US677068A

US677068A - Running-gear for vehicles.

Info

Publication number: US677068A
Application number: US4881101A
Authority: US
Inventors: William Fraisher Dodge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1901-02-25
Filing date: 1901-02-25
Publication date: 1901-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1918-06-25

Description

No. 677,068. Patented lune`25, lfl.- W. F. DODGE.

RUNNING GEAR FOB VEHICLES.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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RUNNING GEAR FUR VEHICLES.

(Application tiled Peb. 25, 1901A (No Nadel.) 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEETQE.

IVILLIAM FRAISHER DODGE, OF RUSSELL, MICHIGAN.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming* part 0f Letters Patent N0. 677,068, dated June 25, 1901.

Application iiled February 25, 1901. Serial No. 48,811. (No model.)

To all wtont it mfc/zj concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRAISHER DODGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Russell, in the county of Isabella and State of Michigan, have invented a newA and useful Running-Gear for Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the runnin g-gear of wagons andsimilar vehicles; and one of the principle objects of the invention is to provide a construction of running-gear by means of which the front and rear wheels will be caused to track and at the same time render it possible io turn the wagon on a relatively small curve without causing the wheels to come in contact with the Wagon-body, thus obviating the wearing of the wheels against the body of the wagon and marring the finish and detracting from the appearance thereof.

Another object of the invention is to so associate the reach with the hounds and a guide carried by the hounds as to prevent the running-gear from imparting a lateral thrust' or jerk to the pole, and consequently to the draftanimals, while driving upon rough and uneven road-beds.

Vith the above and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the running-gear of a wagon, omitting the wheels and body and showing the holsters in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, omitting the bolsters and showing the wheels. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the line y y of Fig. 2 through the forward end of the reach, showing the traveler and the rollerfulcrum to which the reach is slidingly tted. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the adjacent ends of the rear hounds and hound-plates, said view being taken on the line e' .e of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical transf verse section on the line oc of Fig. 2, illustrating the construction and arrangement of the roller-fulcrum. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of the rear axle, cap, and bolster, showing the relation of the reach to the axle-cap.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the igures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the front axle of a wagon; 2, the rear axle thereof 3, the wagon-wheels, and 4 the tongue, the said parts being of the usual construction 'and combined in the ordinary manner.

In carrying out the present invention the front hounds 5 have their forward ends set iush into mortises 6 in the front axle-cap 7, both of the axles being shown as consisting of the metal body portions 8, with the terminal spindles 9, the axles being surmounted by the usual wooden caps 10. The rear adjacent ends of the hound-sections 5 are spaced apart, as shown in Fig. 2, and are enlarged or thickened, as shown at 11, and the said thickened ends are rigidlyconnected by means of houndplates 12, arranged, respectively, above and beneath the enlarged end portions of the hound-sections and suitably riveted or bolted thereto. The hound-plates 12 are arranged one above the other and in parallel relation to each other, while between them is mounted a roller-fulcrum, which comprises upper and lower parallel members 13 in the form ofplates provided with Avertically-extending trunnions 14, which are j ournaled in openings 15 in the upper and lower hound-plates 12, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5v. The parallel members 13 of the roller-fulcrum are provided with vertically-aimed bearing-openings 15 for the reception of the spindles 16 of a pair of antifriction-rollers 17, which are thus journaled between the parallel members 13 of the roller-fulcrum and arranged at a distance apart equal to or slightly greater than the width of the reach 18,which is thereby adapted to be slidably received between the rollers 17 and also between the parallel members 13 of the roller-fulcrum in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 5. It will thus be seen that the reach is capable of swinging relatively to the front hounds and axle, and at the same time provision is made for a slight longitudinal or lengthwise sliding movement ofthe reach within and through the rollerfulcrum, which takes place whenever the front wheels are turned at an angle to the rear wheels. By the arrangement described it will also be obvious that when the front axle is turned to one side or the other a corre- IOO spending movement will be given to the rear axle,which will be caused to turn in the opposite direction, the result being that the rear wheels will track the front wheels and obviate the necessity of turning the front axle to the extent usually necessary.

In order to provide for the turning of both axles, the body-carrying bolsters 19 will be pivot-ally mounted upon the axlecaps, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The front hound-sections 5 are connected by a curved guide 20,'which extends transversely of the gear and has its ends rigidly..

connected to the hound-seetions by bolts or rivets, as illustrated in the drawings. The front end of the reach 18 is provided with a traveler 2l, comprising upper and lower parallel members 22, preferably formed by a single metal strap, which is bent centrally at 23 beyond the end of the reach and has its terminal portions extended backward in parallel relation to each other and bolted or otherwise rigidly connected to the front end of the reach, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The parallel members 22 are provided with bearing-openings 24 in vertical alii-lement with each other for the reception of the pintles 25 of a pair of antifriction-rollers 26, which are thus interposed between the parallel members 22 and spaced at a distance apart, adapting them to rece-ive between them the curved guide 20, above referred to. The parallel members 22 extend, respectively, above and below the guide 20, thus preventing any disengagement between the traveler and the guide, while the rollers 21 are adapted to roll against the front and rear edges ot' the guide 20, as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 3. The construction just described prevents the rearward escape of the reach and serves asian eective connection between the reach and the Vfront hounds. At the same time it provides for the lateraloscillations of the front end of the reach when the front axle is turned to one side or the other. During-the'lateral movement of the forward end of the reach and the corresponding movement of the traveler on the guide the reach will slide to a slight extent through the rollerfulcrum, and the rollers 17 will relieve any friction at that point due to such sliding movement of the reach.

The rear hound-sections 27 are constructed in a manner somewhat similar to the front hound-sections, and their adjacent forward end-s are connected by means of the parallel hound-plates 2S, between which the reach is adapted to be slid in adjusting the length of the running-gear. The adjacent ends of the rear hound-sections terminate in the oppositely-arranged iiat bearing-faces 29, which serve to guide and brace the reach 18. `It is also preferred to provide the rear axle-cap with a mortise 30, through which the reach 18 may pass, so as to give a greater scope of longitudinal adjustment to the wagon for adapting it to various uses, the said mortise gaged by the forward ends ofthe hounds and also by the walls of the mortise in the rear axle-cap it will be seen that the reach and rear axle and hounds will be braced relatively to each other, so as to prevent the rear axle from shifting with respect to the reach, thus causing the rear wheels to rollin lines parallel with the reach at all times.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the front and rear wheels of the running-gear will always track and both of the axles will swing to a corresponding extent in turning curves, thus rendering it unnecessary to turn the front axle far enough to bring the wheels `into contact with the wagon-body. In this way the wagon-body is protected from injury without requiring any additional room or space in which lto turn the wagon. The construction described'also obviates the objectionable jerking of the tongue and the consequent lateral thrust of the tongue and yoke on the necks of the draftanimals.

The improvements hereinabove described may be applied to and used in connection with various types of wagons and will ladd greatly to the durability of the same.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In runninggear for wagons, the combination with the front and rear axles, and the hounds, of a reach having a sliding and pivotal connection with the front hounds, the front hound-sections having their adjacent ends spaced apart and connected by houndplates, a roller-fulcrum pivotally mounted between the hound-plates and comprising spaced rollers and parallel members between which the rollers are journaled, said Vrollers and members being adapted to slidingly receive the reach, and a guide to which the Ioo los

forward end of the reach is slidingly con# 3. In running-gear for wagons, thecombination with the front and rear axles, and the hounds, of a reach having a sliding and pivotal connection with thel front hounds, the front hound-sections having their adjacent ends spaced apart and connected by yhoundplates, a roller-fulcrum pivotally mounted between the hound-plates and comprising @faces spaced rollers and parallel members between whiehthe rollers are journaled, said rollers and members being adapted to slidingly reeeive Jthe reach and the members being pivoted to the plates, and means for guiding the forward end of the reach, substantially as described.

Il. In a ru nning-gear for wagons, the combination with the front and rear axles, and the hounds, of a reach having a sliding and pivotal connection with the front hounds, the front hound-sections having their adjacent ends spaced apart and connected by houndplates, a roller-fulerum mounted between the hound-plates, and com prising upper and lower parallel members in the form of plates provided with vertieallyextending truunions journaled in openings in the upper and lower hound-plates, a roller on each side 'of the reach and provided with pintles journaled in openings in the upper and lower parallel members of the roller-fulerum, a curved guide arranged adjacent to the front end of the reach, and a traveler carried by the said end and engaging the guide, the traveler comprising upper and lower parallel members carrying rollers to coaet with the guide.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FRAISHER DODGE. Witnesses:

' DANIEL GRoUsE,

ARTHUR J. LACY.