Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 5th Oct., 1888
I JOHANNES CORNELIS WILHELMUS PAUWELS, of Tasman Straat No. 78 The
Hague Netherlands Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for cleaning tramway lines, which
consists chiefly of two circular brushes provided with steel wires in lieu of bristles
and mounted upon a steel axis. Upon the axles of the wheels of the tramway cars,
I fix two long bars of iron or other suitable metal whose extremities are bent at
right angles and provided with a perforation through which passes the steel axis
above mentioned.
Upon the axles of the tramcar are mounted two chain wheels gearing by means
of an endless chain with two other chain wheels mounted upon the axis of the
brushes so that the rotary motion of the axles when the tramcar is being propelled
will cause the brushes to revolve upon the line and hence to clean the rails.
In wintry weather when the grooves of the rail are likely to be filled with ice,
I arrange a strong spring in front of the car provided with teeth or serrations which
break such ice.
EDE WILDE,
Rathbone Placo, Oxford Street, W.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Cleaning Tramway Lines.
I JOHANNES CORNELIS WILHELMUS PAUWELS, of Tasman Straat No. 78, The
Hague, Netherlands Civil 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 an improved apparatus for cleaning the rails or lines of
tramways, which consists chiefly of two circular brushes provided with steel wires in
lieu of bristles, and mounted upon a steel shaft.
Over and in front of the axles of the wheels of tramway cars, I fix two transverse
bars of iron or other suitable metal whose extremities are bent at right angles and
provided with a perforation through which passes the steel shaft above mentioned.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have shewn the
same in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view of the underside of a
tramway car showing only the wheels, the rails whereon they stand and the mechanism
for rotating the brushes.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the under frame of a tram car shewing the mode of
attachment of the bar carrying the brushes, to the said under frame.
B is a bar rivetted or otherwise fixed to the under frame of the car C and whose
bent extremities d d carry the shaft s which rotates in circular perforations formed
therein. Upon the shaft S are mounted the two circular brushes 6 formed with
steel wires and bearing upon the rails or tramway line as shown in fig. 2.
These brushes are shewn in Fig. 1, two in front and two behind the wheels w, w,
of the tram car respectively thus cleaning the line in front and at the rear
thereof. They may however if required be placed both in front or both at the rear of
the said wheels, or the two front brushes may be found sufficient to effect the cleaning,
and the hind brushes may be dispensed with.
Upon the axles A A of the wheels w, w, w' w¹ are mounted two chain wheels c c¹
gearing by means of two chains with two other chain wheels a a' mounted upon
the shafts of the brushes bb. When the car is in motion the rotation of its wheels
imparts a rotary motion to the chain wheels c c¹ and through the chains to the
chain wheels a a' thus causing the brushes to revolve and to clean the rails or line as
shewn.
In wintry weather when the grooves of the rails are likely to be filled with ice,
I arrange two strong bent springs o o¹ in front of the car as shewn in Fig. 1 (not

page_text: shewn in Fig. 2) provided with teeth or serrations i, i, for the purpose of
breaking such ice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
The improved apparatus for cleaning tramway rails or lines, arranged, constructed
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of August 1888.
EDE WILDE,
Rathbone Place, W., and Green Lanes, N.,
Agent for the Applicant.