in Appliances Connected therewith and for Operating same.
Year: 1885

page_text: in Appliances Connected therewith and for Operating same.
We WILLIAM CLARENCE EDWARDS Civil Engineer and JOHN RECORD, Gentle-
man both of 23 Kenninghall Road, Clapton, Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to the ordinary method of suspending or fastening the "life-guards
or screens to the frames of tram cars so that they appear in front of the wheels in
angled or curved form to remove any obstacle that may be in the track between
the rails, they have been subjected to an up and down motion corresponding to
that of the body of the car, and vary very much in height from the surface of the
rails, according to the loaded state of the car, that is to say; if the car has only a
few passengers the weight is not sufficient to compress the springs, so as to bring
the body low enough for the bottoms of the life-guards to be within reasonable
distance of the track, that would prevent, such as in the case of a person falling in
front, the life-guard passing over and consequent accident to said person; it being
only when the car is full or well weighted that the life-guard would be sufficiently
close to the track as to sweep the obstacle sideways and out of harm's way. Again;
if the car is not evenly loaded the life-guard at one end is lifted above the unloaded
level by reason of the weight being at, say, one end.
Now according to our invention; the above named disadvantages are obviated,
the bottom edges of the life-guard at both ends of the car being always at the
same distance from the track and unvariable as to height therefrom whether the
car be loaded or not.
For the purpose of our invention we make a skeleton frame which we support
by the axles in any convenient manner but between the wheels. This frame has
the life-guards attached by brackets and bolts.
This skeleton frame may be of iron or of wood and is attached to the axles by
caps and clips or bearings suitably cushioned to prevent noise, and in the case of
repairs are easily removable, and can be fitted to any existing car by arranging the
distances of the clips, caps, or bearings, to correspond to that of the axles, means
being provided for adjustment of height by bolts and lock nuts.

page_text: Any system of lubricating can be adopted but we prefer the automatic system
such as that effected by the needle or the compression lubricator with solid grease.
In connection with said skeleton or separate frame under the body frame we
hang, suspend, or otherwise affix groove-cleaners, mud-dispersers, and track-clearers
such as those referred to by one of the applicants hereto in conjunction with
another applicant under patent N° 3807 dated 24th March 1885 in which said
groove-cleaner, mud-disperser and track-clearer is composed of a drag shoe with a
tool fitted therein, said shoe being dragged from the fore part of the carriage and
in advance of the leading wheels of the car in the direction of its travel.
The combination of said groove cleaner apparatus with the above named
separate under frame, is of importance in this invention; because, the flat of the
shoe and the groove cleaner is always in the proper position when lowered, and is
not subject to the oscillations of the car or a change of position with varying
loads.
Another improvement in connection with the combination of under frame and
drag or trawling tram rail groove cleaner, is, appliances by which two groove
cleaners at the same end of the vehicle are kept in their respective positions, and
yet allowed to oscillate or vibrate and readjust themselves in the grooves while
passing points, crossovers, round sharp curves, or other impediment.
For this purpose we connect the stems or arms of the two groove cleaners at
each end of the car, (if both ends be fitted with groove cleaners), by a bar which
we term a guage bar passing through the arms, or through lugs thereon, and having
on either side a spring which abuts against said arm and a lock nut for adjustment
purposes, and for guaging the distance corresponding to the rails. These springs
are so set that the groove cleaner has always a tendency to adjust itself to and
into the groove.
We fit chains to the arms and lead same over pullies to a half turn winding
appliance, the throw over action in one direction of which, shall raise and retain
the cleaners above the level of the track, the reverse movement allowing them to
fall by their own weight and keep themselves in position in the grooves during the
running of the vehicle, pressure springs not being required.
The groove cleaning tool may be of any convenient shape and be fitted
vertically or horizontally in the shoe, said tools being adjusted and set by screws
or keys to adjust them as they become worn or said tools may be so shaped as to
be reversible.
The pullies and chains before mentioned, are preferably on the separate under
frame, and the winding appliance may also be on the separate under frame but by
using intermediate springs in the chains the winding appliance may be on the body
of the car, within reach of the driver, or in other convenient position and stop plates
may be fitted to prevent the shoes being lifted too high and also to prevent them
rattling or vibrating when out of action.

page_text: Carriers for Tram Car Life-guards and Groove-cleaners, also
in Appliances Connected therewith and for Operating same.
We WILLIAM CLARENCE EDWARDS Engineer, and JOHN RECORD Gentleman;
both of 23 Kenninghall Road, Clapton, Middlesex, 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 :-
:-
:
According to the ordinary method of suspending or fastening the life-guards or
screens to the frames of tram cars, so that they appear in front of the wheels in
angled or curved form to remove any obstacle that may be in the track between
the rails they have been subjected to an up and down motion corresponding to
that of the body of the car and vary very much in height from the surface of the
rails according to the loaded state of the car, that is to say, if the car has only a
few passengers the weight is not sufficient to compress the springs so as to bring
the body low enough for the bottoms of the life-guards to be within reasonable
distance of the track that would prevent, such as in the case of a person falling in
front, the life-guard passing over and consequent accident to said person, it being
only when the car is full or well weighted that the life-guard would be sufficiently
close to the track as to sweep the obstacle sideways and out of harm's way; again
if the car is not evenly loaded, the life-guard at one end is lifted above the
unloaded level by reason of the weight being at, say, one end.
Now according to our invention, the above named disadvantages are obviated,
the bottom edges of the life-guards at both ends of the car being always at the
same distance from the track and unvariable as to height therefrom, whether the
car be loaded or not.
For the purpose of our invention, we make a skeleton frame which we support
by the axles in any convenient manner, but between the wheels. This frame has
the life-guards attached by brackets and bolts.
This skeleton frame may be of iron, or of wood, and is attached to the axles by
caps and clips or bearings suitably cushioned to prevent noise and in the case of
repairs are easily removable and can be fitted to any existing car by arranging the
distances of the clips, caps, or bearings to correspond to that of the axles, means
being provided for adjustment of height by bolts and lock nuts.
Any system of lubricating can be adopted but we prefer the automatic system,
such as that effected by the needle or the compression lubricator with solid grease.
In connection with said skeleton, or separate frame under the body frame we
hang, suspend, or otherwise affix, groove-cleaners, mud-dispersers, and track:
clearers, such as those referred to by one of the applicants hereto in conjunction
with another applicant under Patent No. 3807 dated 24th March 1885 in which
said groove-cleaner, mud-disperser, and track-clearer is composed of a drag shoe
with a tool fitted therein, said shoe being dragged from the fore part of the carriage
and in advance of the leading wheels of the car in the direction of its travel,

page_text: The combination of said groove-cleaner apparatus with the above named separate
under frame is of importance in this invention because the flat of the shoe and the
groove-cleaner is always in the proper position when lowered, and is not subject to
the oscillations of the car or a change of position with varying loads.
Another improvement in connection with the combination of under frame and
drag or trawling tram rail groove-cleaner is appliances by which two groove-
cleaners at the same end of the vehicle are kept in their respective positions and
yet allowed to oscillate or vibrate and readjust themselves in the grooves while
passing points, crossings, round sharp curves, &c.
For this purpose we connect the stems or arms of the two groove cleaners at
each end of the car, (if both ends be fitted with groove cleaners) by a guage bar
passing through the arms or through lugs thereon and having on either side, a
spring which abuts against said arm and a lock nut for adjustment purposes for
guaging the distance corresponding to the rails. These springs are so set that the
groove-cleaner has always a tendency to adjust itself to and into the groove.
We fit chains to the arms and lead same over pullies to a half turn winding
appliance, the throw over action in one direction of which shall raise and retain
the cleaners above the level of the track the reverse movement allowing them to
fall by their own weight and keep themselves in position in the grooves during the
running of the vehicle, pressure springs may also be used if desirable.
The groove cleaning tool may be of any convenient shape and be vertically or
horizontally fixed in the shoe, said tools being adjusted and set by screws or keys
to adjust them as they become worn or said tools may be so shaped as to be
reversible.
The pullies and chains before mentioned are preferably on the separate under
frame and the winding appliance may also be on the separate under frame but by
using intermediate springs in the chains, the winding appliance may be on the
body of the car within reach of the driver or in other convenient position and stop
plates may be fitted to prevent the shoes being lifted too high and also to prevent
them rattling or vibrating when out of action.
The whole of the foregoing invention is represented in the annexed drawings.
Figures 1, 2, and 3.
A is a distinct frame set longitudinally under the car and bearing upon the
axles B on which they are held by clips C and kept at their respective distance
apart by transverse tie bars D. E E are the straps or brackets attached to said
additional under frame and have the life-guards F attached. At Figure 1 angled
life-guards are shown as fitted on each side, but they may be of bow shape and
carried round each end of the car as at Figure 2, said life-guards being permanently
fixed and maintained always at the same distance from the ground.
The groove-cleaner is composed of a scraping tool G fixed in a kind of shoe H
by a screw bolt, by the loosening of which the tool G can be adjusted as it becomes
worn. The tool G rides in the groove of the tram rail but not in actual contact,
it being suspended by the chain I from the frame A. The shoe H of the groove
cleaner G is also kept out of contact with the tread of the rail but can be lifted
from the pivot pin J from which it is hung when the handle K is turned half
round the motion of which winds the chain L sufficiently as to lift the tool G
above the level of the rail when not required for use.
M is a spring attached to the chain L to prevent sudden shocks being given to
the groove-cleaner when in action such as when striking a hard substance in the
track. The distance at which the groove-cleaner can be raised is limited by the
bar N the contact due to tension put upon the spring M prevents oscillation by
the side thrust motion of the car while passing round curves or when crossing
points.
On the right hand side of Figure 1, the groove-cleaner is shown lowered for
cleaning purposes and on the left hand of said Figure the groove-cleaner is shown
raised."

page_text: The groove-cleaners are arranged in pairs at each end of the car and they are
kept at their distance apart by means of springs P which encircle the guage bar Q
on both sides of the stem R, said guage-bar serving also as the bar by which the
shoes are lifted by the chain L as seen in the end view Figure 3. The two shoes
are lifted simultaneously by the chain.
Figures 4 and 5 show front and back views respectively of the shoe H with the
tooth G in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The construction or arrangement substantially of the form shown of an under
or skeleton frame supported by the axles of a tram car and having life-guards
attached as and for the purpose described.
2. We claim in connection with a skeleton under frame supported by the axles,
the tram rail cleaners suspended therefrom as described.
3. The appliances in connection with said tram rail and groove-cleaner, of a
guage bar fitted with springs P, P, as and for the purpose described.
4. Suspending tram rail and tram groove-cleaners from a separate and distinct
frame A and the means of adjusting the height of the cleaning tool and of the
shoe, as to be out of actual contact with the rail as described.
Tus 2ud dayv՞ մuus ioo0.
H. GARDNER,
Agent for the said W. C. Edwards and J. Record.