Scraping Tramway Lines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 1st Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 4th Nov., 1887
Scraping Tramway Lines.
We; SAMUEL STRANGE of Heyworth Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
White Smith JOHN NORTON of Holt Road Liverpool aforesaid Bookkeeper, and
THOMAS HENRY of Leece Street Liverpool, aforesaid Butcher do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The scraper is attached to the car by means of one or more brackets, preferably two,
secured to the sole plate. These brackets are preferably tubular and are secured
by means of a flange or projecting piece of suitable shape or construction to receive
screws, holts, or other fastening devices. Inside each of the tubular brackets is
placed a spindle or rod which is free to move longitudinally therein. The end of each
rod is preferably fitted with an enlargement somewhat resembling a piston which
abuts against a spring placed between it and the end of the bracket. This may be a
coiled spring of steel wire, though other form of spring if found suitable may be
employed. A second spring may be placed between the abutment on the rod and
the lower end of the bracket to provide a cushion for the rod. The tubular brackets
are supported by stay rods so as to resist any strain that would tend to wrench them
out of position. The spindle or rods which fit into the tubular brackets carry at
their lower ends a horizontal slide wherein is placed a sliding bracket to which is
pivoted the projecting piece or tongue which enters the groove of the rail. The
sliding bracket is preferably formed with a T-head which is enclosed as far as possible
on all sides to prevent the entry of dust or dirt which would form an obstruction to
the free working of the slides.
The object of the sliding movement of the bracket to which the tongue is pivoted
is to allow of the tongue remaining in the groove while the car is turning round or
moving on curves in the rails. In order to keep it in a normal position in the centre
of the slide one or more springs are placed to bear against it. These are preferably
placed in a recess cut in the T-head of the bracket into which a stationary or fixed
pin from above projects. When in the centre the springs are at rest, neither being
in tension or compression: when the bracket moves to either side of the slide the
0

page_text: springs are brought into play, and tend to cause it to return to its normal central
position. The slide in which the head of the bracket works is formed of three sides,
one on top and the other two converging towards the bottom. The ends are completely
covered in and project beyond the point to which the end of the bracket head moves.
The head of the bracket we prefer to make cylindrical and the converging sides of
the slide serve to form a seating for it and retain it in position. The open part of the
slide at bottom can be protected by a plate attached to the bracket and sliding with
it. To the sliding bracket is pivoted the tongue which fits the groove of the rail.
The bracket is preferably made forked at its end and the tongue piece which fits
between, rectangular, and of hardened steel. It is pivoted so as to move in two
directions and is acted upon by a suitable spring at each side to keep it in normal
position. This allows it to surmount any fixed obstruction which it may meet with
in the rail. The spring which we prefer to use is a box spring of finely tempered
steel. The box is bolted to the sliding bracket and the spring wound round a spindle
so that as it is brought into play it is wound more tightly on the spindle and the
strain distributed over its whole length. The scraper is pressed down against the
rails by the springs in the tubular brackets, these also allow for any variation in
the height of the body of the car from the ground, consequent upon the compression
of the car springs by the weight of the passengers. Wings or projecting side pieces
are attached to the sliding bracket to clean the top of the rail, the scraper is removed
from the rail by means of a lever preferably placed in a notched quadrant by moving
which it is either raised or lowered.
The invention is not limited to the exact details above described as various descrip-
tions of springs may be employed and placed in a variety of positions to effect the
same ends. Also instead of the tubular brackets they may be replaced by spindles
or rods, and the rods replaced by tubes suitably stayed or supported. The arrange-
ment above described, we, however, at present prefer.
Dated this 21st day of December 1886

page_text: Improvements in or Appertaining to Apparatus for Cleaning or
Scraping Tramway Lines.
We, SAMUEL STRANGE of Heyworth Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
White Smith, JOHN NORTON of Holt Road, Liverpool aforesaid Bookkeeper, and
THOMAS HENRY of Lecce Street, Liverpool aforesaid, Butcher, 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:---
This invention has for its object a simple, cheap, tramline scraper that will clean
out the track in either direction, can be thrown into or out of action at a moment's
notice, and that will ride over immovable obstructions without breaking or stopping
the car.
Referring to the drawing:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our scraper or cleaner for tramway lines.
Figure 2 is a side elevation.
Figure 3 is a section of the horizontal slide on the line X-Y, Figure 2.
In these, the apparatus is shown, and will be hereinafter described in the best form
at present known to us. It includes several devices necessary to the working of the
invention, which were claimed in a previous specification (No. 5428 of 1886) but
are not again claimed herein.
The scraper is attached to the car by means of one or more brackets A, preferably
two, secured to the sole plate B. These brackets are preferably tubular and are
secured by means of a flange C or projecting piece of suitable shape or construction
to receive screws, bolts or other fastening devices. Inside cach of the tubular
brackets A is placed a spindle or rod D which is free to move longitudinally therein.
The end of each rod may be fitted with an enlargement d somewhat resembling a
piston, which abuts against the spring E placed between it and the end of the bracket.
A coiled spring of steel wire is shown, though other form of spring, if found suitable,
may be employed. A second spring may be placed between the abutment on the
rod, and the lower end of the bracket to provide a cushion for the rod. To prevent
the spindle D being forced out by the spring, the tube is sloited at each side and a
set screw e passes through the spindle and slots. The tubular brackets are supported
by stay rods F so as to resist any strain that would tend to wrench them out of
position. The spindles or rods D, which fit into the tubular brackets A, carry at their
lower ends a horizontal slide G, shown in section in Figure 3 with sliding bracket H,
to which is pivoted the projecting piece or tongue I which enters the groove of the
rail. The sliding bracket H is preferably formed with a T-head, which is enclosed as
far as possible on all sides to provent the entry of dust or dirt, which would form an
obstruction to the free working of the slides.
The object of the sliding movement of the bracket H is to allow of the tongue
remaining in the groove while the car is turning round or moving on curves in the
rails. In order to keep it in a normal position in the centre of the slide, one or more
springs K are placed to bear against it. These are preferably placed in a recess cut
in the T head of the bracket H, into which a stationary or fixed pin L, from above,
projects. When in the centre, the springs K are each slightly, but equally compressed,
so that a slight pressure is then maintained on each side of the bracket. When the
bracket moves to either side of the slide G, the springs on that side are brought into
play, and tend to cause it to return to its normal central position. The slide G in

page_text: which the head of the bracket H works is formed of three sides, one on top and the
The ends are completely
other two preferably converging towards the bottom.
covered in by the combined slide and guards M, and project beyond the point to.
which the end of the head of bracket H moves. The head of the bracket, we prefer
to make cylindrical, and the sides of the slide are made converging and serve to
form a seating for it and retain it in position. The open part of the slide at bottom
can be protected by a plate attached to the bracket E, and sliding with it. To the
sliding bracket H is pivoted the tongue I which fits the groove of the rail. The
bracket is preferably made in the form of a fork at its end h, and the tongue piece I
which fits between is rectangular and of hardened steel. It is pivoted so as to move
in two directions and is acted upon by a suitable spring J at each side to keep it in
normal position. This allows it to surmount any fixed obstruction, which it may
meet with in the rail. The spring, which we prefer to use is a box spring of finely
tempered steel. The box N is shown bolted to the sliding bracket H, or it may be
cast thereto, and the spring wound round a spindle n so that as it is brought into
play it is wound more tightly on the spindle, and the strain distributed over its whole
length. The double springs allow for the car travelling in either direction, cars that
only run in one direction may be provided with a scraper with only one such spring.
The scraper is pressed down against the rails by the springs E in the tubular
brackets A. These also allow for any variation in the height of the body of the car
from the ground consequent upon the compression of the car springs by the weight
of the passengers. Wings or projecting side pieces O are attached to the tongue
piece or to the sliding bracket H to clean the top of the rail. The scraper is removed
from the rail by means of a lever P preferably placed in a notched quadrant, or a
stay Q, and by moving the lever, the scraper is either raised or lowered. By forming
holes in the handle and bracket, and providing the same with a pin, the scraper can
be fixed out of connection with the rail. Or a hole may be provided in the spindle D,
said hole coming opposite the slots in the brackets A when the scraper is raised.
A lock pin is then thrust through the slots and hole, locking the spindle and spring
in that position.
The invention is not limited to the exact details above described as various descrip-|
tions of springs may be employed and placed in a variety of positions to effect the
same ends. Also, instead of the tubular brackets, they may be replaced by spindles
or rods, and the rods replaced by tubes suitably stayed or supported. The arrange-
ment above described, we, however, at present prefer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. A tramway rail cleaner, in which the scraper is pivoted to a bracket capable of
adjusting itself horizontally in a direction at right angles to the rail within a slide
attached to one or more vertically sliding rods or brackets, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with a sliding bracket such as H, of a tramway rail cleaner
such as is hereinbefore described and claimed, the spiral springs K, or their equivalent
together with the fixed pin L or its equivalent, whereby the scraper is held normally
in a central position in the slide, while free to adjust itself to the various curves in
the rail, substantially as shown and described.
Lamahan 1007