A NEW. OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR REMOVING MUD, DUST, SNOW, OR SIMILAR OBSTRUCTIONS FRUM THE GROOVES IN THE RAILS OF TRAMWAYN."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Craig, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW.
OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR REMOVING MUD, DUST, SNOW, OR SIMILAR
OBSTRUCTIONS FRUM THE GROOVES IN THE RAILS OF TRAMWAYN."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Craig at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th October 1874.
I, THOMAS CRAIG, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR REMOVING MUD, DUST, SNOW, OR SIMILAR
CESTRUCTIONS FROM THE GROOVES IN THE RAILS OF TRAMWAYS," to be as follows,
that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved machine for cleaning the
grooves of tramway rails, and which consists of a framing supported on
two or more pairs of wheels, to the axis of one pair of of which the
cleaning mechanism is attached. The cleaning mechanism consists of a

page_text: hollow shoe or scraper which is formed of a breadth equal to that of the
tramway rails, and the under side or surface of which is provided with
a projection or stud accurately fitting the groove in the rail, and so
formed as to override any started or projecting bolt head in the groove,
or any projection vertically or horizontally at the junction of two
rails.
The stud or projection may either be formed on the shoe or scraper,
or it may be attached thereto so that when worn it may be replaced by
substituting a new projection or stud therefor. At its rearward end
each shoe or scraper is attached to an inclined hollow shute supported
by a bar or frame centred on the axle of one pair of the carrying wheels.
Opposite the upper end of each shute a pulley or drum is fixed on the
axle, or on the inner sides of the carrying wheels, over which endless
bands are passed, the said bands being also passed over rollers fixed in
the lower or outer ends of the shutes. These bands are provided with
cross bars or elevators by which the mud or other material cleaned from
the tramway rails is elevated to a receptacle, from whence it may be
removed as desired. The bar or frame which supports the inclined shute
at one side of the machine is attached to the similar bar or frame at the
opposite side of the machine by a cross tie or bar, to the centre of which
a lever is fixed, by operating which the cleansing mechanism is lowered
to and raised from the rails.
The lever which is or may be capable of rotating is provided with a
weight which is brought into position to exert a downward pressure on
the scrapers or shoes whilst the same are in operation, the amount of
such pressure being regulated by the consistency of the mud or other
material to be removed, and the said lever is retained in any position
to which it has been adjusted by providing it with a ratchet wheel
at its lower end into which a pawl centred on the cross bar or tie
enters.
The cleaning mechanism herein-before described is or may be made
in duplicate, that is to say, pointing towards both ends of the machine,
so as to be capable of operation irrespective of the direction in which the
machine is traversed along the rails.
Under a modification of this Invention the shoes or scrapers are
constructed so as to embrace a portion of a pair of the carrying wheels,
by which means the mud or other material cleansed by the projections

page_text: or studs from the grooves of the tramway rails is caused to pass in
between the shoe or scraper and the wheel, and is, as the latter revolves,
foreced upwards from the rails and discharged into a receptacle, or
through a side shute on to the strut if desired. Under this arrangement
an elongated adjustable projection or stud attached to the shoe or scraper
is provided, which when the projecting portion becomes worn is loosened
from the shoe and readjusted. Or a projection or stud similar to that
first referred to may be formed on or attached to the shoe or scraper
under this modified arrangement.
The elongated projection or stud may also be employed in conjunction
with the first arrangement of the cleaning machine constructed in
accordance with this Invention.
The machine constructed as herein-before described is adapted for
removing snow from tramway rails by providing it with a plough in
addition to the other mechanism, which plough extends across the space
between the rails, and also across one half of the space between the
different tramway lines. The plough which is set at an angle relatively
with the breadth and length of the machine clears the snow: from the
surface of the tramway lines and deposits it at the side thereof, whilst
the projections or studs on the shoes or scrapers remove the snow or ice
from the grooves of the tramway rails.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Craig in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CRAIG, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
88th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Craig, Her special license
that I, the said Thomas Oraig, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Craig, my executors;

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of the new or improved machine con-
structed in accordance with my said Invention.
:
The mechanism consists of a framing A supported on two pairs of
wheels B, to the axis of each of which different arrangements of the
cleaning apparatus is shewn applied.
One arrangement shewn applied to the pair of wheels at the front
end of the machine consists of a frame composed of two strips O of
metal placed one on each side of the wheel on the axle D. Between
the front ends of these strips O a hollow shoe or scraper E is secured
which when in working position bears upon the upper side of the rail,
or is carried along in close proximity thereto. The shoes or scrapers
are made of a breadth equal or nearly equal to that of the rails, and they
are provided at their under sides with bolts or projections a which enter
into and fit the grooves of the tramway rails. The bolts or projections a
are-bevelled or curved on their under sides so as to override any started
or projecting bolt head in the grooves, or any projection vertically or
horizontally at the junction of two rails, and they are attached to the
frames carrying the shoes or scrapers E by eyes b, through which a
screwed portion o formed on each bolt or projection a passes, as shewn.
The eyes 6 are also formed with screwed studs projecting from their
under sides which pass through plates e fixed to the forward ends of the
frames O, and are secured in position by nuts placed on the said studs.
The eyes 6 are fixed sufficiently loose to permit of the bolts or pro-
jections a moving slightly through a horizontal are so as to pass
projections at the junction of rails, or to adapt them to move round
curves. At the rearward end of each shoe or scraper E a shute F
projecting at right angles from the shoe or scraper towards the outside
of the tramway line is secured to the frame O; or the shute may if
desired be formed in one piece with or attached to the shoe or scraper
in the position shewn. Through the shutes F, which are preferably
inclined downwards towards their outer ends, the mud, dust,- snow, or

page_text: other similar obstruction cleaned out of the tramway grooves by the
bolts or projections a, and lifted off the rails by the shoes or scrapers E
passes outwards on to the street at the sides of the tramway lines.
The front wheels of the machine are also shewn provided with
another arrangement of the cleaning apparatus, which may either be
employed separately or in conjunction with the arrangement of cleaning
apparatus first described. Under this arrangement the shoes or scrapers
H are constructed so as to embrace a portion of the periphery of each
wheel, and by this means the mud, dust, or other material cleansed
from the tramway rails by the bolt or projection i (constructed and
attached to the frame C in manner similar to the bolt or projection a)
is caused to pass in between the shoe or scraper H and the wheel, and
is as the latter revolves forced upwards into the shute I attached to each
shoe or scraper H, by which it is discharged on to the street or road
at the outsides of the tramway line. The shoe or scraper H may
be rigidly attached to the frames C, but it is preferred to fix it in
position by means of pinching screws or other equivalent means so as to
render it adjustable.
When the arrangement of cleaning apparatus marked H is provided
in conjunction with that marked E, they occupy the positions relatively
with each other, shewn at Figure 1 of the Drawings, that is to say,
only one such cleaning arrangement works over each rail at one time.
In order to change the relative positions of the cleaners E and H, or
to throw both of them out of action when desired, a lever K is provided
whose lower end is fixed to a cross bar or tie L extending between and
connecting each frame O, as more particularly seen at Figure 2. Pins
or bolts / are provided which enter holes formed in the longitudinal tie
or stringer M to retain the cleaning apparatus in the position to which
it has been. adjusted. The same or an equivalent arrangement of
adjusting and securing apparatus is employed when only one arrange-
ment of cleaning mechanism is provided at each side of the machine.
Another arrangement of the cleaning apparatus constructed in accor-
dance with my said Invention is shewn applied to the axis N of the
rearward wheels of the machine. Under this arrangement the hollow
scraper or shoe O is formed on or attached to the outer extremity of an
inclined shute P. Above the upper end of each shute P a pulley or
drụm is fixed on the axle N, or on the inner side of the carrying wheel,

page_text: over which drum or pulley an endless band m is passed, the said band
being also passed round a roller n fixed in the lower or outer end of the
hollow shute P. The bands m are provided with cross bars or elevators
by which the mud, dust, or other material cleaned from the tramway
rails by the bolts or projections and shoes or scrapers O is elevated
to a box or receptacle Q which is hung from a bar s extending between.
the side frames A or otherwise attached so as to be removable from the
machine when filled, or at other desired times. The bar R which
supports the inclined shute P at one side of the machine is attached to
the corresponding bar at the other side by a cross tie or beam 8, to the
centre of which a lever T whose functions are similar to those of the.
lever K herein-before referred to, is fixed as shewn on the appended
Drawings.
.
The cleaning bolt or projection herein-before described in reference
to the several arrangements of shoes or scrapers by being formed with
a screw thread at its upper end is constituted adjustable, so that when
the projecting portion becomes worn the bolt is screwed further down
towards the point of the shoe or scraper. In lieu however of employing
such an arrangement of bolt a projection or stud may be formed on or
attached to the under side of the shoe or scraper itself.
. It is to be here understood that I do not confine myself to arrange.
the new or improved machine for cleaning the grooves in the rails of
tramways precisely in the manner illustrated on the appended Drawings,
that is, with cleaning mechanism attached both to the front and rear:
axles of the machine, as such mechanism constructed under either of
the modes set forth may be attached to one axle only, and such
mechanism may either be single, in which case the machine is con-
stantly drawn from one end and removed from one line of rails and
turned round before being placed on the other line, or before proceeding
back when there is only one line, or the mechanism may be duplicated,
in which case the machine may be drawn from either end.
In adapting the machine for removing snow from tramway rails
a plough is attached to the rod X extending between the frames C at
the front end. The plough which extends across the space between the
3 rails, and also across one half of the space between the different lines of
tramway, may be of any convenient form. A suitable form to employ is
a
✓ shaped figure which presents an angle to both the length and

page_text: breadth of the machine, and clears the snow from the surface of the
tramway line, depositing it at the side thereof. This apparatus is pro-
vided in addition to the apparatus constituting the cleaning mechanism
for the rails and grooves therein, so that whilst the plough removes
the snow from the space between the rails, the projecting bolts or 5
studs and the shoes or scrapers remove the snow from the rails and
grooves themselves.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner, in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe 1
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus con-
stituting the machine for removing mud, dust, snow, or other similar 18
obstructions from the grooves of tramway rails, also the adaptation
thereof to the cleaning of snow from between the lines of rails,
substantially as herein-before described in reference to the Drawings
hereunto appended.
Second. The several arrangements of hollow shoes or scrapers herein- 20
before described, and in part illustrated on the appended Drawings.
Third. The movable or adjustable bolt, and the employment thereof
as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Oraig, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April One thousand 25
eight hundred and seventy-five.
hereunto appended.
Second. The several arrangements of hollow shoes or scrapers herein- 2
before described, and in part illustrated on the appended Drawings.
Third. The movable or adjustable bolt, and the employment thereof
as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Oraig, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April One thousand 2
eight hundred and seventy-five.