Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
RESERV
7
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus consists of a spring Protector or Guard, for the purpose of (1) pre-
venting bodies from being run over by the wheels of the vehicle, (2) minimising the
force of the blow when bodies are struck by the vehicle in motion, and (3) acting as
an automatic brake upon the wheels.
The accompanying drawings represent the apparatus as attached to an ordinary
street tramcar. a is a strong iron or steel rod descending from the front of the car.
To this are hinged the two wings 6 (constructed of sheet iron and wood, or other
suitable material), each working freely upon a, and descending to within about two
inches of the ground. c is a spindle, fixed to the bottom of the car, and having its
extremity almost level with the lower edges of the wings b. Round c is placed a
push spiral spring, which by means of the rods d & e, jointed to b, keeps 6 open,
Blush with the projecting framework of the car over the wheels, and adjusted at such a
distance that when closed the extremities will come into contact with the edges of
the wheels 9. In tramcars which are reversible the Protectors will be fitted in
duplicate at each end of the vehicle, and the guard rods will connect the outer
edges of b.
When the car is in motion, in the event of any body being brought into forcible
contact with the front of b, d'and e will work upon the spindle c, the spring will be
brought into action, thus considerably reducing the force of the impact, and 6 will
commence to close upon the wheels g. This motion will have the effect, as the car
advances, of impelling the body sideways; clear of the front wheels. At the side it
will be protected from being run over by the hind wheels, or caught by the duplicate
Protector at the other end, by the guard rods h. Or if, under certain circumstances,
the body should happen to be pushed along in front of the car, b, closing upon the
wheels, will immediately act as a brake, and considerably retard the forward movement
of the vehicle.

page_text: It will be seen that before the driver could have time to apply his hand brake, by
the very fact of any body being on the ground in front of the car, the automatic
brake action of the Protector is at once brought into use, and so long as the body is
there this brake remains applied.
I desire that the Spring Principle thus applied to travelling Wheel Protectors or
Guards shall specifically form a part of my Patent.
In application to horse drawn vehicles, the front rod a will be covered by the
animal, but where this is not the case, if necessary, it will be masked by a spring
buffer; and also, where desirable, the Protectors will be made double-acting by
attaching connecting rods to the respective elbows of d and e.
In adapting the apparatus to locomotive engines and other vehicles certain modifi-
ations in the angle and shape of the wings will be made; but in every case the
rinciple of moveable wings, acting upon a spring, for the purpose of (1) moving
the body clear of the track of the vehicle, (2) minimising the force of the blow,
or (3) acting.as an automatic brake, will be retained.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Application to the Wheels of Tramoars, Locomotive
Engines, Omnibuses, and Wheeled Vehicles generally, to Prevent
Accidents.
I, LOUIS PORRI, of 4, Kent Street, Great Grimsby, in the County of Lincoln,
Journalist, 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 consists of an apparatus to act as a spring protector or guard, for
the purpose of preventing bodies from being run over by the wheels of vehicles, whon
fitted with the said apparatus, minimising the force of the blow when bodies are
struck by vehicles in motion, & automatically applying any brake to the wheels.
The object of my invention is to construct an apparatus to tramcars and the like, to
prevent any bodies or the like coming into contact with the wheels, and to so act that
should any person or body be knocked down in front of a vehicle fitted with this
apparatus, the person or body, when on the ground, would be struck by the protector.
which forms the chief part of the said apparatus, the effect of this being to press the
protectors backwards and inwards, thus minimising the force of the blow; moving
the person or body off the track; and, if required, automatically applying any brake
with which the vehicle may be fitted for that purpose; or bringing into action the
brake emergency attachment (No. 937, 21st January 1888) for which I have already
made application for a patent, and which I claim to apply in conjunction with the
aforesaid apparatus.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and figures
marked thereon.
Figure 1, represents the underside of a tramcar, showing the whole of the apparatus
(fitted in duplicate at each end of the vehicle) in its stationary position, the dotted
lines giving the position of the apparatus when the protectors are struck by any body.
or the like. The body of the tramcar, marked O, has fixed at each end of the under-
side a protector, marked B, hung on a pin, and hinged at A, sloping away towards
the point F, where are hinged the guard bars H. The ends of the said guard bars
enter holes in a semi-circular support, marked I, with sufficient play to permit the
guard bars to move in or out freely, the object of these bars being to prevent bodies
or the like from getting underneath the tramcar at the sides, or coming into contact
with the sides of the wheels. In the front and back centres is fixed a long, plate,
marked C, bolted to the vehicle, to which is fastened the pin on which the protectors
are hung and hinged at the point A. Fixed at or near the end of the said plate, on
the body of the tramcar, is a strong bolt, marked Q, with a strong spiral spring,
marked R, running round the bolt; one end of the spring being fixed on the plate U,
with a clutch piece X', and the other end being fixed to a lever.arm P, also with a
i

page_text: clutch piece X, the lever arm working on the bolt, and being pressed down in position
by a washer and a key pin driven through the end of the bolt.
Each end of the lever arm is provided with jaws, marked V, and U, on which the
rods marked N, are fixed to work on centres; the other ends of the rods being pivoted
to the inner side of the protectors, at the point M, so that when either of the protectors
strike any body, it forces the lever arm, and brings the apparatus into the position
marked by the dotted lines; and on the body being removed the spring R, forces the
protectors out again into their stationary position. At the point L, each protector is
provided with a pulley wheel and rims, on the underside of a rod fixed to a frame
which is bolted to the body of the tramcar in such a position as to stop the spring
from forcing the protectors outwards, and at the same time, by means of the said
pulley wheel, to help to sustain the weight of the protector. At the ends of the
protectors, towards the hinged part F, is fixed a curved guide bar, marked K, which
when the protectors are pressed inwards slides over the pin, S, of a sliding boit inside
a slotted tube marked J. This guide bar, K, is placed at such an angle that when
the tramcar is upon the rails, and the protectors are stationary, the pin S, rests upon
the guide bar, and holds the bolt up with its lower end level with the bottom edge of
the protectors. Upon the protectors striking any body, as they close the guide bar
slides along the pin S, and the bolt gradually descends, by its own gravity, to the
ground, behind the protectors, so as to prevent any portion of the body getting under-
neath the protectors and coming into contact with the wheels. The wheels are
marked G, fixed to the axle E, and the bearings bolted to the body of the tramcar are
marked D).
Figure 2 represents à side elevation of the body of a tram car, showing the
apparatus, fixed in its proper position, and ready for action.
Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the bolt Q, fixed to the plate C, the spiral
spring R, the clutch pieces X and X', with the side view of the lever arm P, and the
jaws V and U, at each end of the said lever arm.
"
Figure 4 represents the front or end of the tramcar body with the apparatus, giving
the stationary position of the protectors.
Figure 5 is the front view of the sliding bolt inside the slotted tube J, with the pin
marked S, fixed to the bolt, the pin sliding in the slot.
•
Figure 6 is the side view of figure 5.
In application to horse drawn vehicles, the front part at A, will be covered by the
animal, but where this is not the case, if necessary, it may be masked by a suitably
shaped buffer; and also, where desirable, the protectors may be made double acting,
when fitted in duplicate, by connecting the respective lever arms.
In adapting the apparatus to locomotive engines and other vehicles, if necessary, I
can make certain modifications, without departing from the nature of my invention,
by altering the shape. and angle of the said protectors, and the position, make, and
application of the spring; provided that the principle of moveable protectors acting
upon a spring for the purpose of moving any body or the like clear of the track of the
vehicle, minimising the force of the blow, or automatically applying any brake be
retained. Therefore, I claim to construct my invention to any size or shape, and to
apply the spring power in any manner, suitable to adapt the same to any and every
description of locomotive engine, carriage, or wheeled vehicle, for the purpose of
moving any body or the like clear of the track, minimising the force of the blow, or
automatically applying any brake.
It is intended that the shape, angle, and motion of the apparatus, when fitted to a
tramcar, shall, as the car advances, have the effect of impelling any body sideways
clear of the front wheels, and that at the side it shall be protected from being run
over by the bind wheels or caught by the duplicate protector at the other end of the
tramcar, by the guard bars.
Like letters refer to like parts in each of the figures. A the hinged portion of the
protectors. B the protectors. C, the long plate to which-the-pin-is-fixed-upon which
the protectors-are-hung, and bolted to the body of the vehicle. D bearings. E axle.
F hinged portion of the guard rods to the protectors. G wheels. H guard rods.

page_text: I semi-circular support for the guard rods to work in. J the slotted tube with sliding
bolt. K curved guide. L the guide rod and frame. M jaw on protector. N connecting
rod. O body of car. P lever arm. Qbolt or pin. R spiral spring. S pin. V jaw
on one end of lever arm. U jaw on other end of lever arm. X clutch to hold the
bottom end of spring. X clutch to hold the top end of spring.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I claim as new and novel the following:-
Firstly. The construction of guards or protectors, having moveable parts; to tramcars,
locomotive engines, omnibuses, and wheeled vehicles of any and every description.
Secondly. The construction of guards or protectors, the moveable parts of which
act automatically, to tramcars, locomotive engines, omnibuses, and wheeled vehicles of
any and every description.
Thirdly. The spring principle, however applied, to guards or protectors to tramcars,
locomotive engines, omnibuses, and wheeled vehicles of any and every description, for
the purpose of moving bodies clear of the track of the vehicles, minimising the force
of the blow when bodies are struck by such guards or protectors when the vehicle to
which they are fixed is in motion, and automatically bringing into action any brake,
or for any one or two of the said purposes.
Fourthly. The automatic bringing into action of any brake by bodies being struck
by guards or protectors to tramcars, locomotive engines, omnibuses, and wheeled
vehicles of any and every description.
Fifthly. The combination of the apparatus above referred to, fixed to the aforesaid
vehicles, to prevent bodies being run over by the wheels, or coming into contact with
the wheels, substantially herein described, and according to the accompanying
drawings.
Sixthly. The combination of the apparatus for minimising the force of the blow,
when bodies are struck by the protectors, when the vehicle to which they are fixed is
in motion, substantially herein described, and according to the accompanying
drawings.
Seventhly. The bolt sliding in a tube or socket fixed in front of the wheels of
vehicles, to prevent bodies coming into contact with the wheels, substantially herein
described and according to the accompanying drawings.
Eighthly. The rods sliding into supports, whether such supports be shaped semi-
circularly or otherwise, at the sides of vehicles, to prevent bodies getting underneath
vehicles or coming into contact with the wheels, substantially herein described and
according to the accompanying drawings.
n
A
1000