Improvements in Hand Trucks for use on Railway Platforms and for other similar uses.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand Trucks for use on Railway Platforms and for
other similar uses.
I, THOMAS HOLDEN, of Himbleton, Droitwich, in the County of Worcester,
Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in hand trucks for use on railway
platforms and for other similar uses by which accidents may be avoided from
such causes as the truck running down inclines or other places on to the rails
of the line and in fact by which trucks are prevented from moving whether
loaded or empty when there is not an attendant present with the truck.
According to my invention the truck is constructed with a single or double brake
on say the back wheels. This brake or brakes are automatically drawn upon the
wheel or wheels by a spring such for instance as a coiled spring either in tension
or compression but if in tension which I prefer, the spring is attached in advance
of the brake blocks to the underside of the body of the truck with the normal
tendency to draw the brake blocks against the wheels. The handle by which the
truck is operated is pivoted to the front bogy or wheels and has a chain or rods
and chain attachment to the truck end of the handle, the chain passing through
an eye in the pivot upon which the front wheels work so that the handle operates
the chain equally when the wheels are in line with the truck and when they are
at an angle to the truck. The arrangement is such that when the handle is
approximately in a horizontal position as when pushed or pulled the chain is in
tension and draws the brake blocks away from the wheel, but immediately. the
handle is loosed by the attendant the spring pulls on the brake block and elevates
the handle to approximately a vertical portion thus bringing it out of the way
and stopping the truck from moving.
Dindh 18th JTT L-1000

page_text: the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
-
My invention has for its object improvements in hand trucks for use on railway
platforms and for other similar uses by which accidents may be avoided from
such causes as the truck running down inclines or other places on to the rails
of the line, and in fact by which trucks are prevented from moving whether
loaded or empty when there is not an attendant present with the truck.
"
According to my invention the truck is constructed with a single or double brake
on say the back wheels. This brake or brakes are automatically drawn upon the
wheel or wheels by a spring such for instance as a coiled spring either in tension
or compression but if in tension, which I prefer, the spring is attached in advance
of the brake blocks to the underside of the body of the truck with the normal
tendency to draw the brake blocks against the wheels. The handle by which the
truck is operated is pivoted to the front bogy or wheels and has a chain or rods
and chain attachment to the truck end of the handle, the chain passing through
an eye in the pivot upon which the front wheels work so that the handle operates
the chain equally when the wheels are in line with the truck and when they are
at an angle to the truck. The arrangement is such that when the handle is
approximately in a horizontal position as when pushed or pulled the chain is in
tension and draws the brake blocks away from the wheel, but immediately the
handle is loosed by the attendant the spring pulls on the brake block and elevates
the handle to approximately a vertical position thus bringing it out of the way
and stopping the truck from moving.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings
upon which I have illustrated an example of my improved hand truck.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hand truck made according to my invention.
Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of Figure 1.
In carrying my invention into practice the truck A is constructed with the single
or double brake B preferably a double brake acting on-say the back wheels D as
shewn. The brakes with their brake blocks B' are hinged or pivoted at 6 to the
underside of the truck or to any other convenient part and they are automatically
drawn upon the wheels by the spring S or its equivalent, which spring is attached
adjustably to the bracket s fixed to the underside of the truck as clearly shewn
at Figure 2. The normal tendency of this spring being to draw the brake blocks
against the wheels D. Or if desired I may use more than one spring either in
tension as shewn or in compression in which case the spring or springs would push
the brake blocks against the wheels. The handle H by which the truck is moved
is pivoted at h¹ to the front bogy E on which the wheels D₁ are mounted and
connected to the end h³ of this handle or near to this end, is one end of the chain F
or, chain and rods or equivalent which passes through the eye piece f¹ formed on or
attached to the pivot upon which the front wheels D¹ swivel or work. The other
end of this chain is adjustably attached to the extending portion 68 formed on or
attached to the brakes B. By passing the chain through the eye piece f¹ or its
equivalent the handle operates it equally as well when the wheels D₁ are at an
angle to the body of the truck as when they are on a line with the body of the truck.
It will readily be understood that when the handle H is approximately in a hori-
zontal position as when pushed or pulled the chain F or its equivalent is in
tension and draws the brake blocks away from the wheels D as shewn in dotted
lines Figure 1, but immediately the handle H is loosed by the attendant the
spring S draws the brake blocks against the wheels 1) and elevates the handle to
approximately a vertical position as shewn at Figure 1 thus bringing it out of the
way and instantly stopping the truck from moving.
The tension of the spring S can be regulated by the nut
end of the screwed rod to which one end of the spring is
passes through a hole in the bracket s' as clearly shewn at
which fits onto the
attached and which
Figure 2. In a like

page_text: manner the chain F may be adjusted by the nut f which fits onto the screwed
rod f³ passing through a hole in the extending portion 6³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
CLAIM.
The improvements in hand trucks for use on railway platforms and for other
similar uses consisting essentially in hinging or pivoting a brake or brakes such
as B to the truck in such a manner that the brake block or blocks are automatically
drawn against the wheel, wheels or axle by the action of a spring or springs
either in tension or compression the brake being released by an action of the
handle such as H in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set
forth and as shewn upon the drawings.
Daten Sils way of Decem
THOMAS HOLDEN.
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.