Improvements in Means for Clearing Tramway Lines and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Clearing Tramway Lines and the like.
I, JAMES NEIL MARR, of 121 Peckham Rye, S.E., Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to improvements in means for clearing tramway lines and the
like, and has for its object a simple and effective means for clearing such lines of snow,
dirt, and all such obstructions.
In carrying my invention into practice, I fasten, by any suitable means, to the
underneath of the tram-car, one over each line, an appliance consisting of two wedge-
shaped cutters or ploughs, which are placed so that one faces one end of the tram-
car and the other cutter or plough faces the other end of the tram-car.
These cutters travel along in the groove of the line or rail, and are held in position
by four coil-springs, which "give" to every motion of the car, or unequality of the
line.
A small projecting piece on the underneath of the cutter or plough, also raises the
point of the said cutter or plough in case of encountering a stone or the like.
An iron rod fixed to the underneath of the tram-car and having an india-rubber
pad on its lower end, serves to steady the tram-car when it rocks or
Dated this 00-1 dave CM 1900
Bee-saws.
"
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Clearing Tramway Lines and the like.
I, JAMES NEIL MARR, of 121 Peckham Rye, S.E., Gentleman, 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
11
My invention relates to improvements in “drag” groove cleaners or scrapers for
tramway and other rails and has for its object to provide the underframe of tramway
cars with an apparatus arranged for the purpose of cleaning the grooves of the rails in
front of each wheel, and protected from jerks by a suitable buffer proper support,
which comes into action when the tramway car tilts up or down on passing points or
for some other reason.
My improved apparatus consists of a plough shaped cleaner or scraper suspended
by two spiral springs attached vertically and obliquely to suitable rods fixed or
pivoted to a plate secured to the longitudinal beam of the tram car, these springs
being guided and supported from the beam to within a short distance of the scraper
or cleaner by the said rods, upon which they are partly coiled.
The abovementioned prop or support has a buffer base of india-rubber or other
suitable material.
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 side elevation of a tram car provided with my improved rail scrapers or
cleaners;
Fig. 2 shews on a larger scale, a side elevation of a portion of the underframe of
a tram car, with my improved apparatus,
Fig. 3 being an end view thereof.
As shewn more particularly in Fig. 2, a is the scraper or cleaner suspended by
the springs b. 61 attached respectively to the rods c c upon which they are coiled,
with the exception of their lower convolutions which are free in order to impart a
n

page_text: certain amount of resiliency to the scrapers or cleaners, the former of which is
vertical while the latter is oblique. These rods c. c¹ are pivoted or fixed to a plate d
secured in any convenient manner to the longitudinal beame of the underframe of
the car.
The point of the scraper a dips in the groove f of the tramway rail g and is furnished
with a heel h enabling it to spring over heavy obstacles such as stones and the like so
as not to impede the propulsion of the tramcar.
.
To prevent the scraper a from being damaged when the tram car tilts up or down
on passing points or for some other reason, the buffer prop i is made use of and comes
to rest on the pavement during such occurences.
This prop consists of a rod or bar i fixed rigidly or articulated to a cross beam k of
the underframe of the tram car, and is furnished at its lower end with a buffer base
of india-rubber or other suitable material; standing normally above th pavement and
only coming into contact therewith when the tramcar is thus tilted.
As the car is being propelled, the four scrapers, two of which a. a' are only shewn
on the drawing, move within the two corresponding grooves of the track rails and
keep the same constantly clean, the four buffer props supporting the car and preventing
the scrapers from being damaged by jerks.
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 improved "drag" groove cleaner or scraper for tramway and other rails
arranged constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 27th day of October 1890.
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.