US403766A - Sleigh - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. J. METTE.

SLEIG-H. No. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

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Patented May 21 1889.

3w u e, e h S S t e e h S 5 E T TR B ME L l P a d 0 M o w No. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

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N. PETERS. Phnlolikhagmpher. Washington. D. C

, 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

F. J. METTE.

SLEIGH.

No. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

F. J. METTE.

SLEIGH.

NO. 403,766. Patented May 21 1889.

WITNESSES, a r /V102, f

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX J. METTE, OF RUBY HILL, NEVADA.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,766, dated May 21, 1889.

Application filed October 6, 1888. Serial No. 287,398. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FELIX J. METTE, of Ruby Hill, Eureka county, State of Nevada, have invented an Improvement in Sleighs; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in sleighs of that description known as bob-sleighs, which have two independent sets of runners, supporting, respectively, the front and rear ends of the body or box.

My invention consists in connecting both front and rear bobs with the' sleigh-body by means of king-bolts, so that both may be turned about these king-bolts, and in connecting the front and rear opposite sides of the two bobs together by links having turn-buckles for adjusting the tension and taking up the slack.

It also consists in certain details of com struction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing two sets of runners or bobs with their connecting-links and turn-buckles, the body being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a rear View of one of the bobs, showing the hinges, bolster, and king-bolt. Fig. 4 shows the body and rail separated and the latches. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the body and rail united. Fig. 6 is a View of one of the crossbars, showing the clamping. Fig. 7 is a plan View illustrating the position of the runners and adjunctive parts in turning.

A is the body of my sleigh, and B and C are the front and rear bobs or pair of runners, respectively. Each of these sets of runners is connected with the body, as follows: An elastic bar, D, of tough wood or of springsteel, extends across transversely beneath the front and rear of the body, to which itis connected by means of a king-bolt, E, and fifth- Wheels F, the upper and lower portions being respectively secured to the sleigh-body and to the central portion of the bar D. The ends of the bar are united with the tops of the sleds or bobs by hinges, as shown. The lower portion of each hinge consists of the upwardly-projecting semicircular lugs F between which the corresponding semicircular downwardly-projecting lug G is fitted and connected by a pin or bolt, H. The lug G is attached to the end of the elastic bar D by means of a clamp-piece, I, which incloses the end of the bar, so as to prevent it from splitting sidewise, and also by means of the pin J prevents a horizontal split in the bar. The lower portion of this clamp, and upon each side of the upwardly-projecting lug G, is made concave, as shown at K, so as to fit over the upper ends of the semicircular upwardly-projecting lugs F. By this construction the concave part K rests upon the top of the arch of F and supports a considerable portion of the weight of the sleigh and relieves the pin or bolt from the strain which would otherwise come upon it.

The elastic transverse bar, upon the center of which the sleigh-body is supported, assists to make it ride easy and give a flexible connection between the runners or bobs and the body, thus relieving the parts of jar or strain.

In order to turn the two sets of runners around short corners and to make the rear one follow in the tracks of the front one under such conditions, I employ draft-rods L, the rear ends of which are connected to the rear runners by pins in front of the hinged joints above described, and preferably below their horizontal level, as shown in the drawings. These rods extend transversely across to the rear ends of the front runners, crossing each other, as shown in Fig. 2. I have shown these rods as having their front ends connected with the opposite ends of the front bar, D, at N, and as this point is above the connection with the rear sleds at N it is manifest that there will be a tendency to draw upward upon the rear runners and very nearly in line of the draft of the traces by which the horses are pulling. This steadies the rear runners and assists to pull them over bad places, especially stones or patches of bare ground. In order to adjust the length of these rods exactly and make the two sets of runners or bobs track perfectly, I employ turnbuckles O, by which the length may be properly adjusted.

P is a transversely-placed buckle which connects the rear ends of the turn-buckles O at a point in front of the crossing or intersection of the rods L. The object of this turnbuckle is to take up the slack caused by turning very short corners, in which the distance ;the bolsters by means of latches b.

between the points of attachment to the opposite sides of the front and rear bobs vary, one distance becoming shorter than the other, and if it were not for this means of taking up the slackone of the rods would slack, and the action of the rear bob would not be so steady.

Light chains, Q, may also be employed, which connect with the eye R at the top of the front curve of the rear runners, thus uniting these with the turn-buckle connections, which serves to give more steadiness to the rear runners.

By this construction I am enabled to drive a team at a high rate of speed around short corners, to turn rapidly where it is necessary to drive a sinuous course, as in crowded streets or among stumps or obstructions. This is e'lfected because by reason of the peculiar connections the rear bob will follow exactly in the path of the front one, and the latter will pass exactly in line with the team which is drawing it, occupying no more space than is sufficient to allow the horses themselves to pass. It also prevents any danger of upsetting the sleigh on account of rapidly turning corners.

Different bodies may be attached between the rails a, which are secured to the ends of These latches turn on pivot. pins or bolts on the body and engage lugs or projections c on the rails, after which they are locked by setscrews, or the latches may be actuated by springs, or have spring-shanks, so that they will engage automatically.

By this construction different bodies may be used and easily secured or detached. Durin g the working-hours a suitable body for the purpose may be secured to the running-gear, and when desired it may be easily removed and another substituted for pleasure or other purposes, the same runners being employed for all.

'Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. In asleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rear ends of the body, respectively, in combination with the fifthwheels and the king'bolts, by which each set of runners is connected with the sleigh-body,

and the diagonal connecting-links L and turn-buckles by which the front and rear sets of runners are connected together, substantially as herein described.

2. In a sleigh, the front and rear sets of runners connected with the body of the sleigh by king-bolts and fifth-wheels, and the links or rods having their rear ends connected with the front of the rear set of runners and their front ends connected with the rear of the forward set of runners at a point above the plane porting the front and rear ends of the sleighbody, the transverse bolsters, king-bolts and fifth wheels through which connection is made, and the hinged joints by which the ends of the bolsters are connected with their respective sets of runners, in combination with the connecting rods or links having their rear ends attached to the front portion of the rear sets of runners below the horizontal plane of the hinged. joint and their front ends connected with the diagonally-opposite rear portions of the front runners at points above the level of the connections with the rear runners, substantially as herein described.

4. In a sleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rear ends of the body, the transverse elastic bolsters, through the center of which the king-bolts of the two sets of runners pass, the clamps within which the outer ends of the bolsters are secured, having the downwardly-projecting semicircular lugs G, and the corresponding upwardlycurved projecting lugs F, fixed upon the runners, the

pins by which the two are connected together, and the concave support K, fitted upon the upper curved portion of the lugs F, substantially as herein described.

5. In a sleigh, the front and rear sets of runners supporting the front and rear ends of the sleigh and turning beneath them by means of king-bolts and fifth -wheels, elastic transverse bolsters having their ends hinged to the runners, as shown, in combination with the diagonal links uniting the opposite angles of the two sets of runners, the turn-buckles by which the length and tensions of the links are regulated, and the transverse turn-buckle for taking up the slack in making short turns, substantially as herein described.

6. In a sleigh, the two sets of runners supporting the front and rear ends of the sleighbody, the king-bolts, the fifth-wheels, the elastic bolsters supported by hinged joints upon the runners, in combination with the links crossing diagonally, and connected, respectively, with the front and rear opposite sides of the two sets of runners, the adjusting and compensating turn-buckles, and the connecting-chains uniting them with the front ends of the rear set of runners, substantially as herein described.

7. The double sets of runners with bolsters, and side rails secured to the ends of the bolsters, in combination with the independent detachable body, the latches attached to the body, and engaging-lugs by which the body is secured to the runners,substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FELIX J. METTE.

Witnesses:

REMBoLD SADLER, MICHAEL G. CAVANAUGH.

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