Year: 1885

page_text: We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, of Cliftcotte, Oliver Road, Leyton, Essex, Inventor,
and JAMES PELLATT RICKMAN, of 17 Saint-Bride Street, in the City of London,
Glass Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
According to our Invention the futchell of the vehicle is provided at each end
with a slotted fork-shaped attachment, into which the shank end of the shaft
is adjusted, or inserted. The outer extremities of this fork are constructed with
somewhat hook-shaped ends which are made of circular form except on the front
edge from which a segment is cut off.
Near the inner end or shank end of the shaft, is inserted transversely, a pin, the
ends of which project on each side of the shaft. Somewhat in advance of this pin,
and on each side of the shaft, is attached a plate, the inner end of which is of semi-
circular or concave shape, the radius of which is about the same as that of the
hook-shaped ends of the forked attachment.
In adjusting the shaft to the vehicle, the shaft is held in an inclined position, its
front end almost touching the ground. The shank end is then placed underneath
the forked attachment and the projecting ends of the pin, on the shaft, are inserted
and slipped up into the slot formed by the hooks on the forked attachment. The
fore end of the shaft is then raised, when the semi-circular or concave surfaces of
the plates on the shaft sliding upon the curved or rounded ends of the forked
attachment, prevent the shank end of the shaft from falling, and the shaft is
consequently in position for use, it being, when so adjusted, impossible for its
shank end to fall, while it is in any situation approaching the horizontal or the
perpendicular.
The upper horns or cusps of the semi-circular or concave plates on the shaft, by
coming in contact with the upper surfaces of the forked attachment, act as stops
thus preventing the shaft from moving too far backward and sustaining it in its
raised position.

page_text: To remove the shaft from the vehicle, it is only necessary to turn the same
downwards until its fore end nearly touches the ground, when the shank end will
then fall out of the hooked attachment.
The same action follows the falling of the horse. While the shaft is in any
position approaching the horizontal, as it is when upheld by the horse, the shaft is
securely supported, but upon the horse falling the fore part of the shaft descends,
and by its descent liberates the shank end from the forked attachment.
The same means or appliances may be attached to any kind of shaft whether
constructed as independent shafts or when two are joined together.
Dated thin th
100K

page_text: Vehicles, and for the Automatic Detachment of same upon
the Falling of the Horse.
We, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, of Cliftcotte, Oliver Road, Leyton, Essex, Inventor,
and JAMES PELLATT RICKMAN, of 17 Saint-Bride Street, in the City of London,
Glass Manufacturer, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
Our Invention relates to improved means or appliances for readily attaching
shafts to vehicles, also for detaching them, and for the automatic detachment of
such shafts on the falling of the horse.
Our Invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an improved futchell for holding the shank end of
the shaft, and Fig. 2 a plan thereof.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation shewing the shank end of the shaft with its improved
fittings, and Fig. 4 a plan of the same. Fig. 5 shews the futchell and shaft combined.
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, in section, of the futchell, shewing a spring catch for
supporting the shaft when in the futchell.
For the purposes of our Invention the futchell A, consists of two identically
shaped plates a, forming a fork, and each having a vertical slot a¹, cut therein.
This improved futchell is also formed with somewhat hook-shaped ends of circular
form, the hook shape being formed by the vertical slots which are cut in the plates,
except on its front edges from which a segment is cut off at 1, 2, so as to leave a
vertical straight edge f, to permit the shaft to fall, as hereinafter described.
B is the shaft; it is provided near its inner or shank end with a fixed pin b,
inserted transversely therein, its ends projecting on each side of the said shaft.
This pin acts as a means for retaining the shaft in the futchell. Somewhat in
advance of this pin are plates C, which are fixed one on each side of the shaft.
The upper and inner ends of these plates C, are formed with horns or cusps c, curved
to correspond to, and to be free to travel over the upper and curved edges of the
futchell.
In adjusting the shaft to the vehicle, the shaft is held in an inclined position, its
front end almost touching the ground; the shank end is then placed underneath
the slots a², in the futchell, and the projecting ends of the pin b on the shaft are
inserted and pushed up into these slots, the shank end of the shaft passing into the
fork formed by the futchell. The pin is then retained in futchell by the spring
catches d, over which it passes. The fore end of the shaft is then raised, when the
horns or cusps c, on the plates C, will slide upon and over the curved or rounded
ends of the futchell and thereby prevent the shank end of the shaft from falling;
the shaft is consequently in position for use, it being, when so adjusted, impossible

page_text: for its shank end to fall or become detached, while it is in any situation approaching
the horizontal or the perpendicular.
The horns or cusps c, of the plates C, by falling into notches e, contrived for their
reception in the futchell, when the shafts are raised and turned back to their fullest
extent, as shewn by the dotted lines in fig. 5, act as stops and prevent the shafts
moving too far backwards, and at the same time, retain them in their perpendicular
position when not in use.
To detach the shaft from the futchell, it is only necessary to incline the shaft
downwards until its fore end nearly touches the ground, when the horns or cusps o,
having travelled over the curved upper surfaces of the futchell and having reached
the vertical or straight edges ƒ thereof, cease to support the shaft which would
then be free to fall, were it not for the spring catches which alone now support it,
but on any slight downward pressure being applied to the shaft, sufficient to
overcome the spring catches, these latter retire, and the shaft falls, its horns or
cusps passing down the vertical or straight edges of the futchell.
The same action follows the falling of the horse. While the shafts are in any
position approaching the horizontal, as they are when upheld by the horse, the
shafts are securely supported by their horns or cusps resting upon the upper
curved surface of the futchell, but upon the horse falling, the fore part of the
shafts descend, the cusps no longer support the shafts and the weight of the horse
upon the shafts overcomes the springs and allows the shafts to fall.
If desired the spring catches, above mentioned, may be dispensed with.
The same means or appliances may be adapted for use with any kind of shaft,
whether constructed as independent shafts, or where two are joined together.
Having now described our Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, v
, we declare that what we claim as our improved means or appliances for
the attachment of shafts to vehicles and for the automatic detachment of same
upon the falling of the horse, is;
1. The improved futchell consisting of the circular plates a, forming a fork for
the reception of the shaft, and having vertical straight front edges f, and vertical
slots a¹, substantially as described and as shewn in the drawings.
2. The improved shaft, formed by the combination of the plates C, C, having
horns or cusps c, c, and the fixed transverse pin b, substantially as described and as
-shewn in the drawings.
3. In a futchell constructed as above described, the use of the spring catchos d,
for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of the improved futchell and shaft, substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the drawings, and constituting the means or appliances
for attaching shafts to vehicles, and for detaching the same, also for the automatic
detachment of such shafts upon the falling of the horse.
Dated this 14th day of September 1886.