Tramway Engines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Tramway Engines.
..... 1
I JOSEPH SMITH of Wednesbury in the County of Stafford Solicitor do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 main object the saving of life but it has also the effect
of removing obstructions, from the front of Tramway Engines. At the present
time a margin of four inches is allowed between the bottom of the screen plate of
an engine and the ground level to allow for the wear and tear of wheels which in
the case of a badly worn wheel brings the screen plate to say some two inches
above the ground.
Now experiments show that a screen say four inches clear of the ground will
frequently mount over such objects as a good sized child while two inches or
thereabouts will enable the screen to push away the child or other obstacle. It
will thus be seen that as the wheel springs and other parts of the engine wear the
space between the screen plate and the road level varies. My invention meets this
variation and provides a safeguard to life and property.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practice I will explain the same by the aid of the annexed sheet of drawings upon
which two examples of my invention are illustrated.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the front of a Tramway Engine with one
form of my device attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same in both cases only a broken off small portion of
the front of the Engine is shewn for the purpose of illustrating. the connection of
the device therewith.
Figure 3 is a part section and part elevation on line A. B. looking to the left.
Figure 4.is a part section and part elevation on line C. D. looking also to the left.
Figure 5 is a side elevation showing an adjustable mode of attaching the device.
The front of the engine as broken off is identified by the letter E in all the five
figures and the four first Figures K is the device for clearing any obstacle from the
track. The brackets M and M¹ are securely fastened to the front plate of the
engine and they carry in suitable bearings the shaft or hinge pivot P upon which
the device or flap K is hung by means of the wings R and R¹ which are secured
to the flap K and turned around the pivot P.

page_text: It will thus be seen that the flap will turn up to H or down to J as shewn by
the dotted lines in each case. The flap is now shewn in or about its normal
position and it is there maintained by the coiled spring S the end S¹ of the spring
finishing against the flap K and the other end S* against the engine plate. It will
thus be seen that if the edge K¹ of the device comes against any obstacle such for
instance as a child the device being flexible on account of the spring S it will move
more or less to the position shewn by dotted lines J thus coming nearer to the
surface of the pavement W which most effectively prevents the engine riding
upon or over a child or other object. The effect of the spring is therefore at least
two fold viz. First to greatly lighten the concussion and second to maintain the
device in its normal position.
Figure 5 shews an adjustable form of the device where the bar T may be elevated
or depressed in the socket U which are fast to the engine front and may be locked
in any position by the set screws u'. The bar may have an elastic cushion t¹
along the front or it may be made flexible by a spring. In regard also to the
device shewn by Figures to 4 this also may be made adjustable by means of slot
holes in the brackets M and M¹ when so desired to meet the wear of the wheels
and other parts.
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 :-
First. The improved device for removing obstructions from the front of Tramway
Engines by which an amount of flexibility is obtained which has also the effect of
preventing the engine riding over obstacles substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth,
Second. The improved device for removing obstructions from the front of
Tramway Engines substantially as herein set forth and illustrated by Figure 5.
1.
1000
JOHN KENDRICK,
Agent for Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.