Improvements in Front Guards for Locomotive Engines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Front Guards for Locomotive Engines.
We, WILLIAM JOHN GOODING, of 122, Canonbury Park Road, Kingston-on-
Thames, Joiner, WILLIAM HARRY WILKINS, of 42, Ilminster Gardens, Clapham,
Surrey, Solicitor, and BERTRAM HENRY TARRANT, of 48, Battersea Rise, Clapham
Common, Surrey, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of front guards for loco-
motive engines for removing obstructions on the line, whereby on the one hand
any obstruction that may be firmly attached to the rails is cut through and
removed therefrom, and on the other hand, for the removal of heavy obstructions
situated between the rails, the part of the guard that comes in contact therewith
is arranged as a spring buffer, whereby the shock of the impact is considerably
lessened and thereby the tendency to throw the engine off the line is obviated.
In addition, in the event of the heavy obstruction not being at once removed
to one side, it will cause a powerful braking action to be produced for stopping
or slowing the train.
For these purposes we construct a strong metal framing extending down to
just above the level of the rails and fixed to the framing of the engine, or to
the bogie frame in the case of bogie engines.
The bottom of this frame is constituted by a strong plate extending right across
the engine and beyond the rails. At the parts situated over the rails the plate
is formed with two steel projections preferably formed with chisel edges which
in moving along with the engine just above the rails, will effectually remove
or cut through any obstacle thereon, whether this be loose or fixed.
The sides of the frame are preferably made to curve from the side frames of
the engine towards the front, and in the middle of the front part is formed a
rectangular recess of some width and extending from the top plate of the guard
down to the before mentioned bottom plate, in which recess slides a correspond-
ingly shaped strong rectangular buffer block of any suitable construction, between
the back of which and the inner end of the recess are placed strong buffer springs,
which keep the buffer block in a forward position, so as to project some distance
beyond the fixed part of the guard. As this block extends down to the bottom
plate of the guard: which is situated just above the rails, it will be seen that
it will come in contact with any object lying between the rails, that projects
up beyond the latter, and if such obstacle is of any considerable weight, the
buffer block will be in the first instance forced back, thereby compressing the
springs and consequently converting the sudden impact between the obstacle
and the engine that would otherwise occur, into a gradually increasing pressure,
which will not act injuriously on the engine.
The buffer block is made with more or less sloping sides so as to tend to push
the obstacle to one side of the line of rails, but if it should not do so, the obstacle
would rest upon the projecting bottom plate, and if the weight thereof were such

page_text: as to press the plate down upon the rails, the guard will operate as a powerful
skidding brake, tending to stop or reduce the speed of the train.
The above described guard may be provided at each end of the engine so as
to operate whichever end of the engine is forward, or in the case of engines
with separate tenders it may be provided at the rear end of these. In any case
it is preferred either to make the guard project to a less extent than the ordinary
buffers of the engine so as not to interere with the coupling, or where this is
not possible we provide special buffers and coupling hooks on the guard, pro-
jecting beyond the other parts thereof.
If the guard is also required to operate as a snow plough, the front part and
buffer block may be made with a curved plough-shaped lower extension. Or it
may have a plough-shaped extension temporarily fixed thereto when required.
Dated this 9th day of November 1898.
Improvements in Front Guards for Locomotive Engines.
We, WILLIAM JOHN GOODING, of 122, Canonbury Park Road, Kingston-on-
Thames, Joiner, WILLIAM HARRY WILKINS, of 42, Ilminster Gardens, Clapham,
Surrey, Solicitor, and BERTRAM HENRY TARRANT, of 48, Battersea Rise, Clapham
Common, Surrey, Architect, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of front guards for loco-
motive engines for removing obstructions on the line, whereby on the one hand
any obstruction that may be firmly attached to the rails is cut through and
removed therefrom, and on the other hand, for the removal of heavy obstructions
situated between the rails, the part of the guard that comes in contact therewith
is arranged as a spring buffer, whereby the shock of the impact is considerably
lessened and thereby the tendency to throw the engine off the line is obviated.
In addition, in the event of the heavy obstruction not being at once removed
to one side, it will cause a powerful braking action to be produced for stopping
or slowing the train.
For these purposes we construct such front guards as we will describe with
reference to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shews a front view of
an engine with the guard attached, Fig. 2 shews a side view Fig. 3 a longi-
tudinal section and Fig. 4 a sectional plan.
We construct a strong metal framing extending down to just above the level
of the rails as shewn, and fixed to the framing of the engine, or to the bogie
frame in the case of bogie engines.
The bottom of the frame is constituted by a strong plate a extending right
across the engine and beyond the rails. At the parts situated over the rails the
plate is formed with two steel projections preferably formed with chisel
edges as shewn, which in moving along with the engine just above the rails,
will effectually remove or cut through any obstacle thereon, whether this be
loose or fixed.
The sides c c of the frame are preferably made to curve from the side frames
of the engine towards the front as shewn at Fig. 4, and in the middle of the front
part is formed a rectangular recess d of some width and extending from the top
plate e of the guard down to the before mentioned bottom plate a in which recess
slides a correspondingly shaped strong rectangular buffer block f of any suitable

page_text: construction, between the back of which and the inner end g of the recess are
placed strong buffer springs hh which keep the buffer block f in a forward
position, as shewn so as to project some distance beyond the fixed part of the
guard. As this block extends down to the bottom plate a of the guard, which
is situated just above the rails it will be seen that it will come in contact with
any object lying between the rails, that projects up beyond the latter, and if
such obstacle is of any considerable weight, the buffer block will be in the first
instance forced back, thereby compressing the springs h and consequently con-
verting the sudden impact between the obstacle and the engine, that would
otherwise occur, into a gradually increasing pressure, which will not act
injuriously on the engine, or effect its derailment.
The butter block is made with more or less sloping sides at f¹ so as to tend
to push the obstacle to one side of the line of rails, but if it should not do so,
the obstacle would rest upon the projecting bottom plate, and if the weight
thereof were such as to press the plate down upon the rails, the guard will operate
as a powerful skidding brake, tending to stop or reduce the speed of the train.
The above described guard may be provided at each end of the engine so as
to operate whichever end of the engine is forward or in the case of engines
with separate tenders it may be provided at the rear end of these. In any case
it is preferred either to make the guard project to a less extent than the ordinary
buffers i of the engine so as not to interfere with the coupling, or where this is
not possible we provide special buffers and coupling hooks on the guard, pro-
jecting beyond the other parts thereof.
If the guard is also required to operate as a snow plough, the front part and
buffer block may be made with a curved plough-shaped lower extension. Or it
may have a plough-shaped extension temporarily fixed thereto when required
as indicated in dotted lines at j Fig. 3.
Staysk z may with advantage be provided as shewn for effectually supporting
the guard against heavy concussions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A front guard for locomotive engines consisting of the combination of a
strong plate, such as a at the level of the rails, a frame such as c secured to the
engine framing and having a recess d in which slides a buffer block f held in
a forward position by springs substantially as and for the purposes described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a front guard for locomotive engines such as is referred to in the first
claim, the combination with the bottom plate a of chisel shaped cutters such
as situated immediately above the rails, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. A front guard for locomotive engines combined and operating as herein
described and shewn on the drawings.
Dated this Sth day of September 1899