A CART AND CARRIAGE TRACTION TROLLY
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Coke Meynell, of 20, Whitehall Place, in the
City of Westminster, for the Invention of "A CART AND CARRIAGE TRACTION
TROLLY."
Sealed the 28th August 1876, and dated the 24th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Coke Meynell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February 1876.
GERARD COKE MEYNELL, of 20, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"A CART AND CARRIAGE TRACTION TROLLY."
The cart and carriage traction trolly consists of one or more pairs of flanged
railway wheels of small or suitable size fixed on suitable straight or bent axles, at
such a distance apart as to run freely on rails or railway metals, set at such a gauge
as that the wheels of an ordinary farm cart can span or run on either side of them ;
also of a frame, stage, or platform attached by suitable plumber blocks or other
arrangements to preferably on the under side of the said axles. The centre part of
the said stage, frame, or platform, that is to say, the part in the direction of its
length between the pair or pairs of wheels above mentioned, is so formed with
sloping ends or otherwise, and so placed with respect to the ground, road, or tramway
on which the trolly stands, that a horse can step on to it, can advance between the
wheels, and step off it again on the other side. The outer part or parts of the said
frame, stage, or platform, that is to say, the part or parts outside the pair or pairs
of wheels above mentioned, is or are when in position of such dimensions from the
outside of one side to the outside of the other that an ordinary cart can run on it or
them. It or they is or are so hinged or otherwise attached to the remainder of the
said frame, stage, or platform, that generally or when not in use the ends will rest on
the ground before and behind the wheels, and it or they will form a slope or inclino
at both ends of the trolly from the ground to a point or points intermediate between
the said ends; it or they whilst in this position will or may press and keep pressed
a self-acting break or breaks against the wheels, thus preventing or hindering the
trolly from being put in motion. The said outer part or parts of the said stage,
frame, or platform will remain in the before described position, while an ordinary
cart or wagon or other carriage herein-after spoken of generally as "the cart," drawn
or otherwise propelled up the before-mentioned slope or incline until the wheels of
such cart shall have reached or passed the point or points at which the said outer

page_text: part or parts of the said frame, stage, or platform are attached to the remainder of
it, and when or as soon as the wheels of such ordinary cart shall have passed the
said point or points, and as long as such wheels or other adequate weight shall
stand or be on any part of the said outer part or parts situated between the points
at which it or they are hinged or attached; this part or these parts shall take and
keep an horizontal or nearly an horizontal position, that is to say, a position
parallel or nearly so to the ground or rails on which the trolly at the time being be
standing or placed, and by so doing will remove and keep removed a self-acting
break or breaks from contact with the wheels, thus allowing the trolly to be put in
motion.
The cart and carriage traction trolly is provided, besides the self-acting break
above described, with a hand break, and all suitable and necessary_oil holes, grease
boxes, connecting hooks, chains, buffers, springs, and other parts. It is constructed
of wood, iron, steel, or other materials, one or all of them as may be most suitable
and convenient.
The use of the cart and carriage traction trolly is to enable agricultural or other
carts, wagons, and other and specially heavily loaded carriages, to travel with
facility and light draught, especially where roads are bad and road metal deficient,
inferior, and costly, as for example, in fens and marsh lands.
The
The manner of using the cart and carriage traction trolly is as follows:-A light
rail or tramroad on which the trolly can run will or may be laid from any one point,
be it homestead, railway station, high road, or other to any other point with level
crossings of suitable dimensions and materials at its terminus, and at any intermediate
points where necessary, such as field gates, branch roads, &c. These level crossings
are to enable the cart to cross and move on the tramroad in any direction.
tramroad being laid, level crossings made, and the trolly standing at the com-
mencement of the tramroad, the loaded cart with a horse hamessed to it will be
brought to the rear of the trolly facing it, and in the direction in which it is desired
to proceed. The cart will be drawn forward by the horse, which in doing it will
step on to the platform between the wheels of the trolly and off again at the front,
end of it, by which the cart will have been drawn to the centre part of the trolly,
and by its weight the outer parts of the platform will have got their horizontal
position, and by so doing have removed the self-acting break from contact with the
wheels. As the horse advances, the trolly now having no check upon it, will
advance also with the cart upon it. Having arrived at the terminus, or any desired
intermediate point where there is a crossing, the driver by applying the hand break,
of which the handle or lever is conveniently placed for the purpose, stops the trolly,
when the horse without any cessation of draught draws the cart off the trolly and
proceeds in any direction required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the said Letters Patent filed
by the said Gerard Coke Meynell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
August 1876.
GERARD COKE MEYNELL, of 20, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"A CART AND CARRIAGE TRACTION TROLLY."
The cart and carriage traction trolly consists of one or more pairs of flanged
railway wheels of small or suitable size fixed on suitable straight or bent axles at
such a distance apart as to run freely on rails or railway metals set at such a gauge
as that the wheels of an ordinary farm cart can span or run on either side of them;
also of a frame, stage, or platform attached by suitable plumber blocks or other
arrangements to preferably on the under side of the said axles. The centre part of
the said stage, frame, or platform, that is to say, the part in the direction of its
length between the pair or pairs of wheels above mentioned, is so formed with
sloping ends or otherwise, and so placed with respect to the ground, road, or

page_text: tramway on which the trolly stands, that a horse can step on to it, can advance
between the wheels, and step off it again on the other side, or it may be so formed
that the horse can step over it. The outer part or parts of the said frame, stage, or'
platform, that is to say, the part or parts outside the pair or pairs of wheels above
mentioned is or are when in position of such dimensions from the outside of one
side to the outside of the other that an ordinary cart can run on it or them. It or
they is or are so hinged or otherwise attached to the remainder of the said frame,
stage, or platform, that generally or when not in use the ends will rest on the
ground before and behind the wheels, and it or they will form a slope or incline at
both ends of the trolly from the ground to a point or points intermediate between
the said ends; it or they while in this position will or may press and keep pressed
a self-acting break or breaks against the wheels, thus preventing or hindering the
trolly from being put in motion. The said outer part or parts of the said stage,
frame, or platform will remain in the before described position, while an ordinary
cart or wagon or other carriage herein-after spoken of generally as "the cart,"
drawn or otherwise propelled up the before-mentioned slope or incline until the
wheels of such cart shall have reached or passed the point or points at which the
said outer part or parts of the said frame, stage, or platform are attached to the
remainder of it, and when or as soon as the wheels of such ordinary cart shall
have passed the said point or points, and as long as such wheels or other adequate
weight shall stand or be on any part of the said outer part or parts situated between
the points at which it or they are hinged or attached; this part or these parts shall
take and keep a horizontal or nearly a horizontal position, that is to say, a position
parallel or nearly so to the ground or rails on which the trolly at the time being bo
standing or placed, and by so doing will remove and keep removed a self-acting
break or breaks from contact with the wheels, thus allowing the trolly to be put in
motion. Or the centre part of the side platforms may be fixed to the frame whilst
the end parts are hinged, and may be folded back by hand when the cart has been
drawn on to the trolly.
The cart and carriage traction trolly is provided, besides the self-acting break
above described, with a hand break, and all suitable and necessary oil holes, grease
boxes, connecting hooks, chains, buffers, springs, and other parts. It is constructed,
of wood, iron, steel, or other materials, one or all of them as may be most suitable
and convenient.
The self-acting break may if desired be omitted and a hand break only bo
used.
The use of the cart and carriage traction trolly is to enable agricultural or other
carts, wagons, and other, and especially heavily loaded carriages to travel with
facility and light draught, especially where roads are bad and road metal deficient,
inferior, and costly, as for example, in fens and marsh lands.
The manner of using the cart and carriage traction trolly is as follows:-A light
rail or tramroad on which the trolly can run will or may be laid from any one
point, be it homestead, railway station, high road, or other to any other point with
level crossings of suitable dimensions and materials at its terminus, and at any
intermediate points where necessary, such as field gates, branch roads, &c. These
level crossings are to enable the cart to cross and move on the tramroad in any
direction. The tramroad being laid, level crossings made, and the trolly standing
at the commencement of the tramroad, the loaded cart with a horse harnessed to it
will be brought to the rear of the trolly facing it, and in the direction in which it is
desired to proceed. The cart will be drawn forward by the horse, which in doing
it will step on to the platform between the wheels of the trolly and off again at the
front end of it, or steps over the centre girder as the case may be, by which the cart
will have been drawn to the centre part of the trolly, and by its weight the outer
parts of the platform will have got their horizontal position, and by so doing have
removed the self-acting break from contact with the wheels. Or if there is no
self-acting break the hand breaks are then taken off and the inclines raised from off
the ground. As the horse advances, the trolly now having no check upon it, will

page_text: advance also with the cart upon it. Having arrived at the terminus, or any desired
intermediate point where there is a crossing the driver by applying the hand break,
of which the handle or lever is conveniently placed for the purpose, stops the trolly,
when the horse without any cessation of draught draws the cart off the trolly and
proceeds in any direction required.
In order that my Invention may be thoroughly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, a plan; and Figure 3, an end elevation of
a trolly constructed according to my Invention. a are the wheels, the bearings of
whose axles are carried by the side frames b; these frames are connected together
by the girder c; c are hinged flaps or inclines.
When the trolly is empty and waiting to receive a cart, the hinged flaps e are in
When the cart is drawn on to
the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1.
the trolly the horse passes along the space between its wheels stepping over the
girder c. The wheels of the cart mount up the inclines e, and when they pass the
points el at which the inclines are hinged the weight of the cart causes them to lift,
as is shown in Figure 1. The breaks are then taken off and the horse now draws
both the cart and the trolly.
If it is found necessary wedges may also be placed under the wheels of the cart,
60 as to prevent it from accidentally being drawn off the trolly. Chains or hooks
are provided to support the hinged flaps e when it is desired to move the trolly
without a cart upon it.
In the Drawings hand breaks only are shown, but it is evident that the breaks
may be connected to the hinged flaps e, so that they will be automatically put on
In
when the flaps are in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1.
this case the horse will not require to be stopped, as directly the wheels of the cart.
pass the points c¹ the breaks will be taken off and the horse will then go straight
on drawing both the cart and the trolly.
In this
Figure 4 shows a side elevation; Figure 5, a plan; and Figure 6, an end
elevation of a much simpler arrangement of trolly, which for that reason I prefer,
especially if the centre girder be substituted for the platform shewn.
trolly the two side frames carrying the wheels are connected together by a
platform d, along the centre of which the horse walks when drawing the cart on to
the trolly; fare short hinged flaps which are turned down to enable the wheels of a
cart to rise up on to the side platforms; g are wedges to keep the cart in position
on the trolly.
If it is found necessary a chain fixed to the trolly may be hooked to the shafts or
other convenient part of the cart so as to prevent its being drawn over the wedges.
The same letters are employed to indicate the other parts of the trolly as those used
for the former one.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the con-
struction of a traction trolly having a centre space between its wheels, along which
a horse can walk in drawing on a cart, and having platforms outside its wheels to
receive the wheels of the cart, and which trolly with the cart upon it is drawn
forward by the horse as harnesssed, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Coke Meynell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
GERARD C. MEYNELL. (L.S.)