Improved Means of Connecting Draught Animals to Vehicles and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Connecting Draught Animals to Vehicles and
the like.
I, THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG, of Thornton Road, Bradford, Yorkshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means of carrying out the improved system
of connecting draught animals to vehicles ground implements and the like having
fore and aft axles and wheels or other fore and aft bearings upon the ground for
which Letters Patent No. 3321 of 1891 were granted to me.
In such system, the co-operation of two oppositely acting forces brought to bear
on the animal's fore-quarters (the one effected automatically and constantly tending
to support the animal, and the other effected by the draught of the animal and
variably in the ratio of the animals pull-bearing downwardly on the animal and
more or less neutralizing or preponderating over the supporting force,) is effective
in automatically determining and giving the animal the benefit of the best
attainable angle of draught at all times and on all conditions of road, so obtaining
a continuous automatic relation between the work to be done and the expenditure
of energy by the connected draught animal necessary to perform such work,
whereby the natural forces of the animal are caused to be preserved and utilized to
the best advantage.
The meaus hitherto employed by me in carrying out such improved system are
described in the Specifications of said Letters Patent No. 3321 of 1891, and of
Letters Patent No. 4296 of 1893, and 12861 of 1893, also granted to me.
In the means described in the Specification of Patent No. 3321 of 1891, the
supporting force is effected by springs operating on the animal through shafts and
a belly band, and the downwardly operating force is effected through downwardly
inclined traces connected to the animal at the collar in a usual manner and to the
vehicle as much below the usual points of attachment to the fore-carriage or
splinter-bar as the construction of the fore-carriage or of the particular vehicle
will permit, the shafts and traces having no mechanical connection otherwise than
through the fore-carriage and acting on the animal independently of each other,
and the vehicle being backed and turned by the shafts.
In the means described in the Specification of Patent No. 4296 of 1893, the
supporting and downwardly bearing forces are both caused to operate on the
animal through rigid arched peculiarly-connected spring-controlled trace-levers
and belly and back bands, the trace-levers having their ends disposed in a
downwardly inclined plane relative to flexible connections to the animal at the
collar, their rear ends being pivotally connected to the fore-carriage at as low
points of attachment as convenient, their forward ends being connected to the
animal by a belly-band adapted to support the animal's fore-quarters and by a
back-band adapted to bear downwardly on such fore-quarters, such levers being
also (at any convenient parts of their arched parts) connected to the fore-carriage
by adjustable springs which normally tend to raise the fore ends of the trace-levers
and, the belly band and to support the animal's fore-quarters, and being also (at
any convenient parts of the arched parts or at or forward of their connections to

page_text: the belly-band and back-band) connected to the animal at the collar by flexible
trace connections so applied as normally to occupy an ordinary inclination (such as
that of ordinary traces connected directly from the collar to the ordinary trace-
hooks of a fore-carriage) and as, when in tension, to tend to draw the connections
of the flexible traces to the trace-levers into alignment with the connections of the
traces to the collar and of the trace-levers to the fore-carriage so as to variably
counteract (in the ratio of the pull exerted by the animal) said supporting action
of the springs effected through the trace-levers and belly band, and, after over-
coming the same, to effect a downward bearing on the animal through the
trace-levers and back-band tending to increase its weight and enabling it to haul a
load which it could not otherwise move, all as more fully described in said
Specification, all such connections being additional to the ordinary shafts or pole
connections which, in such vehicles having fore carriages or equivalent turning or
steering parts, were used for turning and backing the vehicles, shafts (if used)
being connected to a breech-strap and supported from the back-band in a usual
manner, without, however, being connected to the belly-band.
The means described in the Specification of Patent 12861 of 1893, for causing
the supporting and downwardly bearing forces to operate on the animal are the
same as described in the Specification of Patent No. 4296 of 1893, such means
being used, in vehicles of the nature aforesaid having fore carriages or equivalent
turning or steering parts, in combination with combined backing and steering
attachments, which are connected to the trace-levers at forward parts and to the
fore-carriage at high points of attachment and together by a breech strap, and
enable the shafts or pole connections used (in vehicles of the nature aforesaid)
with the arrangement of Patent No. 4296 of 1893, to be dispensed with in such
vehicles.
In the present improved means, both the supporting force and the counteracting
downwardly bearing force are caused to operate on the animal directly through
shafts and connected belly and back bands, and the shafts are also used for steering
and backing the vehicle.
The improved means are of advantage in relation to those of my Patent 3321",
in that they avoid the liability of the animal stepping over the downwardly
inclined and lowly connected traces of such means, and in that they cause both the
supporting force and the downwardly bearing force to be applied to the animal
through one and the same appliance, as in, but a different appliance to that of, my
Patent 4296 of 1893;-and they are of advantage in relation to those of such
Patent 4296 of 1893, in that, while retaining all the advantages of such latter
means, they support the weight of the shafts, and dispense with the trace-levers
used in such means additionally to the shafts, and materially simplify the means
necessary to carry out such system in such manner that both said forces are caused
to act on the animal through one and the same appliance, and render the apparatus
much less cumbersome, more sightly in appearance, much less expensive in
construction, easier to connect up, and less liable to get out of order; and they
are of similar advantage in relation to those of my Patent 12863 of 1893, and
further in that the rigid shaft frame is better adapted to effect the steering of the
fore-carriage than are the trace-levers and combined steering and backing
attachments of such Patent, particularly in drays or other heavy vehicles used for
transporting merchandise in any considerable quantity or bulk; to vehicles of
which nature the application of the invention is of the greatest advantage.
In the improved means, the shafts extend rearwardly to the hinder part of the 5
fore-carriage or under gear, to which they are pivotally connected, and forward of
the fore-carriage they are connected together by one or more cross bars in such a
manner as to constitute a rigid frame from the pivotal connections to the fore-
carriage to their fore ends when in use, the parts thereof or shafts proper forward
of the fore-carriage being, however, socketted into or otherwise so connected to the 5
frame as to permit of their being withdrawn or turned up for convenience of storing
ahe vehicles away closely.

page_text: The forward part of the shaft-frame is supported by an adjustable spring
(preferably a spring in compression) situated centrally of the vehicle, or by like
springs situated towards the sides of the vehicle, the spring or springs having its or
their bearing against a crosshead pivotally connected to the fore axle, and being of
sufficient strength to support the shafts about their centres and also to support any
desired portion (say fifty pounds more or less) of the animal's weight at the belly-
band, and constantly operating with such effect excepting when more or less
neutralized or overcome by the counteracting downwardly bearing force also
operating through the shafts as hereinafter described.
Centrally of the cross bar connecting the shafts is supported a grooved pulley,
and centrally of the fore-carriage (when fitted to a single animal vehicle) is fixed a
depending bracket which supports another grooved pulley at a lower elevation than
that supported by the cross bar.
The animal is connected to the vehicle by a belly-band and a back-band to both
of which the shafts are directly connected, and also by traces which occupy an
ordinary position (such as that of ordinary traces connected directly from the
collar to the ordinary trace-hooks of a fore-carriage) and through which the
animal effects its pull, the same being connected to the animal at the collar, and to
a swingle-tree from the centre of which the connection to the vehicle is continued
by a flexible trace which passes over the pulley supported by the cross bar of the
shaft-frame downwardly to and under the pulley supported by the bracket
depending from the fore-carriage, and is carried up and secured to the shaft-frame
or may be secured to the fore-carriage.
By the application of such improved means, in which shafts are retained and
used in an ordinary manner for steering and backing purposes, the draught animal
while at rest is not only relieved of the weight of the shafts but is supported thereby
to the full extent of the lifting power of the supporting spring or springs, and when
in traction is likewise supported to a variable extent, until its whole weight or a
superadded weight is required to overcome the resistance and haul the load, which
effect is caused by the automatic operation of the apparatus; the effect of the
animal's pull through the traces being to depress the pulley supported by the shaft-
frame in proportion to the pull exerted, which correspondingly counteracts the
supporting tendency of the spring or springs operating through the shaft-frame and
belly-band, or wholly neutralizes such tendency and causes not only the weight of
the shafts to be applied to the animal, but also any additional downward pressure
the same are caused to exert, the effect being that while some of the load is
transferred from the small front wheels to the large hind wheels, another portion
thereof is transferred to the animal's fore-quarters, making the animal at that time
equal in hauling power to a much heavier animal and enabling it to haul a loal
which otherwise it could not move, the whole apparatus acting automatically and at
all times to the advantage of the animal.
The improved means have herein before been described as applied to a vehicle
drawn by a single animal but they may be applied to vehicles drawn by two or more
animals.
In applying such means to a vehicle drawn by a pair of animals, the shaft-frame
of each animal may be continued as an extension running rearward of the cross bar
in a line with the longitudinal centre of the animal, the rear end of the extension
of each shaft-frame being pivotally or otherwise equivalently connected to the rear
of the fore-carriage at its side thereof, one of the aforesaid depending brackets
carrying a grooved pulley being fixed to the underside of the fore-carriage at each
side thereof as nearly as possible in line with the longitudinal centre of the animal,
the draught attachment of each animal being thus adapted to operate independently
of the other.
In such case, an ordinary pole may be used for steering and backing as usual, or
these functions may also be performed by said rearward extensions of the shaft-
frame and the connections thereof to the fore-carriage, the steering function being
facilitated by securing suitable slide bars to the fore side parts of the fore-carriage

page_text: adapted to relieve the pivotal connections of such extensions to the rear side parts
of the fore-carriage from strain in the act of turning the vehicle.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means of Connecting Draught Animals to Vehicles and
the like.
'
I, THOMAS HARGREAVES BRIGG, of Thornton Road, Bradford, Yorkshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improved means of carrying out the improved system of
connecting draught animals to vehicles, ground implements and the like having fore
and aft axles and wheels or other fore and aft bearings upon the ground, for which
Letters Patent No. 3321 of 1891 were granted to me.
In such system, as more particularly appears in the Specification of the said
Letters Patent, the co-operation of two oppositely acting forces brought to bear on
the animal's fore-quarters, is effective in automatically determining and giving the
animal the benefit of the most effective angle of draught, at each moment of its
progress.
The means hitherto employed by me in carrying out such system are described
in the Specifications of the said Letters Patent No. 3321 of 1891, and of Letters
Patent No. 4296 of 1893, and 12861 of 1893, also granted to me.
In the first of the said Patents, the supporting force was applied through the
shaft and the downwardly bearing force was applied through a separate trace in no
way connected to the shaft, the shafts being used for guiding and backing the
vehicle. In the second of such Patents, the supporting force and downwardly
bearing force were both applied through a rigid specially designed trace, the shafts
being retained for guiding and backing the vehicle. In the third of such Patents,
the shafts were altogether omitted and the rigid specially designed trace with
special attachments (as in the Specification of the said Patent more particularly
appear) performed the functions both of trace and shaft.
In the present improved means, both the supporting force and the counteracting
downwardly hearing force are caused to operate on the animal directly through the
shafts and the shafts are also used for guiding and backing the vehicle.
The inproved means are of advantage in simplifying the means necessary to
carry out my system, in that both the said forces are caused to act on the animal
through one and the same appliance, the apparatus is less cumbersonic, more sightly
in appearance, less expensive in construction casier to connect up, less liable to get
out of order and better adapted to effect the guiding of the fore-carriage.
The improved means are further of advantage in that they enable a considerable
increased transfer of weight from the vehicle to the animal to be more conveniently
effected, enabling any given animal to haul a much greater load than it could with
any of such previous means.
The improved means are illustrated on the accompanying drawings, in
which,―
Fig. 1, represents, in side elevation, the fore part of a two-axled wheeled vehicle
adapted with the improved draught apparatus.
Fig. 2 represents a sectional plan view of the same on the plane A. B.
Bio 1

page_text: Figs. 3, and 4, represent detail views of the connection of the shafts to the shaft-
frame.
In the improved means, the shafts a, when in use, are rigidly connected to a
frame b, the side parts of which are connected together by a cross bar (or bars) 6³,
and are continued rearwardly and pivotally connected at 63, to the hinder part of
the fore-carriage or under-gear c, or to rearward extensions c', projecting therefrom.
The shafts a, and the frame b, may be so constructed that the parts are always
rigidly connected together, or the connection may be of such a nature that when
the vehicle is in use the shafts and frame will be in rigid connection, but when the
vehicle is not in use, the shafts may be withdrawn or separated from or turned
up in relation to the frame so as to economise space in stowing the vehicle
away.
An adjustable connection between the shafts and a frame of the character
indicated may be made in many ways, the said adjustable connection is not
essential for the carrying out of my invention. A convenient method of con-
necting together the shafts and frame is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings,
but the particular method of attaching the shaft to the frame forms no part of my
invention.
α,
As represented in Figs. 3, and 4, the fore part of each side of the frame b, is
formed with a socket 64, and with lateral extensions 65, and each shaft is fitted
with top and bottom extensions a¹, adapted (when the vehicle is in use) to overlap
and engage with the extensions 65, its end a², then also engaging with the socket 6*,
and being secured by a pin 66, whereby the whole is, at such time, rendered of a
rigid construction. Each shaft a, is, however, further connected to the extensions 6º,
by a pin or bolt 6', which unites the latter and engages with a slot a³, in the shaft
end a², which permits, on the pin 66, being withdrawn, of the shaft end being, with-
drawn from the socket b', and of the extensions a¹, being simultaneously drawn
clear of the ends of those 65, and of the shafts being turned up out of the way
(vide the dotted lines Fig. 3) when the vehicle is not in use.
The shafts and shaft-frame may, however, be otherwise equivalently connected
in any convenient manner to permit of their being rigid when required, and of the
shafts being turned up or withdrawn from connection with the frame if and when
required.
The shaft-frame is connected to the fore-carriage at 63, as aforesaid, and also at
a forward part by a frame 68, which is pivotally connected at 6º, to brackets 610,
depending from the fore-carriage at its connections to the fore-carriage springs d,
and has a socketted connection at 6, with the cross bar 62. Such connections
permit of the parts accommodating themselves to the conditions caused by different
elevations of the fore-carriage wheels and of the sides of the fore-carriage and of
the shafts or sides of the shaft frame caused by unevenness of the roadway and
otherwise, and also ensure an instant obedience of the fore-carriage to the guiding
movements of the shaft-frame upon the animal bearing against either shaft.
The sides of the shaft-frame may be formed in parts pivotally connected as dotted
at 612, and normally held rigidly together by a spring 613, secured to the one part and
embracing the other so as, in the event of the animal falling, to enable the sides of
the shaft-frame to yield and permit of the shafts accommodating themselves to the
position of the animal, this method of construction is not essential for the purpose of
my invention and forms no part thereof.
The forward part of the shaft-frame is supported by an adjustable spring (or
springs) e, of sufficient strength to support the shafts and shaft frame about their
pivotal connections to the fore-carriage, and also to support any desired portion of
the animal's weight at the belly-band and constantly operating with such effect,
excepting when more or less neutralized, balanced or overcome by the counter-
acting downwardly bearing force also operating through the shafts as hereinafter
described.
As represented in Figs. 1 and 2, two springs e, are applied and adapted to
operate on the sides of the shaft-frame, each thereof being adiustably applied to

page_text: and supported by a bracket e', rising from the fore axle f, at its connection to the
adjacent spring d, and linked at its fore end by a connection 2, to a bracket e³,
depending from the fore part of the adjacent side of the shaft-frame.
The shafts and shaft-frame may, however, be otherwise equivalently supported
by any other convenient arrangement of springs disposed either at the sides of the
fore-carriage, as aforesaid, or centrally of the width thereof as most convenient to
the construction of the particular fore-carriage of the vehicle.
The animal is connected to the vehicle by a belly-band g, and a back-band h, (to
both which the shafts are directly connected in any convenient manner, and through
which the supporting and counteracting forces brought to bear on the shaft-frame
are respectively caused to operate on the animal) and also by traces i, so connected
to the animal and to the vehicle and deflected from the plane of such connections
as to be caused to convert the forward pull of the animal into a downward thrust
operating directly on the shaft-frame, and which may operate thereon adjacent to
the ends of the cross-bar 62, or centrally thereof as most convenient to the construc-
tion of the particular fore-carriage of the vehicle.
As represented in Figs. 1 and 2. the downward pressure is applied to the shaft-
frame adjacent to the ends of the cross-bar by means of grooved pulleys,
supported in bearings 2, projecting from the cross bar and forming a downwardly
open angle with the connections of the traces to the animal and to the vehicle, so
as to be adapted to raise and deflect each trace from the plane in which such
connections are situated. The traces are connected to the animal at the collar 3,
and to the vehicle by trace-hooks *, respectively applied to the forward ends of the
fore-carriage springs d, or they may be connected to a bracket depending from or
to any other convenient part of the fore-carriage at a lower elevation than the
plane in which the connections of the traces to the collar and the pulleys i¹, are
situated. Or, the traces, after passing over the pulleys i', may be passed under
other grooved pulleys supported at a lower elevation than said plane lastly referred
to by brackets depending from the fore-carriage, and may be carried up and
connected to trace-hooks applied to the shaft-frame.
If the pulleys, be applied centrally of the cross bar 62, in lieu of at the sides
thereof, as represented, the two traces i, may be connected to the ends of a
swingle-tree behind the animal, and from the centre of which a flexible connection
to the vehicle may be continued in manner aforesaid in relation to the separate
traces, vide Fig. 5.
By the application of such improved means, in which shafts are retained and
used in an ordinary manner for guiding and backing purposes, the draught animal,
while at rest, is not only relieved of the weight of the shafts, but is supported
thereby to the full extent of the lifting power of the supporting spring or springs,
and, when in traction, is likewise supported to a variable extent until its whole
weight or an added weight is required to overcome the resistance and haul the
load, which effect is caused by the automatic operation of the apparatus, the effect
of the animal's pull through the traces being to depress the pulley or pulleys,
and supporting shaft-frame in proportion to the tractive exertion, correspondingly
counteracting or balancing the supporting tendency of the spring or springs
operating through the shaft-frame and belly-band, or overcoming such tendency
and causing the weight of the shafts and the downward pressure thereof to be
applied to the animal through the back-band; the effect being that, while some of
the load is transferred from the small front wheels to the large hind wheels,
another portion thereof is transferred to the animal's fore-quarters, making the
animal, at that time, equal in hauling power to that of a much heavier animal and
enabling it to haul a load which otherwise it could not move, the whole apparatus
acting automatically and at all times to the advantage of the animal.
The improved means have hereinbefore been described as applied to a vehicle
drawn by a single animal, but they may be applied with equal advantage to
vehicles drawn by two or more animals.
Figs. 5 and 6, illustrate, in plan and elevation, one method of applying my

page_text: invention to vehicles drawn by two horses abreast. The various parts in these two
figures are similarly lettered to the parts in Figs. 1 and 2, and the foregoing
description of the operation of the appliances in those figures will apply. The
shaft-frame of each animal consists of a -piece consisting of a cross-head to the
ends of which the forwardly extending shafts are applied as aforesaid, and of a
rearward extension in a line with the longitudinal centre of the animal, the rear
end of such extension of each shaft-frame being pivotally or otherwise equivalently
connected to the rear of the fore-carriage at its side thereof in like manner as
aforesaid.
Both such shaft-frames and the fore-carriage are provided with means operating
as aforesaid, and independently applying the lifting and counteracting forces to
each shaft-frame, so that the draught attachments of the two animals operate
independently of each other and the rising and falling movements of each animal
do not affect the other animal. The fore parts of the rearward extensions of the
two shaft-frames are linked or otherwise equivalently connected to the fore part
of the fore-carriage, so as, conjunctively with the rear pivotal connections of such
extensions to the fore-carriage, to be effective in communicating any backing or
guiding movements of the animals thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In appliances for connecting draught animals to vehicles and the like of the
nature aforesaid in which a supporting force and a counteracting downwardly
bearing force are caused to operate on the animal for the purposes aforesaid :-
The improved combination of parts by which both the supporting force and the
counteracting downwardly bearing force are caused to operate on the animal
directly through shafts which are also used in the ordinary manner for guiding and
backing the vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 10th day of Anril 1895
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.