US159492A - Improvement in fifth-wheels for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

` Lafr. BLAIR. .Fifth-wheel for vehicles.

Paienied feb. 9,1875/ l* UI No. l59,492.

'PHIL l -IFT, Y ,Img

LA FAYETTE BLAIR, OF PAINESVILLE, OHIO.

IIvIPRovEIvIENT IN FIFTH- wI-IEELs FoR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 59.492, dated February 9, 1875; application filed October 30, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, LA FAYETTE BLAIR, of Painesville, county of Lake and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Fifth- Wheel for Vehicles; and declare the following to be such a full, clear, and exact description thereof as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention relates to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which iorm a part of this specification.

invention relates to improvements in fItth-wheels, whereby they Inay be made in a simple and durablel form, and at the same time very light and of' little expense; and consists, irst, in securing to the axle the lower segment oi' a spherical joint, and to the reach the upper segment of same, the two being united by a king-bolt starting from a point above the axle, and extending up through both said segments, the head-block, and the lower leaves of the spring 5 second, in improvements in detached portions of the mechanism, whereby the above construction is made practicable and eicient third, inthe combination with the upper segment of the spherical joint and the king-bolt of the lower segment attached rigidly to the axle, and a slot in the said lower section through which the bolt passes, the said slot being elongated in the direction parallel to the axle, but not otherwise 5l fourth, in the combination with the reach-box and the plate beneath the axle of a brace attached.- rigidly to the said plate and hinged tothe reach-box.

1n the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the center line of the axle at an y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the king-bolt.

A is a box or casing extending down and around the axle. C' is a metallic plate, provided with a central stud or bolt, c', and boltholes for the passage of the bolt ends of the clips b. The parts are finally securely bound together by the nuts d. O is a top cast solid with the box A. Itis in the form of a segment of a hollow sphere, and is made smooth on its inner androuter surface. It is provided with a slot, t', at the top for the passage of the king-bolt. This slot is elongated in the direction of the length of the axle, so as to admit of the king-bolt moving in that direction. B is a cap-plate made to lit down over the seat or spherical top or bearing O, and it is also in form the segment of a hollow sphere on its under side, though its upper side may be of any desired shape. Gr is a box for holding, or to which may be attached, the reach. lt is cast with and forms a part of the cap-plate B. Its edges project above the top of the capplate B, at g, and form a shoulder, against which the head-block rests, and prevent it from turning. D is the head-block, suited on its under side to rest immovably upon the capplate B, and on its upper side to receive the spring E and the clips a, whereby the spring is secured to the headblock. Kis ak-iI1g-bolt.` It is formed with a head, m, that has a spherical bearing on its upper side to conform to the under side of the bearing O. Its shaft passes up through the slot i', the cap-plate B, headblock D, and spring E, and is J(,here securedby the nut o. The king-bolt is of peculiar construction. It is formed with a shoulder, m', between the two plates B andO, and the head-block D is formed with a bushing or annular shoulder, 11., which projects down through the cap B, and rests squarely against the shoulder m ou the king-bolt. This prevents the lower end or head, m, of the king-bolt from being clamped by the nut c so closely against the bearing C as to prevent a free motion, and at the same time, should wear eventually cause looseness or lost motion, it can be readily compensated by removing the king-bolt and filing down on the shoulder m. The sleeve or bushing L also serves another purpose: it makes a broad bearing on the bolt, so that should a person bear down upon one side ot' the carriage, as in entering the same, the leverage obtained on the king bolt would cause it to bind irmly against the lower shell or bearing, O, causing it to bind against the cap B, and consequently holding the parts rigidly, so that the carriage will only yield by its springs, and not at this joint.

It is obvious, that instead of making the reach-connection in the form of a box it may be made flat and be connected with the reach in any suitable manner; so also it is not absolutely essential, though preferable, that it should be' cast solid with the cap B, for it might be otherwise rigidly secured thereto. On the bar C is a stud or bolt, c', to which the end ot' the brace H is rigidly secured. The other end of the brace is hinged, as shown at I, to the reach-box, so as to permit the brace attachment to conform to the relative positions of the axle and the reach.

It is obvious that the foundation or base of the bearing-plate C may not be formed into the shape ot' a box, A, to embrace the axle; but the plate C may be secured to the axle in any suitable manner.

lt Will be noticed that the joint is not ex actly a ball-and-socket joint 5 but the surfaces are but small segments of spheres, and are all separated by'simply removing the nut c from the king-bolt K.

It is also obvious, that instead ot' dressing the head ot' the hing-bolt to a spherical surface it might be an ordinary bolt, and the spherical surface be formed on a washer, through which the bolt might pass.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The plate or bearing C, provided with inner and outer spherical surfaces and means for attachment to the axle, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination, with the plate C, ot' the king-bolt K and the elongated slot t', substantially as and t'or the purposes described.

3. The combination, with the plate O, of the box A, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination. with the plate C and box A, of the plate C and clips b, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination, with a hollow spherical bearing-plate, C, ot' the spherical cap-plate B and king-bolt K, the said king-bolt starting from the under side ot' the plate C, substantially4 as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination, with the spherical cap B, of the reachbox G, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. The combination,with the plate C and the reach-box G, ofthe brace H, attached rigidly to the said plate and hinged to the reach-box, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the plates U and B and king-bolt K, ot' the head-block D and shoulder h, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, with the plates C and B, head-block D, and spring E, ot the. king-bolt K, starting from the under side ot' the plate E, and the nut c, as set forth.

l0. The combination of box A, plates C and B, reach-box G, head-block l), king-bolt K, and elongated slot i, substantially as and for the purposes described.

LA FAYETTE BLAIR.

Witnesses: I

WILLIAM PETTINGELL, CHARLES H. PETTINGELL.

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