Improvements in Devices for Cleaning the Rails of Tramways.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Devices for Cleaning the Rails of Tramways.
I ALFRED DICKINSON of Tramay Depot Darlaston, in the County of Stafford,
Tramway Manager do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DEVICES FOR CLEANING THE RAILS OF TRAMWAYS 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 improvements in devices for cleaning the
groove and upper surface of of Tramway Rails in order that the friction in vehicles
using the same may be minimised for it is well known that the harder and cleaner
the bearing surface of a rail is the easier the wheel passes over the same and
therefore less tractive force is required to overcome the load and this is the case
whether the mud snow or other accumulation is in the groove, or on the face of
such rails.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have shown a number of Figures on the accompanying sheet of
drawings which illustrate a compact and very neat and effective mode of
constructing the device, and which I will now proceed to explain in detail.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device supposed to be attached to the front
of the Tramway Engine A and applied to the rail B and B¹.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same as also applied to the rail B.
Figure 3 is a plan upon the end of the latteral carrying bar C showing the
scraper holders D with the inclination thereof.
Figure 4 is an inverted sectional plan on line E. F showing the attachment of
the removeable scraper K.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the sliding collar M and latteral shaft C showing
also the attachment of the end S¹ of the spring S thereto.
Figure 6 is an enlarged end view of the scraper holder D which is fixed upon a
square neck on the bar C.
It will be seen that the eye brackets N and N¹ are attached in a substantial
way by rivets or other fastening to the front of the Engine or Vehicle A and
these may either be fixtures or permanent but I prefer to make them fixtures.
The whole apparatus or device is attached to and carried by these eye brackets N
and N¹ by the hangers P and P¹ which are capable of adjustment vertically by

page_text: means of the lock nuts p' and p² on one side and p³ and p' on the other side so
that the adjustment of the scrapers K may be effected to the greatest nicety.
The latteral carrying shaft Ċ is carried by the hangers P and P¹ and is capable
of free rotary movement therein but is under the control of the spring S which
always tends to make the scrapers K bear upon the rails B and B¹. This spring S
is attached to eye bracket P¹ or other equivalent fixture and the other end to the
sliding collar M which is put on to the shaft C from the c¹ end thereof. A groove c³
is cut in the shaft C and a corresponding internal projection m¹ from the collar M
fits into the same which prevents it from turning round while it is perfectly free
to slide latterally so as to give free action to the spring S as the scrapers K
accomodate themselves to any obstruction on the rails or unevenness thereof. The
Engine or other vehicle A is assumed to be moving in the direction of the arrow R
and the scrapers K and their hangers N and N₁ are therefore inclined backwards
as shown which prevents any liability of the vehicle being lifted off the track
thereby and the scrapers when necessary may be turned above the rails and
supported by any suitable means such for instance as the chains W hooked on to
the eye T which may of course be done without removing the device itself. The
spring S may be encased or covered by a suitable brass or other tube which
would make a suitable finish to the front of the Engine and might extend from
bracket P to P¹ and attached thereto or a brass or other shield plate only may
be used.
The scrapers K would generally be of steel cast or otherwise but they may be
made of chilled cast iron cast ready or nearly so to go into position for easily and
quick renewal.
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 claim is
The improvements in devices for cleaning the rails of Tramways of the spring S
encoiling the shaft C and attached to the sliding collar M so as to give the
necessary freedom of action on the rails or to turn out of the way and supported
and adjusted by the brackets P and their lock nuts substantially as herein set
forth.
1
CT
1000