Evening star., 1897-02-04
Metropolitan Road to Equip With a
New Fender.
TEE MANY IMPROVEMENTS CLAIMED
Will Take the Place of the Present
Uncertain Affairs.
THE PARMENTER PATENT

It is the announced intention of the Me-
tropolitan Railroad Company to begin to
equip within few days the cars on it's line
with a new fender a substitute for the
awkward and uncertain piece of mechan-
ism which is now carried on the forward
end Of each motor car. The east and west
line is TO be first equipped. The order for
the new tenders will be given just as soon
as the Commissioners approve the new de-
vice. and it is thought by the company
that the matter of official approval will be
little more than mere formality.
The new fender is the invention of George
A. Parmenter of Cambridge, Mass.
| nephew of Capt. H. H. Parmenter of this
city, quartermaster in the District Ma
tional Guard. 1t is claimed that it has
mary lvantages over the Blackstone
lender, which is now generally in use in
this city. 1t has found favor in other cit
les, and orders have been received to equiv.
street car lines in Hartford and Rochester
with 1t. 1t Is said also by the company
that 1t is the only fender with which the
on1cials OF the patent office are familiar
which complies in every particular with
the requirements recently adopted by the
to such devices.
one notable difference between the Par
menter and the Blackstone fender is that
the latter is essentially rigid, being at
new fender. however, is mounted on
springs and gives easily when there is
impact with any body. The present style of
guard. In its practical operations. has
peen found to throw persons caught by IL
on to one side Of the track, and the force
or the blow is such as frequently to seri-
oIsly bruise or injure the unfortunate who
may be struck. With the new device the
spring mountings permit the fender TO
yleid when an object is struck, and the
tendency of the spring is always toward
the ground, reducing to a minimum. it is
claimed, the chances of the fender pass.
ing over body.
The Mechanism.
The fender is considerably lower than the
present style. Those now in use are re-
quired to be ten inches above the tracks
The Parmenter model, when carried in its
normal position. is several inches lower
ana would strike man just above the
ankle at about his shoetop. Whenever oc-
casion may require, however, it can be
thrown down directly on the track al d
locked there, thing impossible with the
fender now in use. On the motorman's
platform Is lever which manipulates Ihe
necessary mechanism. A slight pressure
OF the knee is all that is necessary to drop
the device directly the tracks. With
the fender in this position, il is pbysi-
cally impossible, its inventor says, for any
person or for any part of a human body
to get beneath it, but il a person should be
fiat on the track, he would be scooped up
into the fender. The front rod of the de-
vice has rollers on it SO that il easily
glide along the track whenever it may be
dropped to that position.
The absence of the side chains, which in
the present style of fender connect The
front rod with the dashboard, is noticeable
in the new model The improved guard is
constructed entirely of metal. 1t has a
broad shelf of strap steel, interlaced like
wicker work. and capable of sustaining
heavy weights. In front of the bumper Of
the car is a wire mesh, very flexible and
strong. lighter than rope and neater in ap-
pearance, end likely to last as long as the
fender itself.
Wheel Guards.
With the fender. 1t is proposed also to
put in the Parmenter wheel guard, which,
it is claimed by those interested, is much
an Improvement over the present style
is the new fender over that now in use.
The wheel guard is automatic in it's work
ings. 1t discards, does the new fender,
the use of rope netting, and substitutes
therefor interlaced straps of steel. 1t is
dropped automatically to the tracks when
ever foreign body comes in contact either
with the guard itself or with steel rod
technically known as the gate" which is
placed two three feet in advance If ii
should happen that the fender for any rea-
son does not scoop up the PROSTATE body
from In front of the car, or If a person
should be thrown upon the track behind
the fender, but in front of the wheels ii
Is provided that the wheel guard will drop
to the tracks. whether the body strike the
gate and release the guard, or, missing
THIS, be caught by the guard itself
President Harries is enthusiastic over the
new lender and guard, and believes that
.Ley combine every feature desirable for
mechanism of their character. He stated
ms morning that the old style of fender.
raised high up above the track, mas been
al"ays an eyesore to him. and he has been
,,;a maRihs & strenuous efforts to secure de-
wee vice less rngainly and more certain of full
nLilng what was required of it. He believes
.rat ne mas at last succeeded, and is apx
lous to have the cars of the road ecIunned
with the new device with as little delay as
possible. '' "S