Provision is also made of a brake or of
brakes normally forced down on the wheels by springs but retractable and retained
in the retracted position by spring catches. A lever or brake handle is arranged
conveniently to the hand of the driver and journalled to the reach or to some part of
the carriage frame and connected by intermediate mechanism both to the spring catch
on the whiffletree and to the spring-catches retaining the retracted brakes. The brake
handle serves as a double lever and when drawn back releases the retracted brake and
simultaneously releases the horse from the whiffletree, the horse by its own action
releasing the hold back straps. The connections are so attached to the lever at varying
distances from the fulcrum as to permit the brakes to be set immediately before, or if
preferred, immediately after the horse is released.
Dated this 8th day of August 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Combined Trace Releaser, Holdback, and Brake.
I, JOSEPH LECHNER of Oswego, County of Oswego, State of New York, U.S.A.,
Clergyman, 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 stateinent:-
The obiect of this invention is to provide a simple and effective means for quickly
I, JOSEPH LECHNER of Oswego, County of Oswego, State of New York, U.Ş.A.,
Clergyman, 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 stateinent :-
The obiect of this invention is to provide a simple and effective means for quickly

page_text: and easily detaching runaway horses from vehicles and for the application at the same
time of the brakes to the wheels of the same.
The invention consists essentially in a hollow whiffletree containing two rods forced
outwardly by the action of compressed springs. On the ends of the whiffletree are
outwardly extending pins which span the hooks or clips on the ends of the rods when
said rods and hooks are pushed inwardly by the hand against the resistance of a spiral
spring. Spring catches are provided for engaging with notches on the rods and for
holding tliem in their inward position against the resistance of the spiral springs.
The holdback straps are each attached to a sleeve held in position by a spring on a
forwardly extending pin secured on the shaft. Provision is also made of a brake or of
brakes normally forced down by springs on the wheels but retractable and retained in
Baid retracted position by spring catches. A lever or brake handle is arranged
conveniently to the hand of the driver, journalled to the reach or to some part of the
vehicle frame and connected by intermediate mechanism both to the spring catch on
the whiffletree and to the spring catches retaining the retracted brakes. The brake
handle acts the part of a double lever and when drawn back releases the retracted
.brake and simultaneously releases the horse from the whiffletree, the horse by its own
action releasing the holdback straps. The connections are so attached to the lever at
varying distances from the fulcruin as to permit the brakes to be set immediately
before, or, if preferred, immediately after the releasing of the horse. In the accom-
panying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle provided with the invention, the
body being broken away.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section of the same.
Fig. 3 an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 to 11 are sectional views of the peculiar whiffletree, shewing the means by
which the traces are attached thereto and the manner of releasing them, Fig. 4 being
a longitudinal vertical section of the whiffletree, shewing the clips retained in their
inward position against the action of the springs, Fig. 5 a similar section, the spring"
catch having been withdrawn and the clips forced outwardly by the action of the
spring, Fig 6 and 7, longitudinal sections taken at right angles to Figs. 4 and 5
respectively. Fig 8 a cross section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 a similar
cross section on line IX-IX of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 a longitudinal section of a modifica-
tion of the whiffletree corresponding to Fig. 4, and Fig. 11 a'view of the same at
right angles to Fig. 10 corresponding to Fig. 7.
Fig. 12 shews a construction in which the peculiar whiffletree may be used with a
pole and pair of horses.
Fig. 13 a longitudinal section of the device for holding the brakes retracted.
Fig. 14 a view of the same shewing its position when the brake is released.
Fig. 15 a modification of the arrangement of handle and connecting bars.
Fig. 16 an isometric view of the holdback sleeve detached from its sustaining pin.
Fig. 17 a longitudinal section of the same in position.
A is the vehicle body, B the frame, C the reach, D the wheels, F the dashboard,
G the shafts, and H the whiffletree. To the reach at 3 is pivotted the lever 1 having
the handle 2 to which is pivotally connected at 4 the bar 5 connected by the link 6
to the arm 7 by means of which the spring catch on the whiffletree is retracted. The
whiffletree H is preferably composed of a tube having it ends closed by screw caps 8
provided with outwardly extending pins 9. In the hollow whiffletree are arranged
the rods 10 bent at right angles near their ends to extend out through slots 11 and
having on their outer ends the clips or hooks 12. In the interior of the whiffletree
tube are fixed stops 13 perforated to permit the rods to pass through between which
stops and the collars 14 on rod 10 are arranged spiral springs 15 tending to force
outwardly the rods 10 and their hooks 12. Rods 10 are provided with notches 16
with which engage the ends 17 of the spring catch 18 forced inwardly by springs 19
and 20, either one or both of which may be used.
21 is the trace and 22 the king bolt.
In Figs. 10 and 11 is shewn a simple modification of a whiffletree in which each
screw cap 8 covering its ends is provided with the outwardly extending and forwardly

page_text: opening hook 23. Each rod. 10 is here straight, its outer end extending outwardly
through a hole in the cap. The fixed stops 13 and the collars 14 on the rod, having
the springs 15 retained between them, are here reversed, so as to force the rod
inwardly. When the trace 21 is to be attached to the vehicle, ench rod is forced
outwardly by means of the handle 24 extending outwardly through the slot 25 the
end of the rod thus spanning the hook opening and engaging the trace. In this
position the end 17 of the spring catch 18 forced inwardly by the springs 19 and 20
engages with the notches 16 and holds the rods 10 in their outward and trace engaging
positions. This form of whiffletree can be used in place of the other, and is more
suitable in certain cases.
The mechanism by which the brakes are sustained and put into operation is best
shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 13, and 14. To the lower end of lever 1 at 39 is pivotally
attached the connecting bar 40 whose rear end is connected to one arm of the bell
crank 41 pivotally connected at 42 to a supporting plate 44. By means of the spring 45
the inner end of the bell crank is drawn rearwardly. The brake 47 is attached by
pivot 48 to the brake support 49 which is connected to the vehicle frame at 50. To
this support 49 is also attached by pin 52 the brake spring 51 forcing the brake down
on the wheel. At the opposite end of the brake is provided an eye 53 with which
engages the end 54 of the rod 55 said end 54 heing bent substantially at right angles
to the main portion of the rod, which fits into a socket 56 and is provided with a
collar 57. In the interior of the socket is arranged the stop 58 having a central hole
to permit the passage of the rod 55. Between the collar 57 and the stop 58 is
arranged a spiral spring 59 normally forcing the rod outwardly. When the rod is
forced inwardly against the action of the spring, it is retained in its inward position
by means of a spring catch 60 attached by pins 61 to the socket 56 whose end 62
engages with notch 63 in the rod 55. Therefore when the rod 55 is released from the
spring catch 60 which is done by means of the lever 1, arm 40, bell crank 41, and
connection 80, attached to eye 81 on spring catch 60, the rod 55 and the lower end 53
of the brake are forced outwardly and the brake is forced down on the wheel and
set, to which end the brake spring 51 co-operates.
To the shafts.G, is attached on each side a holdback pin I which is provided with a
spring K. A sleeve L. (Fig. 17) preferably of metal, is fitted to said hook and spring,
so that when it is pressed into position the interior spring K exerts sufficient force to
hold it firmly on the hook against any danger of its being shaken or knocked off.
its exterior the sleeve L is provided with one or more loops M to which the holdback
straps are attached.
Fig. 12 shews the manner of applying the invention to a pole, so that it may be
used for two horses. The construction of whiffletree in this case is that more fully
illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. The spring catches 18 whose ends 17 engage with the
rods 10 and hold them in their trace engaging position, are pivotted at 70 (Fig. 12) to
arms 71 which are sustained by pins 72 on supports 73 carried on evener 74. On
supports 75 are sustained arms 76.which are pivotted to arms 71 at 77 and at 78 both
arms 76 are pivotally connected to arm 7. It will be evident that when the connecting
arm 7 is drawn rearwardly by means of the lever the spring catches 18 will be drawn
out of engagement with the rods 10.
As shewn in Fig. 3 the distance from pivot 3 to pivot 4 is greater than from pivot 3
to pivot 39 so when the lever 1 is drawn back, the horse will first be released from the
vehicle and within an instant thereafter the brakes will be released and set.
In Fig. 15 is shewn a different arrangement, by means of which the brakes are set
the instant before the horse is released, the distance here from fulcrum 3 to pivot 39
being greater than the distance from fulcrum 3 to pivot. 4. The single lever 1 with
fulerum at 3 acts in a double capacity.
The operation of the combined trace releaser, holdback, and brake will be clear.
The horse is attached to the vehicle by the engagement of traces 21 with pins 9 and
clips 12 said clips on ends of rod 10 being forced inwardly against the action of
springs 15 and held in inward position by spring catch 18, At the same time the

page_text: holdback sleeves are pressed upon their sustaining pins, where they are retained
against accidental displacement by the action of the spring K, but when the hold-
back straps are attached thereto may be easily drawn off thereby. The horse being
so attached, the brakes are set in their retracted position, which is done by pressing
rearwardly the lower end of each, which is connected to the bent rod 55. This rod
being thus pushed inwardly into its socket, the end of the spring catch 60 engages
with the notch 63 and holds the rod in its inward position against the action of the
spring 59 and the brake is thus held free from the wheel, springs 59 and 51 both
being compressed. When it becomes desirable to release the animal, the driver
(with presence of mind) seizes the handle of the lever, which is arranged in a con-
venient position against the dashboard of the vehicle, and, drawing it towards him,
withdraws the spring catch on the whiffletrees, permitting the spiral springs to
operate and to throw the rods and clips out of engaging position with the traces, and
thus release the horse, which then escaping from the vehicle, draws off the holdback
sleeves from their supporting arms, the interior springs offering no positive resistance.
Almost at the same instant the spring catches, by which the brake retaining rods are
held in their retracted position, are withdrawn, the lower ends of the brakes forced
outwardly and their upper ends forced downwardly, so as to engage the wheels and
stop the vehicle. It is preferred with the arrangement of Fig. 15 to set the brakes
the instant before the horse is released, but as these two results are effected almost
simultaneously by substantially one act the difference is not great. While it is the
main object to use all the improvements in combination, yet any one of the several
devices can be used separately if so desired or the trace releaser and holdback can be
used without the brake which would dispense with all the brake mechanisms.
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 combination of a trace releaser, holdback, and brake, consisting of a hollow
whiffletree attached to the shafts,clips sustained thereon and rods reciprocating therein,
said clips and rods adapted to co-operate to engage with the traces, springs arranged
between stops in the interior of the whiffletree and collars on the rods, to force said
rods out of their engaging position with the traces; a double spring catch having
ends arranged to engage with notches on said rods to hold said rods in their engaging
position; hold back sleeves fitted to forwardly projecting pins and springs on the shafts
for the attachment of the hold back straps; a brake pivotally sustained near its middle
on a support attached to the vehicle frame; springs for forcing the shoe end of the
brake into engagement with the vehicle wheel; an eye on the opposite end of the
brake, a rod engaging with said eye and sustained in a socket, a spring arranged
between a stop and a collar for forcing said rod and the connected brake, both retained
in a retracted position, out of said retracted position; a spring catch engaging with
a notch in the rod for holding said rod and brake in their retracted position; and a
lever attached to the vehicle frame and having its handle arranged in a convenient
position near the dashboard, said lever being connected by intermediate connections
both to the whiffletree spring catch and to one end of a bell crank pivoted to the
vehicle frame and having its other end connected to the brake retaining spring catch,
substantially as described and shewn.
2. In a combined trace releaser, holdback, and brake, a brake pivotally connected
at or near its middle to a support attached to the vehicle frame, a spring arranged to
force the shoe end of said brake against the wheel, an eye at the opposite end of said
brake, a rod engaging with said eye and sustained in a socket attached to the vehicle
frame, a spiral spring arranged between a stop in said socket and a collar on said rod
for forcing said rod outwardly, a spring catch engaging with said rod for holding it
in its inward position against the action of said spring, said spring catch being
connected to a bell crank, and said bell crank connected by intermediate mechanism
to a lever, by means of which said spring catch may be drawn out of engagement,
Substantially as described and shewn,

page_text: 3. In a combined trace releaser, holdback, and brake the general combination and
arrangement of parts substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1897.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.