AN IMPROVED TRUCK OR BARROW FOR WHEELING AND TIPPING COKE, COAL, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brett, of the Gas Works, Hertford, in the
County of Hertford, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED TRUCK OR
BARROW FOR WHEELING AND TIPPING COKE, COAL, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 1st May 1866, and dated the 4th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
November 1865.
I, WILLIAM BRETT, of the Gas Works, Hertford, in the County of
Hertford, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
TRUCK OR BARROW FOR WHEELING AND TIPPING COKE, COAL, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed chiefly for trucks or barrows to be used in gas-
works for removing the hot coke from the retorts and tipping the same into
heaps, but it is equally applicable to trucks or barrows used for other purposes
where the body of the same is required to be tipped or turned completely over.
The truck consists of an iron framework, having a handle at one end, in which

page_text: framework the body of the truck is suspended on two trunnions (one at each
side) the said trunnions not being fixed in the centre of the body, but so that
the greater portion of the weight shall be towards the handle. The body of
the truck (if intended for coke) is formed of open bars of iron, but if used for
coal or other substances it should be formed of sheet iron rivetted on to a
frame of angle iron. The top edge of the body is straight, and the bottom
forms nearly a semicircle, and it is provided at the front with two handles by
means of which it may be tilted. The frame is also provided with a handle,
by which the truck is drawn, and which is also used in tipping or tilting it
over in the following manner :-When it is desired to tip the truck or barrow
the body of the truck is first tilted into an upright position by means of
one of the handles attached thereto. The handle of the frame by which the
truck is drawn is then raised, bringing the back part of the frame on to the
ground; on raising the handle still higher, lifting the wheels from the ground,
the centre of suspension of the body is thrown outside the point of support,
when the body being overbalanced immediately turns completely over bottom
upwards. On lowering the handle the body of the truck or barrow falls back
and assumes its original position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Brett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BRETT, of the Gas Works, Hertford, in the County of Hertford, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the
ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Brett, Her special license that I, the said
William Brett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others.as
I, the said- William Brett, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED TRUCK OR BARROW FOR WHEELING AND TIPPING COKE, COAL, OR OTHER

page_text: SUBSTANCES, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William.
Brett, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Brett, do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The improved truck or barrow which constitutes this Invention consists
of a hollow semi-cylindrical shaped holder, the sides and bottom or periphery
of which are made of a number of plates or hoops of iron, between which
plates and hoops respectively, both at the sides and bottom, openings of about
one inch in width more or less are left. The object of these openings is to
cause the heated mass of gas coke, furnace cinders, or other hot material to
be acted upon by the external atmosphere and be more rapidly cooled, thus
lessening its injurious effect on the holder. This holder, which forms the
body of the truck or barrow, is mounted upon two standards of a cranked
axle, the latter being supported on travelling wheels. The cranked axle is
fixed to a frame to which a shaft or handle is fitted for moving the whole.
The holder can be tipped upon its own axis (which is independent of that of
the wheels) while both frame and wheels remain stationary. It can also be
turned over bottom upwards or nearly so by raising the shaft of the travelling
frame.
The details of form and construction will be best explained by the
accompanying Drawing, to which the following explanation refers.
EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of my said improved trucks, and shews
the same in its horizontal position; Fig. 2, front view of the same; Fig. 3,
a plan thereof, taken over all; Fig. 4 shews the truck when tipped over
bottom upwards by elevating the travelling frame.
The following index applies to each Fig. where the reference letters are
respectively repeated :-
a, the wheels upon which the truck travels; b, a cranked axle mounted
upon the travelling wheels, upon the upper limbs or standards 6' of which
cranked axle the holder or body of the truck is supported; c, independent

page_text: centres, upon which the body is tipped by raising the handle c¹; d, a frame
attached to the crank axle at d by the diagonal pieces d³, d'; e, the foot
rest and truck shaft for moving the same. The form of the frame and
handle and frame connections are shewn at Fig. 2. f is a tie bar passing
under the fore part of the body, and upon which bar the fore part of the body
rests. The body of the truck consists of a skeleton framework of angle iron,
the sides and bottoms of which are formed with iron plates or hoops, between
which plates and hoops respectively openings are left. 9, 9, the side plates. In
practice I prefer to make the side plates to curve a little outwards to prevent
them from buckling in from the heat. h, h, the bottom plates or hoops; i, i,
the flat or angle iron framing; j, a hollow or curved handle on the fore part
of the truck shaft. The object of this form is to allow the man to place his
body in the space f¹ and pass his arms at the elbow joints behind the ends
at and when hauling or moving the load.
On reference to Fig. 1 of the Drawing it will be seen from the way in
which the body is supported upon the vertical limbs of the crank axle that
the axis of motion is placed as near as possible to the line of centre of gravity
vertically, but in the rear of the centre longitudinally, so that very little power
is required to tip the holder when loaded. By placing the independent
tipping axis a little out of the centre, it gives the holder greater stability.
The tipping operation may be performed by raising the handle until the
end of the holder rests upon the axle at ; it can then be turned over by
elevating the shaft e and handle j to the position shewn at Fig. 4. The end
feet d' of the side frames then become the supports upon which the body of
the truck and shaft and frame partly balance each other, so that very little
power is required to turn it completely. over. The space between the end
feet dis left open, so that the materials in the truck fall clear, as shewn
at A, and when the truck is thus completely emptied by lowering the
shaft e the body will fall over upon its axis by its own gravity, and clear the
heap.
By the skeleton principle of construction the durability of the holder when
used for removing burning materials, such as gas coke from the retorts, cinders
or clinkers from the furnaces, or other heated substances, is greatly increased.
Another advantage of the skeleton mode of construction is the facility which
it affords for repairs when necessary.
Without restricting myself to the precise dimensions and proportions
of the parts of the truck shewn upon the Drawing, I hereby further declare
that what I more particularly claim in the said improved truck or barrow
is,-

page_text: 1st, the open sides and bottoms for admitting the air to cool the heated
materials contained therein.
2ndly, the mode of inclining and tipping the said holder by means of the
handles and shaft.
3rdly, the mode of mounting the body as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM BRETT. (L.B.)