Improvements in or relating to Safety Devices for Tramway and other Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification. Left, 30th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Safety Devices for Tramway and
other Vehicles.
A communication from MORIZ MILLER, of Ottakring Haupt Strasse, 5, Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria, Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.L.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-—
The present invention relates to a device for the prevention of accidents by running
over by tramway and other vehicles and consists essentially in the employment of
wire lattice work or screens which is or are hung or otherwise suitably fastened or
attached to the front end and the sides and underneath the body of the car and
extending very near down to the ground. This wire lattice work consists of a frame
of iron wire of preferably about centimetre in thickness and on which is fastened or
mounted wire net-work the meshes of which are preferably about 5 centimetres.
The frame for the front end of the car is preferably of an angular form not unlike
a cow-catcher and is provided with eyes by means of which it is placed on hooks
preferably fixed to the outside of the car steps. These hooks are of such a length
that the frame can be lifted a little if, through the jolting of the car, it should touch
the ground without becoming detached. On the point of the angular frame is
provided a forwardly projecting shoe which prevents the said frame from being
damaged when the car for instance is ascending an incline where the frame might
come in contact with the ground. For the return journey the frame is easily unhooked
and attached to the other end of the car.
The lattice work for the sides of the car is attached to the latter by means of hooks
fixed to the upper part of the frame, and these hooks engage with eyes formed in a
ledge of the car body or in projecting pieces of metal if there be no ledge, these hooks
are also of such a length that when the car jolts the frame may touch the ground and
be lifted a little without becoming detached from the car. To prevent the frames from
being injured by coming in contact with the ground, downwardly projecting rings or
rollers are attached to their lower edges. To prevent any horizontal swinging of the
side frames they are each provided at each end with an eye which is passed over a
corresponding hook on the inner side of the adjacent step. The side frames may be
formed with recesses which would leave the axle-boxes and springs of the car
uncovered by wire net work.
Small frames with wire net-work may if desired also be suitably attached under-
neath the steps.

page_text: $
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Safety Devices, for Tramway and
other Vehicles.
A communication from MORIZ MILLER, of Ottakring Haupt Strasse, 5, Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria, Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.1.M.E., 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 :-
As illustrated in the accompanying drawings this safety appliance consists of a
screen or fence A of lattice work or grating, fitted to the front end of the car, and, of
similar screens B arranged along the car on both sides thereof.
The front screen A which is of angular shape with its point turned outward, consists
of a frame d and of a strengthening piece e both constructed of iron wire about 2 inch
(10 millimetres) in diameter.
The side screens Beach consist of a frame n also made of iron wire 3 inch
(10 millimetres) in thickness. Each of the frames A, B and F is bound together
by a lattice work or grating of tinned wire of preferably 2 millimetres in diameter
in such a manner that openings or meshes of about 2 inches (5 centimetres) are
formed.
Screen A is simply hung on the hooks provided on the outside of the plat-
form, by means of the eyes o wherewith the said screen is fitted for the purpose;
no further means of attachment being necessary. The upper of these eyes are of
oblong shape so that the screen A may be capable of a slight rising and sinking
motion, without any risk of its coming unhooked, and this also permits the easy
removal of the screen together with its bar from one end of the car to the other where
it is similarly suspended.
In cars where the frame ; projects at right angles the side screens are each hooked
by means of hooks provided on the upper rail of such screen, into, preferably 6 holes
made for the purpose in the projecting rib g of such frame j..
In cars where the frame has no projecting rib iron brackets & are secured to the
lower edge of such frame and through the eyes of these, the hooks of the side
screens B are passed. These side screens or frames are, besides, provided with rings o
at their front and back ends, whereby they are hung on hooks provided on the
inside of the platforms. The holes or eyes provided either in the projecting ledge or
in the plates as aforesaid, for the reception of the books should be larger than these
hooks, so as to allow of a slight up and down motion or oscillation of the screens
when, owing to a jolting motion of the car they touch the ground.
The screen A is capable of rising as much as 16 inches (40 centimetres) to ride
over any unevenness on the road, without getting unhooked; while it resists any
lateral, or forward and backward strain, without being shifted even as much as of
an, inch (1 centimetre) and it thoroughly removes any person or thing sideways, out
of its path, without any injury being sustained by the car.
The before described fences or screens descend to within a few inches from the
ground, thereby preventing any thing or person from being caught under the vehicle
or its wheels. It may happen in case the car is unequally loaded, that either at the
front or at the back of the latter, the screens will touch the ground, owing to the
jolting of the car; this might result in the damage or premature wear of the lattice
work. To obviate this drawback the hent piece or horn m must be arranged on a
lower level than the screen itself and additional projecting rings q should be provided
on the lower members of all the screens or fences.
To enable the side screens B to readily rise and fall an interval of at least 4 inches
(10 centimetres) should be left between the upper member or railing of each fence

page_text: and the frame of the vehicle. The axle boxes and springs should remain exposed so
that any repairs or greasing that may be requisite in the midst of a journey, should
not be interfered with; although the simple method of hooking and unhooking the
screens enables them to be removed in any required part with such facility as to
render this precaution in many cases superfluous.
The screens are fitted to steam tram-ways in the same way except that the front
screen is here applied to the engine and, with it, is passed to the opposite end of the
vehicle when the same is to travel back.
To prevent passengers in mounting the platform or ascending the steps from
slipping off and getting under the car, small screens F may also be arranged under
the foot-boards or steps, being hooked on to the connecting bars passing underneath
such foot-boards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In tramway rolling stock the improved safety appliance for the prevention of
accidents, consisting of a triangular screen such as A applied to the leading end of the
vehicle or engine and nearly touching the ground, two screens B each fitted to one of
the sides of the vehicle and also nearly in contact with the ground and if required,
with additional screens such as F; all such protecting screens being hooked by means
of eyes o onto hooks projecting from the car; or by means of hooks / engaging in
suitable holes or eyes provided in the projecting frame piece or ledge of the car; such
screens heing capable of vertical displacement only, so as to make up by rising and
sinking somewhat for any jolting of the vehicle substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination with screens A or B of rings q
and a bent piece or horn such as m the latter projecting from the lower edge or
member of the screen A such rings 7 and horn m being provided for the purpose of
protecting the lattice-work of the screens A and B from any injury consequent upon
jolting or shaking, substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 28th day of December 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.