US809328A - Draft-gear for vehicles. - Google Patents

Description

No. 809,328. PATBNTED JAN. 9, 1906.

' o. SEARER.

DRAFT GEAR FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAR.'I, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lvihwosw N0. 809,328. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. C. SEARER. DRAFT GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.7, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN SEARER, OF VANDALTA, MICHIGAN.

DRAFT-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed March 7,1905. Serial No. 248,864.

To all whom it may cancern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN SEARER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vandalia, in the county of Cass and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Gears for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel construction of draft means particularly adapted for use upon heavy draft-vehicles. The majority of heavy vehicles have draftgear of a construction suitable for attachment of double teams. 'The practical embodiment of this invention secures draft-gear which may be readily applied to vehicles at present in use because of the provision of special ad.- justable attaching means and which will admit of harnessing a single, two, three, or even more draft animals thereto with advantageous results of obvious import to those versed in this'art.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowl edge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. side elevation. Fig. 4 is a broken transverse section on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 on the line Y Y of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In carrying out the invention it is contem-' connected near the front extremities thereof by a transverse bolt 3. The hounds 2 are Fig. 3 is a suitably braced by bars 4:, connected at their rear ends with the axle 1 and at the front ends with the respective hounds which they reinforce.

The invention comprises, mainly, the spaced longitudinal draft-bars 5, connected together, at their rear ends by transverse draft-bars 6,

preferably two in number. The bars 6 are secured to the bars 5 by substantial fastenings, so as to afford a rigid structure. Extending rearwardly from the bars 6. between the ends thereof, are arranged spaced hounds 7, which are secured to the bounds 2 of the running-gear of the vehicle. The bolt 3 is adapted. to pass through the hounds 7 of the draft device in order to attach said hounds 7 to the hounds 2.

To facilitate the application of the invention to vehicles of different sizes, wherein the hounds 2 are arranged at different distances apart, the members 7 are adjustably mounted upon the bars 6, and for this purpose the bars 6 are provided with elongated openings 8, through which the fastening-bolts 9, by which the bars 6 are secured to the hounds '7, pass. The arrangement of the bounds 7 is such, together with theconstruction of the bars 6 and attaching means for these parts, that the distance between the ends of the hounds 7 may be varied by adjustment of these members relative to each other. In other words, op-. posite ends of the hounds 7 may be forced together or apart a sufficient distance to admit of adjustment of these elements to the hounds 2 of various-sized vehicles. The means for ad justably securing the hounds 7 together comprises, primarily, lateral end plates 10, located at opposite ends of each of the hounds 7. The end plates 10 are preferably angular extensions of longitudinal plates 11, secured to the outer sides of the hounds 7. The end portions of the plates 10 are adapted to overlap and are provided with longitudinal slots 12, through which a suitable fastening 13 passes. The overlapping portions of the members 10 have the adjacent sides thereof roughened or toothed, as shown at 14, so that when the fastening 18 is tightened the toothed or roughened portions 14 of the plates 10 will be forced together and afford an interlocking connection between the plates, obviating all likelihood of play or movement of the hounds 7 relative to each other. It will be obvious that the plates 10 may be secured to the hounds 7 in any suitable manner, the construction illustrated being one of the various adaptations of the invention with reference to this feature.

To increase the rigidity of the connection between the draft-gear and the axle l, it is preferred to use substantial connections between the rearmost of the bars 6 and the axle l. The connections aforesaid are adjustable and comprise hook-bars 15, provided with hooks 16 at one end for connection with a hook or like member 17, projected from the axle 1. The opposite ends of the hook-bars 15 are connected. with rings 18 by means of adjusting-bolts 19. The rings or links 18 have threaded openings therein, through which the bolts 19 pass, and said bolts 19 may be adjusted so as to take up any looseness and brace the draft-gear in a manner which will be readily apparent.

The arrangement of the draft-bars 5 is such that the vehicle may be drawn by a single animal hitched between said bars 5; but the invention is particularly designed to enable the vehicle to be drawn by three horses. In this instance a single animal would be hitched between the bars 5 with the other two animals upon opposite sides of the draft-gear. When three horses are hitched to the draft-gear, as described hereinbefore, it is designed to use a suitable three-horse evener, which would be connected with the outer transverse draft-bar 6, a suitable attaching-bolt 20 and plate 21 being provided for this purpose. The plate 21 extends upwardly and forwardly from the rearmost of the bars 6, and the main bar of the evener would be received between this plate and the outer transverse bar 6, as above described. The form of the evener is not essential,since any type of equalizer may be utilized, and if the draft-gear is used with five animals a five-horse evener of approved construction would be used.

A feature ofv the invention resides in the provision of an evener neck-yoke adapted for attachment to the draft-gear, and this neckyoke consists of a main or central yoke-bar 22, having rings 23 depending therefrom to receive the front extremities of the longitudinal draft-bars 5. The bar 22 is prevented from displacement from the bars 5 by means of spring-catches 24, which are secured to the forward ends of the bars 5 and which are arranged to engage the rings 23 aforesaid. Short yoke-bars 25 are connected with the end portions of the main yoke-bar 22, and the adjacent extremities of the bars 25 are connected by a member 26. The several bars 22 and 25 will be provided with suitable means for attaching the draft-animals in any approved manner.

embodying a longitudinal draft-bar, a transversedraft-bar, spaced hounds projected from the transverse draft-bar for attachment to the axle, and connections between the end portion of the transverse draft-bar and the axle.

3. The combination of an axle, draft-gear embodying a longitudinal draft-bar, a transverse draft-bar, spaced hounds projected from the transverse draft-bar for attachment to the axle, and adjustable connections between the end portions of the transverse draft-bar and the axle.

4:. The combination of an axle, spaced longitudinal draft-bars, a transverse draft-bar connecting said longitudinal draft-bars, connecting means between the transverse draftbar and the axle, an equalizing yoke device comprising a main yoke-bar attached to the longitudinal draft-bars, and short yoke-bars carried by the main yoke-bar.

5. The combination of spaced longitudinal draft-bars, a transverse draft-bar connecting the longitudinal draft-bars, an axle, spaced hounds projected from the transverse draftbar and connected with the axle, and adjustable connections between the spaced hounds at opposite ends thereof.

6. The combination of spaced longitudinal draft-bars, a transverse draft-bar connecting the longitudinal draftbars, an axle, spaced hounds projected from the transverse draftbar and connected between the ends therewith, and adjustable connections between the opposite ends of the spaced hounds and com: prising overlapping members.

7. The combination of an axle, spaced longitudinal draft-bars, spaced transverse draftbars, spaced hounds extending from the transverse draftbars and adjustably connected therewith, adj ustable connections between opposite ends of the spaced hounds aforesaid, hounds projected from the axle and connected with the spaced hounds aforesaid, and takeup connections between the opposite ends of one of the transverse draft-bars and the axle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN SEARER. [L. s.]

l/Vitnessesz M. A. BROWN, M. R. MERRITT.

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