Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 2nd Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 10th Feb., 1888.
JEAN BAPTISTE, alias Léon Chaudron Mechanical Engineer, 43 rue Berzélius
Paris in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
The more rational and economical mode of cleaning tram rails consists in doing it
automatically by attaching to the car a special apparatus which, to answer the purpose
and be of practical use, must fulfil the following conditions:
1°. It must be of a very strong built, easy of working and arranged to be thrown
out of gear at will.
2°. It must be capable of following all the sinuosities, inclines, etc., of the line
without leaving the groove of the rail.
3°. It must be provided with attachments such that will enable it to freely pass
over any obstacle such as a bad joint in the rails, etc., without jolting the car or getting
out of order.
4°. It must, being fixed in any given place under the car, in the plane of the flanges
of the wheels, work in both directions.
My apparatus principally consists of a double metallic V shaped support attached
to the frame work of the car and held together at their appex by means of a cross-
piece or axle round which freely oscillates the cleaning-tool holder.
The form of the supports and their position of attachment may vary according to
circumstances.
A sector is attached to the two arms of one of the support and provided with two
springs between which the cleaning-tool holder may be maintained in a position of
rest.
The tool holder consists of three parts: the head, the body and the tool attachment.
The head piece is made of steel and is in the shape of a T; its horizontal part
constitutes the tie or cross-piece which is placed at the appex of the two V shape
supports and it oscillates freely round a pin or bolt passing through it and which
holds the supports together. Its vertical part is of a cylindrical shape and acts as a
pivot to the arm or tool holder proper. The lower part of the said pivot is threaded

page_text: and a strong spring, resting on a nut which is screwed on the threaded part main-
tains the top part of the arm or tool holder proper applied against the horizontal
portion of the cross-piece. The base of the horizontal portion of the T cross-piece
is hollowed out so as to form four circular inclined plans of helical shape and the top
of the tool holder proper, which is swollen so as to fit the cylindrical part or pivot of
the T cross-piece is shaped so as to have four inclined plans forming the counter-
parts of the hollows of the horizontal portion of the T cross-piece. The top of the
tool holder thus fits into the T piece against which it is maintained by a spring as
explained herein before.
The tool holder proper, which is made of steel is also swollen at its lower part and
in this thickened part is cut a groove or mortice intended to receive the head of the
cleaning tool. A strong screw allows of a sufficient pressure being applied to the
tools' head so as to firmly maintain the tool in its proper position.
The cleaning tool is made of tempered steel and is curved, lengthwise, in such a
manner that when at work it is always in its most effective position and at the same
time compensates its own wear without which such a tool would very soon be rendered
useless. Its cross section is calculated to fit the groove of the rail and at the same
time, by means of flanges, to cast the mud and spoil outside the track.
One of the shape supports is prolonged downward and the lower end which is
bent at right angle is provided with a bolt to which is attached one end of a spring:
the other end of the said spring is attached to the tool-holder. By means of this
spring, the tool is maintained in the groove and should any obstacle be encountered by
the tool, the latter would give way, rising above the obstacle (which is facilitated by
its inclined position) and spring back into its working position as soon as the obstacle
is passed.
The tension of the spiral spring is regulated by merely turning it by hand, it screws
or unscrews on a rod provided with a thread corresponding with the spires of the
spring this arrangement is simpler than the ordinary form of tender generally
in use.
When passing curves the tool must be capable of being laterally displaced; this is
easily effected in my apparatus as the tool holder is mounted, as hereinbefore explained,
on a pivot.
The effect of centrifugal action should also be guarded against as otherwise the
apparatus might be projected outside the car, this result is obtained, in my apparatus,
by means of the arrangement of helical inclined plans, male and female, which I have
described, and with which the under portion of the T shape stay and the top of the
tool holder are provided. The effect of the tool-holder pivoting when passing over a
curve causes the said inclined plans to slide over each other and to separate the tool
holder from the T stay. An extra-pressure is thus brought to bear on the tool-holder
and this is precisely what is required to prevent the tool obeying the action of the
centrifugal force. As soon as the curve is passed, the strong spring, reacting on the
top of the tool-holder, reinstates it in its former position of dovetailing of the inclined
plans.
The arm or tool-holder may rotate right round its vertical pivot and can therefore,
be made to easily work in both directions.

page_text: sector springs.
F cross head pin staying the frames A A¹ and round which the cross head and its
attachment can freely oscillate so as to bring the tool from its working position into
a position of rest and vice versa as illustrated in Fig. 1.
G nut screwed at bottom of the vertical cylindrical part of cross head piece C.
H spring resting on nut G and pressing upward the tool bearer I against the cross
head piece C.
The two surfaces in contact are hollowed out so as to form four circular inclined
surfaces of helical shape dovetailing into each other.
I tool or scoop holder.
J tool or scoop secured in an eye made in I, and by means of set screw K.
L Spring regulating the working pressure of the scraper or
scoop, attached to I.
I tender of spring L, attached to M, a prolongation of frame A¹ as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The mode of attachment of the tool holder of a train rail cleaner to its apparatus by
means of which the action of the said cleaner is made automatic, reversible, self
regulating, the said cleaner being fixed in a position of rest when not in actual use
and being able when at work to easily and freely run in any small curves also without
its working being affected by the effects of the centrifugal action; substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.