US506080A - Sleigh - Google Patents

Description

(-No Model.)

RA. SGHAEFER. 'SLEIGHL Patented'Oot. 3,1893".

' ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDERIOH AUGUST SOHAEFER, OF TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,080, dated 0ctober 3, 1893.

Application filed June 8, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRIEDERICH AUGUST SCHAEFER, of Truckee, in the county of Nevada and State of California, have invented anew and Improved Sleigh, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to sleighs such as shown and described in the application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 456,888, filed by me on December 31, 1892, and allowed March 31, 1893.

The object of the present invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements, whereby the sleigh can be conveniently propelled and steered over ice and snow without danger of sinking the driving wheels too deep into the snow.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of part of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of part of one of the drive wheels. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an auxiliary runner. Fig. 5 is a like view of another auxiliary runner. Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 7 is a cross section of the auxiliary runner shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a plan View of one of the rudders. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the mechanism for raising and lowering the drive wheels. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a modified form of runner. Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the same; and Fig. 12 is a cross section of the same.

The improved sleigh is provided with a platform A on the under side of which are secured comparativelyfiat runners B bent upward at both ends so as to permit the operator to conveniently run the sleigh forward or backward.

On the runners B may be attached auxiliary runners B, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each being formed of a band of metal provided at one end with a hook 13 adapted to hook into a recess B formed on the forward end of the runner B, the auxiliary runner being provided at its rear end with a threaded portion Serial No. 476,514- (No model.)

B adapted to be fastened to a boss B on the rear end of the runner B.

For running over ice or hard frozen ground I provide an auxiliary runner B shown in Figs. 4 and 7, which is made of a piece of steel set edgewise and curved to the shape of the runner B, and attached thereto, similar to the runner B, by hooks and bolts at the end of the said runner B. Part of the sides of this runner B is flanked by longitudinally-extending strips of wood B bolted or otherwise fastened to the under side of the runner B.

On loose or wet snow it is necessary to have very wide runners B, (see Figs. 10, 11 and 12) to prevent the sleigh from sinking into the snow. In order to reduce the adhesion of the wide runners B and the snow, Iprovide the under side of the same with longitudinally-extending wires or rods B arranged parallel to each other and fastened at their ends to the curved ends of the runners B, similar to those shown in Fig. 5.

Near the forward end of the platform A.

are erected the posts 0 each connected with a rearwardly-extending beam D provided with suitable bearings for the axle E of the drive wheels F extending on the sides of the platform A below the runners, to engage the snow, ice or ground. The axle E is provided in its middle with a crank arm E. adapted to be taken hold of by the operator for turning the axle E, or connected with suitable machinery located on the platform A for impartinga rotary motion to the said axle by power. Each of the driving wheels F is provided with a series of spokes F from the outer ends of which extend on opposite sides the brackets F and these at each side are connected with each other by rings or circular bands F as plainly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Between the two rings are secured the paddles F extending radially and preferably toothed at their outer edges, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 3. The ends of the spokes F are connected with each other by a band or ring F which extends a suitable distance inward from the inner edges of the paddles F so that serves to prevent the drive wheel from sinking too far into the snow. The rear ends of the bars D are guided in guideways G secured on the platform A, the said guideways being 5 provided with apertures, and a pin for locking the bars in place, as is more fully described in the application above referred to. In order to raise or lower the drive wheels F, I provide the following device: The rear ends of the bars D are pivotally-connected with downwardly and forwardly-extending arms H each provided at its lower end with a friction roller H traveling on a fixed bearing I attached to the platform A. A cord or is rope J is connected with the arm H and extends rearwardly to carry at its rear end a handle J which, when taken hold of by the operator and pulled, causes the arms H to swing rearwardly, the rollers 1-1 traveling on the bearings I, thus raising the bars D and consequently lifting the drive wheels F more or less out of the snow.

In order to steer the sleigh to the right or left, I provide the same near its forward end 2 5 on opposite sides with rudders K, each curved outwardly, as plainly shown in Fig. 8, and held normally out of the snow until it is desired to steer the sleigh to one side. Each rudder K is fulcrumed at K to the side of the runner B and is curved upwardly at its front end to connect with a rope or cord K passing through the posts 0 and guideways G to support at the rear ends, handles K under the control of the operator, so that when a pull is exerted on the said handles, a downward swinging motion is given to the rudders, so as to move their rear curved ends in contact with the snow or ice to steer the sleigh to the right or left according to the left or 0 right rudder acted on by pulling the corresponding rope. A spring K connects with the rear end of each rudder K, the said spring being attached at its upper end to the corresponding post 0. Thus, when the operator releases the pull on the handle K the spring K forces the corresponding rudder back to its normal position and out of contact with the snow'or ice, as illustrated in Fig. 1'.

When it is desired to raise the front end of the sleigh 0% the snow or ice, I use a set of wheels L journaled in arms L pivoted to with each other, paddles secured between the rings, and a circular band connecting the ends of the spokes with each other, the said band terminating a suitable distance from the inner edges of the said paddles, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a sleigh, the combination with a platform, of arms held on postson thesaid platform, a drive wheel. journaled in the said arms, downwardly and forwardly-extending arms pivotally connected with the said journal arms of the wheel, a frictionwheel held in the said last mentioned arms and adapted to roll on bearings fixed on the said platform, and a rope or cord connected with the said friction wheel arms, substantially as shown and described.

3. 'A sleigh provided with main runners, auxiliary runners adapted to be fastened at their ends to the said main runners, and longitudinal wires or rods secured to the under surface of the said auxiliary runners, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with the main runner having a recess and boss at its respective ends, of the auxiliary runner having a hook and threaded portion at its respective ends, substantially as shown and described.

5. In. a sleigh, the combination with a plat form provided with runners, drive wheels held vertically adjustable on the sides of the said platform, curved rudders pivoted to the front ends of the said runners, a spring connected with each of the said runners, and a cord or rope connected with the said pivoted rudders and under the control of the operator, substantially as shown and described.

FRIEDERIGH AUGUST SCHAEFER.

Witnesses:

JAMES SHERRITT, ORRIN BURNS.

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