Year: 1886

page_text: JAMES PLENDERLEITH Caddon Linns By Galashiels Selkirkshire N.B. Wood
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an apparatus by which snow can be readily removed
from railways, and consists of a cylinder having curved blades on its perifery and
driven at a high velocity through gearing from a steam engine fixed to the top
framing of the machine.
:
The top part of machine will turn completely round on the under part by mean's
of a circular table between the upper and lower parts, when it is moved to the
opposite line of rails by the ordinary points to clear the other line of rails from
snow. The cylinder is overhung in front and attached to the upper part and
down nearly to touch the rails' and extends' over the rails on each side of the track.
From and above the cylinder extends in an upward and backward direction" á
deflector to carry the snow off the track while working at great depths.
The apparatus is attended and propelled by an' ordinary locomotive and the steam
engine for driving the machine' may be supplied with steam from the locomotive
boiler or from an independant boiler mounted on its own carriage.
The machine will be covered with metal plates extending over top and sides and
in front in advance of cylinder to' a cutting edge and to a form shewn' in accom-
panying drawings. This machine as looking to the front will discharge to the left
upwards and outwards at an angle due to the size and curve of the blades in
cylinder making it to apply as an excavator of similar substances.
Dated this Tenth day of June one thousand eight hundred and eighty six.
:

page_text: I, JAMES PLENDERLEITH Wood Merchant Caddon Linns Galashiels N.B. do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED SNOW PLOUGH AND EXCAVATOR
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an apparatus by which snow can be readily removed
from railways and high ways. It consists of a cylinder having curved blades fixed
on its perifery and driven at a high velocity, by means of gearing from a steam
engine or other motor fixed to the framing of the machine.
The framing of the machine is made in two parts, the lower of which is
essentially a strong wrot iron or steel six wheeled wagon, having a turn table
formed on the top of it, on this is placed the framing carrying the motor and
gearing, the upper part is capable of being turned entirely round, so that the
machine can be worked on either line of rails, by crossing over at ordinary points..
The cylinder has a shaft passing right through it, and is hung on bearings at the
outer end of the framing. The blades on the cylinder reach within a few inches of
the rail, and the machine is made as wide as the board of trade regulations will
allow the track cut being fully eight feet wide. The blades are fitted at an
angle on the circumference of the drum as shewn on the drawings, and are of such
a shape, as to drive the snow upwards and outwards clear of the track. The fixing
of the blades is so arranged that the angle at which they are set on the cylinder
may be altered.
Motion is communicated to the cylinder from the motor by toothed gearing, I do
not confine myself however to this method, but may use pitch chains, ropes or belts,
or the engines may be coupled direct to the axle of the cylinder.
A strong wrot iron or steel shield is constructed to cover the machine, the lower
end of which nearly touches the top of the points of the blades on cylinder from
which point it gradually. rises to a total height of about 12 ft from the rail.
The left hand side of the shield looking towards the cylinder is considerably
higher than the right hand side. Guide plates or deflectors are also fitted to upper
portion of the shield. The sides of the machine are also protected by metal plates.
These at the ends next to the cylinder are so formed as to cut into the snow in
advance of the blades.
The machine will discharge the snow always on the left hand side of the track
looking in the direction in which it moves, and at an angle due to size, curve and
angle, at which the blades are set and the speed at which the cylinder is driven.
The machine is propelled and attended by an ordinary locomotive, and the steam
engine for driving the cylinder may be supplied by steam from the locomotive
boiler, or from an independent boiler mounted on its own carriage.
Fig. 1st is a side elevation of the machine with the sides of shield removed to
shew the various parts.
Fig. 2nd is a cross section of machine through X Y.
Fig. 3d is a plan of machine with the top of shield removed to shew working
parts.
Fig. 4th is an elevation of machine looking on cylinder.

page_text: Referring more particularly to the drawings A is the wagon or carriage
supporting the machine, this is strongly constructed of wrot iron or steel fitted
with springs and buffers in the usual way, a turned ring is fitted to the top of the
carriage on which the upper part B revolves by means of rollers.
Locking pins C, C, are also provided to keep the machine in the desired. position
when at work.
When the machine is travelling to the place where it is to work the upper part B
can be raised up by means of screws K, K.
A pair of horizontal steam engines D, D, are mounted on the upper frame and
connected by spur gearing through an intermediate shaft E, to the shaft of the
drum of the cylinder F.
This cylinder or drum I make the full width between the frames, it is constructed
of steel or iron plates bent into suitable form and stiffened internally by angle or
Tirons, so as to combine great strength with lightness. I may also make the drum
polygonal instead of cylindrical.
On the circumference of the cylinder or drum I fix blades G G, these may be
made of cast or wrot steel, bronze or other suitable metal, they are placed in rows
diagonally across the cylinder and are curved in the form shewn. By an arrange-
ment of slot holes I am enabled to alter the angle at which the blades are set on
the drum, and thus throw the snow off the track more or less at an angle with it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I clain is
1st. The construction and use of a machine for removing snow from railways and
highways, consisting of a cylinder or drum having blades fixed on its perifery
mounted on a frame, and capable of being turned round on the top of a wagon
specially made for the purpose.
-
2nd. The form of and mode of fixing the blades to cylinder or drum.
3rd. The form and use of the shield with deflectors, covering in the whole working
parts of the machine from the snow.
4th. The extension of the forward parts of the shield at the ends of the cylinder
so as to form cutters.
Dated this 29th day of October 1886.