Barrows Drum Universal

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Barrows, Drum Universal
Barrows Drum Universal (3).jpg
Specifications
Weight 110 lbs
The Barrows, Drum Universal is a wheeled cart for laying field cable. A drum of cable is mounted in the centre and the barrow is guided by two lineman using the handles at each end of the long arms. This style of barrow was used around the time of the Great War. During and after the Second World War, a Barrows Drum WD was used.

Description[1]

The Barrow, drum, universal, Mark I, is a double hand barrow, mounted on wheels, and is used for carrying drums of air line or cable when paying out or reeling up by hand. For readier transport it is detachable into five portions the shafts with shaft stays, the body with cross stays and axle, and the wheels. A spindle for carrying the drum and a detachable crank handle for turning the handle also form part of the barrow. The shafts are of 1 7/8-inch by 1 1/8-inch ash, 5 feet 2 1/2 inches long, and are spaced 1 foot 1 5/8 inch apart in the clear by two 1 1/2-inch by 3/8-inch shaft stays fixed between them 1 foot 2 1/4 inches from their centres. Outside these shaft stays four mild steel clip brackets are fixed to the under side of the shafts to take the ends of the body stays. Outside the clip brackets the shafts bend outwards, giving a space of 1 foot 3 3/4 inches in the clear between the handles. Bearings of mild steel to take the spindle, fitted with caps hinged and secured by a sliding ring, are screwed to the top of the shafts at the centre.

The four body stays are rigidly fixed into pairs by means of four cross stays ; all of these are of 1-inch by 1/4-inch mild steel. The body stays are 1 foot 10 inches long, and are fastened at the top to the clip plates by means of a removable pin and butterfly nut. At the lower end they terminate in eyes, which carry the axle. The axle is 2 feet 1 3/4 inches long, and of 1-inch square medium carbon steel, fitted with a swinging eye at the centre for a drag rope, and terminating in conical-shaped arms to carry the body stays and wheels.

The wheels are of 2 feet 6 inches diameter, of mild steel, with flat tyres and a gunmetal hub, and are held in place by split linch pins.

The drum spindle is of square section, with 1-inch side and 1 foot 7 1/2 inches long over all. One end has a shoulder 2 inches wide formed on it, 4 1/2 inches from the end, the part beyond being of round section to fit the bearing, and finished square to take the handle. The other end is finished round in section for the other bearing. Two loose collars with screw pins are provided to admit of different sized drums being held steady on the spindle.

The crank handle is 9 inches long, fitted at one end with a socket to take the end of the spindle, where it is fixed with a screw pin, and at the other with a revolving wooden handle mounted on a 6-inch pin.

The parts are all carefully gauged and interchangeable. The weight of the complete barrow is 110 lbs.

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References

  1. ↑ Instruction in Army Telegraphy and Telephony Volume II - Lines, 1914