An Improved Cattle Truck for the Humane Transit by Railway of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cattle Truck for the Humane Transit by Railway of
Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs.
I, JOHN ROOTH, of 61, Victoria Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, Cattle Dealer and
Butcher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The improvements refer to railway cattle trucks, which according to this inven-
tion consist of the introduction of battens and cross-battens on floor of truck
thereby securing a firm foot-hold for the animals, and preventing them from slip-
ping and spreading; the battens being so constructed as to admit of their being
readily cleansed or disinfected, their construction also affording free and ample
drainage.
The door-jambs of the truck are formed of rounded angles instead of square,
thus preventing the animals from being cut or bruised when loading or unloading;
the doors are also provided with hooks and latches for holding them firmly to the
sides of the truck, thereby affording complete protection against mishap at the
railway bank, besides greatly facilitating the loading or unloading of the animals.
The interior of the truck is furnished with (1) a folding hay-rack, which when not
in use can be shut up close against the ends of the truck: (2) a portable water-
trough so arranged with divisions and lips as to prevent the water from spilling
over: (3) holes are made through the lip of the trough for securing the cattle by
means of a double chain or tie effectually preventing animals from injuring each
other; (4) the trough is so arranged that it can be placed at any height from the
floor of the truck, thus making it available for large or small animals, and being
portable can be stowed away at top of the truck when not required: (5) a lamp
is provided in the roof of the truck for use when travelling at night. I also
provide screw couplings to reduce the heavy concussion at starting and stopping,
and to minimise the oscilliation and vibration experienced when running: a
pneumatic brake is also provided thereby admitting of the truck being available
for attachment if required to any passenger train, in terms of the Board of Trade
Regulations.
T
1000
An Improved Cattle Truck for the Humane Transit by Railway of
Horses, Cattle, Sheep, and Pigs.
I, JOHN ROOTH, of 61, Victoria Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, Cattle Dealer and
Butcher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
CD 077

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
-
The object of the present invention is to provide a cattle truck of improved con-
struction and arrangement specially adapted for the humane transit by rail of
live stock, and also readily available for use for other purposes.
I will now fully describe my invention and the manner of performing the same
having reference to the annexed explanatory drawings in which similar letters
refer to like parts in all the figures and wherein :-
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of a cattle truck constructed and arranged
in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a detail.
d
SO
a a are the usual double doors of the truck beneath which is the customary
gangway flap b. It will be noted that the angles of the door jambs a¹ are rounded
off (Fig. 2) so as to avoid injuring or grazing the animals passing between them.
On the sides of the truck, hooks are provided, adapted to engage with eyes c¹ on
the doors a, so as to hold the latter firmly open when loading and unloading,
thereby facilitating these operations and avoiding accidents from the swinging of
the doors. The floor of the truck is furnished with battens d and cross battens d'
which give a firm foothold to the animals and are arranged as shewn
with spaces between the CISS battens d¹ and the battens
as to permit of perfect drainage and allow the floor to be readily
cleansed or disinfected, the drainage flowing out through the spaces beneath
the side planks of the truck. Extending across each end of the truck is a folding
hay rack e working on a hinge pin at the bottom and resting when open on
supporting pins e². When not required for use these racks are folded flat against
the ends of the truck as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 1. Across each end of
the truck I also arrange a movable water trough f, divided by cross partitions f¹
into separate compartments and having incurved lips f2, whereby risk of the water
splashing over is lessened. The trough f is supported at each end in brackets g
being held therein by the swing latches h suspended from the pivots ¹. On swing-
ing these latches out of the way of the trough the latter can be easily removed.
fare rings attached to the trough f to which the animals are each fastened by a
double chain or tie so as to effectually prevent them from injuring one another.
Near the floor of the truck similar brackets g' are provided to which the trough
can be shifted when small animals such as sheep and pigs are to be watered. Near
the roof of the truck are brackets in which the trough f can be placed out of the
way when the truck is needed for other purposes than cattle transit. One of these
last mentioned brackets may pivot on a pin at one end and be secured in
position by a locking pin g which passes through its other end into the truck side.
The end of the pivotted bracket 2 can then be lowered for the insertion of one end
of the water trough (the other end thereof having previously been slipped into
the fixed bracket of the pair) and then raised and locked. k (Fig. 4) is the usual
adjustable cross partition along the top of which runs a bar kl the projecting ends
of the latter engaging with the notches 2 formed at intervals along the side frames
of the truck, (Fig. 2.). When the partition k is in position its lower edge fits and
is held steady between the floor battens as indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 1.
I continue the notches 2 the whole length of the truck, the door frames being also
provided with these notches so that the partitions may be hung whereyer desired
and the truck divided off to suit requirements; for example cattle may be carried
at one end of the truck and sheep, pigs or other small animals at the other end.
When the partition is not needed it may be slung out of the way under the roof
of the truck as shewn in Fig. 3. 17 are rings to which tarpaulin ropes may be
attached in the case of roofless trucks. Spring buffers and screw couplings are

page_text: provided to diminish shock and concussion in starting and stopping and to mini-
mise vibration and oscillation during running, and in addition to the usual hand-
brake a pipe m having the usual pattern pneumatic brake couplings is provided
so that the truck may be available for attachment to a passenger train if desired,
in accordance with the Board of Trade regulations. A lamp is also provided for
use when travelling at night.
The water troughs and hay racks being stowed out of the way as above described,
the truck is at once ready for other purposes than live stock transit whilst contain-
ing all the fittings necessary for the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The general construction and arrangement of railway cattle truck having hay
racks adapted to be folded flat against the truck, movable water troughs, and
fittings for holding the latter at different levels, so that they may be used by both
large and small animals or stowed out of the way near the roof, substantially as
described and illustrated and for the purpose set forth.
2. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
an improved cattle truck as described with reference to and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this 13th day of April 1898.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.