Improvements in Street-car Fenders.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Street-car Fenders.
I, GEORGE WASHINGTON DONNING, of 461 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn,
County of Kings, State of New York, United States of America, 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:-
This invention relates to Street-Car Fenders.
The object is to produce a fender which will, in operation, effectually prevent
injury to a person struck by it or falling upon it; furthermore, to produce a
fender in which the scoop or pick-up portion will be automatically brought into
position for use through the agency of the body or obstruction struck; further-
more, to produce a car-fender in which the scoop or pick-up portion will be pre-
vented from lifting by the weight of a contained body; and, finally, to produce
a car-fender which will combine great simplicity of construction with high
efficiency and durability in use and cheapness of manufacture.
In a car-fender characterized by my invention, I provide a guard-frame adapted
to be detachably connected to the car, so as to permit of its being transferred to
either end, and to project beyond the dash-board thereof. This frame may be of
any preferred construction and of any suitable material combining lightness and
strength. Pivotally-connected with the guard-frame at a point approximately
about midway of its length and between the sides thereof is a scoop or fender-
frame, the connection being such as to allow it to operate or move freely between
the sides. This fender-frame comprises side-pieces connected by suitable cross-
pieces, the rear one of which is bent or dropped to allow the rope net to have play
when a body drops on it, the front one being provided with rollers or wheels
adapted to contact with the rails when the fender-frame is dropped, and thereby
keep the same from contacting with the ground. This fender-frame is held
normally out of operative position with relation to the ground by means of a
suitable trigger-frame, the end whereof projects beyond the outer end of the
fender-frame and is provided with an abutting surface, such as a bar or roller
suitably covered to present a soft surface to the body struck. The trigger-frame
has a sliding connection with the guard-frame, so that upon being struck, it will
move rearward and thereby release the fender-frame, the latter being spring-
actuated in ordert to cause it quickly to descend when released. In order to prevent
the fender-frame from rebounding when the wheels or rollers strike the track;.
and also from lifting when a body is resting upon it, I may, in some instances,
provide each side of the guard-frame with a segmental rack-plate adapted to be
engaged by pawls on the fender-frame. The teeth of these plates will project
downward or in the direction of the ride of the pawls when the frame descends,
so that the pawls will slide over them, but will prevent the return or lift of the
frame until the pawls shall have been thrown out of engagement with the plates.
As a means for causing the fender-frame to drop rapidly when released by the
trigger-frame, I have shown, in this instance, a spring connected with a cross-
piece on the guard-frame and with the rear cross-piece of the fender-frame, this

page_text: spring or springs, as I may employ one or more, also subserving the further
function of holding the outer end of the fender-frame in engagement with the
trigger-frame until the former is released; but it is to be understood that, in
some instances, I may weight the outer end of the fender-frame and cause this
weight to subserve the same function as the spring or springs.
Further and more specific details of construction will hereinafter be more fully
described.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in
which like letters of reference indicate like parts, I have illustrated one form of
embodiment of my invention, although it is to be understood that other forms of
embodiment thereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of the
same, and in these drawings:-
Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, showing the fender attached to the dash-board
of a car and below the same, and in position to be released for the purpose of
picking up a body; and
Figure 2 is a view, in plan, showing, more clearly, certain parts not distinctly
shown in Fig. 1.
Referring to the drawings, A designates the guard-frame, consisting, in this
instance, of two side-pieces a, curved to the appropriate shape; two base-pieces a²
and cross-pieces a³ and a, connecting the side and base-pieces ( and a², respectively.
It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to this precise construction of
frame, as any other arrangement may be employed, if found necessary or desirable.
This guard-frame is provided at its rear portion with suitable fastening devices,
as hooks or projections a³ to engage catches or eyes on the front of the dash-board,
or dash-board standard, so as to permit of the frame being readily attached or
detached, when desired.
Working between the side-pieces a is the pick-up or fender-frame proper B,
comprising, in this instance, side pieces b, of any preferred shape, and cross-
pieces 63, 63, connecting the side-pieces, the former being curved to allow free play
of the net when struck by a body, and the latter cross-piece being provided with
suitable wheels or rollers 6* to run upon the rails when the fender-frame is dropped
and thereby hold the latter from contact with the ground. The fender-frame is
pivotally-connected with the guard-frame at a point intermediate of the ends of
the latter, and the guard-net C is secured in common to the guard-frame and to
the fender-frame in any suitable manner, as by means of eyes 6. Secured to the
cross-piece 62 is a coiled spring 65, the other end of which is secured to the cross-
piece of the guard-frame, this spring exerting tension or pull in the direction
requisite to cause the fender-frame to be projected downward when the spring is
free to act. While I have shown but one spring, it is to be understood that two or
more may be employed, if found necessary.
The fender-frame is held normally out of engagement with the ground by means
of a trigger-frame D, comprising side-pieces d, which are slotted, as at ², in
order to permit the trigger-frame to move longitudinally with relation to the
guard-frame, a screw or bolt d³ extending through the slot of each arm serving to
hold these arms in proper operative position with relation to the frame. In
this instance, an ordinary bolt is shown, but it is to be understood that, if desired,
a roller may be mounted on the bolt to facilitate the working of the trigger-
frame. The outer portion of this frame is bent or is provided with inward-extend-
ing projections d, which are designed to engage with projections 66, extending
outward from each side of the fender-frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.
When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, these two sets of projections
are in engagement with each other and are held there by means of the spring or
springs ; but, as soon as the front of the trigger-frame contacts with an object,
these two sets of projections are thrown out of locked engagement with each other
and the spring projects the fender-frame downward with great rapidity.
desired, the rear ends of the arms of the trigger-frame may be weighted, as at d³,
If

page_text: or be spring-pressed or spring-pulled, so as to cause this frame to lift and assume a
vertical position or drop back upon the guard-frame when the fender is in use,
after having released itself from contact with the object picked up, the front
portion of this trigger-frame being suitably held and guided by means of guides
or ways a on the sides of the guard-frame. In order to prevent the fender-frame
from lifting when a body is resting upon the netting, rack-plates as are employed,
which are secured to the inner face of the sides of the guard-frame and are
engaged by pawls 67 carried by the fender-frame. It is to be understood that, if
desired, but one rack-plate may be employed; also, that instead of employing a
spring or springs to project the fender-frame downward, I may employ a weight
or weights secured to the outer end of the fender-frame; or, if preferred, I may
construct the outer portion of the fender-frame heavier than the rear portion and
thereby cause this additional weight to subserve the same function as the spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The car fender substantially as and for the purpose described.
e
2. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivotally connected
therewith, a trigger-frame for holding the fender-frame normally raised, and
means for projecting the fender-frame downward when released by the trigger-
frame, substantially as described.
3. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivoted thereto and
working between the sides thereof, a trigger-frame mounted for longitudinal
movement on the guard-frame, and operating when in one position, to hold the
fender-frame out of contact with the ground, and, when forced rearward, to
release the fender-frame, substantially as described.
4. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivotally connected
therewith, means for projecting the fender-frame downward, and a detent for
holding the fender-frame in its depressed position, substantially as described.
5. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame adapted to be detachably secured to
a car, a fender-frame pivoted thereto and working between the sides thereof, a
longitudinally-movable trigger-frame supported on the guard-frame, and a detent
as described.
6. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivoted thereto and
working between the sides thereof, a longitudinally-movable trigger-frame
supported on the guard-frame, means for projecting the fender-frame downward
when the trigger-frame is struck, and ratchet-and-pawl mechanism for holding
the fender-frame depressed, substantially as described.
7. A car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivotally connected
therewith, a trigger-frame for holding the fender-frame normally raised, said
trigger-frame being adapted to move horizontally and to project beyond the fender-
frame, whereby to contact with an obstruction, to release the fender-frame, means
for projecting the fender-frame downward, when released by the trigger-frame,
and means for lifting the trigger-frame upward and above the fender-frame, so
as to clear the object picked up by the fender-frame, substantially as described.
8. A car-fender, comprising a guard-frame, pivotally-secured to the front of
the car, a fender-frame pivoted thereto intermediate the ends of the guard-frame,
a pick-up net secured to the guard-frame and to the fender-frame, said fender-
frame being projected beyond the outer end of the guard-frame, a trigger-frame
carried by the lower portion of the guard-frame and adapted to move longitudinally
thereon, said trigger-frame being projected beyond the guard-frame, and pro-
vided with projections for sustaining the fender-frame in its raised position, and
to release the fender-frame when struck, a spring for projecting the fender-frame
downward, when released, and a weight for tilting the trigger-frame upward,
substantially as described.
9. A. car-fender comprising a guard-frame, a fender-frame pivotally connected

page_text: therewith, a trigger-frame for holding the fender-frame normally raised, said
trigger-frame being adapted to move horizontally and to project beyond the fender-
frame, whereby to contact with an obstruction to release the fender-frame, means
for projecting the fender-frame downward when released, means for lifting the
trigger-frame upwards and above the fender-frame, so as to clear the object picked
up by the fender, and means for preventing the fender-frame from lifting when
a body is resting upon the netting thereof, comprising rack-plates secured to the
guard-frame of the fender, and pawls carried by the fender-frame for engaging
the rack-plates, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of July 1897.
ALLISON BROS..
Agents for the Applicant.