Year: 1899

page_text: I, GEORGE SLFEMAN, of Waterloo Avenue, in the City of Guelph, in the
County of Wellington, Province of Ontario, Canada, Brewer, 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:-
-
The object of the invention is to devise a simple and efficient fender for
street-cars, which, though normally held raised to olear obstructions, may be
dropped at any time to an operative position, either by the motorman or by
contact with an obstacle upon the track. and it consists, essentially, of a fender
with an upward extension pivoted at the front of the car, links pivotally con-
necting the fender with bent levers, so constructed and pivoted below the end
of the car that the pivot-point of each link upon the lever is normally below
a line joining the pivot-point of the lever and the pivot-point of the link on
the fender, and the latter thus held 1aised. To trip the device, a trigger-frame
18 slidingly supported upon the fender, so as to normally project in front of
The rear ends of the trigger-frame are pivoted to the bent levers,
so that a blow upon the front end of the trigger-frame will rock the levers and
draw back the links, so as to permit the fender to drop to the rail-level, the
whole being constructed in detail substantially as hereinafter more specifically
described, and then definitely claimed
the same.
Figure 1, is a perspective view shewing the end of a car provided with my
improved fender in its normal position
Figure 2, is a perspective view of the frame of the fender and its operating
mechanism in a dropped position.
Figure 3, 18 a perspective detail of the hook at the lower end of the operating
rod.
Figure 4, is a perspective detail shewing the form of detachable connection
used between the fender and its supporting frame
Figure 5, is a perspective detail shewing the squared portion of the rod 23
and the plate through which it passes
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
different figures
suitable tubular frame 2, filled in with
118 a fender, preferably formed of
wooden slats 3 These slats are suitably secured to the horizontal parts of the
frame 2, and are supported at intervals as may be necessary, by suitable cross-
bars
The upper end of each slat 18 preferably bent to form a loop 4, which
increases the spring of the slats at the rear of the fender and makes the fender
less liable to injure any one it may pick up
1
The rear end of the frame 2 is held within the jaws 5, formed on the sup-
These jaws are provided
porting brackets 6, connected to the front of the car
with hinged latches 7, which normally retain the frame in position, but which
may be readily thrown back at any time when it is desired to remove the

page_text: 8 is a cross-bar connecting the opposite sides of the horizontal portion of
the fender frame
9 are bent levers rigidly connected to the oross-bar 10, which is journaled
in the jaws 11, formed upon the brackets 6 Each of the jaws 18 provided with
a hinged latch 12, so that the cross-bar may be removed and replaced as
readily as the frame 2 of the fender. See Fig. 2.
13 are links, each pivotally connected at 14, to one of the bent levers 9, and
at 16 to the horizontal cross-bar 8
15 is a bend formed in each of the levers 9 and adapted to come in contact
with the corresponding link 13, so as to limit the downward motion of the bent
lever on which it is formed A pin might also be used for this purpose or other
equivalent means for limiting the downward movement of the lever. The
normal position is shewn in Fig. 1, where each pivot 14, being below a line
joining the pivot-point of the bent lever 9, and the pivot 16, the weight of the
fender tends to swing the bent levers still further downward As the bends 15
prevent this the parts retain the position shewn. If however the bent levera
be thrown backward the fender will be permitted to drop into the position
shewn in Fig. 2, and will retain that position till the fender is again swung
forward and upward to draw the pivot-points into the position shown in Fig. I
To aid the weight of the fender in causing the parts to assume the position
in Fig 2, the cross-bar 8 18 connected with the cross-bar 10 by one or more
coil-springs 17, which are normally in a state of tension
On each bracket 6, 18 preferably formed or connected a stop 35. These stops
prevent the bent levers 9 swinging back too far when the fender is released
In order to tup the fender automatically when it 18 struck I connect thereto
the trigger-fiame 18, the front of which normally projects beyond the front end
of the fender See Fig 1
The tear ends of the side bars of this trigger-frame 18, are pivotally con-
nected to the ends of the bent levers 9, and near their forward ends are provided
with hooks 19, which, when the fender is in its normal position, are engaged
with bars 20 secured to the frame of the fender, thus retaining the trigger-
frame in its proper position As soon as an obstacle is struck, the trigger-
frame is pushed backward releasing the hooks 19 and rocking the bent levers 9
till each pivot-point 14 is above a line joining the pivot-point of its bent
lever, and the corresponding pivot-point 16. After that point has been reached
the tension of the springs and the weight of the fender insures the latter
assuming the position shewn in Fig. 1. The springs 17 also serve to retain
the parts in the position shewn in Fig 2, by preventing shaking and swaying.
As it is desirable sometimes to trip the fender by hand on the platform of the
car, and also to raise it to its normal position after it has been tripped, I
clamp an arm 21, upon the crossbar 10 The end of this aim has an eye formed
therein, with which may be engaged the hook 22 formed upon the lower end
of the vertical rod 23, which passes through the platform of the car. See Figs 2
and 3 Where the 10d passes through the platform it is preferably squared
to fit a square hole in a suitable plate, so that it is thus prevented from
twisting
24 18 & pin passed through the 10d 23 above the platform Between this pin
and the platform the 1od is surrounded by a coil-spring 25 which serves to
retain the rod in its normal position when the hook 22 18 disengaged from the
arm 21, at the same time it does not in any way interfere with the movements
of the rod when the motorman desires to set or release the fender By pushing
down upon the rod when the parts are in the position shewn in Fig 1 the
fender may be tripped and by pulling upon the iod when the parts are in the
position shewn in Fig 2, the fender may be drawn back to its raised position.
In order to aid in protecting from injury any person caught by the fender,
a rubber hose 26, may be run from side to side of the fender near its upper
end If it be desired to shift the fender from one end of the car to the other

page_text: arm 21
it is merely necessary to raise the hinged latches 7 and 12, when the fender
may be lifted from its bearings. The hook 22 must also be disengaged from the
As each end of the car will be provided with similar bearings the
fender may be then readily placed in position at the other end of the car.
In order to prevent the hook 22 becoming disengaged under ordinary_eir-
cumstances, I pivot upon the rod 23 a wire 27, which has an eye formed on
its end to engage the point of the hook 22. The other end of the wire 18 bent
to engage the iod 23 so as to form a spring, tending to retain the eye on the
end of the wire engaged with the point of the hook. By pressing upon the
spring portion of the wire its other end may be disengaged from the point
of the hook whenever desired, at the same time it entirely prevents accidental
disengagements.
As it is desirable to have some latitude of attachment for the fender as to
its height from the ground, the supporting brackets 6 are adjustably connected
to the braces 28 and 29 by the bolts 30 which pass through the supporting
brackets and any one of two or more holes 31 formed in the said braces.
As the fender in its dropped position is liable to be injured by bad road
beds, I journal two rubber rolls 32, upon the front bar of the frame 2 which
cause the fender when dropped to ride easily over the ordinary inequalities of
the road bed.
As the trigger-frame when the fender is being set slides forward over the
top of these rolls, I place two or more wedges 33, upon the frame of the fender
which raise the trigger-frame sufficiently to enable it to pass freely forward over
the 1olls 32
When the fender is disengaged from the supporting brackets 6, the cross-
Flexible
bar 10 would fail if suitable means were not used to support it
connections 34 are arranged between the upper horizontal bar of the tubular
frame 2 and the cross-bar 10,--the latter is thus supported from the frame of
the fender when the latter is lifted away from the car
From the above description it will be seen that I have devised a simple and
efficient fender for street-cars which, though normally raised to clear obstruc-
tions, may be dropped at any time to an operative position either by the motorman
or by contact with an obstacle
It will also be seen that I have constructed an automatic fender which máy
be quickly lifted from one end of the car to the other, which is a feature of
value on many small lines where provision is not made for running the cars
always with the same end foremost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is.
1. In a device of the class described, a fender having one of its ende
pivotally connected with the front of a car, in combination with a toggle-joint
connection arranged to occupy two positions and having one end connected with
the car and its other end to the fender, the three pivots of the said toggle-joint
being arranged substantially in line when in one of said positions to support
the fender raised, and means operated by an obstacle for throwing the toggle
to its other position, thus allowing the fender to fall, substantially as described.
2 In a device of the class described, a fender having one of its ends
pivotally connected with the front of a car, in combination with a toggle-joint
connection arranged to occupy two positions, a stop co-acting with said toggle-
joint connection when in one position to support the fender raised, and means
adapted to be operated by contact with an obstacle and arranged when operated
to move said toggle-joint connection to its other position, thus allowing said
fender to drop until it strikes the ground or rails, substantially as described
3-In a device of the class described, a fender having a pivotal connection
with a car, a toggle-joint connection arranged when in one position to support

page_text: said fender with its front end raised and when in another position to allow
said front end to drop, and a slidingly-supported trigger-frame adapted to be
operated by contact with an obstacle and arranged when operated to move said
toggle-joint connection, thus allowing the front end of said fender to drop,
substantially as described
4 In a device of the class described, a fender pivoted at its rear end to
the front of a car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the
car a link pivoted at one end to the said lever and at the other end to the
fender below its pivot-point upon the car; and a stop so connected as to engage
with the link when the pivot-point of the latter on the said lever 19 below
the line joining its pivot-point on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever,
and thus retain the fender in its normal raised position, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
5 In a device of the class described, a fender pivoted at its rear end to
the front of a car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the
car; a link pivoted at one end to the said lever and at the other to the
fender below its pivot-point upon the car, a stop so connected as to engage
with the link when the pivot-point of the latter on the said lever is below the
line joining its pivot-point on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever and
thus retain the fender in its normal raised position, and a trigger-frame
slidingly supported by the fender with its front end projecting bevond the fiont
of the same, and its rear end pivoted to the said lever above the pivot-point
of the link, substantially as and for the purpose specified
6 In a device of the class described, a fender pivoted at its rear end to the
front of a car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the car;
a link pivoted at one end to the said lever and at the other to the fender below
its pivot-point upon the car; a stop so connected as to engage with the link
when the pivot-point of the latter on the said lever is below the line joining
its pivot-point on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever and thus retain
the fender in its normal raised position, a trigger-frame slidingly supported by
the fender with its front end projecting beyond the front of the same, and its
rear end pivoted to the said lever above the pivot-point of the link, and a
spring connected directly or indirectly with the car and to the fender so ад
to tend to draw the latter down to its operative position
7 In a device of the class described, a fender pivoted at its rear end to the
front of a car, in combination with a lever pivoted below the end of the car;
a link pivoted at one end of the said lever and at the other to the fender below
its pivot-point upon the car a stop so connected as to engage with the link
when the pivot-point of the latter on the said lever 18 below the line joining
its pivot-point on the fender with the pivot-point of the lever and thus retain
the fender in its normal position, and a spring connected directly or indirectly
with the car and to the fender, so, as to tend to draw the latter down to its
operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specified
8-In a device of the class described, the fender 1 having its rear end turned
upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of the car in combination with
bent levers 9 connected. by the bar 10 journaled in the brackets 6; the links 13,
pivoted at 16, to the fender 1, and at 14, to the bent levers 9, the bend 15
forming a stop, and the trigger-frame 18, slidingly supported on the fender
and pivoted at its rear end to the bent levers 9, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
9-In a device of the class described the fender 1 having its rear end turned
upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of the car, in combination
with the bent levers 9, connected by the bar 10, journaled in the brackets 6;
the links 13, pivoted at 16, to the fender 1, and at 14 to the bent levers 9;
the bend 15 forming a stop; the trigger-frame 18, slidingly supported on the
fender and pivoted at its rear to the hent levers 9; and arm 21 connected to
the cross-bar 10 and the rod 23 pivotally connected to the end of the arm 21

page_text: and extending upwardly through the platform of the car substantially as and
for the purpose specified
10. In a device of the class described, the fender 1, having its rear end turned
upwardly and pivotally and removably connected to the front end of the cai,
in combination with the bent levels 9, connected by the bai 10, removably
Journaled in the brackets 6, the links 13, pivoted at 16, to the fender 1, and
at 14 to the bent levers 9, the bend 15 forming a stop, and the tiggei-
frame 18, slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end to the
bent levers 9, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
11 In a device of the class described the fender 1, having its rear end
tuined upwardly and pivotally and removably connected to the front end of
the car, in combination with the bent levers 9, connected by the bar 10,
emovably journaled in the brackets 6, the links 13, pivoted at 16, to the
fender 1, and at 14 to the bent levels 9; the bend 15 forming a stop, the
trigger-frame 18, slidingly supported on the fender and pivoted at its rear end
to the bent levers 9, and a rubber guard extending from side to side of the
fender in front of the car end, substantially as and for the purpose specified
12 In a device of the class described, a fender 1 having its rear end
tuined upwardly and pivotally connected to the front end of the cai, in com-
bination with the bent levers 9, connected by the bar 10, journaled in the
brackets 6, the links 13, pivoted at 16, to the fender 1, and at 14, to the bent
leveis 9, the bend 15 forming a stop the trigger-frame 18 slidingly supported
on the fender and pivoted at its real end to the bent levers 9, and a tension
spring or springs connecting the bar 10 with the fender, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
13. In a device of the class described the combination with the fender pio-
vided with the rollers 32, of the tugger-frame 18 and the wedges 33 secured
to the fender, substantially as and for the purpose specified
14 In a device of the class described the combination of the trigger-
frame 18 provided with the hooks 19 and the fender provided with the bais 20,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
15 In a device of the class described, the combination of the cross-bar 10;
the aim 21; the rod 23, the hook 22: and the wue 27 serving as a releasable
guard for the hook, substantially as and for the purpose specified
16 In a device of the class described the combination of the cross-bar 10,
the arm 21, the 10d 23, the hook 22, the pin 24 and the coil-spring 25
between the said pin and the platform, substantially as and for the purpose
specified
17. In a device of the class described the supporting brackets 6, connected
to the car by suitable braces and provided with the jaws 5 and 11 and the
hinged latches 6 and 12, substantially as and for the purpose specified
18 In a device of the class described the supporting brackets 6, adjustably
connected to the braces 28 and 29, substantially as and for the purpose specified
19. In a device of the class described the combination of the cross-bai 10;
the aim 21, the 1od 23 so shaped as to be vertically movable and non-rotatable
and the hook 21, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
20 In a fender the frame 2 filled in with wooden slats 3, suitably secured to
the horizontal transverse parts of the said frame, each slat being bent to form
a loop 4, at its upper end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated thie 22nd day of Santamber 1899
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant