Improvements in Trucks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
Improvements in Trucks.
We, GEORGE FRITZ ARMSTRONG and MEYLERT MELVILLE ARMSTRONG,
both of 941 Drexel Building, in the City and County of Philadelphia, and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturers, 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 :-
The invention relates to trucks for merchandise and the like and consists of
certain improvements in the construction.
One part of these improvements relate particularly to the truck wheels, and are
designed to simplify the construction, improve the operation and lubrication, and
reduce the wear of the bearing parts. Longer axles may be employed upon the
wheels so that their bearing surfaces may be increased.
Another part of the improvements relate particularly to means for attaching the
handle or tongue to the truck platform whereby the said handle or tongue may be
caused to remain at any angle of inclination in which it is placed.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a truck embodying some of the
improvements;
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line x-x of Figure 1, and
drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the truck with a part thereof in
vertical section ;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the lubricating boxes detached; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the handle or tongue supporting irons.
A is the platform of the truck which may be composed of two superimposed
portions. B is the truck handle. C are the wheels, of which there may be either
one or two secured to the forward part of the truck. In the drawing we have
shown two of these wheels secured to the front of the truck for the purpose of more
clearly illustrating our improved means of supporting the truck handle.
Dis the axle of the truck wheels which may be made integral with the hub or
may be secured to it. We prefer to construct the wheels C by casting them upon
the axles D (which are preferably of steel) whereby the wheel is chilled directly
upon its axle and is secured to it so that the axle turns with the wheel.
E is a
bearing plate adapted to be secured to the under surface of the truck platform in
any suitable manner. F is a disc which is adapted to be secured to the plate E
with freedom to rotate. I prefer to connect the disc F with the plate E by means
of a pivot stud G' extending through a hub e in the plate E. The disc F is thus
free to rotate upon its pivot stud. The disc F is preferably cup shaped as shown
and the plate E provided with an annular depressed portion E' which projects into
the disc F and communicates therewith through openings f. By this means
lubricant supplied to the plate E may be fed to the cup shaped disc F. The
plate E may be provided with a grooved or recessed lip G fitting up into the edge
of the base of the platform, through which lubricant may be supplied to the
lepressed portion of the plate E and may pass thence to the disc F. The disc F
may thus contain a constant supply of lubricant and will keep the bearing surfaces
onstantly supplied with oil.
The depressed portion E¹ of the plate E forms an annular flat bearing face for
he plate E. The upper face of the plate F rests against this bearing face formed
y the depressed portion E' as is shown in Figure 2. The lubricant passes through
he openings. f into the cup shaped plate F and thoroughly lubricates the bearing

page_text: faces, so that the plate F may turn freely upon the plate E about the stud or
post G. By this means an extended and well lubricated bearing surface is
obtained. To reduce the wear between the parts the bearing faces of either or
both of the plates E, F, may be chilled during the casting of the plates. If
desired the central stud or post G¹ may be chilled in the hube when the plate E
is cast.
H, H are downwardly extending arms carried by the disc F having their lower
edges formed into bearings for the axles D of the wheels C. These arms H, H
are enlarged or reinforced at their bearing portion preferably inwardly or internally,
as shown at h, so as to form wider bearings for the axles and permit longer axles to
be employed.
These arms HH, may be reinforced both outwardly and inwardly as shown by
the dotted lines in Figure 3, that is the enlargements or reinforcements may be
on both sides of the body of the arms H.
:
II are bearing and lubricating cups adapted for attachment to the arms H, H
as for instance by screws J, and are provided with bearing faces i for the lower
portions of the axles D. These cups I are adapted to contain lubricant and supply
it to the axles D and their bearings. They may be provided with openings j to
admit the lubricant. With this construction the bearings of the axles of the wheels
may be easily kept in a properly lubricated condition. The disc F which carries
the wheel C being pivoted to the plate E may turn freely on the pivot stud G¹
bearing upon the depressed portion E when the truck is moved.
While the improvements in the construction of the truck wheel and its axle
bearings are shown applied to a swivelled caster wheel, it is apparent that they
may be applied equally to a wheel carried by a stationary or non-rotary frame.
In the latter construction the arms H, H or the frame which carries them, would
be secured directly to the truck frame instead of to a swivelling plate or disc F
connected by a post G¹ with a bearing plate E as is shown in the drawing.
With the boxes I and the rotary axle D the axle bearings are self lubricating,
the oil or lubricant being contained in the cup shaped boxes, the cavities of which
may be provided with cotton waste to supply the oil evenly to the rotary axles
and the bearing faces h and i. Wearing may be taken up by adjusting the boxes I
by means of the screws J, the boxes I being provided with slots to permit of such
adjustment.
Kare U-shaped pieces adapted for attachment to the frame of the truck with the
two free ends k projecting beyond the front edge thereof. Between these free
ends k, k the end of the tongue or handle may be attached by means of a bolt L
carried by the parts & and passing through an eye M on the end on the handle.
By means of a nut N on the end of the bolt the two parts k, k may be drawn
together thus creating friction between their inner faces and the eye of the handle
so that the handle may be maintained in any position desired. By adjusting the
nut N the parts k, k may be tightened or loosened so as to permit the eyes M to
turn upon the bolts L while exerting sufficient friction upon the eyes M to maintain
the tongue or handle at any angle to which it may be moved. The preferable
method of securing the pieces K to the platform A is that shewn in the drawing. The
pieces K are placed between the two sections of the platform and are fastened by
one of the bolts or screws O which secures the plate E to the under surface of the
platform. This bolt or screw O extends within the bend of the U-shaped piece K
as is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and thus fastens the piece K to the
platform with the parts k, k projecting beyond the edge. The wood of the
platform may be suitably recessed to receive the pieces K.
To permit the adjustment of the pieces K or to adapt them to plates E of
different size they may be provided with bolt holes o located in the bent portions of
the body to receive the bolt or screw O which may be passed through this hole o
instead of within the bend of the pieces K. We have shown the tongue or handle B
applied to a truck having a pair of front caster wheels. It is apparent that it may
be equally applied to a truck having a single front caster wheel, and that the pieces K

page_text: may be secured to the platform by fastenings independent of the bolts or screws
which secure the plates E to the said platform. The body of the U-shaped pieces K
may be grooved out as shown at u to decrease the amount of metal employed and the
weight of the pieces. The minor details of construction shown may be varied
without departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The truck wheel frame having the depending arms formed with reinforced
or widened bearings for the axle of the truck wheel.
Second. The upper plate of the caster frame having the annular bearing surface
on its lower face, and the rotary plate which carries the caster wheel turning on the
annular bearing face of the upper plate, either or both of the bearing faces of said
plates being chilled.
Third. The caster consisting of the plate E having the annular depressed
portion E with openings f, the lower plate F, stud G¹ and caster wheel carried by
the plate F.
Fourth. The truck wheel frame having the depending arms formed with bearings,
the truck wheel having its axle working on the bearings of the depending arms, and
the lubricatings cups I forming the lower bearings for the axle and secured to the
depending arms.
Fifth. The tongue or handle fastening piece substantially as described.
Sixth. The combined truck wheel and axle in which the wheel is chilled upon the
axle, substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.