IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTS, WAGGONS, AND DRAYS
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Corbett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
March 1869.
I, THOMAS CORBETT, of Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARTS, WAGGONS, AND DRAYS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after
described in hanging or supporting the bodies of carts, waggons, and
drays, used for agricultural and other similar purposes, or for carrying
heavy weights.
I will describe this part of my Invention as applied to a cart. I form
at or near the inner end of each of the arms or parts of the cranked axle
upon which the naves of the wheels turn a strong upright rod, each of
the said upright rods being in a line with the vertical part of the cranked
axle, and parallel with the side of the body of the cart. On each side
of the body of the cart an eye or ring is fixed, which eyes or rings work
upon the upright rods of the axle. Around these rods strong coiled
springs are placed, their upper ends bearing against the eyes or rings on

page_text: the body of the cart, and their lower ends bearing against the arms of
the axle. As the cart is loaded the said springs are compressed, and
when the cart is relieved of its weight the said springs elongate and
return to their normal position.
By these improvements the ordinary bow springs are dispensed with,
and the body of the cart can in consequence be placed nearer to the
ground than usual, so as thereby to facilitate the loading and unloading
of the said cart.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following arrangement of
parts for fastening and unfastening the back boards of carts, waggons,
and drays. Across the back board I place two horizontal bolts or rods,
their outer ends being bevilled; the said bevilled ends being capable of
engaging with projections or staples on the body of the cart, wagon, or
dray. Each bolt is pressed outwards by a spring situated in a box fixed
at about the middle of the back board. One spring, however, may be used
to actuate both of the bolts: On raising the back board for closing the
open end of the cart, waggon, or dray, the said bolts are pressed back
and made to snap into their staples or projections by the action of their
springs; the back board is thereby securely fastened in its place. By
grasping handles on the bolts near their inner ends their outer ends
may be liberated from the staples or projections, and the back board
unfastened.
My Invention consists, thirdly, of the following improvements in
lubricating the axles and axle boxes of carts, waggons, and drays.
In applying this part of my Invention to wheels having wooden
naves, I make a hole in the axle box, and also a hole or recess in the
nave, the said hole in the nave being at the back of the spokes of the
wheel. A screw thread is made in the hole in the iron axle box, and
also in the hole in in the wooden nave. I take a metal chamber or
reservoir of a size proper to be fitted in the holes described and make a
screw thread on its exterior. By screwing the said chamber or reservoir
into the holes in the box and nave it is securely fixed therein; the said
chamber may be made conical or cylindrical. It is closed at top by a
screw or other plug or stopper. In the said chamber grease or other
solid lubricant is placed by preference, but oil may be used. By this
arrangement the axle and axle box are uniformly supplied with the
lubricant from the chamber or reservoir, and a perfect lubrication of the
rubbing parts effected. Further, the grease or lubricant does not come

page_text: in contact with the nave or spokes of the wheel, and the strength of the
wooden nave is not impaired.
In applying this part of my Invention to the wheels of carts, waggons,
and drays, having iron naves, I form the chamber or reservoir for the
grease or lubricant by the casting process by which the said naves are
made, the plugs or stoppers for closing the chambers being afterwards
fitted to them. I prefer to make the chambers or reservoirs in the iron
naves of a globular figure, but I do not limit myself thereto.