US1388765A - Sled-brake - Google Patents

Description

H. A. ROWE.

SLED BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1918.

1,3 ,7 5, v Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

' HARLEY A. ROWE, OF BRANDON, VERMONT.

SLED-BRAKE.

: -Application filed November l, 1918. Serial No. 260,691.

To a-llwhomitma-ycoacern: j

Be it knownthat IQHARLEY A. ROWE, :a; citizen of the United States, residing at Brandon, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Sled- Brake, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in sleds and has for its primary object to provide a simple and eflicient brake struc-- ture for sleds wherein the brake shoes are supported in such manner as to afford a wide range of adjustment to vary the'braking 7 effect thereof.

Among the other. aims and objects of the present invention may be recited the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the number of parts are 7 few, the construction s mple, the cost of production lowand the efficiency comparatively high.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features, scope of this invention will be more readily apparent from. the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims, forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the device applied to a'sled, only a portion of which latter is shown,

Fig. 2 isa side elevation showing the device arranged in an inactive position,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction in which the arrows. point, theteeth being shown by dotted lines in an operative ground engaging position,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational detail of the operating means,

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of one of the teeth,

gig. 6 is anotherdetail view of the same, an

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of the outer section of one of the teeth.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the'above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a sled including front and rear bolsters 1 and 2 connected by a reach-bar 3 while swingably suspended by a suitable connecting means 4 beneath the rear bolster are rear Specification of Letters-Patent. Patenfed Aug, 1921, I

runners 5. The runners are connected by} cross braces 6 held in position-by suitable fastening means 7 while the braces also are connected bylongitudinal bars 8 to which the connecting means 4 is fastened. At the outset, it is to be understood that the particular construction of the sled forms no essential part of the invention, being merely illustrated and described in orderthat a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the device may be obtained.

With' a view toward the provision of the improved combination road smoother and brake, bearing brackets 9' are secured to the under surfaces of the top bars of the runners as at 10 "being arranged in opposed relation with respect toeach other while rockably supported in these bearings is a shaft 11 to sectional teeth generally indicated by the numeral 12. l p I Each tooth is composed of sections 13 and 14 formed preferably of spring steel, the section 13 being desirably curved longitudinally while the inner end'is reversely'and abruptly curved as at 15 and fastened to the shaft 11 by suitable fasteners, such as a nut andbolt arrangement 16. The outer section or brake shoe leis formed of suitable metal, and is detachably connected to the outer L portion of the section 13 by a suitable fastening device such as a nut and bolt arrangement 17. This section 14; is also formed near its inner end with opposed flanges 18 designed to abut the adjacent side edges of the section 13 and cooperate. with the fastening device, hence preventin sidewise movement of the section 14; relative to the section 13. The detachable fastening of course permits of the replacing of an outersection 14 when one has become worn or unfit for furtheruse. m

- As intimated, improved resilient means has been employed for normally holding the teeth in an inactive position and for automatically returning the teeth to an inactive position when the operating means is released. In reducing this feature of the invention to practice, an arm 19 projects from the shaft preferably near one end thereof, while connected to the outer end of the shaft is one end of a coiled contractile spring 20, the opposite end of which is connected to a suitable retainer such as a screw-eye 21, anchored in one of the cross braces 6 and this 5 which are connected'in seriesa plurality of the arm 22 and consequently the teeth in a raised'or inactive position.

For the purpose of moving the teeth into ground engaging position, improved operating means has been provided, in the present instance consisting of an arm 22 which is rigid with and projects from the shaft pref? erably which the arm 19 is carried. its lower end pivotedas at 24 to the inner surface, of the lower portion ably arranged for swinging movement in a slot 25 provided between the runner and the ad acent longltudinal bar 8. In operably connecting the lever-23 and the arm 22, a

link 26 is employed, the respective ends be-f ing pivoted as by pins 27 to the medial portion of thelever 23 and to the outer end of which latter is preferably arranged at an inclination toward the lever as indicated in Fig.2.

while projecting at right angles from the longitudinal axis of the shaft and integral with the shaft, is an arm 30. Suitable connecting means, such as a flexible element or chain 81 1s now-employed, the respective ends being connected to the upper end of the lever as at 32 and to the upper end of the arm 30, while that portion of the chain immediately adjacent the arm 30 is arranged through a transverse opening 33 to insure of the proper operation thereof. The outer end of the shaft 28 is bent to form a crank and provides a foot pedal 34,- normally positioned in 7 an upright position and in proximity to the driver of, the sled so that when it'is desired to move the teethinto braking position it is only necessary to depress this'foot pedal to rock the shaft 28 and exert a forward pull on the chain 31. This causes a forward swinging movement of the lever 23 and as the latter is connected with the arm 22 on link 26, the arm 22 will be moved forwardly and downwardly, rocking the shaft and at the same time bringing the teeth 12 into ground engaging position for smoothing and levelingthe road over which the sled or other vehicle travels and at the same time acting as a brake therefor.

from the end opposite to that on A lever 23 has of one of the runners 5 while the upper portion is mov A shaft 28 is roekably supportedrin bearings 29 on the front bolster" the shaft by means :of the ing description, that a further detailed description of the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

Still further embodiments of the invention than those herein especially defined, may be resorted to as conditions or preference may dictate, as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims. i p

Having thusfully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured byLetters Patent, is: I g

1. A combined road leveler and brake including a rockablefsh'aft, road engaging teeth extending from said shaft and composed of curved flat spring steel strips,jresilient means coacting with the shaft for normally holding the teeth in raised inactive position, and means for rocking the shaft against the tension of the resilient means to move the teeth into road engaging position whereby said teeth may operate both as abrake and as a road leveler operating when sufficient pressure is applied to flex so asto bring the flat underfaces of the shoesinto engagement with the roadway.

2. A brake attachment for sleds comprising a rotatable shaft, fiat spring steel teeth on the shaft, the shaft engaging ends of the longitudinally with one end abruptly and reversely curved to fit saidshafnoneofsaid sections having opposed rightangnlarly dis posed side flanges at itsmeetingend toreceive between them the end of the other sec. tion, bolts connecting said sections and means for securing said abruptly curved ends to said shaft,

In testimony hereto.

HARLEY A. ROWE.

whereof I affix my'signature

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