An Instrument for Ascertaining or Indicating the Shape of the Wearing Surface of Tram Rails or other Surfaces Subject to Wear or being Operated upon.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1399-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Instrument for Ascertaining or Indicating the Shape of the
Wearing Surface of Tram Rails or other Surfaces Subject to Wear
or being Operated upon.
We, FREDERIC JAMES EDGE, Engineer, and WILLIAM MANGNALL, Architect &
Surveyor, both of The City Surveyor's Office, Town Hall, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
J
This invention has for its object to provide an instrument whereby the shape
of the wearing surface of tram rails or other surfaces subject to wear or being
operated upon can be accurately ascertained and if desired indicated on paper.
To this end we form a frame or box closed at each end and open at the top and
bottom and with the front somewhat lower than the back.
The interior of this box or frame we fill with slides fitting against each other
and the back of the frame or box and forming a row from end to end.
These slides are each formed with a slot through which we pass two or more
wires or rods extending along the whole length of the frame or box and socketed
in each end thereof, which wire or rods serve to guide the said slides vertically
and prevent same falling out of the frame or box.
Between the said row of slides and the front of the said frame or box we employ
longitudinally a bar which by means of suitable screws employed in the front of
the said frame or box, can be pressed against the said slides for the purpose of
locking the same in position in the frame or box.
One or both ends of the said frame or box may be furnished with a foot adapted
to hold the instrument when in use vertically in position.
By preference we secure the said foot or feet each by means of a screw passing
through a slot formed in the same so that after having slightly slackened the said
screw the foot can be swivelled round and brought in line with the frame or box
ends and secured thereto by causing the upper end of the foot to engage a pin
employed in the end of the frame or box and by tightening the said screw again.
In ascertaining the shape of a surface, say the wearing surface of a tram rail,
the instrument with the slides locked, is placed across the rail and its foot or
feet swivelled in position for use. After having levelled the instrument and
the foot or feet screwed tight the slides are released and their lower ends allowed
to drop or pressed into the rail.
The said slides being all of one length the respective upper ends then represent
the exact contour or section of the rail which can be readily traced on paper
placed behind the slides.
Dated this fith day of Fahruor 1800
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,.
Agents to Applicants.

page_text: An Instrument for Ascertaining or Indicating the Shape of the
Wearing Surface of Tram Rails or other Surfaces Subject to Wear
or being Operated upon.
We, FREDERIC JAMES EDGE, Engineer, and WILLIAM MANGNALL, Architect &
Surveyor, both of The City Surveyor's Office, Town Hall, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to provide an instrument whereby the shape
of the wearing surface of tram rails or other surfaces subject to wear or being
operated upon can be ascertained and if desired indicated on paper.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood we have caused
to be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 an end view, and Fig. 4 a sectional
end view of a shape indicating instrument constructed in accordance with our
invention, Fig. 1 showing how the profile of a tram rail is ascertained thereby.
In carrying out our invention we form a frame or box a with the front some-
what lower than the back.
The interior of this frame or box we fill with slides fitting against each other
and the back of the frame or box and forming a row from end to end.
These slides are each formed with a slot c, see Fig. 4, through which we pass
two or more wires or rods d, in the present instance two, extending along the
whole length of the frame or box a and socketed in each end thereof, which wire
or rods serve to guide the said slides vertically and prevent same falling out of
the said frame or box.
Between the said row of slides and the front of the said frame or box we
employ longitudinally a bar e which by means of suitable screws f employed in
the front of the said frame or box, can be pressed against the slides for the
purpose of locking the same in position in the frame or box a.
One or both ends of the said frame or box may be furnished with a foot g, in
the present instance both ends, adapted to hold the instrument when in use,
vertically in position, as shown in dotted lines Figs. 1, 2 & 3.
By preference we secure each of the said fect g to the frame or box ends by
means of a screw h secured thereto and passing through a slot i formed in the
same and a nut on the said screw so that after having slightly slackened the
said nuts the feet can be swivelled round and brought in line with the frame or
box ends and secured thereto by causing the upper end of the feet to engage a
pin employed in the end of the frame or box and by tightening the said nuts
again, see full lines Figs. 1, 2 & 3.
In ascertaining the shape of a surface, say for instance the wearing surface of
a tram rail m, see Fig. 1, the instrument with the slides locked, is placed across
the rail and its feet g swivelled in position for use. After having levelled the
instrument and the feet screwed tight, the slides 6 are released and their lower
ends allowed to drop or be pressed into the rail, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1.
The said slides being all of one length, the respective upper ends, see dotted
lines Fig. 1, then represent the exact contour or section of the rail which can be
readily traced on paper placed behind the slides or indicated on sensitized photo-
ghaphic paper.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is:
1st. An instrument for ascertaining or indicating the shape of the wearing
surface of tram rails or other surfaces subject to wear or being operated upon, con-
sisting of a frame or box a containing slides b capable of adjustment against the
surface to be ascertained and to be locked in position in the said frame or box,
all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In combination with the frame or box specified in the preceding claim,
the bar e inside thereof adapted to lock the slides b in position in the said frame
or box, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. In combination with the frame or box specified in the preceding claims,
a foot or feet g secured to the ends of the frame or box and adapted to be brought
in and out of use, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Datel this Oth
Nah 1000
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicants.