Improvements in Roller-bolts for the Splinter Bars of Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
Improvements in Roller-bolts for the Splinter Bars of Road
Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HENRY SEDWELL of 38 Wellington Road, St. James
Street, Walthamstow in the County of Essex, Wheelwright do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of roller bolts, and
the method of fixing these upon the splinter bars of road vehicles, the object of
my invention being to provide an easy and ready means by which the eye or loop
of the trace may be disengaged from the roller bolt for the purpose of quickly
releasing from the vehicle the horse or other animal when fallen, or injured by
collision or otherwise.
It has hitherto been customary to fix the roller bolts permanently upon the
splinter bar by shrinking or boiting or both, and it frequently happens that when
the animal or animals has or have kicked over the traces or have fallen, that the
great tensional strain upon the trace or traces, renders the disengagement of this
or these from the roller bolt or bolts a matter of impossibility, until the trace or
traces has or have been detached from the harness, a matter difficult to accomplish
when such attachment is beneath the fallen animal, or animals, and the weight of
this or these is pulling upon the trace or traces and pole chain or chains and to
overcome these difficulties is the object and purpose of my invention.
For the purposes of my invention I cast, forge, or otherwise produce of any
metal or combination of metals, a solid or hollow roller bolt, (having any shaped
head or cap) fixed upon, or formed integrally with, a rectangular frame or part
frame, provided with suitable means by which the said frame or part frame may be
hinged or pivotally connected to a like shaped frame or part frame, so that the
former may close or shut down upon the latter. The said second frame is so con-
structed as to fit upon and engage with two or more of the four faces of the splinter
bar, to which it may be bolted or otherwise securely fixed, in such a position, that
the hinged or connected portious of the two frames are, preferably, at the top front
edge of the same, with the roller bolt in a vertical position above the splinter
bar, the two said frames being constructed to automatically engage with each
other when closed by the means of a suitable spring catch at the back or wider
portion of the splinter bar, and either fixed to the said splinter bar or upon, or
formed integrally with, the said upper or lower frame. Or an eye, loop or hook
may be formed upon or fixed to either or both of the said frames, which may be
connected together by a pin bolt or stud, or other suitable means may be employed
by which these may be easily and quickly connected and disconnected when
required, but not spontaneously. In practice the two said frames, when connected
together as stated, would present but a slight difference in appearance from the
roller bolts and their attachments in present use, and the eye loop or chair of the
trace may be slipped upon the roller bolt and be connected thereto in the usual
way, but when the animal has fallen or otherwise and the trace or traces is or are
tightened in the mauoer previously explained, the release of the spring catch or
its equivalent of either roller bolt will permit this aud its frame to be brought

page_text: forward and inverted, and the trace easily slipped therefrom, when the animal
would be released.
Dated this 30th day of April
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roller-bolts for the Splinter Bars of Road
Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HENRY SEDWELL, of 38, Wellington Road, St. James
Street, Walthamstow, in the County of Essex, Wheelwright, 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:--
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of roller bolts, and
the method and means by which the same may be attached to the splinter bars of
road vehicles, and has for its object that of providing an easy and ready means by
which the eye or loop of the trace may be disengaged from the roller bolt, for the
purpose of quickly releasing from the vehicle the horse or other animal when
fallen or injured by collision or otherwise.
It has hitherto been customary to fix the roller bolts permanently upon the
splinter bars by shrinking, bolting or both, and it frequently happens that when
the animal or animals has or have kicked over the trace or traces, or have fallen,
that the great tensional strain upon this or these renders the disengagement of
same from the roller bolt or bolts a matter of impossibility, until the trace or
traces has or have been detached from the harness, a matter difficult to accomplish
when such attachment is beneath the fallen animal or animals, and the weight of
this or these is or are pulling upon the trace or traces and pole chain or chains,
and to overcome these difficulties is the object and purpose of my invention.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have hereunto appended
a sheet of drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a splinter bar shewing my improved device
attached thereto, the second position of the latter being shewn in dotted outline.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of same, but with the hinged plate thrown back and the
roller bolt in position to enable the trace to be disengaged therefrom, when the
horse or other animal has fallen.
Fig. 3 is a back view of Fig. 1, or as this would appear when viewed from left
to right, but from which a portion of the spring catch has been removed.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of the lower of the two said frames or
part frames, illustrating the manner in which I prefer to affix the spring catch
thereto.
For the purposes of my invention, I cast, forge, or otherwise produce of any
metal or combination of metals a solid or preferably hollow roller bolt A, with the
head or cap B of the usual or any desired shape, and such roller bolt A. I fix upon
or form integrally with a rectangular frame or part frame C, provided with
suitable means, such for instance as that shewn, by which it may be hinged or
pivotally connected at F, to a preferably similar shaped frame or part frame D, so
that the former may close or shut down upon the latter as shewn in Fig. 1. The
said second frame or part frame D may be so constructed, as to fit upon and engage
with two or more of the faces of the splinter bar E, but preferably the upper and
back faces as shewn, and be securely fixed thereto by means of a bolt and nut a,
or by any other suitable means, but I reserve to myself the right to form such
frame or part frame D so as to engage with one or all four faces of the splinter

page_text: bar E if desired. The said frame or part-frame D would be preferably so con-
nected to the splinter bar E that the hinged portion F of the two said frames is
preferably at the top front edge of the bar, so that the roller bolt A would be in
a vertical position when the frames were closed as shewn by Fig. 1, the two said
frames C, D, being constructed to automatically engage with each other, when so
closed, by means of a spring catch G, engaging with a lip or projection Ef formed
upon the frame or part frame C, which, when the frames are closed, is seated in
a recess in D formed by projections 6 and 6', the said spring catch G being.
preferably screwed or otherwise connected to the frame or part frame D in the
manner shewn by Fig. 4, a recess being formed in the back of D for the reception
of same. Or the said spring catch G may be fixed to the splinter bar E, or to
the frame C as may be found most convenient. Or in lieu of the said spring
catch I may provide an eye, loop, or hook in each of the projections b and b' of D,.
and an eye, loop or hook in the portion H of C, so that a pin, bolt or stud, or
any other suitable equivalent therefor may be employed to engage with the said
eyes, loops or hooks in both frames, or any other suitable means may be employed
by which C and D may be quickly and easily connected and disconnected at this
part, but not spontaneously. In the under part of the frame C a recess c may be
formed so as to fit over the head of the bolt or its equivalent a, which attaches the
frame D to the splinter bar E. In practice, the said two frames C, D, when
connected together as described, and closed and secured one upon the other as
at Fig. 1, would present an appearance similar to the roller bolts and their attach-
ments as at present used, and the eye, loop, or chain of the trace may be slipped
over the head B of the roller bolt, and be connected thereto in the usual way but
should the animal or animals fall, kick over the trace or traces, or otherwise, and
this or these be tightened in the manner previously explained, the release of the
spring catch G or its equivalent, from its hold upon the upper frame C, would
free the latter and permit this to be brought forward, and the roller bolt A be
inverted as shewn in dotted outline in Fig. 1, and in plan by Fig. 2, when the trace
of this would be thereby slackened and could be easily slipped over the head B.
thereof, and be removed therefrom, when the animal would be released.
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 :-
First. In an improved roller bolt for the splinter bars of road vehicles, the
construction and use of two rectangular frames or part frames, pivotally connected
to each other, the upper carrying the roller bolt, and the lower connected to the
splinter bar, with means for quickly and easily locking and unlocking the said
frames to and from each other substantially as herein described and shewn.
Second. In an improved roller bolt for road vehicles the combination of a pair
of frames or part frames C and D, pivotally connected together at F, the former
carrying a roller bolt A, and the latter connected to the splinter bar E, with means
for quickly and easily locking and unlocking C and D to and from each other,
preferably by that of a spring catch G upon D, engaging with a lip or tongue H
upon C, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of May 1806
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.