Car Movers.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Car Movers.
I, ROBERT GILLHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City,
in the County of Jackson and State of Missouri, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
•
My invention has for its object, first, a car-mover in which the operating-legs
obtain a purchase upon the track to connect adjustably the car-mover with the
moving car; second to provide uniform action of the walking-legs of the car-mover
and relieve the transverse pressure on the under leg when moving heavy loads;
third, to adjust the operating-lever connected with the operating-plate.
My invention further consists in the novel construction and combination of parts
which will be first fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side view of the car-mover, shown removably secured to the rear
end beam of a car, and also grasping the track, and the various positions of the
operating-lever between the ends of adjacent cars.
Figure 2 is a side view of the car-mover with a side portion of the bar and legs
covering the longitudinal slots therein broken away to show the slotted operating-
plate.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail end view of the forked rail-gripping devices on the legs.
Figure 5 is a detail end view of the bar engaging with the car, showing a portion
of the end beam of the car in section and the adjustable gripping-rod.
Figure 6 is a view of a portion of the slotted motor-plate and adjustable lever-
plate connected with said lever.
Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line
of Figure 6.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to the drawings, A A' represent the legs of the car mover, which con-
sist of longitudinal bars, one of which A' is comparatively shorter in length than the
bar A. Extending through the sides and upper end portions of the legs A. A' are
the longitudinal slots a a." Through the side portions and at a point nearly equi-
distant from the respective upper and lower ends of the legs A A' are made the
longitudinal slots a¹ u'. Between the legs A A' is arranged a bar B, shorter in
length than the said legs. One end 6 of the bar B extends beyond the upper ends
of the legs A A¹, and a V-shaped notch &' is cut therein. To the opposite end b of
the bar B and extending laterally from opposite sides are the forked guides b³ 62
6. In line with the guides bb bb and extending from the opposite sides of
the bar B at a point corresponding in distance from the end portion 6 toward the
end portion to that described between the slots a in the legs A. A' are
the guides 6 6 6 66, which are similar to the guides. Extending through the
guides 66 at right angles to the bar B are made the registering-slots b''. The
legs A. A are then placed in a parallel relation on opposite sides of the bar B
between the respective forked guides bb, and in each one of the slots a a
a a of said legs are placed the rollers 68, which are fitted to rotate between
said guides. Through each of the rollers are made the central transverse per-
foration 6x, and through each slot in the legs A A¹, guides 6 6 6 6, and the
rollers 68 is extended the bolt 6º, upon one end of which is the fixed head 61º, and
the other end screw-threaded at 6, and provided each with the nut h¹.
For the purpose of operating the legs A A', through each one of the said legs
between the slots a a¹ in the line of direction of the guides are made the longi-
tudinal slots a² a³. Through the bar B, registering with the slots a³ u³, is made

page_text: the longitudinal slot 6". A flat plate C is extended through the slots a² a³ in the
legs A A¹ and also slot in the bar B, and pivotally attached to said bar by
means of the pivot c. In the end of plate C, in the slot a² is made a curved or cam
slot c', and in said slot e' is an anti-friction roller or device, which roller is
secured by pivot c³ to side of the bar A. in the slot a³. In the opposite end of the
plate C, in the slot a³ of the bar A', is made a curved or cam slot c', the direction
of the curve of which is reverse to that of the slot c¹. In the slot c' is an anti-
friction roller or device c', which is secured by the pivot to the side of bar A in
slot a. Through the side and end portion of the plate C, which is extended a short
distance from the leg A, near the slot c, is made the perforations c² c³, which are a
slight distance apart and nearly in the line of direction of leg A. A suitable
distance from the perforation in the direction of the operating ends of said
plate C is made a perforation c, which is placed in position above a line drawn
longitudinally through the plate C and its pivot c.
To the side of the plate C is attached the adjustable end plate d of the operating-
lever D, one end portion of plate d being forked at dx and bent nearly at right
angles to its opposite end d², and is perforated at dd in a transverse relation, the
perforations being placed at distances apart corresponding to that of the perfora-
tions in the plate C, Through the perforations c'in plate C and d³ d'in
plate is inserted the adjusting-bolts dd, which are screw-threaded at one end,
provided with the nuts. The end portion of the plate d is bifurcated at d³,
and in said end portion is inserted the lower end portion of the operating-lever D
which is secured to the plate d by the transverse bolts d', which are screw-threaded
at one end and provided with the nuts (10.
At an acute angle to and through the end portion b of the bar B directly beneath
the V-shaped notch is made a perforation e, in the line of which is cast or formed
a cylindrical extension e', through which the perforation e is extended, and which
cylinder extends from the side of bar B, which is in the direction of the operating-
lever. Through the perforation e in bar B and cylinder e¹ is extended a rod E,
one ende of which is bent upwardly at right angles, and a portion e³ bent there-
from in the line of the rod E and reduced to a sharp point. The opposite end et
of rod E is screw-threaded, and a nut e fitted thereto which bears on the end of
the cylinder e¹.
For the purpose of engaging the tracks of a railroad the lower end portions of
the legs AA are bent downwardly at an angle a short distance and forked at a' a'.
These forked ends a' a' are shod with steel plates a' a', which rest astride and
engage with the track-rails.
In the operation of my improved car-mover the notched or V-shaped end of the
bar B is shown as in Figure 1, firmly against the outer side portion of the end
beam of the car F, which it is desired to move, and the forked ends of the
legs AA are placed, one after the other, on a single track rail, the apparatus
thus describing an angle of about forty-five degrees. The lever D is then vibrated,
which movement conveys a reciprocal or walking movement to the legs A A' and
in the leverage of the operating-plate C, the legs A are relieved from sudden
shock by the cam-slot c', which permits a gradual increase of power, and the
upward movement of the bar B is communicated to the car F, and the friction
which would otherwise retard the movement of said bar is prevented by the
rollers in the slots a a' of the leg A. As the power exerted in the movement of
the bar B is most effectual at the described angle in which the legs are enabled to
engage reciprocally with the track-rails, the end portion of bar B is placed
against the most convenient portion of the car-beam sufficiently to permit the
rod E to extend its forked portion e in engagement with an opposite side, in
which position the nut e* is turned so as to puncture the said beam with the sharp
end and retain the apparatus adjustably in connection with the moving car. In
this position the legs follow the movement of the car without falling. To obtain
the purchase and operate the lever D between adjacent cars, the nut d'and bolt de
are removed from the plate d, and the upper end of lever D moved in an upward

page_text: direction and the plate d, moved on the bolt a³, so that the perforation d' in the
plate will register with the perforation c. In this position the bolt de is introduced
through said perforation in plates C d, and the legs A A¹, operated in the limited
space afforded between the cars and the anti-friction bearing of said legs in the
guides a a, enable a uniform movement of the legs to be maintained in moving
loaded cars of great weight.
The bar B is preferably made with the socket portion z engaging with the sill Z
of the car, (see Figure 8) provided with a number of pointed projections & on the
inner lower horizontal or the inner vertical face or both faces as shown, to enable
it to grip the sill firmly. Its head is, as shown in the same figure, preferably
removable being clamped by bolts y in a socket at the upper end of bar B. This
arrangement is simpler than that illustrated in Figure 5 for retaining the bar on
the sill.
At Figure 9 I show in three views-side, rear and plan, an improved way of
clamping the foot of the legs to the rail to avoid slipping backward. As here
shown, the feet of the legs A A¹ have pivoted to them by spindles a pair of
cam-shaped clamps or jaws X which run on each side of the rail and clamp the
ball of the latter firmly when rearward pressure is being applied, while running
freely forward when the legs are drawn forward.
In still another form of the foot shown in Figure 10, in side view and section,
the foot has inserted therein or formed thereon, at its clamping faces, a series of
projections or knife-edged blades w, which, if they be separate from the foot, may
be fixed thereto by screws w', so that they are either adjustable or interchangeable
to suit the size or shape of the rails on which the mover is used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved car-mover shown and described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, comprising the two moving legs, the intermediate bar having
means of connection with the car sill, the lever, the slotted plate and guiding and
anti-friction devices, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set
forth.
2. The form of head for the bar having sharp projections on its face or faces
engaging with the car sill, substantially as described with reference to Figure 8.
3. The removable head and socketed bar illustrated in Figure 8, constructed
substantially as described.
4. The cam-shaped clamping feet for a car-mover shown in Figure 9, constructed
substantially as described.
5. The foot provided with sharpened projections or knife-edges, constructed
substantially as shown in Figure 10.
Dated this 21st day of April 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.