Improvements in Couplings of Shafts and Splinter Bars of Four Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 8th June, 1888
Improvements in Couplings of Shafts and Splinter Bars of Four
Wheeled Vehicles.
We, JOHN GEORGE MAYTHORN, of No. 12, Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Maker, and GEORGE ONLEY GOODAY, of Great Leighs,
in the County of Essex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in means for connecting shafts and splinter
bars to the futchels of four wheeled vehicles whereby the attachment, disconnection
and interchangeability of the same can be effected in a speedy and simple manner.
A longitudinal slot is formed at the inner end of the shaft or in a block attached to
the splinter bar, and a bolt or rivet, passed through the projecting sides of the futchel
is secured in that position.
When the said futchel is constructed for the connection of a shaft the outer pro-
jecting side thereof is slightly prolonged and a curved recess is formed on the inner
face of such prolongation and a correspondingly curved lug is formed on the side of
the shaft. When it is desired to connect the shaft to the futchel the outer end of the
former is raised to a vertical position and the inner end is passed between the pro-
jecting sides of the latter so that the fixed bolt or rivet across the same enters the
slot in the end of the shaft, the shaft is then turned down, the said bolt acting as
the pivot, and the lug at the side of the shaft enters the curved recess on the face of
the prolonged side of the futchel and tends to keep the shaft in its position in the
latter.
When this invention is applied to the coupling of a splinter bar, the block
attached to the splinter har is made deeper than the futchel and the outer end of the
slot therein is widened so that when the said block is passed into the recess between
the projecting sides (jaw) of the futchel the before mentioned bolt enters the slot and
the lugs formed by the enlargement of the end of the slot overlap the top and bottom
of the body of the futchel at the end of the recess, the block being fixed in that
position by a bolt which is passed through suitable holes made in the projecting
sides of the futchel and in the block.
Dated this Twelfth day of August 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.¨´
Improvements in Couplings of Shafts and Splinter Bars of Four
Wheeled Vehicles.
We, JOHN GEORGE MAYTHORN, of No. 12, Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Coach Maker, and GEORGE ONLEY GOODAY, of Great
Leighs, in the County of Essex, Engineer, 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:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in means for connecting shafts and
splinter bars to the futchels of four wheeled vehicles, whereby the attachment and
disconnection and interchangeability of the same, is greatly facilitated.
A longitudinal horizontal slot is formed at the shank end of the shaft, or, in a block
which is secured to the splinter bar in the ordinary way or by a band or strap provided
for the reception of the same, and a bolt or rivet is passed through the projecting
sides of the futchel and is secured in that position. The projecting sides of the
futchel are made slightly longer than is ordinarily the case and a curved recess is
formed on the inner face of one or both of them a correspondingly curved lug or rib
being formed on one or both sides of the end of the shaft. When it is desired to
connect the shaft to the futchel the former is raised to a vertical position and the
shank end is passed between the projecting sides of the latter, so that, on the down-
ward movement of the shaft, the fixed bolt or rivet across the futchel enters the slot
in the end of the shaft which is then turned down, the said bolt or rivet acting as the
centre, and the lug or lugs on the shaft enters or enter the curved recess or recesses
on the side or sides of the futchel and the shaft and futchel are thereby securely
coupled together, to detach the shaft the same has only to be moved in the reverse
way to that lastly described.
Instead of forming the sides of the futchel in one piece, metal plates are, in some
cases, recessed and placed on to projecting pieces connected to the body of the futchel
and are attached thereto, the plates so arranged constitute the inner faces of the
projecting sides of the futchel and also the recessed ends of the same.
When this invention is applied to a splinter bar, blocks corresponding in construc-
tion to the end of the shaft herein before described are secured to the splinter bar, the
said blocks are made deeper than the futchel and the lower part is prolonged so that
it will, when the latter is in position, come against the under surface of the body of
the futchel, and act as a stop. When the block is in position a space exists between,
the end thereof and the end of the space between the projecting sides of the futchel
and into the upper part of that space is placed a square or rectangular plug.
We will now describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
from which the nature thereof will be more clearly understood. The same letters of
reference indicate like parts in all the figures. Figure 1. is a side elevation of a
futchel with the shank end of a shaft within the same. The end of the shaft is shown
in its proper position by dotted lines; a. are the projecting sides of an ordinary

page_text: futchel, and a¹ are metal plates which are placed thereon as hereinbefore stated and
are secured by the folding down of the edges or flanges a'; a³ are the curved
recesses which are shown by dotted lines, and a* is a bolt which may be
permanently fixed in the position shown. Figure 2. is a side elevation of the shank
end of a shaft, in which 6. is the horizontal slot and ¹ the curved lug or rib. The
said end of the shaft is made of iron or other suitable metal. Figures 3. and 4. are
respectively top views of the former figures, with the exception, that in Figure 3. the
end of the shaft is removed. Figure 5. is a side elevation of a splinter bar block,
it will be observed that the same is made deeper in order that, when it is in position,
the lug c. bears against the under face of the futchel, the shoulder c¹ bears against
the futchel at the end of the space between the projecting sides, and the square or
rectangular plug d. (Figures 6. and 8.) is placed between the end of the centre of
the space between the projecting sides of the futchel and the upper part of the end of
the block and is secured in any suitable manner, by the above means the said block
is retained rigidly in position. e. is a band or strap by which the block may be secured
to the splinter bar. Figure 6. is a side olevation of a futchel with a splinter bar
block secured in position and Figures 7. and 8. are respectively top views of Figures 5.
and 6.
In the drawings the plates a¹ are shown fixed on the projecting ends a. of the
futchel for the purpose of prolonging the same, but it will be readily understood that
if the latter be made of metal they may be prolonged and provided with the curved
recesses a³ in which case the said plates a² would be dispensed with.
Shafts, futchels and splinter bar blocks, constructed as hereinbefore described allow
of the shafts of a carriage being exchanged for the splinter bar or vice versâ, in a
very short space of time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The improvements in the construction of the futchels of four wheeled
vehicles, consisting of prolonging the ends of the projecting sides thereof and form-
ing a curved recess on the inner face of the end of one or both of such sides, a bolt
or rivet being fixed across the space between the said sides, substantially as, and for
the purpose, hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. Constructing the shank end of shafts of four wheel vehicles of metal
and forming a longitudinal horizontal slot therein and providing such end of the shaft
with a curved lug or rib on one or both sides, substantially as, and for the purpose,
hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
And thirdly. Securing the splinter bars of four wheel vehicles to blocks constructed
as above described, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore set forth and
shown in the accompanying drawings.