An Improved Apparatus for Simultaneously Scotching the Wheels of Fire Escapes, Field Artillery, and of such like Carriages, both in Front and Behind.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1887.
Complete Left, 5th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd June, 1887.
An Improved Apparatus for Simultaneously Scotching the Wheels
of Fire Escapes, Field Artillery, and of such like Carriages,
both in Front and Behind.
| ALGERNON JASPER LYON of 53 Saint Andrew's Street Cambridge in the
County of Cambridge Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for SIMULTANEOUSLY SCOTCHING THE WHEELS OF FIRE ESCAPES, FIELD ARTILLERY,
AND OF SUCH LIKE CARRIAGES BOTH IN FRONT AND BEHIND to be as follows:
--
My invention is designed for the purpose of more quickly scotching the Wheels of
Fire Escapes and Field Artillery and of such like Carriages where rapidity of action
is of the greatest moment and is constructed of two straight or angular pieces of
metal or wood hinged at the centres or at the angles on the axle of the wheels. At the
ends of these bars are hinged four bars of metal or wood having slots cut at their
hinges so that they can lengthen or shorten according to the irregularities of the
ground upon which the wheels stand, the said hanging bars on the same side of the
wheels are tied together by bars of metal or wood the ends of which project beyond
the wheels.
To these projections are fixed the scotch blocks which are so fixed that they have a
little play towards and from the centre of the wheels so that they may the more
readily conform to the irregularities of the ground. The scotch blocks are held from
the wheels by springs working on the hanging bars and bung from the axle or fixed.
on the hanging bars as preferred. Pulleys through which a rope or chain is threaded
are fixed to the crossbars and by pulling the rope or chain, which is by preference so
fixed that the same can be worked in the position in which a man usually is when
pushing the Fire Escape or the Field Gun Carriage, the scotch blocks are brought
under the wheels in front and behind simultaneously, the rope or chain is then made
fast to a cleat or hook and the Fire Escape or Gun Carriage is held firmly, scotched

page_text: both in front and behind. Letting go the rope. or chain releases the scotch blocks
which are then carried away clear of the wheels by the springs hanging from the axle
or fixed to the hanging bars.
The result of the scotches being connected with sliding bars hung from a cross bar
or angular piece of material hinged on the axle is that the scotch blocks on being
moved take an elliptical course touching the tires or circles of the wheels at the
bottoms on the ground but running more and more from the wheels as they rise until
they reach the height of the hinges of the hanging bars at which point they are held
by a chain connecting the opposite hanging bars together.
Dated this Second day of March 1887.

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Simultaneously Scotching the Wheels
of Fire Escapes, Field Artillery, and of such like Carriages,
both in Front and Behind.
I ALGERNON JASPER LYON of 53 Saint Andrew's Street Cambridge in the
County of Cambridge Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of this invention for
SIMULTANEOUSLY SCOTCHING THE WHEELS OF FIRE ESCAPES FIELD ARTILLERY AND
OF SUOH LIKE CARRIAGES BOTH IN FRONT AND BEHIND and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of more quickly scotching the Wheels of
Fire Escapes and Field Artillery and of such like Carriages where rapidity of action
is of the greatest moment. In the annexed Plan Fig. is a side elevation of my
Apparatus fitted on the Wheels of a Fire Escape and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the
Apparatus and Wheels of a Fire Escape having the Springs, g, removed.
The Apparatus is constructed of two straight or angular pieces of metal or wood, a,
hinged at the centres or at the angles on the axle, b, of the Wheels and so for purposes
of adjustment forming moving eccentrics. At each of the four ends of these eccentrics
is hinged a bar, c, having a slot, d, cut at its hinge so that it can lengthen or shorten
according to the irregularities of the ground upon which the Wheels stand, the said
hanging bars on the same side of the axle are tied together by crossbars of metal or
wood, e, the ends of which project beyond the Wheels. To these projections are fixed
Scotchblocks, which have the slots, f, through which the said projections pass
widening outwards giving them a little play towards and from the centre of the
Wheels so that they may the more readily conform to the irregularities of the ground.
The scotchblocks, f, are held from the Wheels by Springs, g, fixed to the hanging
bars, c, and passing through a guide, k, fixed to the moving eccentrics, a. Pulleys, h,
through which a rope or chain, i, is threaded are fixed to the crossbars, e, and to the
axle, 6, the rope or chain is by preference so fixed that the same can be worked in
the position in which a man usually is when pushing the Fire Escape or other
Carriage.
The Apparatus is worked by pulling the rope or chain, i, threaded through the
pulleys, h, by which means the scotchblocks, f, are simultaneously brought under the
Wheels in front and behind, the rope or chain, i, is then made fast to a cleat or hook
which may be fixed in any convenient place and the Fire Escape Gun or other
Carriage is held firmly scotched both in front and behind. Letting go the rope or
chain, i, releases the Scotchblocks, f, which are then carried away clear of the Wheels
by the Springs, y.
The result of the Scotches being connected by sliding bars hung from moving.
eccentrics hinged on the axle is that the Scotchblocks on being moved take an
elliptical course touching the tires or circles of the Wheels at the bottoms on the

page_text: ground but running more and more from the Wheels as they rise until they reach
the height of the hinges of the hanging bars at which point they are held by chains, j,
by which the opposite hanging bars are connected together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :
1. In a mechanical Carriage Scotch, bars or angular pieces of metal or
wood, a,
hinged on the axle, b, and so forming moving eccentrics, lengthening and shortening
bars, c, scotchblocks, f, having widening slots, f, cut therein and springs, g, carrying
the scotchblocks, f, away from the ground when the cord or chain, i, is released all
substantially as described and working as and for the purposes aforesaid.
2. My improved Scotching Apparatus having moving eccentrics, sliding bars, and
slotted scotches particularly as described.
Dated this Fourth day of April 1887