IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELBARROWS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELBARROWS." A communication from
Adrian Wilhelm Pletsch, of Landstuhl, in the Palatinate, in the Empire of
Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissionors of Patents on the 16th September 1880.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort
on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELBARROWS."
[A communication from Adrian Wilhelin Pletsch, of Landstuhl, in the Palatinate,
in the Empire of Germany.]
This Invention relates to wheelbarrows having two wheels, arranged one in
front of the other, and consists, first, in improved methods of constructing the
wheelbarrow so that one of the wheels is freed from weight whilst the barrow is
being loaded; and, second, of a novel method of arranging a brake which operates.
upon one of the wheels, and can be worked by the foot of the person using the
barrow.
The body of the barrow is constructed with one wheel in front in the usual way,
and a second wheel in the same central line as the first, but near the back of the
barrow, which can be made to hold more than an ordinary barrow, the weight
being supported by the two wheels and not resting on the arms of the person
moving the barrow, which he only has to keep balanced.
In order that the barrow may not fall over laterally whilst being loaded, two
legs or feet are arranged, one on each side of the back wheel above described.
These legs or feet are pivotted at their upper ends, and are suspended either to
the axis of the wheel or to suitable centres near such axis, and their lower ends
are made sufficiently large or spreading so that when the weight of the barrow is
supported by them and by the front wheel it remains steady and firm.
The legs described are of such length that when the weight is resting upon them
the back wheel is raised slightly from the ground, and in order to transfer the
rn

page_text: weight from them to the wheel, when the barrow is to be moved along, they are
connected by rods to hinged handles in such manner that as soon as the latter are
taken hold of and lifted in order to move the barrow they lift the hinged legs and
feet with them, and the barrow resting upon its two wheels only can be moved
away at will.
Each hinged handle is preferably made double, two being arranged in such
relative positions that if the person using the barrow pushes it forward he uses one
pair of handles, whilst if he draws it after him he uses the other pair, the handles
in each case raising the legs from the ground by means of the connecting rods, as
above described.
To the back part of the body of the barrow a lever, preferably of iron, is pivotted
in such manner that when it is turned in one direction, one end of it, which is
suitably bent or curved for the purpose, enters between two of the arms of the back
wheel, and by holding the wheel and preventing it from revolving serves as a
brake. When the bar is turned in the other direction the wheel is released.
In order to retain the bar in either position a block of wood or other material is
pivotted at one of its ends to the back of the body of the barrow, and is provided
at its lower edge with two notches, one of which drops upon and retains the brake
lever already described when the latter is in gear with the wheel, and the other
_when_it_is_disengaged from the wheel The pivotted block is arranged in a
position where it can be readily moved by the foot of the person using the barrow.
The cross bars which support the bottom of the body of the barrow are made
long enough to project from-the-sides-of-the-latter,-so-that-when-it-is-turned-over-
-on-either-side-it rests upon_the_ends_of_the_bars; and projections are fixed to the
upper edge of the sides of the body near the handles, so that if the barrow be
turned completely over it rests upon its front end and upon these projections, so
that the handles do not get injured or dirty. The body of the barrow may be
separated into parts by moveable divisions, which can be removed or replaced as
desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th March
1881.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort-
on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELBARROWS.”
A communication from Adrien Wilhelm Pletsch, of Landstuhl, in the Palatinate,
in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to wheelbarrows having two wheels, arranged one in front
of the other; and consists, first, in novel arrangements whereby one of the wheels
is freed from weight while the barrow is being loaded; and, second, in the arrange-
ment of a break which can be worked by the foot and holds one of the wheels of
the barrow.
An improved wheelbarrow, constructed according to this Invention, is represented
in the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure i is an elevation of the barrow
when standing to be loaded, with the hind wheel free from weight and the two
feet let down.
Figure 2 shows the barrow standing, supported by both wheels, and ready to be
either pushed or pulled along; Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 1; and Figure 4
represents the details of the brake apparatus.
The body A of the barrow can be constructed to hold more than the body of an
ordinary wheel barrow, because the weight rests on the two wheels B, B¹, situated
one behind the other, and by this arrangement the weight does not rest on the
arms of the person moving the barrow, he only having to keep the same balanced.
In order that the barrow may not fall over laterally when being filled or loaded
the weight is taken off the wheel B by two feet C, C, and the barrow thus stands
firmly on the front wheel B¹ and two legs or feet C, C. When the barrow is being
moved the legs C, C, are lifted from the ground in the manner now described. The
feet C, C, are connected by the rods D, D, with the handles E, E, in such a manner
that as soon as these latter are taken hold of in order to move the barrow the feet
are lifted from the ground (as shewn in Figure 2), and the barrow rests only
upon its two wheels and can be moved away at will.
If the person pushes the barrow in front of him he takes hold of the handles e;
if on the other hand he pulls the barrow after him he takes hold of the handles e¹.
In both cases the feet are lifted from the ground.
The brake mechanism consists of a lever F, which turns on its pivot f, and is
thus attached to the body A of the barrow. One end of the lever F is bent in
such a manner that it can enter between the spokes of the wheel and thus hold the
latter and prevent it from revolving.
The wooden block G is provided with two cuts or notches g and g¹³, into either
of which the straight end of the lever F can fit, and it is then held either away
from or between the spokes of the wheel. The block G is pivotted at h in such a
manner that it can be easily moved with the foot.
The cross bars H and H' supporting the bottom of the body of the barrow
project so far from the sides of the latter that when it is turned over on its side it
rests on them and not on the wheels. If the barrow is turned right over it rests
on the end and the iron hoops y in such a manner that the handles do not get
injured or dirty.
OC
The divisions inside the barrow are all made to take out at will
Having now described the Invention, and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim,-
First. A wheel barrow having two wheels B and B³, situated one behind the

page_text: other, the feet C, C, in combination with the rods D, D, and handles E, E,
substantially for the purpose and in the manner described.
Second. The brake apparatus consisting of the lever F in combination with
the block G, the latter being provided with the two cuts or notches g, g³, and
serving to hold the lever in its desired position.
Third. The cross bars H, H', projecting beyond the sides of the barrow, and
Berving as supports when the latter is turned over, all substantially as and for the
purposes described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this 12th day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.