A NOVEL CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE PLATFORM FOR SHEEP
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hornby of Watton in the County of York,
Farmer for an Invention of "A NOVEL CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE PLATFORM
FOR SHEEP
""
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hornby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1883.
JAMES HORNBY of Watton in the County of York, Farmer. "A NOVEL
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE PLATFORM FOR SHEEP."
:
The object of this invention is to provide a resting place for sheep, more
especially when feeding on ploughed land and in a contracted space, and thereby to
protect them from the injurious effects arising from their resting from sheer
weariness on wet or muddy ground.
To this end I construct a platform which will admit of being readily transferred
from place to place, to follow the movements of the sheep from one feeding place
to another.
The platform will consist of a central rectangular frame boarded over and
mounted upon running wheels. Attached by hinges to opposite sides of this fraine
aré lateral extension pieces which are capable of being folded over onto the main
frame to contract the width of the platform and facilitate its transport from one
field to another.
Similarly I hinge to opposite ends of the main frame extension pieces to enlarge
the area of the platform. These several extension pieces consist of frames planked
over; and when laid out to its full extent the platform will conveniently form a
resting place for some 50 or more sheep.
The platform wheels I fit in pairs to cranked axles which are capable of rocking
in bearings attached to the central frame.
Each cranked axle will be fitted with a hand lever for rocking it and thereby
bringing the wheels into a working position or putting them out of use.
When
the wheels are out of use the platform will rest upon the ground its upper surface
standing however some inches above the wet or muddy ground and therefore
affording a safe resting place for the sheep in wet weather.
Price B1

page_text: The hand levers may conveniently be fitted with a spring latch for locking into
a sector fitted to the central frame. By this or similar means the cranked axles,
when rocked to a vertical position to raise the platform clear of the ground, may
be locked in that position and the shifting of the position of the platform can then
be readily effected.
When the platform is brought to the required spot it is only necessary to
release the spring latches and the platform will then drop and rest upon the ground.
The extension pieces being then thrown back or opened out the platform will be
ready for use.
It will be obvious that the size of my portable platforms will be limited only by
convenience of transport or the requirements of the Farmer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Hornby in the Patent Office on the 12th January 1884.
JAMES HORNBY of Watton in the County of York, Farmer
"A NOVEL
CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE PLATFORM FOR SHEEP"
The object of this Invention is to provide a resting place for Sheep, more
especially when feeding on root crops upon arable Land and in a contracted space
and thereby to protect them from the injurious effects arising from their resting on
wet or muddy ground.
To this end I construct a platform which will admit of being readily transferred
from place to place to follow the movements of the Sheep from one feeding ground
to another.
The platform consists of a central rectangular frame boarded over and mounted
upon running wheels. Attached by hinges to opposite sides of this frame are
lateral extension pieces which are capable of being folded over onto the main
frame to contract the width of the Platform and facilitate its transport from one
field to another.
I may also attach to the opposite ends of the main frame, extension pieces, to
enlarge the area of the platform. The extension pieces consist of frames planked
over, and when laid out to its full extent the platform will conveniently form a
resting place for some 50 or more sheep.
In the accompanying drawing Fig 1 represents in plan view my novel
construction of portable platform the same being opened out and raised clear of the
ground.
Fig: 2 is a longitudinal section of the same taken in the line 1. 2 of
Fig: 1.
Fig: 3 is an end view shewing the platform raised from the ground and its
lateral extension pieces folded over.
Fig 4 is a side view of the opened out platform lowered to the ground.
And Fig 5 is a cross section on the line 3. 4 of Fig: 4, the parts being in a
corresponding position
In these Figures A A is the central platform, one-half of the flooring boards
being omitted to shew the construction of the framing. The space within the
framing which is rectangular is divided up by two longitudinal bars a 'a and a
central transverse bar a¹, and the divided up space between the longitudinal bars
is further divided by diagonal tie bars a²
BB are the lateral extension pieces hinged to the framing of the central
platform and conveniently divided up as shewn in Figures 1 and 4 to facilitate
the turning over of the same. Each division of the lateral extension pieces consists
of a rectangular frame stiffened by diagonal braces and boarded over like the
central platform.
Mounted on the framing of the Platform A are two cross shafts C C¹, The
shaft C is fitted with a pair of forked arms c to receive the short axles of a pair
of running wheels D D. The Shaft C¹ is fitted with an arm c¹ to the end of which
is pivotted a forked bearing c² for the reception of the axle of a steering wheel D¹
The ends of the shafts C C¹ are squared to receive hand levers E (see Figures 1
and 3) notches being cut in the sides of the Platform A to permit of these hand
levers being fitted in place when it is required to rock the shafts and raise the
Platform into the position of Figures 2 and 3.
These hand levers are applied to the shafts at the time that the lateral extension
pieces are folded over onto the central Platform as shewn at Fig 3.

page_text: Made fast to the cross shafts C C near the middle of their length are bent
arms F which are intended (as the Shafts are rocked for bringing the travelling
wheels into action) to rise up through slotted plates G attached to the Platform,
and present pin holes above these plates to receive locking pins as illustrated at
Figures 1 and 2 When the Platform is secured in its raised position the hand
levers may be detached, and the apparatus will be ready for transference from one.
part of the Field to another.
E
On the Platform being brought to the required spot it is only necessary to
witlidraw the locking pins from the bent arms F, and the Platform will then drop.
In order however to prevent it's resting on the damp ground the Platform is
furnished with rest plates H which when the Shafts CC1 are rocked to depress
the Platform, will bear upon their respective wheels D D₁, which will then take the
dead weight of the Platform Thus free ventilation below the Platform will be
secured. The extension pieces being then thrown back or opened out the Platform
will be ready for use.
"
It may however be well in order to protect the pieces B from contact with the
wet ground to attach to them chocks of wood b as shewn at Figures 3, 4 and 5,
which coming in contact with the ground will support the extension pieces clear
of the same, and at a suitable inclination for the Sheep to reach the Platform. I
have mentioned that the Platform may be extended endwise if thought desirable;
this is indicated at B* Fig 1 by dotted lines. These end extension pieces which
it is proposed to connect to 'the platform by hooks must be removed, preparatory, to
shifting the Platform from one place to another..
It
It will be obvious that tho mechanical means employed for raising and lowering
the Platform and for locking the same in its raised position may be indefinitely
varied without interfering with the character of the Invention, but the means
which I have shewn in the drawing is preferred by reason of its simplicity.
will also be understood that the size of my portable platforms will be limited
only by convenience of transport or the requirements of the Farmer, but in
general a platform that will accommodate about 50 sheep will be found most
convenient Provision is made at one end of the Platform, or it may be at both.
ends for the attachment of draught tackle thereto, to facilitate the removal of the
Platform from place to place.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "A novel construction of
portable platform for Sheep" and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim :-
A portable platform constructed in the manner and for the purpose above
described.
"
In witness whereof I the said James Hornby have hereunto set my hand and
seal the tenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
JAMES HORNBY (L.S.)