IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE, HORSE, ON SHEEP TRUCKS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Welch, of Southall, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE, HORSE, ON
SHEEP TRUCKS."
Sealed the 22nd December 1871, and dated the 1st September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Welch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st September 1871.
I, ALFRED WELCH, of Southall, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CATTLE, HORSE, OR SHEEP TRUCKS," to be as follows:-
In the Specifications of former Patents granted to me on the 9th
day of October 1869 (No. 2949), and the 18th day of October 1869
(No. 3039), were described means of constructing cattle trucks and of
adapting cattle trucks now in use to enable cattle to be fed and watered
without the necessity of unloading the cattle from the trucks. My
present Invention has for its object to enable the watering of cattle to

page_text: be effected more rapidly than by the arrangements described in my
previous Specifications.
For this purpose water troughs are placed all around the truck,
including the doors, as described in the Specifications before mentioned,
and, except at the time when it is desired to water the cattle, such
troughs are covered over with covers. When the cattle are to be
watered the several covers are simultaneously raised by means of cords,
ropes, or chains which are attached to each cover, and led up over guide
pulleys and attached to an axis placed longitudinally of the carriage, by
preference above the top of the carriage. When it is desired to water
the cattle the axis is turned, and the covers of all the water troughs on
such carriage are thereby raised and are retained by a suitable catch.
All of the troughs, as described in my previous Specifications, are then
simultaneously filled with water through pipes which do not retain the
water by the raising or turning of a valve connected with the water
cistern, which is on the top of the truck. After the troughs have been
filled and the cattle have been allowed to drink as much as desirable,
the covers of the troughs are all simultaneously lowered by raising the
catch before mentioned; all the covers then descend by their own
weight or by springs, and completely cover over the troughs. I prefer
to form each of the covers with projections at its ends to slide in suitable
upright guides in the framework of the truck, and to connect the cord,
rope, or chain by which the cover is to be raised to a vertical bar
attached to the cover, such bar being also passed through a suitable
guide on the framework of the carriage. In place howover of the
covers being thus fitted to be raised up vertically, the covers might be
arranged to turn upwards on hinges or pivots, and the covers of all the
troughs around a truck be simultaneously raised in the manner before
described.
In the Specification of the Patent, No. 3039, before mentioned there
was also described the placing over each trough a cover shaped to the
are of a circle, and such cover worked at its ends in corresponding
grooves, and might cither be turned into a position to prevent the cattle
drinking from the trough or into a position to allow of their doing so;
but by this arrangement the trough could not be entirely covered over.
I now propose to form such covers in a manner that the trough may be
entirely covered over when the truck is travelling, and the cattle are
excluded from drinking from the trough. This I do by jointing to the

page_text: .
cover a curved plate to cover over the outer portion of the trough.
When the cover is slid into a position to allow of the cattle drinking
from, the trough this plate passos down at the outer side of the trough,
the joint by which it is connected to the cover giving sufficient play to
allow of its doing so.
Ho d
1
Also in constructing new stalled cattle or horse trucks I propose to
divide such truck by a central transverse partition. Thus the animals
carried would stand head to head, and in this position would be watered
by my appliances as described in my previous Specifications; and they
would receive cut food or grain from a box running across the truck and
forming part of the centre partition before named, the said food. box
having openings in the bottom of it covered by slides having openings
to correspond, which openings when slid to correspond with each other
would permit the food to drop through them into the troughs placed
beneath on either side of the partition for the cattle to be fed and
watered from.
Also in the construction of now-stalled trucks to permit the more
rapid loading and unloading of the animals, and to obviate the necessity
of backing the animals in getting them out, I propose to place four pairs
of doors on each side of the truck, two pairs on each side for each
division of the truck, the cattle passing into the truck through one pair
of doors and out of the truck through the other pair of doors.
Also in reference to the vertical sliding partitions to divide a truck or
to form stalls as described in my previous Specifications, I have made a
slight modification in such partitions. I now propose to make some of
the several bars or portions of which they are composed to slide into or
between each other..
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Welch in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
WELCH, of Southall, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Welch, Her special license that I,
the said Alfred Welch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
-such others as I, the said Alfred Welch, my executors, administrators, 5
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, uso, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATTLE, HORSE, OR 1
SHEEP TRUCKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alfred Welch, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention;
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same 1
to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
'
.!!
NOW KNOW YE, that I, tho said Alfred Welch, 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 2
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In the Specifications of former Patents granted to me on the 9th
day of October 1869 (No. 2949), and the 18th day of October 1869
(No. 3039), were described means of constructing cattle, trucks and of
adapting cattle trucks now in use to enable cattle to be fed and watered 2
without the necessity of unloading the cattle from the trucks. My
present Invention has for its object to enable the watering of cattle to
be effected more rapidly than by the arrangements described in my
previous Specifications.
For this purpose water troughs are placed all around the truck, 3
including the doors, as described in the Specifications before mentioned,
and, except at the time when it is desired to water the cattle, such
troughs are covered over with covers. When the cattle are to be
watered the several covers are simultaneously raised by means of cords,
ropes, or chains which are attached to each cover, and led up over guide 3
pulleys and attached to an axis, placed longitudinally of the carriago, by
preference above the top of the carriage. When it is desired to water

page_text: '
.
"T":
the cattle the axis is turned, and the covers of all the water troughs on
such carriage are thereby raised and are retained by a suitable catch.
All of the troughs, as described in my previous Specifications, are then
simultaneously filled with water through pipes which do not retain the
water by the raising or turning of a valve connected with the water
cistern which is on the top of the truck. After the troughs have been
filled; and the cattlo have been allowed to drink as much as desirable,
the covers of the troughs are all simultaneously lowered by raising the
catch before mentioned; all the covers then descend, by their own
weight or by springs, and completely cover over the troughs. I prefer
to form each of the covers with projections at its ends to slide in suitable
upright guides in the framework of the truck, and to connect the cord,
rope, or chain by which the cover is to be raised to a vertical->bar
attached to the cover, such bar being also passed through a suitable
guide on the framework of the carriage. In place however of: the
covers being thus fitted to be raised up vertically the covers might be
arranged to turn upwards on hinges or pivots, and the covers of all tho
troughs around a truck be simultaneously raised in the manner before
described:
The Drawing No. 1, on Sheet 1, shews a truck adapted for the
conveyance of cattle, horses, or sheep. It is fitted with water troughs
and hay racks to supply the animals during the journey.
a, a; are the water troughs fixed to the sides and ends of the truck
and upon the doors. 6 are the covers; they are provided with guides,
and can be raised and lowered by cords c passing to drums upon an
axis d. This axis can be turned by the hand wheel e to lift the covers,
and it has a ratchet upon it at f, into which a pawl takes to hold the
covers suspended. The pawl is lifted when it is desired to close the
troughs, and the covers close down by their own weight. 9 is the water
cistern on the roof; it is filled through traps 9', and it supplies the
troughs by pipes h. The troughs on the doors are filled through the
funnel pipes. There are valves in connection with the pipes which
are opened from either side of the truck by the pull e¹ when the troughs
are to be filled. i, i, are doors for the animals to enter the truck; there
are similar doors on each side. k, k, is a transverse sliding partition
dividing the truck when required into two compartments. The partition
is in two parts, which can slide past each other and from side to side of
the truck also, to permit the animals being loaded or unloaded from

page_text: either side of the truck. The truck may be divided into stalls, cach to
receive one beast, by a number of partitions, similar to the partition k, k.
1, 1, arc hay racks at the top of the truck. They are filled by opening
sliding doors in the roof. A transverse section of this truck is shewn at
Figure 1, Sheet 2, and the arrangement of the guides at the ends of the
water trough covers is shewn at Figure 2 on the same Sheet.
In the Specification of the Patent, No. 3039, before mentioned there
was also described the placing over each trough a cover shaped to the
arc of a circle, and such cover worked at its ends in corresponding
grooves, and might either be turned into a position to prevent the cattle
drinking from the trough or into a position to allow of their doing so;
but by this arrangement the trough could not be entirely covered over.
I now propose to form such covers in a manner that the trough may be
entirely covered over when the truck is travelling, and the cattle are
excluded from drinking from the trough. This I do by jointing to the
cover a curved plate to cover over the outer portion of the trough.
When the cover is slid into a position to allow of the cattle drinking
from the trough this plato passes down at the outer side of the trough,
the joint by which it is connected to the cover giving sufficient play to
allow of its doing so.
Figure 3, on Sheet 2, shows a transverse section of a trough and cover
thus constructed. a is the trough, and 6 the cover working in circular
guides as described in the Specification of my former Patent.
flap or curved plate jointed to it, so that when desired the trough may
be completely covered.
c is the
In constructing new stalled cattle or horse trucks I propose to divide
such truck by a central transverse partition; thus the animals carried
would stand head to head, and in this position would be watered by my
appliances as described in my previous Specifications; and they would
receive cut food or grain from a box running across the truck and
forming part of the centre partition before named, the said food box
having openings in the bottom of it covered by slides having openings
to correspond, which openings when slid to correspond with each other
would permit the food to drop through them into the troughs placed
beneath on either side of the partition for the cattle to be fed and
watered from.
Also in the construction of new stalled trucks to permit the more
ranid loading and unloading of the animals, and to obviate the necessity

page_text: of backing the animals in getting them out, I propose to place four pairs
of doors on each side of the truck, two pairs on each side for. each
division of the truck, the cattle passing into the truck through one pair
of doors and out of the truck through the other pair of doors..
Also in reference to the vertical sliding. partitions to divide a truck or
to form stalls as described in my previous Specifications, I have made a
slight modification in such partitions. I now propose to make some of
the several bars or portions of which they are composed to slide into or
between each other.
"
The Drawing No. 2, on Sheet 1, shews a stalled truck adapted for the
conveyance of cattle and horses, with provision for the supply of food
and water during the journey. a, a, are the loading doors, and b, b, the
unloading doors. There are similar doors on each side. c is the trans-
verse partition. d, the sliding longitudinal partitions dividing the truck
into stalls. e is the hay rack; it is filled at the ends where the doors f
are fitted. g, g, are water and food troughs; above them is the drawer h,
into which grain, or chaff, or similar small food is placed, and when
desired it is allowed to fall into the troughs by pulling out the slides i,
which cover holes in the bottom of the drawer. k is a water cistern on
the roof supplying the troughs (when a valve is opened) by the pipes 7.
Figure 4, on Sheet 2, is a longitudinal section of this truck, showing
more clearly the longitudinal partitions; they are made in two parts,
d and d', sliding the one on the other telescopically. Figure 5 is a side
view of the same truck.
What I claim is my improvements in cattle, horse, or sheep trucks,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof T the said Alfred Welch have homounts cnt mos