US172800A - Improvement in horse-detachers - Google Patents

Description

I UNITEEl STATES A ROBERT S. VAN ZANDT, OF BROOKLYN, E. D., NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OFv PATENTEEIcE ONEHALF HIS RIGHT TO GEORGE BOYD, OF PLAINFIELD, N. J

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE-DETACHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,800, dated January 25, 1876;' application filed v i i December 29, 1875.

. To all 'whom it may concern; y f Be it known that I, ROBERT S. VAN ZANDT,

tionl view of a vehicle or car fitted with my in'- vention, the several parts comprised in my said invention being shown at one end of the car in the position occupied by them when the whifdetree `is attached to the hook for the usual draft, and, at the other end of the ear, in thev position occupied by them at the moment of casting off or detaching the whifdetrees from the said hook.

A indicates the platform or end portions of the car, commonly occupied by the driver, and which requires no specific description.

B is the draft-hook, provided at each end in the ordinary manner, said draft-hook differing in no important respect from that in common use.

C is a lifting-plate, notched or slotted, as shown at a, and situatedabove the horizontal lower portion b of the hook, with the upright portion c of said hook extending upward through the slot a aforesaid. 'lhe plate G is attached to the upper end of a rod, d, which, preferably, is slotted to straddle the part b of the hook, in order that thev said part may serve as a guide to retain the plate O in its requisite horizontal position.

D is a lever, pivoted at f to the under side of the platform, and having its outer end pivoted to the lower extremity of the rod d, while its inner end is pivoted to a vertical stem, e,

which passes up through a suitable hole or guide,-g, in the platform. Upon the upper end of this stem e is a foot-rest, E, and between this foot-rest and the platform, in such wise as to tend to press the foot-rest upward, is a. spring, i. y

lt will be seen that from the relations of the herein-described parts the upward movement of the foot-rest will bring the plate() downward upon the lowerpart b of the hook B, and

trees, it is only necessary for the driver tof.

press down the plate O with his foot, Whereupou, as shown at the right-hand end of the drawing, the plate C is lifted, and, lifting the whiftletree above the top or point of the hook, casts oft' the whifdetree from said hook, entirely detachin g the same from the car.

Inasmuch as the disengagement of the Whit'- lfletrees from the car is eifected wholly by the power exerted by the drivers foot, it follows that both hands are left free for the management ot' the horses and for the working of the car-brake, thereby enabling the driver to more eit'ectually guard against accident in 'many cases than is now possible, as well as providing a morel expeditious means of detaching the whiftletrees in changing the horses from one end of the car to the other than is afforded by the usual car-hook,77 so termed.

What I claim as my invention is^ The combination of the lifting-plate C, lever D, and foot-rest E, with the hook B of a streetl car,'substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

" ROBERT' S. VAN ZANDT.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. WHITNEY, H. WELLS, Jr.

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