A NOVEL METHOD OF CLEANING AND CLEARING TRAM RAILS AND GROOVES AND REMOVING EXTRANEOUS MATTER THEREFROM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Romfry of No 5 Fancy Lane in Calcutta, in the
East Indies, Attorney at Law and Patent Agent for an invention of A NOVEL
METHOD OF CLEANING AND CLEARING TRAM RAILS AND GROOVES AND
REMOVING EXTRANEOUS MATTER THEREFROM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Remfry at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1882.
JOHN REMFRY of No 5 Fancy Lane in Calcutta in the East Indies Attorney at
Law and Patent Agent "A NOVEL METHOD OF CLEANING AND CLEARING
TRAM RAILS AND GROOVES AND REMOVING EXTRANEOUS MATTER
AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
THIEREFROM
This invention has for its object the cleaning of tram-rails and grooves in a more
efficacious manner than hitherto in vogue.
It is well known that stones and rubbish etc fall into and accumulate in the
grooves of tram-rails, and mud and dirt etc, cover the face of the rail, not only
impeding the easy running of the car, and jolting the passengers, but also straining
the parts of the car, and sometimes actually throwing it off the rails, causing
considerable delay and inconvenience.
The present remedy against this is the employment of men with scrapers to
clean the line.
My apparatus for cleaning tram rails and rail-grooves and which can be con-
veniently attached to a dummy car with a driver and an attendant to look after
the cleaner consists of two pairs of wheels cach pair fixed upon a shaft which is
carried in a movable frame placed under the forward part of the car one wheel of
each pair being situated above each tram-groove. The after end of the frame is
attached to a fork on a bracket (fixed on the centre line of the car around which
the frame can move as on a pivot or centre in such a manner that the frame has
free motion vertically so that it can be lifted or let down, and also horizontally to
the right or left when the car is going round a curve.
The foremost wheel on each side revolves over the groove, slightly above the
level of the rail, and has a series of holes round its circumference, into which cast
steel cutters are fixed, or the wheel may be made with arms carrying brushes.
composed preferably of steel wire for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. These
cutters are fixed in position by set screws, so that they may be adjusted when
worn or removed when broken. This wheel has also fixed on its face, and cast
with it an annular-ring having holes in it to hold wire brushes for cleaning the
Dine R71

page_text: tops or flat parts of the rails, or, where the material to be removed is too hard for
brushes, I employ steel or iron cutters fixed to the annular rings used for the same
purpose. In some cases I cast the annular ring with the cleaner wheel and make
a separate casting (fitting over this ring) with "holders for the brushes. Each of
the hind wheels has a flange which fits into the train-groove and keeps the
foremost, or cutter-wheel, over the groove, whether the car is going straight or
round a curve.
The shaft of the foremost wheels passes across underneath the
car, and the two foremost or cutter wheels are keyed on to it, so that they move
together.
On this shaft a pulley or cogwheel is keyed and revolved (in the opposite
direction to that taken by the car wheels) by a crossed band or cord, preferably a
rope made of hemp, cowhide or wire, running in grooved pulleys, one of which is
fixed on to the foremost axle of the car inside the wheels.
Cogwheels on the foremost or cutter shaft and on the fore axle, with solid link
chain, may also be used to revolve the cutter shaft. If found convenient the entter
shaft may be revolved by fixing the driving pulley on the trailer shaft instead of
on the fore axle of the car The two hinder or trailing whicels of the apparatus aro
keyed on to their shaft in the usual way, and kept in position by a nut outside, so
as to be easily removed when worn out or broken.
In front of the cutter shaft, and passing across from side to side in a horizontal
position, is a bar having two perpendicular arms attached to the arms of a slotted
swivel. This swivel has free motion, vertically, on its arms as a centra, and is used
in connection with a rod and lifting lever to lift the apparatus out of the groove.
This arrangement allows the said bar to be a fixture; the arms at end of the
swivel allowing a little play when the machine is lifted or dropped. This swivel
is slotted on its upper face, the slot being on a radius from the centre of bracket
which supports the frame so that the swivel and frame and wheels slide a little to
the right or left when required by the curve. The vertical rod attached to the
arm of the lifting lever is remains always in the same position.
This vertical rod (the lower end of which is embraced by the slot in the swivel)
is carried on upwards and ends in a slotted hook to which is connected the short
arm of a lifting lever by which the whole apparatus is lifted ont of the train
groove if necessary when crossing points or when the driver considers it likely
that the machine or its entters or brushes might be broken by collision with any
obstruction on the line.
n
The lifting lever is fixed on the floor of the car and has a long and a short arm.
To the long arm is attached a catch which drops into the slots on the face of a
quadrant. The short arm of the lever is attached to the swivel rod. The forward
movement of the long arm of the lever lifts the swivel rod and with it the
whole apparatus. The catch being dropped into the slot the apparatus is held in
position.
The brushes are made by doubling up pieces of steel wire and twisting one end
of the wire round the brush which is then compressed so as to fit into the hole
made in the annular ring; when fitted into this hole a set screw is pressed forward
from the wall of the holder to hold the brush tight and prevent its falling out.
A nut is then screwed down tight holding the set screw in position. I also use for
keeping the brush in position a triangular piece of iron having its apex forced into
the bush and held there after the brush is in the holder by inserting a cutter
through the wall of the brush holder, and passing through a slot in the head of the
triangular piece.
When the brush wears, the set screw can be loosened, and the block lowered to
take up the wear, or when the brush becomes bent or too much worn, to remove
it altogether. If it be found more convenient to have a continuous brush, the
wires can be laid round in a circle, and fitted in a ring in the same way as a scratch
brush.
The cutter wheels are covered in with a sheet iron casing. The floor of this
casing is flat until near the rear end, where the plates are inclined outwards and

page_text: 14
downwards on both sides. The rear end is built up by two plates forming
triangle, having its apex close to the end of the cutter wheel, and its base outside
the trailing wheel. This I call the deflector. The sides and top of the wheel are
covered in with the flat and curved plates forming the sides and top of the said
casing. This casing may be made in two pieces, hinged together, allowing the top
half to be raised for inspection of the working parts of the cleaner. It will thus be
seen that any dirt or stones ete taken up by the cleaner by the action of its culters
or brushes, and which rise higher than the centre line of the cutter wheel, are
thrown backward and fall either against inclined sides or defector or both and are
thus ejected from the casing beyond the line of rail.
At the rear portion of the floor of the casing, I fix a steel comb with prongs
deep but narrow, against which the ends of the brushes pass when revolving; the
office of the said comb is to aid in cleaning the brushes from dirt.
Where, however, the nature of the mud, dirt, or whatever may be on the line
and in the groove is such, that it cannot be got rid of by simply impinging it
against the sloping sides and deflector, place on the car a tank of water, a pipe
with stop cock is fitted into this tank to convey water to a horizontal pipe fixed
across underneath the car, a flexible hose connects this pipe with a pipe on the
cleaner frame, said pipe ending outside the casing. Here it is divided into several
pipes forming jets, or fitted with roses, to eject the water on to the sloping sides
and deflector to remove the adhering dirt etc.
A small pump driven from the car shaft, pumping water through the jets with
force on to the roots of the brushes as they revolve underneath, will materially
facilitate the removal of the adhering dirt etc. from the brushes, and thus enable
them to perform their work more satisfactorily.
In cases where the lines become slippery, I fit on to the car a sand box for
dropping sand behind the trailer wheel in the cleaner frame, where the cleaner
shaft is driven from the car axle, or where the cleaner is driven direct from the
trailer I allow sand to drop before the trailer wheel in the same way as is done on
a locomotive, to provide greater adhesion for the wheels.
The bracket above mentioned, is fixed to the beans on the flooring of the car by
bolts with nuts and screws. This bracket has at its lower end an enlargement
which fits into a round space left in the top of the fork. A pin runs downwards
through the bracket and is fixed on to the fork by a nut and screw.
This pin
las near its upper end, a slot corresponding with slots in the bracket, a key being
run through, fixes the pin in position, and allows the fork to move round on the
lower projection of the bracket. For greater security a plate, extending a short
distance over the face of the projection in the bracket, is screwed on to the face of
the annular ring on the fork. The frame, swivel, levers, fork, arms and shafts
are of wrought iron; the wheels, bracket, and pulleys or cogwheels of cast iron,
and the bearings brass bushed.
"
In cases where locomotives are used on tran lines, it is obvious that the
"cleaner apparatus can be easily attached in front of the engine and driven by it
and will be found of great advantage.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The apparatus having been let down by allowing the lifting lever to move on
the quadrant, the flange on the trailing wheel fits itself to the groove, and the
cutters and brushes come over the groove and rail respectively, ready to act on
any foreign matter in the groove or on the rail.
As soon as the car starts the pulley (or cogwheel) on the car axle turns with it
and in the same direction. By the crossing of the cord or endless link chain
however, the small pulley and with it the cutter wheels with their cutters and
brushes revolve swiftly in the opposite direction and the cutters (or brushes as the
case may be) entering into the groove in quick succession, and the outside brushes
revolving above the rail and in close contact with it (or nearly touching the rail
whichever is inore convenient) remove any stones or dirt etc. that may have
collected or become embedded in the groove or stuck on the rail.

page_text: The object being to clean the groove and rail by the swift revolution of cutters
or brushes, it will be understood, that the cutter or brush may vary in the
material of which it is made according to the hardness of the material to be
removed. In consequence of the grooves and rails being cleared and cleaned the
cars proceed evenly and without any bumping or jolting, and straining of the parts
from passing over stones etc. embedded in the groove or on the rail as is now
frequently tho case.
When the driver finds that the car is about to pass points, or that there is any
unusual obstruction on the line which might harm the cleaning apparatus, or
when it is desired to put the apparatus out of gear, the lifting lever above described
is moved on the quadrant and the catch let fall into a notch. This action lifts the
apparatus out of the tram-groove. On his letting the lifting lever come back to its
original position the trailing wheel suits itself to the groove and the revolving
cutters and brushes again return to their former position ready for work.
In some cases it is convenient to modify the above apparatus by furnishing each
pair of cutter and trailing wheels on each side with a separate frame. Under these
circumstances the cutter which is driven by a cord or link chain as above, or when
the car is driven by compressed air or steam, a small engine composed of a cylinder
and the other usual parts is fixed on to the frame, and through its connecting rod
revolves the cleaner directly if so desired.
The frame is centred on a round vertical bar. This bar passing upwards is
enlarged to allow of a slot being cut in it and continued on upwards and attached
to a round plate fastened to the bracket on the car by a pin, said arm allowing the
cutter wheel to be lifted, and the movement of the plate on the pin allowing
motion round that as a centre. The lifting rod is fixed, and a slot allows the
apparatus to move to the right or left, while the round vertical bar allows it to
have motion round its own centre. The amount of motion required (and which
will be of small amount) can be easily adjusted by placing set pins on the said bar
close to the frame. The lifting rod is attached at its upper end to a bell crank
lever said lever being fixed on to a bar which passes right across underneath the
car to a similar bell lever lifting rod and apparatus on the other side. This bar is
connected by levers to the large lifting lever above mentioned, so that the
driver by pushing the lifting lever forward lifts both sets of apparatus out of the
groove.
This apparatus can be placed close under the wheels of the car, and will therefore
have very little lateral movement to right or left when passing a curve.
If cum-
pressed air is used, it will be sufficient to lay a pipe on the car and carry a piece of
elastic tubing down to the cylinder. If steam be used, joints can be made some-
what after the manner usually employed in bogie engines The revolution of the
cutter wheel, with its cutters and brushes, cleans the groove and rail from extraneous
matter. Instead of fixing the cleaning apparatus to a car the framing could be
made with light arms thrown up to support a seat for the driver and holder for the
water tank, etc, the trailing wheel made larger to allow of a pulley or a cogwheel
on its shaft to drive the pulley or cogwheel on the cutter shaft and an extra wheel
joined to the supporting apparatus. The weight being between these wheels.
The above describes my invention as applied to and set in motion by the forward
movement of a car, but the apparatus may be made doubly or singly for use by
manual power for cleaning the tramgrooves and rails etc. In such case the pulley
will be placed on the frame, the hind wheel can be made larger and connected to
the large pulley above described by gearing or rope or endless link chains, or thu
hind wheel can be larger and lighter, and have a projection on its face with a groove
on it to drive the cutter, shaft, pulley or cogwheel. The cutter wheel is rotated
and the rail cleansed as before.
1f manual power is required the apparatus can be made much lighter than when
used as an attachment to a car.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Remfry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th October
1882.
JOHN REMERY of No 5 Fancy Lane in Calcutta in the East Indies Attorney
at Law and Patent Agent "A NOVEL METHOD OF CLEANING AND CLEARING TRAM
RAILS AND GROOVES AND REMOVING EXTRANEOUS MATTER THEREFROM AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR"
This invention has for its object the cleaning of Tram rails and grooves in a more
efficacious manner than hitherto in vogue.
It is well known that stones and rubbish &c fall into and accumulate in the
grooves of Tram rails and mud and dirt &c cover the face of the rail; not only
impeding the easy running of the car and jolting the passengers but also straining
the parts of the car and sometimes actually throwing it off the rails causing
considerablo delay and inconvenience.
The present remedy against this is the employment of men with scrapers to clean
the line.
My apparatus for cleaning Tram rails and Rail grooves and which can be con-
veniently attached to a dummy car with a driver and an attendant to look after
the cleaner consists of two pairs of wheels each pair having a shaft which is carried
in a movable frame B placed under the forward part of the car ono wheel of each
pair is situated above the Train groove and each of the wheels of the other pair
has a flange which enters the groove of the rail. The after end of the frame is
attached to a fork (g) on a bracket (c) fixed on the centre line of the car, around
which the frame can move as on a pivot or centre in such a manner that the frame
has free motion vertically so that it can be lifted or let down and also horizontally—
to the right or left side when the car is going round a curve.
The foremost wheel A on each side revolves over the groove slightly above tho
level of the rail and has a series of holes round its circunference into which cast-
steel cutters (b) are fixed or the wheel inay be made with arms carrying brushes
composed preferably of steel wire for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
The cutters are rounded a little at their lower ends so as to avoid catching any
inequality in the joints of the rails.
These cutters are fixed in position by set screws so that they may be adjusted
when worn or removed when broken.
This wheel A has also fixed on its face and cast with it an annular ring having
holes in it to hold wire brushes for cleaning the tops or flat parts of the rails or
where the material to be removed is too hard for brushes I employ steel or iron
cutters fixed to the annular rings used for the same purpose.
In some cases I cast the annular ring with the cleaner wheel and make a separate
casting (fitting over this ring) with holders for the brushes
Each of the hind or guiding wheels C has a flange D which fits into the Tram
groove E and keeps the foremost or cutter wheel A over the groove whether the
car is going straight or round a curve.
The shaft (a) of the foremost wheel passes across underneath the car and
the two foremost or cutter wheels are keyed on to it so that they move together.
On this shaft (a) a small pulley or cogwheel F is keyed and revolved in the
opposite direction to that taken by the car wheels by a crossed band or cord pre-
ferably a rope (s made of hemp cowhide or wire running in grooved pulleys one
of which is fixed onto the foremost axle of the car inside the wheels.
Cogwheels on the foremost or cutter shaft and fore axle with solid link chain
may also be used to revolve the cutter shaft
If found convenient the cutter shaft (a) may be revolved by fixing the driving
pulley or cog wheel on the trailer shaft instead of on the fore axle of the
car wheel.
Of the two hinder or trailing wheels of the apparatus one is loose on the axle to

page_text: assist in turning corners and the other (having the pulley or cog wheel near it on
the shaft) is keyed on to the axle in the usual way both are kept in position by a
nut outside so as to be easily removed when worn out or broken.
The frame B moves round its own centre and the fork (y) allows movement
back ward and forward: also vertically on a centro in (h)
In front of the cutter shaft and passing across the frame from side to side in a
horizontal position is a bar El having two perpendicular arms I attached to the
arms of a slotted swivel J-by two short arms II having nuts and screws at their
upper ends.
The arms of the swivel J fit into brass or iron blocks which slide up and down
in guides said guides being securely fastened to the framing of the car. The frame
can thus be let down into position evenly so that the brushes on either side nct on
the groove and on the rail.
The swivel has free notion vertically on its arms as a centro and is used in
connection with the rod and lifting lever to lift the apparatus out of the groove.
The bar is a fixture the arins at end of the swivel allowing a little play when
the machine is lifted or dropped.
This swivel is slotted on its upper face the slot being on a radius from the
centre of bracket c which supports the frame so that the arms I, I, and with
them the frame and wheels can slido to the right or left when required by
the curve.
The vertical rod attached to the arm of the lifting lever thus remains always in
the same position.
This vertical rod K (the lower end of which is embraced by the slot in the
swivel) is carried on upwards and ends in a slotted hook L to which is connected
the short arm M of a lifting lever N by which the whole apparatus is lifted out of
the Tram groove if necessary when crossing points or when the driver considers it
likely that the machine or its cutters or brushes might be broken by collision with
any obstruction on the line.
arm.
The lifting lever is fixed on the floor of the car and has with a long and a short
To the long arm N is attached a catch which drops into the slots P on the
face of the quadrant O. The short arm of the lever being attached to the swivel
rod. The movement of the long arm of the lever lifts the swivel rod and with
it the whole apparatus. The catch being dropped into the slot hold the apparatus
in position
The brushes are mado by doubling up pieces (or by cutting equal lengths) of
steel wire Figure . a pieco of steel wire is then twisterl round the brush tightly
for two or three inches and then fastened securely a triangular piece of iron
having its apex forced into and through the brush and kept there by doubling the
end over in a circle preventing its withdrawal keeps the wires tight and complete
the mako of the brush.
The brush is pushed into the hole in the annular ring and beyond that to the
nut on the shaft when fitted into this hole a set screw is pressed forward from
the wall of the holder to hold the brush tight and prevent its falling out. A nut
is then screwed down tight holling the set screw in position.
When the brush wears tho set screw can be loosened and the block lowered to
take up the wear or when the brush becomes bent or too much worn to remove
it altogether. If it be found more convenient to have a continuous brush the
wires can be laid round in a circle and fitted in a ring in the same way as a
scratch brush.
The cutter wheels are covered in with a sheet iron casing Q. This is in two
parts. The sides and top of the wheel are covered in with the flat and curved
plates forming the sides and top of the casing This casing is securely fastened to
the frame B and it can if needed be divided horizontally to allow inspection of the
working parts of the machine.
The second or rear portion is constructed of a piece of iron bent into the form of
a square box cut diagonally across.

page_text: This piece is joined at an obtuse angle to the vertical portion which is built up
of two plates forming a triangle having its apex close to the end of the cutter
wheel and its base outside the trailing wheel.
This I call the deflector.
This deflector is continued upward to a level with the top of the wheel and is
then bent back ward over the top of the trailing wheel.
It will thus be seen that any dirt or stones &c taken up by the cleaner by the
action of its cutters or brushes and which rise higher than the centre line of the
cutter wheel are thrown backward and fall either against the inclined sides or
deflector, or both and are thus ejected from the casing beyond the line of rail.
At the rear portion of the floor of the casing I fix a steel comb with prongs (V V)
deep but narrow against which the ends of the brushes pass when revolving.
The office of the said comb is to aid in cleaning the brushes from dirt.
Where however the nature of the mud dirt or whatever may be on the line and
in the groove is such that it cannot be got rid of by simply inpinging it against
the sloping sides and deflector I place on the car a tank of water. A pipe with
stop cock is fitted into this tank to convey water to a horizontal pipe fixed across
underneath the car a flexible hose connects this pipe with a pipe on the cleaner
frame said pipe ending outside the casing Q Here it is divided into several pipes
forming jets or fitted with roses to eject the water on to the sloping sides and
deflector to remove the adhering dirt &c.
A small pump driven from the car shaft pumping water through the jets with
force on to the roots of the brushes as they revolve underneath will materially
facilitate the removal of the adhering dirt &c from the brushes and thus enable
them to perform their work more satisfactorily.
In cases where the lines become slippery I fit on to the car a sand box for
dropping sand behind the trailer wheel in the cleaner frame where the cleaner
shaft is driven from the car axle or where the cleaner is driven direct from the
trailer allow sand to drop before the trailer wheel in the same way as is done on a
Locomotive to provide greater adhesion for the wheels.
The bracket (c) abovementioned is fixed to the beams on the flooring of the car
by bolts with nuts and screws. This bracket has at its lower end an enlargement
which fits into a round space left in the top of the fork.
A pin runs downward through the bracket and is fixed on to the fork by a nut
and screw
This pin has near its upper end a slot corresponding with slots in the bracket a
key being run through fixes the pin in position and allows the fork to move round
on the lower projection of the bracket. For greater security a plate extending a
short distance over the face of the projection in the bracket is screwed on to the
face of the annular ring on the fork.
The frame swivel levers fork arms and shafts are of wrought iron the wheels
bracket and pulleys or cogwheels of cast iron and the bearings brass-bushed.
In cases where locomotives are used on Train lines it is obvious that the
"cleaner" apparatus can be easily attached in front of the engine and driven by
it and will be found of great advantage
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1. is a side view of the apparatus attached to a car scale 14" to 1 foot
(a) is the shaft of the cutter wheels (a) trailer shaft (c) the bracket fixed to the
car (d) the projection on the bracket (e) pin with key (f) (g) fork with arms (h)
embracing the frame B at the rear end (k) is the brushing ring (2) the brush
holders (b) the brushes (n) the set screw. A cutter wheel with its steel cutters b
B the cleaner frame Chind or trailing wheel with flange D to run in the Tram
groove E. F small pulley or cog or spur wheel. G large pulley or cog or spur
wheel H bar to which the arms I and I are attached J slotted swivel working in
guides jj K lifting rod L its slotted eye M short arm of lifting lever (o) is the

page_text: catch (7) is the bracket fixed to frame R by bolts 2, 7, O quadrant with slots P,
iron casing over cutter wheel are its sides approximating to a simi-circle
W is the floor with slanting sides, t, the deflector is the water tank y the
pump the water pipe with jets c¹s &c.
Ris the car frame, S driving rope or endless chain as the case may be
The relative sizes of the driving and cleaner wheels need not be as shown in the
drawing but may vary according to circumstances.
Fig 2 is a half plan scale 14" to 1 foot. Fig 3 is an end view, Fig 4 shows
brush-wheel with set of brushes sido view. Fig 4a shows ring with brushes in
mortices. Fig 5 end view of brush and cutters Fig 6 brush wheel with continuous
brush. Fig 7 shows end view of casing. Fig 8 side view showing sides ¿ ¿ and
deflector Fig 9 plan view of casing Fig 10 view showing casing open
Fig 11 method of cleaning brushes. Fig 12 plan view and method of making
brush cleaner. Fig 13 and 14 plan and side view of single apparatus. Fig 15
shows wheel A driven directly. Fig 16 shows the apparatus driven by frictional
contact.
Fig 17 shows an improvement on Figs 13 and 14
The Modu of Operation is as follows
The apparatus having been let down by allowing the lifting lever N to move on
the quadrant O the flange D on the trailing wheel C fits itself to the groove and
the cutters and brushes come over the groove and rail respectively, ready to net on
any foreign matter in the groove or on the rail.
As soon as the car starts the pulley (or cog wheel) G on the car axlo turns with
it and in the same direction. By the crossing of the cord or endless link chain (<)
or other the methods herein mentioned however the small pulley and with it the
cutter wheels A with their cutters and brushes b' revolve swiftly in the opposite
direction and the cutters or brushes (as the case may be) entering into the
groove E in quick succession and the outside brushes revolving above the rail and
in close contact with it remove any stones or dirt &c that may have collected or
become embedded in the groove or stuck on the rail.
The object being to clean the groove and rail by the swift revolution of cutters
and brushes it will be understood that close contact must be maintained
between the trailing wheel and the rail where the trailer has the driving cog-wheel
on it.
The groove and rail being thus cleared and cleaned the car proceeds evenly and
without any bumping or jolting and straining of the parts of the car from passing
over stones &c embedded in the groove or on the rail as is now frequently
the case.
When the driver finds that the car is about to pass points or that there is any
unusual obstruction on the line which might harm the cleaning apparatus or when
it is desired to put the apparatus out of gear the lifting lever above described is
moved on the quadrant and the catch let fall into a notch. This action lifts the
apparatus out of the Tram-groove. On his letting the lifting lever come back to
its original position the trailing wheel suits itself to the groove and the revolving
cutters and brushes again return to their former position ready for work.
In some cases it is convenient to modify the above apparatus by furnishing cach
pair of cutter and trailer wheels on each side with a separate frame see Figs 13. 14.
and 15.
Under these circumstances the cutter wheel A is driven by a cord or link chain
as above or when the car is driven by compressed air or steam a small engine
composed of a cylinder and the other usual parts is fixed on to the frame and
through its connecting rod revolves the cleaner A directly if so desired.
The single frame is centered on a round vertical bar 1 Figs 13 & 14
This bar passing upwards is enlarged to allow of a slot 2 being cut in it and
continued on upwards and attached to a round plate fastened to the bracket on
the car by a pin said arm 1 allowing the cleaner to be lifted and the plate moving
on the pin allowing motion round that as a centre.

page_text: The lifting rod 3 is fixed and the slot 2 allows the apparatus to have lateral
motion while the round vertical bar 1 allows it to have motion round its own
centre to an extent which can be easily adjusted by placing set pins on the bar 1
close to the frame.
The lifting rod 3 is attached at its upper end to a bell crank lever (4) said lever
being fixed on to a bar (5) which passes right across underneath the car to a
similar bell lever lifting rod and apparatus on the other side attached to a duplicate
apparatus.
This bar is connected by levers to the large lifting lever N above mentioned so
that the driver by the lifting lever lifts both sets of apparatus out of the groove.
This apparatus can be placed close under the wheels of the car and will therefore
have very little lateral movement to right or left when passing a curve.
The two slots (2, 2) above mentioned may be joined by a bar Fig 17 such bar
having its centre at foot of a bracket fixed underneath the car at some point in
the longitudinal centre of the car. The apparatus being placed in position by
revolving the screwed shaft as shown.
The cleaner and guiding wheels and frame aro allowed lateral or other movement
to suit the line.
If compressed air is used it will be sufficient to lay a pipe on the car and carry
a piece of clastic tubing down to the cylinder. If steam bo used joints can bo
made somewhat after the manner usually employed in bogie engines.
The revolution of the cutter wheel with its cutters and brushes cleans the
groove and rail from extraneous matter.
Instead of fixing the cleaner to a car the framing of the cleaner could be made
with light arins thrown up to support a seat for the driver and holder for the
water tank &c the trailer wheel made larger to allow of a pulley or a cog wheel on
its shaft to drive the pulley or cogwheel on the cleaner shaft and the guiding
wheel would then be in front the frame stretching between this and a point on the
axle of travelling wheel. The separate cleaner frame holding the guiding and
trailing wheels is placed under the forward part of the frame attached to the large
driving wheels and joined to such frame by a bolt having a nut at its upper end.
The cleaner frame is moveable round this bolt which is at a point between the
guiding and cleaner wheel shafts. The guiding wheel thus keeps the cleaner over
the groove. The cleaner shaft can be adjusted vertically in guides. The apparatus
firstly above described may be made doubly or singly for use by manual power
for cleaning the tram-grooves and rails &c. In such case the pulley will be placed
on the cleaner frame the hind wheel can be made larger and connected to the large
pulley above described by gearing or rope or endless link chains or the hind wheel
can be larger and lighter and have a projection on its face with a groove on it to
drive the cutter shaft pulley or cogwheel. The whole of the parts can be made
light thus rendering the apparatus easily portable. The cutter wheel is revolved
and the rail cleansed as before.
Driving the cleaner wheel may be effected by friction in the following manner.
The cleaner wheel A Fig (16) is underneath and driving wheel stands above
and at a short distance from it both in a wrought iron frame which is extended on
upwards to form a lever.
The fulcrum is in the centre of the horizontal bar at Z between the two wheels.
The hole is brass bushed and the frame y can slide a little to the right or left on
the horizontal bar x thus keeping the brushes in the groove and on the rail following
the curves The lateral movement required is effected through a guiding wheel
from which a bar passes embracing the frame and being attached rigidly to it the
wheel on one frame being in front and on the opposite side behind the frame or
the cleaner wheel could be made so that a small portion always revolves and keeps
within the groove thus acting both as brush and guide.
The face of the driver is turned and the shafts of the driver and cleaner have
pulleys or wheels on them which are connected by bands ropes or chains.
The fulcrum is at (s) between the two wheels.

page_text: Pressure put on the lever brings the driver in contact with the car or travelling
wheel and also places the cleaner in position to clean the groove and rail.
The revolution of the driver effects through the pulleys with their bands ropes
or chains the revolution of the cleaner wheel A thus cleaning the rail and groove.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact sizes or proportions of the apparatus above described or their
relatives nor the number size or position of the cutters or brushes to be used as
these may differ according to the size of machine and work to be done.
What 1.claim is
1. The revolving cutter wheels A with cutters band brushes b' in the frame B
constructed as and for the purpose above described in conjunction with the trailer
wheels C with flanges D which act as guides in always keeping the cleaner wheels
above rail and groove.
2. The combination of the apparatus consisting of the lifting lever N quadrant O
short arm M and bolt K with the slotted swivel J working in vertical guides sub-
stantially as and for the purpose above described.
3. The cleaner wheels A with cutters b brushes b' said wheels connected by
shaft (a) flanged trailer wheels C with shaft a' frame B fork g bracket c, con-
structed substantially as and for the purpose above specified.
4. The deflector combining floor w with fixed sloping sides used in com-
bination with the deflector (V) constructed substantially as and for the purposo
above set forth.
5. The slanting floor tt deflector used in combination with the pipes (and
roses) for conveying and distributing water for the purpose of removing extraneous
matter adhering to (t) and (v) substantially as above described.
6. The method of removing extraneous matter from the brushes by impinging
jets of water forced by a pump through pipes on to them at an angle in com-
bination with the comb constructed and acting in the manner and for the purposo
substantially as above set forth.
7 The combination of the several portions of the apparatus firstly above described
in a machine for cleaning Tram-grooves and rails attached to a car.
8 The same apparatus used singly to be propelled by manual power.
9 The apparatus shown in figs 13. 14 consisting of frame cutter and trailer
wheels arm 1 with short arms embracing the plate on bracket slotted swivel 2
lifting rod 3 bell crank lever 4 shaft 5 bracket and constituent parts as above
mentioned and which can be driven by a cord or link chain or directly as abovo
described.
10 The method of revolving the brushes by friction and apparatus therefor as
above described.
11 The method of and apparatus for keeping the brushes over the line and
groove substantially as abovo described.
Lastly tho method of clearing and cleaning Tram grooves and rails from
extraneous matter and apparatus therefore substantially as above described.
In witness whereof I tho said John Remfry have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twelfth day of August One thousand eight hundred and
Witness
JAMES HECH
Sol
Calcutta
JOHN REMFRY. (L.S.)