Improved Safety-guard for Steam Tramcars and other Carriages Propelled by Mechanical Power.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Safety-guard for Steam Tramcars and other Carriages
Propelled by Mechanical Power.
I, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT, of No. 48, Richmond Road, Bradford,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
-
My invention refers more particularly to safety-guards applied to tramcars or
motor cars propelled by electricity or other mechanical power and to the steam
engines used for drawing tramcars and to other road engines of that nature.
The contrivances most in favour at present for this purpose consist of a flat
table or platform fixed in front of the engine or car at a height of from 2 to 1
inches from the ground, that is to say as near to the ground as has been found
practically feasible; the intention being that any person caught thereby in front
of the car shall be scooped off the ground, so to speak, and deposited upon the
said platform. This plan, though effecting its object in many cases, has also
been found to fail frequently, more particularly in the case of children, owing
to the clothing or a limb getting into the space between the guard and the
ground and the body being thus drawn under the guard and the car. Many
accidents of this nature have occurred and resulted in serious bodily injury or
death.
The main object of my present invention is to bring the guard into such
close contact with the ground that the danger of a body getting under the guard
is greatly reduced, if not absolutely eliminated.
To this end I use by preference a guard in the form of a flat or slightly basin-
shaped table, similar to the platforms at present in use, but other forms may be
adopted. A strong stiff broom four or five inches thick, formed of any suitable
material and standine upright or inclined with the bottom end forward, is fixed
along the whole breadth of the guard at its front edge in such manner that the
broom extends a few inches, say about three, below the guard and its top may
stand about the same distance above the guard, so as to prevent a body deposited
upon the guard from rolling off it. In place of the broom I may use mechanical
equivalents, such for example as a thick band of indiarubber. The back edge
of the guard I may form of an iron rod, capable of turning in eyes fixed to the
front of the car or engine. On the said back rod of the guard I fix a lever extend-
ing upwards, the upper end of which is connected with a suitable catch mechanism,
which ordinarily keeps the lever in such a position that the front portion of the
platform or guard is suspended above the ground to such an extent that the bottom
of the broom beforementioned is a few inches above the ground, same as the
ordinary guard at present in use is carried now. A short distance say 18 inches
or so in front of the broom and across the whole length of it are stretched one
above the other a number of horizontal cords parallel to each other and an inch
or two apart from each other. The lowest cord may be ordinarily about two
inches from the ground and the highest about a foot or fifteen inches. These
cords are carried by two iron rods, one of which is fixed to the car on each side
PH

page_text: as
of the guard, and each cord is. tied to one of the said rods and passed through an
eye or hole provided for it in the other bearer. After passing through the said
eyes of the one bearer the cords unite into a single one, which proceeds to a
slide or trigger in connection with the before mentioned catch mechanism, which
I will now describe more particularly. In connection with any convenient revolv-
ing part of the mechanism of the engine or car I mount a catch or clutch
wheel to which
is imparted as long
a continual turning motion
the car is in motion. Corresponding to this catch wheel and moving with it,
when in gear therewith for the necessary distance, is a catch, which however is
ordinarily held out of gear with the revolving catch wheel by the before mentioned
slide or trigger, but when the latter is pulled or withdrawn, the said catch engages
with the revolving catch wheel and a lever or rod to which the catch is attached
is moved thereby. This lever or rod is so connected and arranged that its motion
liberates the catch which holds the guard suspended above the ground, and allows
the front part of the guard to drop upon the ground.
The action of the combination of mechanism so far described is as follows:
Suppose a person falling in front of or being otherwise overtaken by a moving
titam-car, the body will evidently first come in contact with one or more of the
cords stretched across the front of the guard, whereby the said cords are pulled or
bent inwards towards the car and the trigger to which the cords are attached is
also pulled, allowing the catch to engage with the revolving catch-wheel, whereby
the guard is released and the broom drops upon the ground and is pushed along
it by the advancing car, whilst one or more catches fixed to the car, which act
upon corresponding catch wheels fixed upon the back rod of the guard prevent
the guard from rising and thus keep the broom in close contact with the ground,
so that the object in front cannot get under the guard, but is pushed forward
by the broom and in many cases scooped off the ground and thrown upon the
guard. I may construct the front part of the guard and the broom curved, that
is to say rounding off from the middle to both sides, which would have a tendency
to brush the obstacle in front aside out of the track of the car, if it is not scooped
off the ground and deposited upon the platform. The motion of the rod or lever
which liberates the guard and allows the broom to drop upon the ground I may
also utilise for working at the same time a steam whistle or alarm bell for the
purpose of signalling the engine driver and guard of the car to stop the car.
may further utilise it for applying an automatic brake, with which the car may
be fitted.
I
After the apparatus has been in action in the manner above described, its various
parts would of course have to be readjusted and, so far as they may have been
damaged, repaired, and reset or brought into their normal position of readiness
for action on the next occasion.
It will be obvious that though primarily intended to save life and injury to
persons overtaken by the moving car, the apparatus may also act usefully in
brushing aside or removing other obstacles which may have got upon the track of
the car.
Dated this 20th day of October 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Safety-guard for Steam Tramcars and other Carriages
Propelled by Mechanical Power.
I, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT, of No. 48, Richmond Road, Bradford,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
Improved Safety-guard for Steam Tramcars and other Carriages
Propelled by Mechanical Power.
I, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT, of No. 48, Richmond Road, Bradford,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven

page_text: tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention refers more particularly to safety-guards applied to tramcars or
motor cars propelled by electricity or other mechanical power and to the steam
engines used for drawing tramcars and to other road engines of that nature.
The contrivances most in favour at present for this purpose consist of a flat
table or platform fixed in front of the engine or car at a height of from 2 to
inches from the ground, that is to say as near to the ground as has been found
practically feasible; the intention being that any person caught thereby in front
of the car shall be scooped off the ground, so to speak, and deposited upon the
said platform. This plan, though effecting its object in many cases, has also
be found to fail frequently, more particularly in the case of children, owing
to the clothing or a limb getting into the space between the guard and the
ground and the body being thus drawn under the guard and the car. Many
accidents of this nature have occurred and resulted in serious bodily injury or
death.
The main object of my present invention is to construct the guard in such a
manner that the danger of a body getting under the guard is greatly reduced,
if not absolutely eliminated.
To this end I use by preference a guard in the form of a flat or slightly basin-
shaped table, similar to the platform at present in use, but other forms may be
adopted.
My improved guard is ordinarily carried a few inches above the ground but
when any object in front comes against it it falls and parts of it come into close
contact with the ground. The guard is forcibly held in this position until released,
so that the object in front cannot pass under it but is swept aside out of the
track of the car, if the front of the guard is suitably curved, or deposited upon the
platform of the guard. The motion of parts of the guard, which takes place as
a consequence of contact with the obstructing object, I utilise also for releasing
the catch of an alarm bell, whereby a signal is given to the driver of the tramcar
to stop, or if the car is fitted with an automatic brake the said motion may by
suitable connections be made to apply the brake. These are the general or leading
features of my improved safety guard, which may be attained by various com-
binations of detail mechanism. One of these I have already shortly described
in words in the Provisional Specification and will now describe more fully with
the assistance of the annexed drawings, of which
Fig. 1 shows the safety-apparatus attached to the front of a steam tram engine,
ready for action. The broom "B" is elevated above the ground.
Fig. 2, the same after action, with the broom "B" held in close contact with
the ground.
Fig. 3. shows the guard "A," with its fittings, seen from above.
Fig. 4. shows the arrangement of the bearers "F" with the cords, "E" and
net "S" attached.
"
I use the same letters of reference for corresponding parts in the four drawings.
"A" is a platform, similar to those at present often used. A strong, stiff
broom "B," 5 or 6 inches thick, made of birch or broom twigs, or any suitable
material, and standing inclined with the bottom end forward, is fixed along the
whole breadth of the guard at its front edge in such manner that the broom extends
a few inches, sav about three, below the guard, and its top may stand about the
same distance above the guard, so as to prevent a hody deposited upon the guard
from rolling off it. At the back of the guard is fixed a lever
extending upwards, the upper end of which is connected with a catch "D," which
ordinarily keeps the lever "C" in such a position that the bottom of the broom "B."
is a few inches above the ground, as shown in Fig. 1, and same as the ordinary
guard at present in use is carried now. A short distance, say 18 inches or so,
in front of the broom and across the whole length of it are stretched, one above the
"C."

page_text: •
other, a number of horizontal wires or cords "E," parallel to each other and an
inch or two apart from each other. The lowest cord may be ordinarily about 2
inches from the ground, and the highest say 15 inches.
These cords are carried by a framework fixed to the car and consisting in the
main of two bearers "F," one of which is situated on each side of the guard,
and each cord is tied to one of the said bearers and passed through an eye or hole
provided for it in the other bearer. These bearers don't touch the ground and
are so constructed that if a body in front should come against them, they turn
up and allow the body to pass under them. In that event by pressing against
the slide "O," the top of the bearers "F" will move the trigger "G," which is
attached to the slide "0." After passing through the eyes of the one bearer
some or all of the cords "E" may unite into a single one, which is also connected
to the trigger "G" by way of the double-armed lever "PO¹," which pivots on a
stud fixed to the bearer "V."
In connection with any convenient revolving part of the mechanism of the
engine or car is mounted a catch-wheel, "H," to which a continual turning motion
is thus imparted as long as the car is in motion. Corresponding to this catch-
wheel and moving with it, when in gear therewith for the necessary distance, is
a catch "I" which however is ordinarily held out of gear with the revolving
catch-wheel by the before-mentioned trigger "G," but when the latter is moved
the catch I falls and engages with the revolving catch-wheel "H," and the
lever "L," to which the catch is attached, is partially turned thereby and causes
the rod, T," upon which the lever "L" is fixed to turn also. This motion
of the rod "T" liberates the catch "D)," which held the guard suspended above
the ground, and allows the broom "B" to drop upon the ground, as shown in
Fig. 2.
The action of this combination of mechanism is as follows:-Suppose a person
falling in front of or being otherwise overtaken by a moving tramcar, the body
will evidently first come in contact with one or more of the cords "E" or one
of their bearers "F," whereby the cords are bent inwards towards the car, and
the trigger "G" is moved, allowing the catch "I" to engage with the revolving
catch-wheel "H," whereby the guard is released and the broom "B" drops upon
the ground and is pushed along it by the advancing car, whilst the catches "M,"
fixed to the car, which act upon corresponding toothed racks "N," fixed upon the
-back-rod of the guard, prevent the guard from rising and thus keep the broom "B,"
in close contact with the ground, so that the object in front cannot get under
the guard, but is pushed forward by the broom and in many
scooped off the ground and thrown upon the guard.
of the guard and the broom are curved, which has a tendency to brush the obstacle
in front aside out of the track of the car if it is not deposited upon the platform.
The motion of the rod "T," which liberates the guard and allows the broom to
drop upon the ground as already described, or of any other convenient part of
the mechanism, is at the same time utilised for working a steam-whistle or alarm
bell "R" for the purpose of signalling the engine-driver and conductor to stop
the car.
The same. motion might also be utilised for applying an automatic
brake, if the car is fitted with one.
cases
The front part
"
"
It is advisable to attach to the bearers "F" behind the cords E' a bag or
net "S" as shown in the drawings, as in many cases persons, when falling, would
be caught therein, and thus be preserved from the more serious consequences of
falling to the ground and coming in contact with the guard "A" or broom "B."
After the apparatus has been in action in the manner above described, its various
parts must be put right.so far as they have been deranged by the collision, and
brought into their normal position of readiness for action on the next occasion.
It will be obvious that though primarily intended to save life and injury to
persons overtaken by the moving car, the apparatus may also act usefully in
brushing aside or removing other obstacles which may have got upon the track of
the car.
The mechanism described in the foregoing serves to illustrate the general

page_text: principles of the apparatus and of its action. It will be obvious that the details
of the said mechanism will have to be varied and adapted in accordance with the
particular construction of the car to which it is applied, and the accommodation
which is available for it in the said car, and I therefore dont bind myself to the
precise details given.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is:
1. A safety-guard for tramcars and similar vehicles, which is ordinarily sus-
pended above the ground, but on touching a person or similar obstruction in front,
drops to the ground and thus prevents the passage of the said object under it
and the car, whilst at the same time signalling the car attendants to stop or
putting in action an automatic brake, substantially as described in the foregoing
and shewn in Figs. 1 to 4.
2. In a safety-guard for tramcars or similar vehicles the combination of a
movable platform "A," broom "B," lever "C," catch "D," wires or cords "E,"
bearers "F," trigger "G," catch wheel "H," catch "I," lever "L," catches "M,"
toothed racks N," slide "O" lever "PO¹," bell R," net "S," rod "T," and
bearer "V," substantially for the purposes set forth, and as described and illus.
trated in Figs. 1 to 4.
3. Utilising the motion imparted to a safety-guard for tramcars and other
vehicles by collision with an object in front for transmitting a signal to the
car attendants to stop, as set forth.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of July 1898.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JOHN SCHOTT.