IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EQUALISING THE PULL OF THE DRAFT ANIMAL ON EACH SIDE Of TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR EQUALISING THE PULL OF THE DRAFT ANIMAL ON EACH SIDE Of
TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES, a communication to me from abroad by John W. Wain-
wright, of Chicago, State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 the means for equalizing the draft of two wheeled
vehicles drawn by one horse; and it relates particularly to such a device for
two-wheeled cabs.
The invention consists in providing a continuous trace to pass around suitable
bearings rigidly secured toward opposite sides of the forward part of the vehicle
and to be attached at its ends to the harness on opposite sides of the animal.
The invention further consists in the particular means which I prefer to employ
in affording bearings for the continuous trace; and it consists also, in certain
details of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter particularly
set forth.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig 1 represents in perspective, the forward end of a Hansom cab provided
with my continuous draft equalizing trace passing around bearings of the con-
struction which I prefer to employ, and showing parts broken away to display
details; and Fig 2 a sectional view of the trace bearings, showing a modification
of the same.
A is the concave forward portion or dash-board of a Hansom cab, and B B are
the thills, which are supported as usual, by curved braces tt, extending upward
and forward from opposite sides of the bottom of the vehicle to the lower sides

page_text: of the thills B, to which they are secured. C is the trace receptacle, comprising
the plate or bar s, curved as shown, to conform longitudinally, to the shape of the
front side of the cab, and formed preferably of metal cast to the shape shown, and
with housings r, and a housing r³, to receive pulleys or rollers q, provided with
shafts in the form of transverse bolts p.
The device C, as shown in Fig 1, is placed with its convex edge adjacent to the
concave front surface of the vehicle, and is rigidly secured, toward its extremities,
to the braces t, by bolts o, passing through the braces, or through lugs formed
thereon, if preferred, and through lugs n, projecting downward from the end-
housings r. The central housing is provided with backward projecting arms m,
to embrace the central rod l, usually provided, and a bolt k, is passed transversely
through the arms m toward their rear extremities behind the rod to increase the
rigidity of the device C in its position. D is a continuous trace, which is inserted
through the housings r and r¹, passing over the rear sides of the pulleys or rollers q
in a manner to permit the ends, which are hitched to the harness upon the animal
for connecting the latter with the vehicle, to project.
The modification illustrated in Fig 2, of the drawings, which represents the
improved device O to be rigidly secured to the vehicle in the manner herein-
before described, shows a convenient way of applying this invention without.
requiring a continuous trace of the form herein before described, thereby permitting
the form of traces in common use to be employed, by attaching them toward their
rear extremities to opposite ends of a short strip, i, in the form of a strap, rope
or chain, passing over the rear sides of the pulleys or rollers q within the
housings and, and having its extremities project beyond the device O and
provided with hooks, h, or clasps, to form the connecting medium for the traces,
thereby to provide a practically continuous trace passing over rigid bearings.
Though pulleys or rollers are shown and herein before described as forming the
bearings of the continuous trace, they present only a preferred form of bearing,
inasmuch as by their use friction and wear upon the trace are, to a great extent,
avoided. It is obvious, however, that stationary bearings of any
kind may
be
provided without departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A draft equalizer, comprising a continuous trace, to pass around suitable
bearings rigidly secured toward opposite sides of the forward part of a vehicle,
and forming a rigid whiffletree, and to be attached at its ends to the harness on
opposite sides of the animal hitched thereto, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with a one horse vehicle, a curved bar C rigidly secured to
the front of the vehicle to receive and serve as a guide for a continuous trace,
substantially as described.
3. A draft equalizing device, for one-horse vehicles having their forward ends
horizontally concave in form, comprising a plate 8, curved to conform to the
concave shape of the front portion of the said vehicle, and provided with housings r,
and rigidly secured to lie within the said concave portion, bearing surfaces within
the said housings and a continuous trace D passing over the rear sides of the said
bearings, and projecting at each end beyond the extremities of the said plate,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with a one-horse cab provided with horizontally concave
front A, and having braces t, to support the thills of a draft equalizing device,
comprising a plate 8 curved as shown, to lie within the said front A lengthwise
with the concave surface, thereof and secured toward its opposite extremities to
the said braces t, housings r and upon the lower surface of the said plate,
pulleys or rollers q within the said housings and rotating upon vertical shafts p
backward-projecting arms m, upon the housing r³ embracing the central vertical

page_text: rod a bolt k, passing through the said arms transversely behind the said rod b,
and a strip, passing over the rear sides of the said pulleys or rollers q, and
projecting at each end beyond the extremities of the said plate, and provided
toward each of its extremities with a connecting device h, the whole being
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.