Improvements in Self-loading Track Cleaning Cars.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st April, 1897-Accepted, 1st July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-loading Track Cleaning Cars.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
Patent Agent (a communication to me from abroad by Andrew Jackson Reynolds, of
17 to 23 McGill College Avenue, Montreal, Canada, Gentleman) do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to self-loading track-cleaning cars, into which dirt is thrown
automatically by rotary brushes, and the invention consists in the improved construc-
tion and arrangement of the operating parts, hereinafter described; the car being
driven by cable, electric or other motive power.
The invention comprises a rectangular box-like frame, mounted upon wheels, and
provided midway its length with a transverse shaft upon which a rotary brush is
carried. This brush derives its motion from sprocket-wheels, carried by the axles of
the supporting-wheels, and which impart motion to the brush by an endless chain
passing over a sprocket-wheel on the brush shaft.
A lever is journalled at one end to each of the axles; its other end extending in-
wardly towards the brush, at which point it is provided with a roller making contact
with the underside of the chain. A roller is also affixed to the levers to make
contact with the upper side of the chain. Each of these levers is connected, by means
of rods, with bell-cranks and a hand-lever projecting upwardly from the frame and
provided with a segment rack. By means of the hand lever and its connections the
chain may be raised from off the sprocket-wheel on the brush-axle to arrest its rota-
tion when the car is in motion. The same lever also serves to raise the brush and its
shaft to adjust its height from the ground.
A shield is situated on each side of the brush and is capable of being adjusted so
as to divert the dirt and foreign matter into either end of the car according to the
direction in which it is travelling.
The brush is made up of sections carrying bristles, and each section is adjustably
secured to the brush shaft in such manner that when the bristles wear short each
section can be moved and adjusted further out from the shaft.
In order to enable the sweeper to cover more ground than the width of the car or
the length of the brush, I may provide supplemented side brushes.
Improvements in Self-loading Track Oleaning Cars.
I WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Andrew Jackson Reynolds, formerly of 17 to 23 McGill College Avenue,
but now of 157 St. James Street, Montreal, Canada, Gentleman) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-

page_text: My invention relates to self-loading track cleaning cars, to be run upon or off the
track or rails of a tram, electric, or other railway, as desired, into which the dirt
is thrown automatically by rotary brushes, and in which I use either cable, electric
motor. steam or horse power, which, with the exception of horse power, may be either
used attached to the apparatus or be made a part thereof so that it can be geared to
the axles and driving wheels in any suitable manner.
My invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts, as
will be pointed out in the claims, and which is illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a sectional plan, the section being taken horizontally and through
the car, just above the supporting frame.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, central section of my track cleaner.
Fig. 3 shews in perspective, a wedge-shaped brush-separator and guide.
In the drawings 10 is a rectangular frame to which the journal boxes 11 and axles
12, having the flanged wheels 13 are attached and adapted to run upon a street car
track, or, if desired, these wheels may be substituted by suitable road wheels adapting
the apparatus to run upon the road. Secured near the centre of the sides of the
frame 10 are guide plates 14 (Fig. 2) carrying blocks 15, in which is journalled the
main brush axle 16, on which is secured the brush 17, consisting in the present
instance, of the sections 170 arranged around said axle and rigidly held in position,
as will be described later on.
The axle or shaft 16, carries a sprocket wheel 18, over which runs the driving chain
19, passing beneath the pulley 20, around the sprocket 21, on the wheel axle, thence
over pulley 22, around sprocket 23, on the front axle and beneath the pulley 24. It
will therefore be seen that, when the car is moved (in the direction of the arrow)
rotary motion will be imparted to the brush axle 16, by the chain 19, thereby obtain-
ing all the traction power of the four car wheels for driving the brush.
The pulleys 20 and 24 are journalled on studs 25, which are carried by the ends of
a pair of levers 26, the other ends of which are pivotally held on the axles 12.
The pulley 22 is journalled on a stud 27, held in a bracket 28; which is secured to
the underside of the planking 29. On the free ends of the levers 26 are provided the
pulleys 52, over which the chain 19, also runs. These pulleys are for the purpose of
raising the chair 19 entirely free from the sprocket 18, when it should be desired or
necessary to completely stop the brush rotating, while the car is running on the
track.
30 is the receptacle end or tank, into which the dirt is automatically thrown by
the brush, which receptacle is supported by the above-mentioned frame 10, and
consists, preferably of sheet iron having a dumping bottom and four enclosing sides
or walls, the entire car being covered by planking into which trap doors 290 are pro-
vided, to permit access into the car.
This planking serves as a floor upon which the operator may stand, and a pit 291,
serves to receive the main lever 31, for raising and lowering the brush. This lever
31 is secured to a shaft 32, which is journalled in suitable boxes, and which also
carries at each end an arm 33, connected by the link 34, with the block 15.
It will thus be understood that a thrust of the lever 31 in the direction of arrow b 4
will result in raising the brush from the ground, in which position it may be held by
the teeth 350, of the sector 35, engaging the latch 310 of the hand lever 31.
Journalled on studs 36, which are held in brackets 37 are the bell crank levers 38,
the arms 381 of which are connected, by means of the links or rods 39, with the
levers 26,, while the arms 380 are connected by the adjustable links 40, with the 5
main lever 31, so that when the brush is raised from the ground the pulleys 20 and
24 are also raised sufficiently to permit the chain 19 to rise with the sprocket wheel
18, on the brush axle, and the tension of the chain on said sprocket 18, may be
regulated at will by the adjustable links 40.
As the chain, 19 runs lengthwise and in the middle of the car; the dirt would 5
naturally interfere with the smooth working of the moving parts, and I therefore
enclose the entire driving mechanism, within a case of sheet iron, open at the bottom

page_text: only, and as the inner ends of both brush sections run close to this case, I provide at
the bottom of the case the wedge-guides 41, the object of which is to guide the
bristles gradually outward and thereby prevent them from wearing out or being torn
by the lower edge of the case opening.
Secured to the bottom of the car and in contact with the brush, are the shields
42, having at the bottom the rubber extensions 420 of sufficient length to reach the
pavements with their lower edges. These shields 42 serve to receive the dirt as it is
whirled by the brush and to prevent it from leaving the brush.
Pivoted just below the upper edges of each shield is a shaft 43 which carries a
deflector 44, adapted to be turned up or down as desired. In the present instance,
the left hand deflector is turned upwards so that it will form a combination of the
shield 42, while the right hand deflector is turned down and thus leaves an opening
for the passage of the dirt as it is precipitated from the brush.
In the drawings I have shewn the ends of the deflector shafts 43 as adapted for a
wrench (Fig. 1), but it will be understood that other means may be employed to suit
the convenience of the operator.
In order to enable the sweeper to cover more ground than the width of the car or
the length of the loading brush 17 would warrant, I provide the supplemental side
brushes 45, constructed like the brush 17, namely:-A series of sections.460, carry-
ing the bristles, are mounted on bolts 461, which project radially from the axle 46,
and which carry the nuts 462, 463, between which the sections are clamped, so that
when the bristles wear off, the sections 460 may be adjusted and moved away from
the centre, leaving the diameter of the brush the same, until the bristles are entirely
worn off, and consequently have to be renewed.
The axles 46 are connected with and driven by the axle 16 through closely
connected universal joints, and the outer end of each is supported by the rod 47,
having at its other end a hook adapted to enter the eye 48, attached to the frame 10,
and so placed, that an inclination is given to said axle, as shewn in Fig. 1, the outer
end of said axle being in advance of the inner end, so that the brushes intermesh at
the joints and prevent the dirt from escaping between the two sections, while gather-
ing and throwing the dirt, which is beyond the car, centrally into the path in front
of the main loading brush. The inner end of the axle being connected with the
axle 16, both will rise or fall together, and the outer ends of the axle 46 are raised or
lowered by means of the handle 49, pivoted in the swivel bracket 50, and the link
51, which connects the arm 510 with the rod 47.
It will be seen that I may employ only one brush, and no matter in what direction
the car may run, this form of a sectional brush is adapted to do its work.
In the drawings, the self loading car is illustrated as travelling from the right to
left. If it is desired to change and run the other way, it is only necessary to hook
the rods 47 into the opposite eyes 48, and reverse both deflectors 44, whereby the
dirt is thrown into the other and empty end of the car.
By using the "trolley" system and electric motors with my improved track clean-
ing cars, I am able to take up and out of a city by rail all loose foreign matter found
within two or three feet of the tracks at any desired speed, including dirt, snow and
slush, at a great saving of time, cost and power, over any known device that runs on
the rails. To accomplish all this, I sweep the dirt from the curb stones near the
railway tracks, with ordinary horse sweepers, where it is picked up and loaded into
the passing car by the rotary brushes, as shewn in my drawings and described in the
specification. If preferred, I employ two sets of sectional brushes, and their connec-
tions, set at the extreme ends of the car forming a "double header," as it were, in
which case, I duplicate the parts and drive each brush separately.
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 :-
(1) In a track cleaning car, the combination with the sectional rotary brush, of the
stationary shields, and the reversible deflectors, whereby the dirt may be directed
into either end of the car substantially as described.

page_text: (2) The combination with the traction wheels, the brush, sprocket wheels and a
chain whereby motion is imparted to said brush from the traction wheels, of means,
substantially as described for adjusting the tension of said chain substantially as
described.
(3) The combination with the traction wheels, the brush, the sprocket wheels and
a chain for imparting motion to said brush and levers for adjusting the tension of
said chain, of a lever, for raising and lowering said brush and simultaneously and
positively adjusting said tension levers relative to the changes in position of the brush,
without affecting the tension of said chain on said sprocket wheels substantially as
described.
(4) The combination with the car, the main brush, the traction wheels, and a
chain for imparting motion to said brush from the traction wheels, of the auxiliary
side brushes, the axles of which are driven from the axle of the main brush and at an
angle to the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
(5) The combination with the self loading car, the main brush and the side brushes,
so arranged that their side brushes will form an angle, of means for changing the
direction of said angle from one side to the other according to the direction of move-
ment substantially as described.
(6) In a track cleaning car, the chain and sprocket wheel cover or protector,
having the V-shaped corners 41, Fig. 3, in combination with the rotary loading
brush, sprocket wheels and driving chain for the purposes described and set forth.
(7) A track cleaning car as herein before described, adapted to run upon or off the
rails of a tram, electric or other railway, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
(8) In a track cleaning car substantially as described, the combination therewith
of an electric, steam or other motor geared to one or more of its shafts for the
purpose of propulsion and operation as hereinbefore described.
Dated this lot d
110077
W. H. MUNNS, Applicant.