IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE SHAFTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Julius Ball, of the City of London, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE SHAFTS" A communication
fiom abroad by Amand Cleuet, of Paris, 28, Rue Magnan, in the Republic of
France
#
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Julius Ball at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1870.
CHARLES JULIUS BALL, of the City of London, Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARRIAGE SHAFTS " A communication from abroad by Amand Cleuet, of Paris,
28, Rue Magnan, in the Republic of France.
In this system the shafts properly called bear each a groove which crosses the
bolt of the joints which unites them to the splinter bar, it is upon the hind part of
this groove that the traction is effected when the shafts are in operation. Tho
posterior extremity of the shafts bears in this position against the end of the fork of
the splinter bar, which prevents all recoiling movement.
When the shafts are raised by hand they slide alone vertically and by their own
weight along their groove, with the bolt of the joints as guide, and abut against
vertical interior sockets which sustain the splinter bars; it thus becomes impossible
for the shafts to turn round the bolt, and they are consequently preserved from
all chance of breaking through falling, since their vertical position is assured in the
most complete manner and for an indefinite time, that to say, until they are
raised, and the bolt thus placed in the centre of the articulation, permitting the
oscillation and lowering of the shafts.
I can also replace the sockets which form the stop by the direct abutment of the
shaft against the end of the fork, or by hooks placed on the shafts, which, when
these latter are vertical, engage in notches made in the splinter bar; in these
dispositions the groove, which forms the principle of my Invention, is always
conserved
The manner of working is as follows:-1st. To raise the shaft when it is
horizontal, make it describe a rising arch, then let it fall back by its own weight
upon its groove; it remains then in its vertical position, thanks to the interior
vertical sockets which supports the splinter bar and against which it abuts; thus it
[Price 6d.]

page_text: cannot be reversed & consequently broken. 2nd. To lower the shaft take it in
its vertical position, raise it upon its groove, and make it describe a descending arch,
until it is in the required position for drawing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Julius Ball in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th March
1877.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
CHARLES JULIUS BALL; of the City of London, Engineer.
CARRIAGE SHAFTS." A communication from abroad by Amand Cleuet, of Paris,
28, Rue Magnan, in the Republic of France
The object of this Invention is to avoid the breaking of carriago shafts, which so
often occurs in all sorts of carriages after unharnessing one of the shafts, owing to
the shaft being vertical, from a jerk or faulty balance falling on to the pavemont or
ground. In this system the shafts (properly so called) have each an inclined groove
or slot through which passes the bolt of the joints uniting them to the splinter bar;
it is upon the hind part of this groove that the traction is effected when the shafts
are in operation. The posterior extremity of the shafts bears in this position
against the end of the fork of the splinter bar, which prevents all recoiling
movement.
When the shafts are raised by hand they slide vertically and by their own weight
along their groove, with the bolt of the joints as guide, and -abut or jamb against
vertical interior sockets formed upon the splinter bars; it thus becomes impossible
for the shafts to turn round the bolt, and they are consequently preserved from all
chance of breaking through falling, since their vertical position is assured in the
most completo manner and for an indefinite time, that is to say, until they are
raisel, and the bolt thus placed in the centre of the articulation, permitting the
oscillation and lowering of the shafts.
I can also replace the sockets which form the stop by the direct abutment of the
shaft against the end of the fork, or by hooks placed on the shafts, which, when
these latter are vertical, engage in notchos made in the splinter bar; in these
dispositions the groove, which forms the principle of my Invcution, is always
conserved.
The manner of working is as follows:-1st. To raise the shaft when it is
horizontal, make it describe a rising arch, then let it full back by its own weight
upon its groove; it remains then in its vertical position; thus it cannot be reversed
and consequently broken. 2nd. To lower the shaft in its vertical position raise it
upon its groove and make it describe a descending arch, until it is in the required
position for traction.
According to one arrangement of this Invention an inclined slot G is substituted
for the ordinary round hole which serves as the joint of the shaft B (see the
accompanying Drawing), and through which the joint bolt A passes.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings show in elevation and plan the
joint of the splinter bar M and with the shaft B; Figure 3 is a section of the fork
of the splinter bar M on the line 1-2; Figure 4 is a section of the shaft on the
line 3-4; and Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-6, of Figure 2, showing
the position of the shaft when allowed to drop by its own weight towards the
ground.
The dotted lines thus
marked Z show the position of the shaft raised,
the horse or horses being removed from the carriage, it will be seen that owing to
the inclined slot G, which is the essential feature in this Invention, the shaft B in
order to pass from the active or horizontal position to the passive or vertical
position Z without danger of breaking is obliged to go from the position indicated
by the full lines to the position indicated by the dotted lines thus
-

page_text: marked Y, then the inclined slot G owing to the weight of the shaft slides on the
joint bolt A and falls into the position indicated by the dotted lines marked Z. The
vertical cheeks a, a, of the shaft when it has been raised and allowed to fall against
the two vertical cheeks b, b, inside the fork of the splinter bar, thus forming a joint
so secure that it is necessary to raise the shaft into the position indicated by the
dotted lines Y to be able to put it into the position indicated by the full lines
This arrangement has also the advantage that the length of the slot can be regulated,
and consequently the vertical course of the shaft, at the same time that sufficient
material is left between the rear of the slot and the end of shaft or shaft shoe.
As will be seen from the Drawing the rounded part c, d, is drawn from the centre
of the bolt A, in order to allow the shaft to pass from the horizontal position to
the elevated vertical position Y, but the lower rounded part e, d, is drawn from a
greater radius, in order to abut or jamb against the cheeks b, b, before the shaft is
sufficiently inclined below the horizontal position to touch the ground, see Figure 5,
thus avoiding liability to breakage The cheeks a, a, b, b, coming into contact
prevent any accidental lowering of the shaft, since the centre of the joint bolt A. is
situated between the two extremities of the cheeks and no oscillation is imparted to
the shaft when at first raised into the position indicated by the dotted lines Y.
According to a modification of this Invention I dispense with the vertical cheeks
before referred to and let the shaft itself rest on the bottom of the fork.
Figure 6 is an elevation of a shaft complete, jointed according to this arrange-
ment, and Figure 7 is a plan of the same; Figure 8 is a detail view on a larger
scale of the joint The full lines show the shaft in its working position, the dotted
lines thus
marked Y in the raised position, and the dotted lines
thus
maiked Z in the secured vertical position. As before described
with reference to the first arrangement A represents the joint bolt; B, the shaft;
C, the inclined slot. The rounded portion P at the end of the shaft allows of all
the movements of ascent, rotation, or descent, and the action is in all respects
similar to the first described arrangement, but instead of the shaft being held in its
vertical position by means of the vertical cheeks the shaft rests on the bottom of
the fork F, and is thus prevented from falling into the horizontal position until it
has first been raised into the position shown by the dotted lines marked Y, when it
can then be lowered into the position indicated by the full lines.
It must be understood that the Drawings show the splinter bar forming the
female part and the shaft the male part, but this arrangement may be reversed.
The Invention is applicable to all kinds of carriages, whether of luxury or
otherwise.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the improvements in carriage shafts
for supporting and preventing same from falling when not in use, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Julius Ball, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CHA. BALL. (L.S.)