Improvements in the Construction of Carts, Carriages, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1891:
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Carts, Carriages, and other
Vehicles.
I, EDWARD MURGATROYD, of 120 Every Street, Nelson, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements whereby the horse drawing a cart
or any two wheeled vehicle, is relieved of the strains incidental to the varying
gradients of the road travelled automatically, such regulation being effected by the
draught of the horse, or the backing of the same.
On yoking a horse to the shafts of a loaded cart fitted with my improvement,
the horse draws the load onto its back in ascending an incline, in descending the
horse is enabled not only to move the weight from its back, but in so doing the
brake is automatically applied.
In order to carry my improvement into effect I construct the main axle independent
of the body of the cart, which is movable within such limits backwards and forwards
in order to allow the regulation of the weight according to the varying gradients
of the road. In order to make the sliding motion of the body of the cart easy I
place in bearings an axle about the centre of the body and upon which are two
fixed pullies upon these pullies I construct slide bars to which the movable axle is
secured.
The slide bars are connected together at each end by cross bars and to these
cross bars are secured a longitudinal guide bar working in guides secured to the
underside of the body of the cart. For a brake I use the ordinary hand or chain
brake which consists of a lap round the hub of the wheel the ends being secured
to the body of the cart, when the load is being drawn upon the level or ascending
a gradient the brake is inoperative in descending a gradient the body of the cart is
pushed back and the brake brought into operation, in order to secure the action of
the brake I construct and place a cross shaft with two pullies upon the same in
bearings secured to the undersides of the shafts of the cart this shaft is placed
clear of the horse behind, in addition to the two pullies there is also fixed on the
cross shaft a ratchet wheel on the end of this shaft, preparation is made for a
handle to rotate the shaft.
To each pulley is secured a chain the other ends of which are secured to the slide
bars, when it is desired to secure the brake in operation the rotation of the cross
shaft and pullies draws the movable axle of the cart tightly against the fixed
brakes, and is secured in this position by a paul fixed to the body of the cart.
When it is required to back the cart and retain the brake inoperative I secure
the before mentioned guide bar in such position as to prevent the brake coming
into operation.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1891.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Carts, Carriages, and other
Vehicles.
1, EDWARD MURGATROYD, of 120 Every Street Nelson, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in mounting carts and other two
wheeled vehicles on the wheels of the same, whereby on the horse drawing, it
is to some extent automatically relieved of the strains incidental to the varying
gradients of the road travelled, in such a manner that, the regulation is effected by
the draught of the horse or the backing of the same.
On yoking a horse to the shafts of a loaded two wheeled vehicle fitted with my
improvement, the horse draws the load on to its back on ascending an incline, but
on descending a gradient, the horse is enabled not only to remove some of the
weight from off its back, but in so doing the brake is automatically applied to the
wheels.
In describing my invention in detail reference is made to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1. represents the plan of the shafts and body frame of a cart fitted with my
improvement.
Fig. 2. is a section of a cart through line a. b. showing the position of the axle
when the maximum weight is on the back of the horse.
Fig. 3. a side view of the cart showing the position of the axle when going down
an incline and the brake applied, and
Fig. 4. a detail of one of the slides through which the movable axle passes.
The cart axle A. is constructed independent of the body of the cart B. and is
movable within certain limits backwards and forwards, in order to allow of the
regulation of the weight, according to the varying gradients of the road.
In order to make the sliding motion of the body of the cart or the like easy, I
mount on the axle A. two pullies C. in such a manner and position that, they
respectively engage with the slide bars D. secured to the underside of the frame of
the body of the cart. To the said slide bars D. the shafts S. are hinged, and to the
axle A. is attached a bar E. extending some distance towards the front part of
the vehicle, the front end being supported by a recessed plate F. in such a manner
that the bar will slide therein.
Secured to the said bar is a curved rod G. which passes through a hole formed
in the lever H. and is of such length as will allow the cart to be "shot" without
being disengaged with the lever, one end of which is attached to one of the
shafts S. and the other extending to the outside beyond the cart body, and is
supported by plates or frame J. secured to one of the shafts S. and in which is
formed a long slot hole in order to allow of the lever H. being operated for the
purpose as hereinafter described.
A brake is applied to each wheel W. consisting of a lap strap K. round the hub
of each wheel, the ends of the straps being secured to the body of the cart in any
convenient manner.
The position of the axle A. in relation to its distance from the shafts S. and front
of the cart, is regulated by the operation of the lever H. when the load is being
drawn upon the level or ascending a gradient, the brake is inoperative, and the
axle A. may be retained in that position by securing the lever H. by means of a
pin to the frame J. and should the driver desire to put more weight on the back of
the horse, the pin is withdrawn, and by the draught of the horse the body of the
vehicle will be drawn forward on the pullies C. and the lever H. moved to the
position shown; thus allowing the axle A. to be a greater distance from the shafts S

page_text: and the brake straps K. still inoperative; but on descending a gradient, by virtue
of the horse holding back, the body of the cart is automatically pushed backwards
on the axle pullies C. thus making the distance less between the axle A. and the
front of the cart, thereby removing a portion of the weight from the back of the
horse, and at the same time bringing into operation the brake straps K. with
the hubs of the wheels W. thereby breaking the wheels in proportion to the
inclination of the road; and in order to retain the brake straps in contact with
the hubs of the wheels when travelling over an irregular and badly worn incline,
the lever H. is secured forward by means of pin P. passing through the plates J.
On arriving at the bottom of the incline and on the withdrawal of the pin P.,
the clip of the brake straps K. is automatically released by the horse drawing the
body of cart forward on the pullies C. thereby adding weight on the back of the
horse according to the position of the axle A. in relation to the front portion of
the body of the cart.
When it is required to back the cart and retain the brake straps inoperative,
the lever H. is secured to the plates J. by the insertion of a pin through same, by
which, the lever is retained in such position as will prevent the body of the cart
being pushed backwards on the pullies C. and axle A. therefore keeping the brake
straps clear of the wheels so that the cart may be backed the same as one of an
ordinary construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of carts or other two wheeled vehicles in which the body of
the cart is supported by pullies C. mounted to the axle A. and engaging with the
slide bars D. all arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose as
hereinbefore set forth.
2. The axle A. combined with the bar E. curved rod G. and lever H. in the
manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore set forth.
3. The combination of the axle A. having pullies C. mounted thereto with the
brake straps K. and wheels W. arranged substantially in the manner as shown and
described.
4. The combination of the parts forming the complete apparatus for regulating
the load on the back of the horse and applying the brake straps to the wheels
automatically in accordance with the gradation of the road substantially in the
manner as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1892.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.