US394726A - Sleigh - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. H. SAWYER SLEIGH.

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A. H. SAWYER.

SLBIGH.

No. 394,726. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

'1 Lfllilllllllll lzllll UNiTEn STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT II. SAlVYER, OF NORTH lVEARE, NElV HAMPSHIRE.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFIGATIONiorming part of Letters Patent No. 394,726, dated. December 18, 1888.

Application filed September 15, 1888. Serial No. 285,474. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. SAWYER, of North lVeare, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleighs and Sleds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in sleighs and sleds, and particularly to a type in which springs are employed to obviate shock when the runners encounter obstructions or rouglmess on the road-bed that would jolt the occupants of the sliding vehicle.

One object of my present invention is to provide a sleigh or sled with a simple and efficient spring compensating device which will absorb the percussive action of the runner caused when moving rapidly over an uneven road-bed or when said runners ride up on snow-crust and break it down, and at the same time prevent lateral swaying motion of the sleigh-body, the line of spring vibration being rendered vertical, or nearly so.

At'urther object is to furnish a spring compensating device for the prevention of shock or jolting percussion in a double runner sleigh or sled, spring mechanism being applied to both sets of runners and adapted to afford vertical yielding action thereto, while the front set of runners is allowed to swivel on a center plate laterally.

\Vith these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter set forth, and indicated in the claims.

Referring to the drawings making a part of this specifieation,Figure 1 is a side elevation in perspective of a sleigh to which the improved spring appliance is attached. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the running-gears of a sleigh, showing the method of constructing my improved spring device and its application to a sleigh having one pair of runners. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a side elevation of a doubleseated sleigh having two sets of spring shockabsorbing appliances attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a sleigh-bod y with modified form of the spring shock-absorber adapted for heavy loads. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a bob sleigh or sled having two pairs of runners,

shown in Fig.3, with the torsion-springs removed and the parts enlarged to clearly illustrate the manner of constructing the details. S and 9 are detached views of important details enlarged.

D is the body of the sleigh. (See Fig. 1.) This may be given any desired degree of finish and variation in design to suit the taste of the builder. It is provided with a strong light frame having three parallel pieces, D, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. that extend longitudinally to afford means for securing the bottom boards, and also for proper stable attachment of the sleigh-body upon its running-gears. The latter-named parts consist of a pair of runners, (7, given the form substantially as shown, although this shape may be varied at will of the constrncter.

()n the runners G the elliptical plate-springs B are mounted. These may have any required number of leaves so disposed and secured upon each other as to produce elastic springs of proper strength and resilience for the load they are to sustain.

The springs Bare hinged to the rear ends ot' the runners C, as shown, and swung in loops, or are hinged at their forward ends to said runners, the curvature of the platesprings B being such with regard to that of the runners and the forward points of hinged connection of the same that a portion of the bodies of the springs 13 will lie in nearly a horizontal plane and approximately parallel to the tread or bearing-surface of the runners.

The body D is secured in place upon the springs B by the bent metallic bolster-plates G, which have their outer ends fastened upon the springs in any improved manner and their inwardly-extended portions similarly attached to the three frame-bars D, as shown in Fig. 2, the bars being represented in dotted lines.

Across the front of the runners B a crossbar, E, is pivoted on the projecting studs E, so as to hold the runners and permit them to have an independent vertical movement. ()n this bar E the thills .F are hinged or shackled in the usual manner.

l pon bolster-plates G the transverse shafts (t are held to rock by the loop bolts 1', which pass upwardly through the longitudinal frame-pieces l) and are secured thereto by nuts. The shafts (6, extending in the same axial line, have their inner ends supported in contact with each other by said bolts, which are preferably located bet ween pairs of spaced collars as shown in Fig. 7, so that endthrust of both shafts will be prevented.

()n the ends of the rock-shafts (1, inside of the loop-bolts r, the arms a are integrally formed, these, bending downwardly and out:- wardly a proper distance, terminate in cylindrical. bosses which are perforated in a line parallel with the axis of the shafts, and checleshoulders T are provided, that depend from the bosses u on each side of the joint, to prevent too great a flexing action of the joints.

The knee-pieees A are bifurcated at their upper ends to produce spaced parallel cars 6 on each, as shown in Fig. 3, these cars being perforated to be pivoted to the bosses o of the arms a, and thus afford hinged joints to these pieces that are adapted to permit the lfllOG-PlGCQS to vibrate in line with the runners, but prevent any deflect-ion of the joined pieces laterally, the lower end of the kneepieces A being clipped to the runners (l at H, so as to atford hinged joints which will eoact with the upper joints, and thus permit a rocking vibration of the shafts (1, arms (1, and knee-pieces A in an obvious manner.

.l"herc are two torsional wire springs, S, spirally wound upon the inner ends of the shafts (t, which springs have their outer terminals engaged with the ears 1 and their other ends in bearing-contact with the center longittnlinal frame-piece l), as shown in l ig. I). .The tllltitlllull of the coils of the springs is such that their strength will be exerted to lift and transfer the weight of the kneepieces A upon the plate-springs 1 thus rendering the action of these parts more sensitive under light; loads, so that percussive action incidental to abrupt contact of the runners with inequalities of the road-bed will be quickly neutralized:

In Figs. 4c and 5 are shown a modified :form of the rumiing-gears substantially like that just described, but so changed as to render the same capable of sustaining heavier loads; and to this end two sets of com ;)ensatin mechanism are provided to aid in elastically supporting the body of a two-seated sleigh.

It will be seen in. Fig. 5 that the duplicate rock-shafts a have the spiral coiled sprin S, located near the arms a, the inner terminals of said coils engaging the perforated ears 2' and their other ends bearing upon the outer longitudinal. frame-pieces D, so that the torsional resistance of the springs wi llbe exerted nearer the knuckle-joints between the arms a and the knee-pieces A. By coiling the springs S more or less their force may be increased to a certain limit, and as the direction of these coils is reversed from those shown in l ig. 2' their strength will. be added to that of the plate-springs l to sustain weight placed in the body I) of the sleigh, and these will coact to absorb any jolting of the sleigh which may be occasiom d by the movement of the runners over inequalities on the surface of the road-bed or the encounter of the runners with a mass of snow slightly incrusted that raises the front of the sleigh and permits it to suddenly fall by reason of the breakingof this crust.

It is necessary that the strength of the springs b be proportioned to the capacity of the vehicle to render them OlllClOllt in operation, and also the loadsustaining capacity of the elliptical platesprings l which are secured by the metal lmlster-plate G to the sleigh-body near the center of length of said springs and body.

The connection of the transverse roeleshafts a and spiral springs S is made to the front and rear of the bolster-plate, so as to spread them and afford proper support to the weight placed on the front and rear seats when the sleigh is in use.

In llig. t3 the combined torsional and plate spring shock-arresting device is shown as applied to a bob sleigh or sled, two independent pairs of runners being employed to properly sustain the long body I), and, as will be observed, the rear bob or pair of runners is connected to the body I) by a bolstenplate, (at, the depending ends of which are bent into flanges 0, that are bolted upon the elliptical plate-springs l5. Any other preferred form of this bolster may be utilized to secure the springs 13 in alignment with the sides of the body I), the ends of the springs being shackled or otherwise connected to have hinged joints with the runners (I at or near their front and rear ends, as shown.

The arrangement of the rock shafts (l, springs h, and jointed knee-pieees A, together with. the integral arms a, on the rear bob is substantially shown in 'l ig. 5, this form of connection of the parts being n'el'errml as best tulapted to su 'iport heavy loads.

.lhetfront bob or the sled shown in Fig. 6 is provided with a wooden or metal bolster, on, that is secured on the plate-springs 1%, the wed ge-shaped endblocks, n,' being i ntrodnced between the lower surface of the bolster and the springs 13 to sustain the upper surface of the bolster in a plane about parallel with the tread or wearing-face of the runners A longitiulinal. groove is cut in the lower surface of the bolster m to receive the rockshafts a, which are similar in form to those shown in Fig. 5. The shafts may be secured to the bolster by loop-bolts, as previously described, or metal boxes of ordinary form may b secured to the lower side of the bolster m to afford rocking support to the shafts a.

Upon the under side of the body D, near the forward end, as shown, the center plate, P, is attached by the connected diagonal braces 0 g, which may be of any preferred form to adapt them to the purpose of affording a rigid support to the center plate, P, which has swivel-connection with the bolster m to permit the forward bob to be turned on the plate as a center, in the usual way.

All of the knee-pieces A have been shown as inclining forwardly to flex toward the front of the sleigh or sled. This is not absolutely necessary, as it is apparent that equally as good results will be obtained if the joints moved toward the heels of the runners 0.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the knee-pieces A have their outer faces nearly in the same vertical plane with the runners O. This is preferred, as it relieves the joints a of lateral strain, but it is not imperative that such a form of'construction should be resorted to, for if there is a considerable degree of inward inclination given to the knee-pieces A and joints a these jointswill flex and the yielding support of the springs S be rendered available.

If preferred, the rock-shafts (6 may be made continuous as one shaft and the rock-arms a be made separate and secured upon the shaft in line with each other after the springs S have been placed on the shaft, and connected therewith in the same manner as previously shown, or one spiral spring of proper length and strength may be substituted for two separated springs.

Minor changes of construction of the parts of this device might be made without departing from the spirit or exceeding the scope of my invention; hence I do not desire to limit the construction of parts or their combinations to the exact form and arrangement herein shown; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a body, a rockshaft, arms for the rock-shaft, and a spring secured to the shaft and engaging the body, of runners and a device to maintain the body and runners in vertical yielding connection and prevent lateral motion of the body, sub stantially as set forth.-

2. The combination, with a body, two rockshafts having arms on their outer ends, and

two torsional springs, of a pair of runners, springs secured at their ends to the runners, and a yielding device adapted to hold the body from side motion and permit a vertical reciprocation of said body, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a body, a transverse bolster, runners, and two plate-springs secured to the runners, of a rock-shaft having arms located in the same plane and adapted to be hinged to two knee-pieces, a spiral spring located on the rock-shaft, and two knee-pieces jointed to the rock-arms and runners, having flexible joints that yield only in line with the runners, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a body, a bolster, a pair of runners, and plate-springs hinged to the runners, of two rock-shafts located in axial alignment and connected to the under side of the body so as to rock, spiral springs secured to and mounted on the rock-shafts, two rockarms on the ends of the rock-shafts, and kneepieces hinged to the rock-arms and runners and adapted to prevent any lateral motion of the body and permit free vertical reciproca-- tion of said body, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a sled-body provided with two independent sets of runners, of rock-shafts, springs thereon, rock-arms, springs connecting the body and runners, and knee-pieces hinged to the rock-arms and runners, the forward set of runners being provvided with a swiveling device to permit it to swing laterally, substantially as set forth.

, 6. The combination, with a sleigh or sled body, two independent sets of runners, platesprings bowedjand hinged by their ends to the runners, and a bolster-plate for the rear set of runners, of rock-shafts for each set of runners, rock-arms on these shafts, springs that are mounted on the shafts and connected to the knee-pieces, hinged to the rock-arms and the runners, and a swiveling device for the front pair of runners, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. SAVYER.

' Witnesses:

ALBERT 0. BROWN, Gno. H. WARREN.

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