Year: 1888

page_text: the like.
I, RICARDO GRASES of Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Iron Founder do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be
porformed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a tram car, or other similar vehicle running
on rails, with an improved contrivance which shall serve both as a rail or track
sweeper or cleaner and as a guard for throwing larger objects etc., off the track or
preventing such from coming under the wheels.
The improved rotary apparatus comprises one, two, or more circular or cylindrical
brushes situated over the track or road and having their axis or axes horizontal and
perpendicular to the axis of the road, in such a manner that they brush or almost
touch the rails, said brushes being revolved in a contrary direction to the wheels of the
vehicle, by power transmitted to them by the axle or axles of the latter, with the object
of heaping or throwing to the front or sidewards, the matter or objects covering or
lying on the road or track.
The accompanying drawing represents an apparatus constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 1 shows part of a tram-car, the left half in section, the right half in side
elevation, one of the said apparatus being hero placed at each end of the vehicle.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of a pair of wheels and brushes, with the gear employed to
transmit the rotary motion from the axle to the brushes.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of part of the axle showing a rack and pinion for engagement
and disengagement of the aforesaid gear.
The gear consists of a spur wheel A feathered to the axle of the car, in such a
manner that it revolves with the axle while also capable of sliding longitudinally
thereon.
This spur wheel is preferably made in two halves connected by bolts in order that
it may be easily placed upon the axle. On one side of the spur wheel is an annular
groove m into which engages the guiding fork D₁ extending from the toothed

page_text: rack D. The latter is guided by two eyelets screwed or fastened to the bottom of the
car in a line with the wheel axle.
The toothed rack D gears with the pinion E, the shaft F of which (conveniently
journalled in suitable blocks not shown in the drawing) is prolonged to within
cor venient reach of the driver who is enabled by it to move the spur wheel A to the 5
right or left by medium of the toothed rack D.
The spur wheel gears with a second spur wheel B the shaft of which is journalled in
the blocks C (Fig. 1) and carries at each of its extremities a crank connected by a rod G
respectively to the two crank elbows in the bar or shaft H¸which carries the cylindrical
brushes K.
According to the position given to the spur wheel A, the latter either gears or does
not gear with the spur wheel B; when they are geared the movement of the axles is
transmitted to the brushes K so that the latter revolve in a contrary direction to the
wheels. When the spur wheels are disengaged the brushes have no motion.
1
The motion of the shaft B may also be transferred to the bar or shaft H by means 1
of suitable chain gear or other similar mechanism.
The extremities of the bar El rest in grooves in the guide-blocks J fixed to the
frame of the car so that this bar can be raised and lowered during travelling or
otherwise within these grooves in order to regulate the height according to the
diameter of the brush, the grooves being also so formed as to keep the bar suspended
from the road, when it is desired to be out of action.
The special form of the grooves J¹ for this purpose is shown in Fig. 1.
The guide-block J is provided besides with two screw threaded bolts n n holding a
cross-piece by means of two nuts boxed in the cross-piece so as to be capable of
sliding therein, whereby the said cross-piece can move in a transverso direction to the
bar H when raised or lowered within the groove of the guide-block J i.e. when by
medium of these two screw bolts and nuts the cross piece is raised or lowered to keep
the bar H which rests on the cross-piece at a convenient height according to the
diameter of the brushes.
The brushes K are each formed of one or more wheels having fixed on their exterior
circumference four or more curved brushes placed end to end around the whole
circumference. The width of the brush-surface may vary considerably according to
requirements; for instance a brush could be arranged to cover the entire width of the
track, in which case the axle of the brush would naturally receive its motion at one
or each extremity.
Fig. 1 shows a tramcar provided with two such rotary apparatus, one arranged at
each end of the vehicle, so that there may be one in operation, when the latter travels
forward or backwards.
Whichever may be the direction of travel of the car, the spur-wheels A and B of
the rear-apparatus are disengaged and the ends of the bar carrying the brushes_are
lifted over into the slot at the upper end of the grooves J' of the guide-blocks J, so
Then tho bar H of the front
that the rear apparatus is set entirely out of action.
apparatus is placed upon the cross-piece t, the position of which is first regulated by
means of the screw-bolts as aforesaid and spur-wheels A and B of said apparatus are
brought into gear so that the rotary motion of the car-axle is transmitted to the
brushes K and turns the latter in the opposite direction to the wheels so as to sweep
up to the front all obstacles or matter on the track. As the brush runs along the
rails, it removes the soil, gravel, mud, stones etc. which may be in the grooves in the
rails in which case it acts as a sweeping and safety rail guard apparatus at the same
time, whilst if tho brush does not touch the rails, it acts only as a life preserving o
rail guard apparatus, pushing forward the obstacles, which it meets on the track.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my sai
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :
1.) The combination with a tramcar or other vehicle for running on a rail-track, c
a rotary combined sweeper, and rail guard consisting of one or more rotary brushe

page_text: revolving in a direction contrary to the wheels substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2.) The combination, on a tramcar or like vehicle, of a rotary brush with mecanism
for driving same in a manner substantially as set forth comprising a spur wheel
feathered on one of the axles of the vehicle, an annular groove on said spur wheel, a
toothed rack having a fork engaging in said groove, and a pinion adapted to be
revolved by the driver or other person for the purpose set forth.
3.) The combination with a vehicle carrying rotary brushes substantially for the
purpose set forth of guide blocks J having slots J¹ in the manner substantially as
described, cross piece t and screw threaded bolts substantially as set forth.
. 11
1 1
1000
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.