A New or Improved Device for Propelling Trucks and other Vehicles on Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1891-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Propelling Trucks and other
Vehicles on Railways.
I JAMES PALMER ROBERTSON of 191 High Street, Lewisham in the County
of Kent, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an instrument for use in starting rail-
road trucks and other vehicles upon railways and thus facilitate the handling of such
vehicles in shunting operations.
To this end the instrument consists of a lever the fulcrum of which is supported
by or from a wedge lying between two jaws or clamp plates, the lower ends of
which are shaped to grasp the rail on which rests the respective vehicle which is to
be moved so that when the instrument is inserted with the point of the lever between
the tyre or flange of the wheel of the vehicle and the rail, downward pressure on
the opposite end of the lever will draw the wedge between the jaws causing the
latter to grasp the rail and thus form a secure fulcrum for the lever in the action of
propelling the vehicle.
By shifting the lever along the rail after the receding vehicle, the lifting of the
lever disengages the clamp so that the engagement and disengagement of the latter
automatically follow the movement of the lever.
Dated this 21st day of February 1891.
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Propelling Trucks and other
Vehicles on Railways.
I JAMES PALMER ROBERTSON of 191 High Street, Lewisham in the County of
Kent, Gentleman 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 this invention is to provide an instrument for use in starting railroad
trucks and other vehicles upon railways and thus facilitate the handling of such
vehicles in shunting operations.
To this end the instrument consists of a lever, the fulcrum of which is supported
by or from a wedge lying between two jaws or clamp plates, the lower ends of which
are adapted to grasp the rail on which rests the respective vehicle which is to be
moved so that when the instrument is inserted with the point of the lever between
the tyre or flange of the wheel of the vehicle and the rail, downward pressure on
the opposite end of the lever will draw the wedge between the jaws causing the
latter to grasp the rail and thus form a secure fulcrum for the lever in the action
of propelling the vehicle.
By shifting the lever along the rail after the receding vehicle the lifting of the
lever disengages the clamp so that the engagement and disengagement of the latter
automatically follow the movement of the lever.
The annexed drawing illustrates a shunting lever or "pinch bar" constructed
according to this invention, Fig. 1 being a side elevation, Fig. 2 a front or end
elevation

page_text: The
A is the lever of which the handle is shown broken away. It is fulcrumed on
the bolt B which connects the side jaws CC moving in slots D D therein.
bolt B carries also the curved plate or wedge piece E the upper part of which is
shaped or made in any suitable way to possess the divergement faces e e which by
the drawing down of the bolt B due to the pressure of the lever, slide against
and press apart the upper ends c c of the plates or jaws C C and thus rocking them
under the head and nut respectively of the bolt B bring their lower edges à d
together to grip the head of the rail lying between them. FF are pins fastened
in the one jaw C and projecting through holes in the other jaw C. These pins
form a rest for the instrument on the upper face of the rail, G G are rings or links
connecting the ends of the jaws C C with the wedge piece or plate E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The device for propelling vehicles on railways consisting in a lever or pinch bar
pivoted between two clamping jaws and having a wedge adapted to operate said
jaws in the manner herein specified.
DL1
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.