IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE CLEARING OF TRAM-WAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE CLEARING OF TRAM-WAYS." A communication
from abroad by Charles Marsillon, of Lille, in the Republic of France, Engineer
to the Compagnie des Tramways, du Department du Nord.
Sealed the 24th February 1880, and dated the 30th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1879.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN, APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE CLEARING OF
TRAM-WAYS." A communication from abroad by Charles Marsillon, of Lille, in the
Republic of France, Engineer to the Compagnie des Tramways, du Department du
Nord.
This Invention relates to apparatus for effecting the clearance of obstructions
from the grooves of tramway rails, and consists in so arranging a scraper or clearer
as that the obstructions shall be removed without causing any shock or injury to
the apparatus.
In carrying out this Invention a scraper or clearing plate is bolted or otherwise
connected to the lower end or long arm of a lever arranged so as to be capable of
oscillating upon a centre carried by a double armed lever attached to one of the
axle boxes of the apparatus; one arm of the double armed lever is caused to bear
upon a spring placed upon the axle box so as to maintain the scraper or clearer in
the desired position, and is provided with a hook to which is attached one end of
an helical spring, the opposite end of which is attached to the upper end or short
arm of the lever heréinbefore described, to which the scraper or clearing plate is
attached so as to enable it to yield, and thus prevent the apparatus from sustaining
injury when coming in contact with any obstruction.
The apparatus is mounted upon running wheels, and by preference upon four, eacli
of which is provided with an arrangement similar to that herein before described,
so as to be capable of effecting the clearing of the two tram rails when travelling in
either direction.
The apparatus is provided with an iron frame work which connects the wheels,
and which is also provided with plates or scrapers so as to effect the removal of
any accumulation upon the tyre of the wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
February 1880.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE CLEARING OF
TRAM-WAYS." A communication from abroad by Charles Marsillon, of Lille, in the
Republic of France, Engineer. to the Compagnie des Tramways, du. Department du
Nord.
The said Invention relates to apparatus for effecting the clearance of obstructions
from tramways, and consists in so arranging a scraper or clearer that the obstruc-
tion shall be removed without causing any shock or injury to the apparatus; the
arrangement moreover being such that simplicity of construction is secured, whilst
the requisite security is afforded against accident.
And. in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly 'to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
•
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a side elevation of the
apparatus, so much only of the under frame of a tramcar or tram engine being
shewn as is requisite to explain the Invention; and Figure 2 is an end elevation
corresponding to Figure 1.
In front of each wheel G of the tramcar (for example) is provided an iron bracket
A formed by two arms a, a¹, which are arranged in the following, manner, viz. :-The
arm a bears upon the upper side of the spring I which sustains the body of the car,
the said arm being attached to the spring by means of two of the bolts provided
for connecting the spring to the axle bearings; this arm is also provided with a
hook E on its upper side for a purpose hereinafter explained. The arm a¹ acts as
a strut and bears against the grease box to which it is attached by one of the
bolts already existing. From the bracket A is suspended a lever C which carries
on its lower arm a clearing plate D to which it is attached by bolts d. The upper
arm of this lever is provided with a hook b connected to the outer extremity of the
spring B, the other extremity of which spring is connected to the hook E. The
lever C is capable of oscillating on a pin c by which it is connected to the bracket
A, and its motion is limited in one direction by the clearing plate D coming in
contact with the wheel G of the car and in the other direction by a stop E.
When the clearing plate D comes in contact with an obstruction it yields-to:a
certain extent and the upper arm of the lever C extends the spring B, which bas
the effect of deadening the first shock of the concussion; the plate D when pressed
back to a sufficient extent comes in contact with the periphery of the wheel G,.the
rotary motion of the latter then throws the plate D forwards, and this forward
motion of the plate combined with its peculiar form enables it to clear the obstruc-
tion out of the track without any inconvenient jerk..
The space between the front and rear clearing plates is protected by a netting K
in a metal frame, the meshes of the netting being sufficiently small to prevent any
liability of danger to life or limb in the event of persons approaching too close to
the wheels. As an additional safeguard sheet iron guard plates H, H, attached to
the frame of the netting K are provided between the wheels of the car and act as
springs when they come in contact with the peripheries of the said wheels.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,

page_text: and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
Constructing apparatus for effecting the clearing of tramways, substantially in
the manner hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of February, One
thousand eight hundred hnd eighty.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)