US1142578A - Tongue-supporter. - Google Patents

Description

H. A. IOHNSON & V. J. PEARSON.

ToNGuE suPPoRTER APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 2, 1915.

Patented June 8, 1915.

A TTOH/VEYS 0.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTUN, D, C,

. to become sore. The necks ofthe draft ani! HARRY ALMET JOHNSON .AND VICTOR JEBIHABJD PEAB/SON, 0F PIPER CITY, ILLINOIS.

ToNeuE-surronraa.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patentes. June s, 1915.

Application led February 2, 1915. f Serial No, 5,663.

horizontal position during use, to relieve the necks of the draft animals from thev weight of the tongue, and whereinthe mechanism is so arranged that the tongue may be quickly released from the supporter or connected therewith to permit the free end of the tongue to rest upon the ground when the wagon is not in use, thus relieving the'supporter of the weight of the tongue 'when the wagon is idle.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side View of part of a wagon provided with the im-` proved supporter, and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 2 2, 3 3 and 4 4, re-

spectively, of Fig. 1, each -looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent to the line.

As is known, with the ordinary wagon tongue the horses carrythe weight on their collars, and such weight very frequently causes. the tops of the necks `of the horses mals are also subjected to continual shock and jar when the wagon is in motion.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with the tongue 1` of a wagon, the tongue having the usual doubletrees 2, connected to the tongue by the bolt and nut 3, the said bolt passing downwardly through the doubletree and the tongue and being engaged by the nut below the tongue. i The tongue is connected to the `front axle 4 by means of a frame consisting of parallel longitudinally extending bars or hounds 5, connected at their rear ends by upper and lower cross plates 6, the

saidplates being above and below the reach 50 bar 7 of the wagon. Y

The axle 4, thebolster 8 and the reach bar 7 are pivoted to each other by the king bolt 9, the said bolt passing downwardly through the bolster, the axle and the reach bar, and being engaged by a nut 10 below the axle. The tongue isconnected to the front ends of the longitudinal bars 5 by means of a bolt 11, the said bolt being passed through the forward ends of the bars 5, through the tongue 1, and through the braces 12, arranged on opposite sides of the tongue and engagingthe bolts between the rear end of the tongue and the front ends of the bars 5. The bolt 11 is engaged by a nut 13 to hold the parts in place, and it will be evident that the tongue mayv swing vertically on the bolt. The braces 12 are connected to the tongue in front of the bolt 11 by other bolts or pins 14. v

The supporting mechanism comprises a latch in the form of a rod 15, having its forward end flapping laterallv. and shaped to form a catch 16 and a cam surface 17, ad v jacent to the catch and in front ofthe same,

the catch being at the rear end of the cam surface. The rear end of the rod 15 is threaded, andis lpassed through an angular f lug l18 on a plate 19, pivoted at its rear end on the king bolt 9, between the reach bar and the upper portion of the axle. Nuts 20 are threaded on to the rod on opposite sides of the lug, and it will be evident that by moving thev nuts the distance of the catch in front of the axle may be varied.

The catch is adapted to engage a pin 21, which connects the upper inwardly offset ends 22a of a pair of plates 2 2, arranged on opposite sides of the tongue and extending above and belowV the same, the said plates having openings through which the bolt 11 passes. The latch at its front end passes between the inwardly offset portion 22a of the plates 22, and since the 'latch is below the pin 21 it could not become disengaged from the plate. A V-coil spring 23 is arranged between the latch and an eye 24 on the bolster andthe spring acts normally to lift the latch and to hold the same in engagement with thepin 21. The plates 22 are held at an exact right angle with respect to the tongue, by means ofan eye bolt 25, and a flexible member 26. The eye bolt has the eye received between the lower ends of theplates 22, and engaged with a bolt 27 that connects the plates atl this point. The bolt extends forwardly through the eye of an eye bolt 28, which is passed vertically through the tongue from below upward, and which holds the reinforcing plate 29 for the bolt 3 at' its rear end, the front endof the said plate engaging the bolt 3 above the doubletree.

The flexible member 26 engages at its front end a hook 3a, formed on the upper end of the bolt 3, and above the head thereof and the rear end of the flexible member engages a pin 80, which connects lthe upper ends of the inwardlyl offset portions of the plates 22. A coil spring 26a is interposed in the length of the flexible member 26, and a iexible member 3l is arranged between the front end of the latch and the boltQS. The rear end of the flexible member -engages an opening in the latch, while the front end is connected to the bolt.

The operation of the improvement islas follows z--VVhen the driver hitches his draft animals he will raise the tongue, and as the tongue is raised the pin 16 will move over the cam surface 17 of the latch, depressing the front end of the latch slightly against .the resistance of the spring 23. The pin will passy over the inclined surfaceand will slip behind the catch. When now the tongue is released, the weight thereof .is supported by the latch.

Y drop and to be supported by the draft ani` mals.

lllhen driving downthe driveway, the supporting mechanism will automatically engage as soon as the horses reach the level ground, for the free end ofthe tongue will be lifted, thus engaging the latch with the pin. Turning of the wagon will not affect the supporting mechanism for the latch cannot move laterally with respect to the plates, and the latch turnswith the axle, holding always thus its long axis parallel with the long axis of the tongue.

The supporting mechanism isbelow the bottom of the bed 32 of the wagon, and is entirely outside of the said bed, so that it does not interfere with the load in the wagon bed. A serious defect in the ordinary form of tongue supporters which are fastened on the wagon bed is that in turning the mechanism does not pull in a direct line with the wagon bed but exerts a sidewise pull on the front end of the wagon box, which tends to strain and rack the wagon.

The mechanism requires no changes in the body or bed of the wagon, and the support cannot injure the box or bed, since it is not attached thereto. rilhe device works as well with the bed removed as when the bed is in place, for as before stated, it is connected with the running gear and not with the bed. Hence the mechanism interferes in no way with the removal or replacement of the bed and the bed is not marred in any way by attaching mechanism. Neither is the tongue or running gear of the wagon weakened in any manner.

le claim l. A wagon tongue supporter, comprising in combination with the ruiming gear and the tongue connectedtherewith, plates arranged on opposite sides of the tongue at its pivotal connection with the running gear, means vin connection with the plates and the tongue for holding the saidv plates at right angles to the tongue, a latch connected at one end to the king bolt of the wagon and extending forwardly between the plates above the tongue, a pin connecting the plates above the latch, said latch having at its front enda cam surface for engaging the y pin to depress the latch when the pin is moved rearwardly with respect tothe latch, the latch having a catch at the rear of the cam surfacel for engaging the pin, a flexible connection between the tongue ,and the latch for depressing the latch when the tongue is depressed belowr a certain predetermined point with respect to the running gear, and a yielding connection between thelatch and the running v,gear for normally holding the latch in parallel position.

2. A wagon tongue supporter, comprising in combination with the running gear and the tongue connected therewith, plates arranged-,on opposite sides-of the tongue at its pivotalconnection with the running gear, means in` connection with the plates and the tonguev for-holding the said plates at right angles to the tongue, a latch connected at one end to the king cbolt of `the Wagon and extending forwardly between the plates above the tongue, a pinconnecting .the plates above the latch, said latch having at; its front end a cam surface for engaging lthe pin to depress the latch when the pin is moved rearwardly with-respect to the latch, thelatch having: ay catch atthe; rear ofthe cam sur- `,face for enga-gingthe pin, and a flexible connection between thetongue andthe latch for depressing the latch when the tongue is depressed below a certain predetermined point with respect to the running gear.

3. A wagony tongue supporter, comprising in combination with thek running, gear and thel tongue connected therewith, a pair of plates arranged :on opposite sidesy of the tongue at the pivotal connection, means for normally holding the plates at a right angle to the tongue, said means .being mounted to yield, a latch connected to the king bolt and extending forwardly between vthe plates above the tongue, a pin connecting the plates above the latch, said latch having a cam surface at its front ends for engaging the pin to depress the free end of the latch, and having a catch at the rear of the cam surface for engaging the pin to hold the tongue elevated, a connection between the latch and the tongue for depressing the free end thereof when the free end of the tongue is lowered beyond a predetermined point.

4. A wagon tongue supporter, comprising in combination with the running gear and the tongue connected therewith, a pair of plates arranged on opposite vsides of the tongue at the pivotal-connection, means for normally holding the plates at a right angle to the tongue, a latch connected to the king bolt and extending forwardly between the plates above the tongue, a pin connecting the plates above the latch, said latch having a cam surface at its front ends for engaging the pin to depress the free end of the latch, and having a catch at the rear of the cam surface for engaging the pin to hold the tongue elevated.

5. A wagon tongue supporter, comprising in combination with the running gear and the tongue pivoted thereto, a resilient latch connected to the running gear of the wagon and turning with the front axle, a pin connected to the tongue for engagement by the p ing the latch when the free end of the tongue is lowered below a predetermined point, the latch having a cam surface for engagement by the pin when the tongue is lifted to depress the latch and to guide the latch into engagement with the pin.

6. A Wagon tongue supporter, comprising in combination with the running gear of a wagon and the tongue pivoted, thereto, a latch on the running gear, a catch in connection with the tongue for engagement by the latch, means in connection with the latch and the catch for guiding the catch into engagement with the latch when the free end of the tongue is lifted, and a connection between the tongue and the latch for releasing the latch when the free end of the tongue is depressed below a predetermined oint.

p HARRY ALMET JOHNSON.

VICTOR JERHARD PEARSON. Witnesses:

M. H. Scor'r, F. H. SCOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of. Patenti, Washington, D. G.

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