IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINES FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM RAILWAYS AND OTHER PLACES AND FOR EXCAVATING OR REMOVING SAND AND EARTH
Year: 1885

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
of
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM RAILWAYS AND OTHER PLACES
AND FOR EXCAVATING OR REMOVING SAND AND EARTH a communication to me
from abroad by Edward Leslie, of Orangeville Dufferin County, Province of
Ontario Canada, Postmaster, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a machine for removing snow from railways and other
places and for excavating or removing sand and earth the machine being con-
structed to cut through the banks of snow or earth by means of a revolving head
in the form of a wheel or disc which is fitted with radial cutting blades that are
reversible so as to allow of the operation of the head in either direction, and with
this revolving head is combined a fan wheel which acts to discharge the snow at
the side of the railway.
The apparatus is mounted on a car or truck upon the forward end of which is
fixed a hollow cylindrical case the front of which is formed as a square hood having
flaring edges that extend from the level of the railway to a suitable height and at
each side in considerable width so as to form an opening through the snow large
enough for the truck to pass.-A horizontal shaft extends forward through the
centre of the case and carries upon its forward end a circular head or wheel that
is formed of four segments separated by openings fixed upon arms that project
from a hub on the shaft-Between the segments are radial blades or cutters attached
to arms and fitted to turn thereon so as to allow them to be set at an inclination
in either direction the arms and sections being connected by a peripheral band or
rim mounted upon a hollow shaft; turning on the first mentioned shaft is a fan or
delivering wheel which is contained within the case immediately behind the cutting
disc or head. This fan wheel consists of a series of radial vanes attached to arms
and closed at the back part by a plate which by excluding snow from contact with
the back of case or hood prevents friction. In the top of the hood is an opening
above which between flanges a deflector is hung on a shaft so that it may be
inclined in either direction for the discharge of the material at either side according .
Price 1

page_text: to the direction in which the fan rotates.-The two shafts carrying the cutting
head and the fan wheel respectively are connected together by the compound
gearing so that the cutting head and fan wheel will be rotated in contrary directions,
The position of the cutters may be shifted by mechanism operated from the car as
follows: Each cutter is attached to a disc turning upon the arm and in contact
with the hub of the cutting wheel said disc being engaged by a dog pivoted on the
hub so that when the dog is given a partial revolution the disc with the cutter
will be partially turned.
Upon the end of the cutting wheel shaft is a clutch adapted to engage in notches
in all the discs so as to hold the cutters in either position-The clutch is carried
by pins passing through holes formed lengthwise in the hub and it is held in
engagement with the discs by a spring or springs.
Upon the said shaft behind the cutting wheel hub is a tumbler which when
pressed forward comes into contact with the pins carrying the clutch and disengages
the latter from the discs-This tumbler is provided with radial lugs that come into
contact with the dogs and it is connected by rods passing through the hub of the
fan to a notched disc at the back of the case which is pressed backwards by a
spring so as to retain the tumbler normally out of contact with the dogs.
For moving the parts into operative position a disc is fitted to slide upon the
hollow shaft and carrying arms whose hooked ends come into contact with the
notched disc and which carry springs that press the disc backward into the normal
position.
The parts operate as follows-When the disc is moved forward by means of a
lever or by a steam cylinder and piston its arms press against the notched disc and
move it forward together with the tumbler which disengages the clutch from the
cutters In this position of the tumbler its several lugs. are between the dogs so
that a turn of the cutting wheel shaft in either direction will bring the lugs into
contact with the dogs, and thereby turn the cutters in the direction required.
The parts being then released by a backward movement return to their first
position as described and the cutters are held securely in place-The hooked arms
pass through the notches in the edge of the notched disc the notches being so
placed that when the dogs and cutters have been properly turned the hooked ends
of the arms come opposite the notches in the disc and the latter moves back to its
first position and by continued movement of the shaft the hooked arms will also
be returned to their first position as soon as they come opposite the notches in the
disc.
These parts constitute automatic means for holding the lever forward until the
cutters are shifted and for return of the parts to their first position.
As the devices for reversing the cutters are not operative except when the tumbler
is in proper relative position to the dogs, I provide a device for determining that
point It consists of a spring arm attached on the back of the case and provided
with a pin projecting through the case.
By pressing the spring arın inward its pin is forced into contact with the back
of the fan wheel until by turning the wheel the fan enters a hole which coincides
with it when the parts are in proper position for shifting the cutters.
The machine may be used for removing snow from railways tramways streets
and sidewalks and also for excavating or removing earth.
In place of using dogs for moving the cutters gearing of any suitable form may
be used.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR REMOVING SNOW FROM RAILWAYS AND OTHER PLACES AND FOR
EXCAVATING OR REMOVING SAND AND EARTH (a communication to me from abroad
by Edward Leslie of Orangeville, Dufferin County, Province of Ontario, Canada
Postmaster) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to a machine for removing snow from railways and other
places and for excavating or removing sand and earth the machine being con-
structed to cut through the banks of snow or earth by means of a revolving head
in the form of a wheel or disc which is fitted with radial cutting blades that are
reversible so as to allow of the operation of the head in either direction, and with
this revolving head is combined a fan wheel which acts to discharge the snow at
the side of the railway.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. Figure 1 is a
side elevation of a car provided with the snow plough. Figure 2 is a front view
of the apparatus Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x figures 1 and 4
Figure 4 is a horizontal section in the plane of the shaft. Figure 5 is a perspective
view of the wheel hub and adjusting mechanism of the cutters. Figure 6 represents
a modification.
The apparatus is mounted on a car or truck as represented in Figure 1 upon the
forward end of which is fixed a hollow cylindrical case A the front of which is
formed as a square hood a, having flaring edges that extend from the level of the
railway to a suitable height and at each side in considerable width so as to form
an opening through the snow large enough for the truck to pass.
Upon the car in suitable bearings is a horizontal shaft b. that extends forward
through the centre of the case A and carries upon its forward end a circular head
or wheel B that is formed of four sections c, c, fixed upon arms d, that project
from a hub e on the shaft. Between the sections c, of the head or wheel B are
the blades or cutters f, which are in the form of flat plates attached upon arms g,
projecting from the hub e, and these blades are fitted to turn on the arms so as
to allow them to be set at an inclination in either direction. The arms d, g, and
sections c, are connected by a band or rim a³, which thus serves to connect and
strengthen these parts and brace the wheel. Upon the shaft b, is a hollow shaft i,
on which is fixed the hub k, of a fan or delivering wheel D which is contained
within the case A behind the head B. This fan wheel consists of a series of radial
vanes attached to arms and closed at the back part by a plate l', which by

page_text: excluding snow from contact with the back of case A prevents friction. In the
top of the case A as shown in Figures 1 and 3 is an opening the width of the
wheel D and extending equal distances at each side of the center. Upon the case
at the sides of the opening are flanges m, between which a deflector n, is hung on
a cross shaft n', that is provided with a crank handle or equivalent device so
that the deflector may be turned to either side thereby giving an opening for
the discharge of the material at either side according to the direction in which the
wheel D rotates.
A suitable spring latch is provided for holding the deflector n, in place. The
shaft b carrying the head B and the shaft i, carrying the fan wheel D are con-
nected together by the compound gearing at E so that rotary motion being given
to the shaft b, to revolve the head in one direction the wheel D will be rotated in
the contrary direction.
I provide for shifting the position of the cutters f, by mechanism operated from
the car as follows.
The hub e carrying the arms g, and the cutters is fixed upon the shaft b, and
upon each arm is a plate o, that is engaged by a dog p, pivoted on the hub in
such a manner that when the dog is given a partial revolution the plate o with the
cutter will be partially turned and the cutters thus shifted.
Upon the outer end of the shaft b, is a loose disc q, having lugs or projections q¹
which when the disc is moved in contact with the face of the hub project into
notches formed in the plates o, so as to hold the cutters in either position The
disc q is carried by pins r, that project through holes formed lengthwise in the
hub e,
and it is retained in contact with the face of the hub by means of a spring,
between it and a disc 2 fixed on the outer end of the shaft.
Upon the shaft b, behind the hub e is a loose disc or tumber 8, of a size for
entering a recess formed in the hube and this tumbler is provided with radial
lugs & that come into contact with the dogs p.
To the tumbler s, by means of pins or arms t¹ is connected a disct the position
of which is at the back of the cas A. The spring placed between the disc t and
the back of the case serves to press the disc t and tumbers backwards so as to
retain the lugs s¹, normally out of contact with the dogs p.
For moving the parts into operative position I provide a lever u, the forked
lower end of which takes against a piece v fitted to slide upon the shaft i and from
the piece v arms v¹ extend into contact with the disc t.
On the arms v¹ are springs v³ which press the piece v backward into the normal
position.
The parts operate as follows:-When the piece v, is moved forward by means
of the lever u, its arms v¹ press against the disc t and move it forward con-
sequently pressing the tumbler 8, further into the recess of the hub e, and the
tumbler pressing against the ends of the pins the dise q is caused to move
forward from the face of the hub so that its lugs q¹ are disengaged from the
plates o.
In this position of the tumblers its several lugs 81 are between the dogs p so
that a turn of the shaft b in either direction will bring the lugs s¹ into contact
with the dogs and thereby turn the cutters in the direction required.
The parts being then released by a backward movement of the piece v, and
lever return to their first position as described and the cutters are held securely
in place. The arms v¹ have their inner ends bent or formed. with hooks and the
disc t has notches in its edge so placed that when the dogs and cutters have been
properly turned the ends of the arms v¹ come opposite the notches in the disc t, and
the latter moves back to its first position and by continued movement of the shaft
the lever will also be returned to its first-position when released as soon as its bent
ends come opposite the notches in the disc t. These parts constitute automatic
means for holding the lever forward until the cutters are shifted and for return of
the parts to their first position,

page_text: In place of using the lever for operating the parts a steam cylinder and piston
may be provided. I do not limit myself in that respect.
זי
There is a cap a³ fitted on the end of the shaft b to exclude snow from the
discs q and for the same purpose the construction may be as shown in figure 6.
In that case disc r³ is omitted and the springs placed in recesses in the hub around
the pins r.
'
As the devices for reversing the cutters are not operative except when the
tumbler 8, is in proper relative position to hub e, and dogs, I provide the device
shown in figure 1 for determining that point. It consists of a spring arm a¹
attached on the back of the case A and provided with a pin projecting through
the case.
of the
By pressing arm a¹ inward its pin is forced into contact with the plate
wheel D until by turning the wheel the fan enters a hole 6¹ which coincides with it
when the parts are in proper position for shifting the cutters.
The machine may be used for removing snow from railways tramways streets
and sidewalks and also for excavating or removing earth.
In place of using dogs for moving the cutters gearing of any suitable form may
be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 In an excavator, a revolving head or wheel formed of segments or sections,
separated by openings and provided with independent cutting blades covering the
openings, substantially as shown and described.
2 In an excavator, a revolving head formed of segments or sections, separated
by openings and provided with cutting blades covering the openings, and
adjustable to cause the cutters to act in either direction desired, substantially
as described.
3 In an excavator, the combination of the adjustable cutting blades with the
head or wheel, substantially as shown and described.
4 The projecting hood in combination with the head or wheel, substantially
as shown.
5 The combination of the delivering wheel D, the revolving head B provided
with cutters f, and the case A, substantially as described.
6 The combination of the revolving head B, the delivering wheel D, the shaft b,
shaft i and the compound gearing E, substantially as described for operation as
set forth.
7 The hub e, arms g, cutters f, notched plates o, and sliding dise q, provided
with the lugs q', combined for operation for the purpose specified.
8 The combination of the cutter arms g, notched plates o, disc q, provided with
lugs q', dogs p, tumblers 8 having the lugs s¹, the disc t and arms t¹, substantially
as described for operation as set forth.
9 The combination of the piece v, and lever u, with the disc t, tumblers and
disc q, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
.
10 The combination with the case, of an adjustable gate or reflector operated
substantially as shown and described, whereby the material can be discharged upon
either side of the machine, as set forth.
11 The arrangement substantially as described with the case and its delivering
wheel, of the swinging gate or deflector.
12 In an excavating machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities:
namely a revolving head provided with adjustable cutting blades and a mechanism
for changing and adjusting the position of the blades, substantially as shown and
described.
13 The combination of the arms vl having bent ends, the notched disc t, piece v
and lever, substantially as described, for retaining the parts in operative position
and automatically releasing them after the cutters are shifted.

page_text: 14 The combination with the recessed hub e of the tumblers s entered in the
recess, so as to exclude snow or other material, substantially as described.
15 The fan or delivering wheel constructed with a back plate substantially as
described, whereby the impact of the snow will be resisted by the back plate and
transferred to the shaft of the fan wheel, as set forth.
16 The cutting wheel constructed with a circumferential band substantially as
described, whereby the stays or arms of the cutting blades and the segments will
be connected and strengthened as set forth!
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