Improved Apparatus for Clearing Snow from Public Thoroughfares.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 27th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Clearing Snow from Public
Thoroughfares.
I EPHRAIM BURTON of White Swan Wharf Nine Elms in the County of Surrey
Contractor and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to a machine for removing loose snow from the middle to
the side of public thoroughfares in order to facilitate vehicular traffic. The machine
consists essentially of a row of scrapers or brushes mounted side by side upon a
suitable framing and set obliquely to the line of progress of the machine which is
mounted upon wheels and provided with shafts and a driver's seat. These scrapers
deflect the snow to one side of the thoroughfare as the machine advances; They are
free to slide up and down independently, to permit of their following the inequalities
of the road surface on to which they are pressed by springs, and they may be raised
simultaneously, when the machine is out of work or to pass over an obstacle, by
means of chains attached to the scrapers and to a winding roller above, operated by a
handle within reach of the driver, the same motion relieving the downward bearing
of the springs upon the scrapers. This may be effected by permitting the bar by
which the springs are carried to rock and throw the springs upwards. The scrapers
are so constructed and supported at their lower ends as to be free to yield in case of
meeting undue resistance, springs for this purpose being applied behind them at their
lower ends. The scrapers may be shod with metal, and instead of, or in addition to,
scrapers, brushes similarly mounted may be used.
Dated this 28th day of December 1886.
E. BURTON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Clearing Snow from Public
Thoroughfares.
I EPHRAIM BURTON of White Swan Wharf, Nine Elms in the County of Surrey,
Contractor and Engineer, 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 :—
My Invention relates to a machine for cleaning public thoroughfares and princi-
pally intended for removing snow, although it is also applicable for mud.
The machine consists essentially of a continuous row of scrapers set obliquely to
the line of progress of the machine so as to clear the surface of the roadway and
deflect the matters removed therefrom to one side of the thoroughfare, as the machine
advances. The scrapers are free to slide up and down independently, to permit of
their following the inequalities of the road surface and they may be raised simul-
taneously when the machine is out of work, or to pass over an obstacle. The scrapers
are free to yield in case of meeting undue resistance, and they are removable so
that they may be changed to suit the condition of the material to be removed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification in which figure 1 is a near side elevation (the near wheel being
removed) and figure 2 is a plan of the machine. Figure 3 is a vertical section
through one of the scraper shanks and across the supporting frame and spring
shaft. Figure 4 is a similar section shewing a spring support behind the shank
and the leather scrapers replaced by cane faced with rubber. Figure 5 is a face
view of the cane holder, and figure 6 is a plan of the same. Figure 7 is a facc
view and horizontal section of leather scrapers overlapping instead of merely
abutting against one another. Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts
in all the figures.
A is the main frame of the machine supported upon a pair of travelling wheels
and provided with shafts at the front and with a seat for the driver at the rear.
An oblique frame composed of top and bottom members B B united by distance
blocks and end pieces B₁, is supported by stay-bolts and braces from the underside
of the main frame A, the frame B extending diagonally across the machine from a
point in front of the off-wheel to a point in rear of the near wheel and is stayed at
the ends by outside stay-bars B2 taking on to the bosses of the wheels. Care the
shanks of the scrapers or sweepers, consisting of wood plates placed close together
side by side against the front of the frame B and held in position against the same
by a covering plate D bolted through to the members of the frame B by bolts
passing through vertical slots in certain of the shanks C whereby the latter are
guided, these in turn supporting and guiding the adjacent ones. c are the acting
portions or scrapers being, in figures 1, 2, and 3, pieces of thick leather or india-
rubber clamped to the shanks C by iron covering plates cl bolted through to the

page_text: shanks. Tho covering plates c¹ and the leather or other scrapers are slotted
vertically to admit of adjustment of the former to compensate for wear of the latter,
being set so as to project down beyond the leather when the material to be removed
is so hard as to necessitate a metal scraper to detach it from the road surface. F is a
rocking bar journaled in end brackets fixed on the end pieces B¹. To this rocking
bar are attached springs whose other ends take into slots in the upper ends of
the shanks C, the springs being capable of independent adjustment on the shaft to
compensate for unequal wear of the scrapers which may be collectively raised or
lowered as desired, by rocking the bar F by means of a hand lever G which may
be fixed in any desired position by means of a locking pin and quadrant H.
In figure 4, the scrapers are rigid, instead of being slightly Hexible as before, and
in this case the shanks C play loosely between the lower member of the frame B
and the covering plate D and are held forward against the latter by springs E, so
that they can yield sufficiently to avoid breakage on meeting an obstacle.
In figures 4, 5, and 6, the scrapers are made of lengths of cane c² packed in
holders or boxes c³ screwed to the shanks, a covering piece of leather or india
rubber being applied in front and the whole held in position by a covering plate c¹,
as before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;
1. A machine for cleaning public thoroughfares consisting essentially of a
continuous row of scrapers set obliquely across the machine and attached adjustably
to vertically sliding shanks in combination with a rock shaft and springs engaging
with and acting on the scrapers as described and shewn in the drawings.
2. In a machine for cleaning public thoroughfares consisting essentially of an
oblique row of vertically sliding scrapers as herein specified, the construction of
scrapers of lengths of cane clamped in a box holder and faced with leather or
india-rubber as described, and adjustably attached to the guiding shanks, as
specified.
3. The improved machine for cleansing public thoroughfares, constructed and
operating substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings.
יות
571
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1h 1007
E. BURTON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.