IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARS OR CARRIAGES FOR USE ON ROAD AND OTHER TRAMWAYS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CLEARING AND REMOVING OBSTACLES AND DIRT FROM THE TRACK OR RAILS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howard Busby Fox, of Oxton, in the County
of Chester, and William Evans, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF CARS OR CARRIAGES FOR USE ON ROAD AND OTHER TRAMWAYS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CLEARING AND REMOVING OBSTACLES
AND DIRT FROM THE TRACK OR RAILS."
Scaled the 26th September 1871, and dated the 29th March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Howard Busby Fox
and William Evans at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 29th March 1871.
We, HOWARD BUSBY Fox, of Oxton, in the County of Chester, and
WILLIAM EVANS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF CARS OR CARRIAGES FOR USE ON ROAD AND OTHER TRAMWAYS, AND IN
1
'

page_text: APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CLEARING AND REMOVING OBSTACLES AND
DIRT FROM THE TRACK OR RAILS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention for " Improvements in the Construction of Car, or
Carriages for Use on Road and other Tramways, and in Apparatus con-
nected therewith for Clearing and Removing Obstacles and Dirt from the
Track or Rails, relates, in the first place, to constructing tramway cars
or carriages on a composite principle, that is, with outside and inside
scats on the same level or floor.
To effect this purpose we utilize the drivers' and guards' platforms in
the following manner:-Instead of having the entrance at the sides of the
platform, as is at present the case, we have the entrance at the end of the
platform, that is, opposite the entrance from the platform to the inside of
the car.
The spaces at present occupied for entrances we board or rail
round and fix two or more suitable seats at each side; these seats being
open or outside seats but coming under the driver and guards canopies.
In cars as at present constructed there is ample room for four seats on
each platform, that is, two on cach side, thus economizing the space here-
tofore wasted. Across the entrance we fix a sliding door, which when the
platform is in front is shut and forms a splash board. When the platform
is behind the door may be open, allowing ingress and egress to and from
the car.
At each end of the respective platforms we attach a hinged
step, which step will fold either under or up to the door when the door
is used as a splash board and will fold down and form a step when the
door is open for ingress and egress. So as to clear the step we place the
usual provision or bracket for attaching the carriage pole to, underneath
instead of at the end of the platform, and to meet this alteration we
form the carriage pole with a goose neck, or bend to raise the pole
sufficiently high for the horses. The pin attaching the pole to the car
goes through the bottom of the platform, thereby coming under the
immediate controul of the driver. In the case of cars with top or outside
seats we place the usual ladder at one side instead of at the centre of the
car and on the side opposite to that on which the break is. This ladder
is reversed, end for end, according to which platform is in front.
The second part of our Invention relates to apparatus attached to the
carriage for the purpose of clearing the track or metals from loose
stones, dirt, or other obstacles which may be on or clog the rail or line.
The great difficulty in applying clearers is to find a place of attachment.
and to arrange the clearer so that it shall at all times be equidistant and

page_text: run parallel with the rail or metal. This we arrive at by attaching
a clearer to the axle box of each wheel. The clearer consists of an iron
bar curved outwards and attached to the axle box by a hinge, which
turns upwards only. These curved bars are connected at their respective
ends by a horizontal rod running parallel with the axle and across the
car. Attached to this rod is a lever coming under the controul (by
means of a cord, strap, or otherwise) of the driver, so that he may
lower or adjust the clearer according to which end of the car is in front.
Attached to the extreme end and bottom of the curved iron bar is a
clamp, which has fitted into it by means of set screws or otherwise a
strong flat or convex piece of india-rubber, or other substitute which
just clears the metals or track. In front or behind the clamp (as deemed
expedient) on the same bar is a boss into which is screwed or otherwise
fixed, when requesite, a metal clearer for the purpose of clearing hard
dirt from the groove of the rail. A strong bristle brush may be sub-
stituted for this metal clearer at option, but it is not absolutely necessary
that this arrangement of clearer shall be attached to the axle box, but
it is necessary that the clearer is so attached that it is independent
of the springing motion of the car, and that it is always kept to run
equidistant and parallel with the rail.
Another method of arranging this clearer is by attaching it to the
axles of an independent set of small wheels of say about eight inches
diameter, arranged to run respectively in front of the ordinary wheels.
These wheels are fixed on a hinged bracket so that they may be lowered
or raised from the rail at option.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Howard Busby Fox and William Evans in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th September 1871.
: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HoWARD
OBUSBY Fox, of Oxton, in the County of Chester, and WILLIAM EVANS,
of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Howard Busby Fox and William Evans
Her special licence, that we, the said Howard Busby Fox and William
Evans, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Howard Busby Fox and William Evans, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should-and- lawfully might-make,-use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF CARS OR CARRIAGES FOR USE ON ROAD AND OTHER TRAMWAYS, AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH FOR CLEARING AND REMOVING OBSTACLES AND
DIRT FROM THE TRACK OR RAILS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Howard Busby Fox and William Evans, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Howard Busby Fox and William
Evans, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
Our Invention for improvements in the construction of cars or
carriages for use on road and other tramways, and in apparatus con-
nected therewith for clearing and removing obstacles and dirt from
the track or rails, relates, in the first place, to constructing tramway
cars or carriages on a composite principle, that is, with outside and
inside seats on the same level or floor.
To effect this purpose we utilize the drivers' and guards' platforms
in the following manner :-Instead of having the entrance at the sides
of the platform, as is at present the case, we have the entrance at the
end of the platform, that is, opposite the entrance from the platform
to the inside of the car. The space at present occupied for entrances
we board or rail round, and fix two or more suitable seats at each

page_text: side, these seats being open, or outside seats, but coming under the
driver and guards canopies.
In cars as at present constructed there is ample room for four seats
on each platform, that is, two on each side, thus economising the space
heretofore wasted. Across the entrance we fix a sliding door, which
when the platform is in front is shut and forms a splash board, or the
entrance step may fold up and form a splash board. When the platform
is behind, the door may be open, allowing ingress and egress to and from
the car.
At each end of the respective platforms we attach a hinged
step, which step will fold either under or up to the door, when the
door is used as a splash board, and will fold down and form a step
when the door is open for ingress and egress. So as to clear the step
we place the usual provision or bracket for attaching the carriage pole to
underneath instead of at the end of the platform, and to meet this alter-
ation we form the carriage pole with a goose neck or bend to raise the
pole sufficiently high for the horses. The pin attaching the pole to the
car goes through the bottom of the platform, thereby coming under
the immediate controul of the driver. In the case of cars with top or
outside seats we place the usual ladder at one side instead of at the
centre of the car, and on the side opposite to that on which the break
is. This ladder is reversed, end for end, according to which platform is
in front.
The second part of our Invention relates to apparatus attached to
the carriage for the purpose of clearing the track or metals from loose
stones, dirt, or other obstacles, which may be on or clog the rail or
line. The great difficulty in applying clearers is to find a place of
attachment and to arrange the clearer so that it shall at all times be
equidistant and run parallel with the rail or metal. This we arrive
at by attaching a clearer to the axle box of each wheel. The clearer
consists of an iron bar curved outwards and attached to the axle box
by a hinge, which turns upwards only. These curved bars are con-
nected at their respective ends by a horizontal rod running parallel
with the axle and across the car. Attached to this rod is a lever
coming under the controul (by means of a cord, strap, or otherwise) of
the driver, so that he may lower or adjust the clearer according to
which end of the car is in front. Attached to the extreme end and
bottom of the curved iron bar is a clamp, which has fitted into it by
means of set screws, or otherwise, a strong flat or convex piece of

page_text: i
india-rubber or other substitute which just clears the metals or track.
In front or behind the clamp (as deemed expedient) on the same bar
is a boss into which is screwed or otherwise fixed, when requisite, a
metal clearer for the purpose of clearing hard dirt from the groove
of the rail. A strong bristle brush may be substituted for this metal
clearer at option, but it is not absolutely necessary that this arrangement
of clearer shall be attached to the axle box, but it is necessary that
the clearer is so attached that it is independent of the springing motion
of the car, and that it is always kept to run equidistant and parallel
with the rail.
Another method of arranging this clearer is by attaching it to the
axle of an independent set of small wheels of say about eight inches
diameter, arranged to run respectively in front of the ordinary wheels.
These wheels are fixed in a hinged bracket so that they may be lowered
or raised from the rail at option.
The beforegoing being the nature and object of our Invention we
will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried out into practical effect,
and in order that the same may be more clearly and readily understood,
we have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thercof,
and have marked them with figures' and letters of reference corre-
sponding with those in the following explanation. Like letters and
figures are used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tramway car, showing the platforms
arranged according to our Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same;
Figures 3 and 4 are plan and side elevation, respectively showing the
application of our Invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view, showing
modified arrangement of platform constructed according to our Inven-
tion; Figures 6, 7, and 8, illustrate that part of our Invention which
relates to clearing the track or metals from loose stones, dirt, or other
obstacles.
Upon reference it will be seen that the entrance to the car A is at
the end of the platform B, thereby allowing four seats C, C, C², and C³
to be formed on each platform; D, folding doors which slide across the
entrance and form a splash board when the platform is in front; E, step
for ingress and egress, which step may either fold, up to be out of the
way of the horses when the platform is in front, or in some cases

page_text: it may be made to fold up and form a splash board in lieu of the
doors D.
•
In the case of the modification shown at Figures 3 and 4 the seats
are placed back to back with an entrance to the car in the centre a and
an entrance to the seats at F. The modification shown at Figure 5)
illustrates a similar principle to that just described, the entrance to the
scats being at the end. In reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8. the track
clearer G is attached to the axle box H, and arranged by a hinge at
I, so that it shall at all times run parallel with the rail or metal, and
bc equidistant from it. Thus the clearer consists of an iron bar G hinged
to the axle box H by the hinge I, which turns upwards only. This
clearer is attached to its counterpart on the other side of the car by
a horizontal bar K, and is brought under the controul of the driver by
means of the cord L. Attached to the extreme end and bottom of
the curved iron bar G is a clamp M, which has fitted into it by means
of a set screw or otherwise a strong flat or convex, piece of india-rubber
or other suitable substitute N, which just clears the metals or track.
In front or behind the clamp, as deemed expedient, is a boss O into
which is screwed or otherwise fixed when requesite a metal clearer P
for the purpose of clearing the hard dirt from the groove of the rail.
In some cases a strong bristle brush R may be substituted for this
metal clearer at option. Another method of arranging this clearer
is illustrated at Figure 8, and consists in attaching the clearer to the
axles of an independent set of small wheels S which are carried on a
bracket T hinged to the body of the car at V, and so arranged that
they will always run on the metal or track, and may be lowered or raised
from the rail at option of the driver by the cord L.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and object of this
our Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried out into practical effect we would have it clearly
understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact dimensions,
relative proportions, and style of the different part of the arrangement
as shown, as it will be understood by any person acquainted with
tramway cars and their manufacture that the same may be considerably
varied without departing from our Invention; but what we claim as
secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
First. Constructing tramway cars or carriages upon a composite
principle, that is, with outside and inside seats on the same level or floor,

page_text: and utilizing the drivers' and guards' platforms for the purpose of forming
outside seats, substantially in the manner herein-before described and
set forth in the before-going Specification.
Secondly. The apparatus and arrangement of same for the purpose
of clearing the track or metals from loose stones, dirt, or other obstacles,
substantially in the manner herein-before described, set forth, and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Howard Busby Fox and William
Evans, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand 1
eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
FREDERICK J. CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
HOWARD BUSBY (L.S.) FOX.
WILLIAM (L.s.) EVANS.