A New or Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Tramway and like Rails.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec.. 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Tramway and
like Rails.
I, HENRY SEARLE, of 18 St. Paul's Street, Leeds, in the County of York,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to my invention, I provide a rotary brush having steel or other
suitable bristles, and the said brush is mounted on a suitable frame so as to be
adjustable up or down to the rail to be cleaned. The rotary brush is geared with
the wheel or axle of the tram or engine to which it is applied, in such a manner
that it is caused to rotate in a contrary direction to the direction of rotation of the
wheels of the said tram or engine, and a plate may be provided for diverting the
material removed from the rails, to the side or centre of the track. By mounting
the brushes situated on both sides of the tram or engine on the same frame and
on the same axle, the two brushes may be driven simultaneously and by a
single gear.
Dated this 17th day of March 1896
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Tramway and
like Rails.
I, HENRY SEARLE, of 18 St. Paul's Street, Leeds, in the County of York,
Merchant, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide suitable apparatus for cleaning tramway
and like rails, such apparatus being so attached to or arranged in connection with
the tram-car or other vehicle, as to be self-acting.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters refer
to like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to my invention,
and Fig. 2 is a plan of same. Fig. 3 shews the said apparatus applied to a
tram-car.
A is a frame, which is hinged at B to the short arm of a bell crank lever C, and
the said bell crank lever C is fulcrumed at D to a bracket E, which latter is firmly
attached to the body of the tram-car; and the upper end of the long arm of the
bell crank lever C, is connected to the bracket E by means of a spring F. G is a
rotary brush, which is mounted on an adjustable spindle H carried in bearings A'

page_text: of the frame A, and J is a chain wheel which is firmly connected to the brush G
or to its spindle. K is a chain which connects the wheel J to another chain
wheel L, which latter is mounted on a spindle M carried on bearings A² of the
frame A, and a spur wheel N is also mounted on the spindle M so as to gear with
another spur wheel P, which latter is rotated by means of a friction wheel R.
Both the friction wheel R and the spur wheel P are mounted on a spindle S, the
said spindle being carried in bearings on arms T which are attached to the frame A,
and the friction wheel R is provided with a leather or other suitable tyre for
enabling it to take better hold upon a contact surface.
When the apparatus is in use, the friction wheel R runs in contact with the
straight portion W of the rail, from which it receives its rotary motion, which
motion is transferred to the brush G through the medium of the spur wheels and
chain gearing above described, and the said brush G is situated so as to enter the
channel X in the said rail; and by having the frame A hinged to the bell crank
lever C in the manner above described, the friction wheel R and rotary brush G
can adapt themselves to their respective surfaces, whilst they are elastically held
down to their work by the spring F which is tending to keep the long arm of the
bell crank lever C inwards toward the bracket E.
Should it be desirous at any time to throw the apparatus out of action, the
spring F is disengaged from the bell crank lever C, when the latter is turned
downwards on its fulcrum D, thereby raising the frame A with its adjacent parts
clear and away from the rail, after which the frame A or bell crank lever C may be
locked by any suitable catch arrangement.
By arranging the gearing which rotates the brush G in the manner above
described, such brush is driven at a slower speed and in a contrary direction to that
of the friction wheel R, thereby effectually cleaning the rail over which the
apparatus is passing.
The two rails of the tramway may be cleaned simultaneously, by placing an
apparatus at each side of the tram-car in the manner above described.
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 frame A, carrying the brush G, and friction wheel R, in combination
with suitable gearing, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of the frame A, spindle H, chain wheel J, chain K, chain
wheel L, spindle M, spur wheel N, spur wheel P and friction wheel R, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The apparatus for cleaning tramway and like rails, substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings, together with any mere modification
or modifications thereof.
Dated this 16th day of December A.D. 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.