Improvements in or Appertaining to Apparatus for Cleaning or Scraping Tramway Lines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Feb., 1887.
TROYDDIONAL
MULTIOALICA
Improvements in or Appertaining to Apparatus for Cleaning
or Scraping Tramway Lines.
We, SAMUEL STRANGE of Heyworth Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
White Smith, and JOHN NORTON, of Holt Road, Liverpool aforesaid, Book-keeper, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a simple, cheap tram-line scraper that will clean out
the track in either direction, can be thrown into or out of action at a moment's notice,
and that will ride over immovable obstructions without breaking or stopping the car.
The scraper is carried by a bracket attached to the sole plate of the car. The spindle
with socket or attachment at one end for holding the scraper slides vertically in the
bracket, which is preferably a stout iron tube with flange plate at end and supporting
struts and collar. In this tube is a stout spring bearing against a plate against the
sole plate at one end, and against a washer bearing against the spindle or against the
spindle itself at the other end. To prevent the spindle being forced out by the spring,
the tube is slotted at each side, and a set screw passes through the spindle and slots.
A chain and lock pin is chained to the struts or other part. To throw the scraper out
and spindle are pressed up by a lever until a hole in the spindle
comes opposite slots when the lock pin is thrust through slots and hole locking the
spindle and spring in that position.
of gear the scraper
To the sliding spindle is pivotted a preferably rectangular piece which fits into the
groove of the rail. This is pivotted so as to move in either direction, and is kept in
normal position by a spring pressing against each side. It is provided with wings or
projecting side pieces which scrape or remove dirt from the top surface of the rail.
The scraper is kept in position against the rail by the spring in the bracket. The two
side springs are for the purpose of keeping it upright, and allowing it to surmount any
fixed obstruction. The double springs allow for the movement of the car in either
direction; cars that only run in one direction may be provided with a scraper with
only one such spring.
The above is a description of the apparatus as designed by us, it must be understood
however, that we do not limit ourselves to these exact details as the spring can be
variously placed, and in place of the spindle working in a socket the spindle can be
hollow and work on a pin surrounded by a spring, or in other ways the spring could
press the spindle down so as to force the scraper against the rail. The details described
however, we at present prefer to any other arrangement.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Apparatus for Cleaning
or Scraping Tramway Lines.
We, SAMUEL STRANGE of Heyworth Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Whitesmith and JOHN NORTON of Holi Road Liverpool, aforesaid, Book keeper, 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 has for its object a simple cheap fram-line scraper that will clean out
the track in either direction, can be thrown into or out of action at a moment's notice
and that will ride over immovable obstructions without breaking or stopping the car.
Referring to the drawing.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our scraper or cleaner for tramway lines.
Figure 2 is a side elevation.
Figure 3 is a section of the horizontal slide on the line X-X.
In these the apparatus is shown and will be hereinafter described in the best form at
present known to us, though it includes several improvements necessary to the working
of the invention not known to us at the date of the provisional application and are
therefore not claimed herein, but which form the subject matter of subsequent
application for Letters Patent.
The scraper is attached to the car by means of one or more brackets A, preferably
two, secured to the sole plate B. These brackets are preferably tubular and are secured
by means of a flange Cor projecting piece of suitable shape or construction to receive
screws, bolts or other fastening devices. Inside cach of the tubular brackets A is
placed a spindle or rod D which is free to move longitudinally therein. The end of
each rod may be fitted with an enlargement d somewhat resembling a piston which
abuts against the spring E placed between it and the end of the bracket. A coiled
spring of steel wire is shown, though other form of spring if found suitable may be
employed. A second spring may be placed between the abutment on the rod and the
lower end of the bracket to provide a cushion for the rod. To prevent the spindle D
being forced out by the spring, the tube is slotted at each side and a set screw e passes
through the spindle slots. The tubular brackets are supported by stay rods I so as to
resist any strain that would tend to wrench them out of position. The spindles or
rods D which fit into the tubular brackets A carry at their lower ends a horizontal
slide G shown in section in Figure 3. with sliding bracket H. This however is not
claimed in this specification as it is not mentioned in the Provisional Specification, but
has since then been made the subject matter of another application and will be claimed
in connection therewith. To the sliding bracket H is pivoted the projecting piece or
tongue I which enters the groove of the rail. The bracket H is preferably formed with
a Thead which is enclosed as far as possible on all sides to prevent the entry of dust
or dirt, which would form an obstruction to the free working of the slides.
The object of the sliding movement of the bracket H is to allow of the tongue
remaining in the groove while the car is turning round or moving on curves in the
rails. In order to keep it in a normal position in the centre of the slide, one or more
springs K are placed to bear against it. These are preferably placed in a recess cut in
the head of the bracket H into which a stationary or fixed pin I from above
projects. When in the centre the springs K are each slightly, but equally compressed,

page_text: so that a slight pressure is then maintained on each side of the bracket H; when the
bracket moves to either side of the slide G, the springs on that side are brought into
play, and tend to cause it to return to its normal central position. The slide G in
which the head H of the bracket works is formed of three sides, one on top and the
other two preferably converging towards the bottom. The ends are completely covered
in by the combined slide and guards M and project beyond the point to which the end
of the bracket head H moves." The head of the bracket, we prefer to make cylindrical
and the sides of the slide are made converging and serve to form a seating for it and
retain it in position. The open part of the slide at bottom can be protected by a plate
attached to the bracket and sliding with it. To the sliding bracket H is pivoted the
tongue which fits the groove of the rail. The bracket is preferably made in the form
of a fork at its end and the tongue piece I which fits between is rectangular, and of
hardened steel. It is pivoted so as to move in two directions and is acted upon by a
suitable spring at each side to keep it in normal position. This allows it to surmount
any fixed obstruction which it may meet with in the rail. The spring which we prefer
to use is a box spring of finely tempered steel. The box N is shown bolted to the
sliding bracket H or it may be cast thereto and the spring wound round a spindle n so
that as it is brought into play it is wound more tightly on the spindle and the strain
distributed over its whole length. The double springs allow for the car travelling in
either direction, cars that only run in one direction may be provided with a scraper
with only one such spring. The scraper is pressed down against the rails by the
springs in the tubular brackets A, these also allow for any variation in the height of
the body of the car from the ground consequent upon the compression of the car
springs by the weight of the passengers. Wings or projecting side pieces O are
attached to the sliding bracket to clean the top of the rail. The scraper is removed
from the rail by means of a lever P preferably placed in a notched quadrant, or a
stay Q and by moving the lever, the scraper is either raised or lowered. By providing
holes in the handle and bracket provided with a pin, the scraper can be fixed out of
connection with the rail. Or a hole may be provided in the spindle D which comes
opposite the slots in the brackets A when the scraper is raised. A lock pin is then
thrust through the slots and hole locking the spindle and spring in that position.
The invention is not limited to the exact details above described as various descriptions
of springs may be employed and placed in a variety of positions to effect the same ends.
Also instead of the tubular brackets, they may be replaced by spindles or rods, and
the rods replaced by tubes suitably stayed or supported. The arrangement above
described, we, however at present prefer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1st. An apparatus for cleaning tramway rails in which the scraper is pivoted to a
movable rod or its equivalent, sliding vertically in a bracket or its equivalent attached
to the car and pressed towards the rail by spiral or other springs, substantially as
described.
2nd. A tramway rail cleaner having a scraper for cleaning the groove and top of
the rail pivoted to a vertically sliding rod or bracket, and held in a central position by
retaining springs pressing against it laterally, the springs being so arranged that the
scraper is allowed to surmount any fixed obstacle in its path, substantially as described.
3rd. In combination with a rail cleaning apparatus, such as herein before described
and claimed, the use of a lever and connecting rod for raising the scraper and wing
cleaner out of connection with the rail, together with means for retaining them out of
connection, substantially as described.
WM. T. THOMPSON & CO.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicants.