US748080A - Running-gear for vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD DEC. 29, 190s.l

J. KRAUSS.

RUNNING GEAR FUR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1903.

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UNITED 'STATESV Patented December 29, 1903.

JACOB KRAUSS, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 748,080, dated December 29, 1903.

Application iilecl January 21, 1903. Serial No. 140.006. (No model.)

TO'LLZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JACOB KRAUss, a resident of Lexington, inthe county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Running- Gear for Vehicles; andI do hereby declare the following to be afull, 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.

My invention relates to an improvement in running-gear for vehicles, and more particularly to the front-truck construction, the object of the invention being to provide an improved construction of this character which will enable the vehicle to turn in a comparatively short space and dispense with the necessity for osets or cut-unders in the vehicle-body.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,A Figure lis a plan view illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 is a rear view; and Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section, taken through the center of Fig. 3, the bolt l0 and the nut thereon being shown in elevation.

1 represents the wheel-axle, on which elliptical springs 2 are secured, and these springs are connected at their top by a cross-bar 3, rigidly secured thereto.

To the upper face of the springs 2 is rigidly secured by clips or'otherwise a bar 4. This bar 4 is bent into the general shape shownthat is, its ends 6 6 are bent and project at an approximate right angle to the main or intermediate portion thereof and are secured between their ends to the springs, as above exf plained, and they are also bent upward and constructed to receive the thills. The main portion of this bar 4 is thus disposed some distance back or in rear of bar 3 and in a ver- .tical plane in rear of axle 1, and this main or intermediate portion of bar 4 is made up of an upper metal plate 12, a lower metal plate '13, and an intermediate filler of wood 14a, secured together and to the s ide members of the bar by bolts 14, as clearly shown in Fig.-3. While 1 preferably thus construct the bar for wheel.

the purposes of economy and elasticity,it may be made of one continuous bar of metal, and when this bar is hereinafter referred to and mentioned in the claims it is to be understood that it may be a continuous bar of metal or comprise several sections secured together. The upper plate 12 has a tubular lug 7 to enter asocketed plate 15, secured to the body 17, and receive the king-bolt 10. A strap 16 extends rearward from the king-bolt to the vehicle-body and serves to relieve this connection of twisting strain due to the draft on the vehicle.

A half-wheel 8 is secured on bars 3 and 4 and :forms the lower member of the fifth- The upper member of the fifth-wheel comprises a complete circle or ring 9, secured to the body timbers or sills, and the king-bolt 10 enters tubular lug 7 and pivotally connects the` body and gear.

To the bar 4 the steps 11 are rigidly secured, and the several parts referred to may be securedtogether in any approved manner.

By constructing myimprovement-s as above explained it will be seen that while the weight of the vehicle-body is equally distributed and supported from the center of the springs the pivotal point of the gear is in a vertical plane somewhat in rear of the axle, thus permitting the wheels to be moved a considerable distance in turning without striking the body, and thus enable the vehicle t0 make a much shorter turn than would be the case were the pivotal point in the same vertical plane as the axle. I provide a close-coupled vehicle, dispensing altogether with the necessity for a coupling-pole for drawing the rear part of the gear. I also equally distribute the weight throughout the fifth-wheel and support from the center of the springs and can hitch the horse close to the vehicle. I can also provide large front wheels and at the same time have a short turning-gear without the necessity fora cutunder in the body, thus giving this'additional room to the vehicle.

Changes mightbe made in the general form and arrangement 0f the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not conne myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as IOO fairly fall within the spirit and scope 0f my invention.

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

1. In a vehiclelgearing, the combination with an axle and two full elliptical springs secured at their centers to the axle, of a crossbar located directly over the axle and connecting the upper members of said springs at the center of each spring, a U -shaped bar having its parallel arms disposed upon the springs and secured thereto at the ends of the cross-bar connecting the centers of the springs, the cross member of said U-shaped bar disposed parallel to and a distance rearwardly of the cross-bar connecting the springs and a fifth-Wheel member secured centrally upon the cross member of the U-shaped bar and also secured to the cross-bar connecting the springs.

2. In a vehicle-gear, the combination with an axle and full elliptical springs secured at their centers thereto,of a cross-har located immediately over the axle and connecting the upper members of said springs at the center of each spring, a U-shaped bar having two parallel members disposed upon the springs and secured thereto at the ends of the crossbar connecting the centers of the springs, the cross member of said U-shaped bar disposed a distance in rear of said cross-bar, a fthwheel member secured to the cross member Vber secured to said bar, a king-bolt passing through the cross member of the U-shaped bar, and a rod secured at one end to said king-bolt, extending rearwardly and adapted at its rear end for attachment to a sill of the vehicle.

4. In a vehicle-gear, the combination with an axle and two full elliptical springs secured centrally thereto, of a bar over the axle and secured at its ends to the top centers of the elliptical springs, and a U-shaped bar having side members disposed at right angles to the axle and secured to the top centers of the springs, the forward ends of said side members of the U-shaped har constructed to receive a draft device and the cross member of said U-shaped bar disposed rearwardly of the axle and parallel therewith.

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

JACOB KRAUSS.

Witnesses:

MARY BELLE MITCHELL, J. L. WATKINS.

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