IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS AND APPARATUSES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Courtney Cramp at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th February 1874.
I, CHARLES COURTNEY CRAMP, of 87, Litchfield Road, Grove Road,
Bow, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAMWAYS
AND APPARATUSES CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Inventions are designed to further the safety of ordinary vehicles
on roads traversed by tramways to render tramways more permanent
and economical than the present form, and to keep the tracks or grooves
clear from dirt or other impediment.
The form of rail which I adopt may be of any groove section, and is
made flat on the underneath side, with projections of metal projecting at
intervals of the same gauge as the stones, wood, or moulded blocks
constituting the paving or pavement.
The projections may be of any other suitable form and interval if the
road be of macadam, asphalte, concrete, artificial stone, or other like
material.

page_text: The projections may be placed opposite or alternately on each side the
rail, and are roughed or denticulated to prevent the slipping of horses at
suitable intervals, the lug of the projecting pieces are lengthened for the
purpose of receiving the staple, spike, or screw for securing the rail to
the sleeper. By using this form of rail, notching, ploughing, or
grooving the longitudinal sleepers is unnecessary, the projecting pieces
being lengthened into lugs for the purpose of securing the rail in
position and preventing transverse displacement.
In the ordinary form of rail and support of tramways, the wheels
of vehicles (or of the tramway carriages when off the rails) running
on or against the edge of the rail, which wears them enequally or causes
to sag the pavement, thus forming a long groove parellel to the rail.
This is often the cause of considerable delay to the cars by vehicles being
unable to leave the track, and frequently accidents occur by the vehicles
being overturned or having their wheels wrenched off. The prevention
of such accidents and the improvement and economy of permanent ways
is the object of my
Inventions.
The first form of groove plough I adopt is as follows:-A cast or
wrought iron frame attached to the cell of the car by suitable springs so
as to allow for the fall and rise of the car, carries on its fore part a steel
plough breast free to swing in a direction parellel to the motion of the
car to the frame, and impringing on the back of the plough breast is
attached a spring for keeping the plough to its work, whilst any power-
ful obstacle in its path is avoided by the back motion of the spring.
Attached to the same frame and worked by a crossed chain or belt from
the driving axles is a brush of cane or wire for the purpose of throwing
out of the groove and off the track the road matter left by the plough.
In the second arrangement I employ a frame similar in construction
to the last, carrying on the fore portion a distance pulley running on the
flat part of the rail and working a friction pulley carrying a disc, on the
periphery of which are fixed certain tools of steel which are made to
rotate in a direction contrary to the car.
In the third arrangement I employ a disc carried in a frame as before
described carry steel scrapers fitted to the section of the groove, and
formed into a breast for throwing out the dirt accumulated in the groove
of the rail. Attached to the disc is fixed a pulley having on its circum-
ference at the same distance as the scrapers, notches, in which, attached

page_text: to a spring, is fitted a stop. On meeting with any serious obstacle the
plough is turned one portion of a revolution, when the stop, having been
brought into another notch, the plough or scraper is again stationery.
The fourth arrangement which I describe is similar to the last, but
the framework at the fore end is jointed, and attached to the trailing end
is fixed a rod which passes up through the cell or framing of the car, and
which by means of a suitable lever and catch may be thrown out of
gear.
The fifth arrangement which I employ consists of a plough and breast
carried on the frame as last described and kept in position by a distance
pulley. To the tail of the plough is attached a lever fixed to a spring.
In case of a severe obstacle in the groove it is immediately thrown out
of gear till the obstacle is passed, when the spring recoils and again
brings the plough into position and action.
In the sixth arrangement I employ a tube of iron attached to the cell
of the car by proper clips and supports; at (and inside) the end of the
tube is fixed a india-rubber or helical spring against which imprings a
rod of iron to which is jointed a plough and breast; a spring is used to
keep the plough in position, whilst the india-rubber spring maintains for
the car an equal distance from the rails. Lateral motion on curves is
allowed for by a transverse draft in the framework. To repair the
plough or breast it is only necessary to remove a bolt in the joint.
In the last and improved arrangement I attach to the back of the axle
boxes a wrought or cast iron frame, so as to connect the two and bring
the same into a form parallel to and over the groove of the rail; to the
centre of the frame I attach a stud with back nutts. I attach to this
stud by a swing joint a double plough with moveable breast, the plough
is kept in position by suitable springs attached to the frame. The
plough is thrown out of gear by turning the point of the plough out of
the groove..
I employ also a separate carriage for cleaning the road which by
employing a lamp set forth in another specification will not interfere
with the general traffic of the road.
The construction is as follows:-A tank of wrough iron is carried on
a frame of suitable construction. The ends of the tank is fitted with
plates of iron for keeping with water level on inclines at the bottom of

page_text: the tank. At cach end and under the control of the driver are placed
valves which I call candlestick valves, which allow only a certain
quantity of water to fall into the groove to moisten the dirt in the same.
This is followed by any one of the before-mentioned ploughs. Any dust
that may arise is absorbed by an arrangement as follows:-The interire
of the tank is made hollow, suspended in which is a small charcoal fire,
whilst at the top of the tank are four air holes or valves; these cause a
current of air over the water which bring in the dust that otherwise
would interfere with the comfort of foot passengers.