Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Rails of Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Rails of Railways and
Tramways.
We, GEORGE NOBES of 14 Ruckledge Avenue, Harlesden, in the County of
Middlesex, Sanitary Engineer, RICHARD HENRY JACKSON of 128 Elgin Avenue,
Paddington, London, W. Wine and Spirit Merchant and HARRY PENN of
40 Harold Road, Upper Norwood London S.E. Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the apparatus for clearing the rails of railways and
tramways for which Letters Patent No. 3906 dated 12th March 1890 have been
granted, and consists in certain improvements in the construction and details of
such apparatus.
According to our invention, instead of fixing the cylinder as described in the
Specifications of the before mentioned Letters Patent, we fit the cylinder to the
rolling stock (hereinafter referred to as the car) in such a manner as to be capable
of assuming the necessary position when the car is travelling round a curve.
One method of attaining this end is by forming the cylinder with a rectangular
plate or flange, having holes for the passage of the bolts by means of which the
cylinder is held in position. Springs or their equivalents are interposed between
the plate or flange and the nuts, the latter being adjusted until the desired amount
of compression is obtained.
Another improvement consists in constructing the lower ends of the pivoted
projecting arm in such a manner that the scraper may be readily detached and
another substituted therefor as found necessary when the scraper requires renewing
through wear or the leg requires lengthening or shortening to suit the height of
the floor of the rolling stock from the road or rails.
This is accomplished by forming the scraper separate from the projecting arm
and of varying lengths but capable of being readily attached thereto or detached
therefrom.
Another improvement consists in providing means for preventing the rotation
of the sliding cylinder within the "fixed" cylinder.
Dated 4th December 1894.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
CUMI IETE
Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Rails of Railways and
Tramways.
We, GEORGE NOBES of 14 Rucklidge Avenue Harlesden in the County of
Middlesex Sanitary Engineer, RICHARD HENRY JACKSON of 128 Elgin Avenue,
Paddington, London W. Wine and Spirit Merchant, and HARRY PENN of
40 Harold Road, Upper Norwood London S.E. Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to the apparatus for clearing the rails of railways and
tramways for which British Letters Patent, No. 3906 dated 12th March 1890

page_text: have been granted, and consists in certain improvements in the construction and
details of such apparatus whereby certain defects are remedied.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation
Fig. 2. is a sectional side elevation:
Fig. 3. is a section on the line 5-6 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a plan of the
apparatus.
The before mentioned apparatus consists of a pair of cylinders a, b, one (a)
attached to the rolling stock (hereinafter referred to as "the car") and the other (b)
sliding therein telescopically. This sliding cylinder 6 carries a frame c to which is
pivoted the arm d carrying the scraper at its lower end. e is a cam attached to or
formed in one with the arm d. f is a frame in which the cam e is confined, the lower
edge of the cam, or some part thereof, being normally in contact with the lower
barf of the frame f.
The frame fis attached to the lower end of a rod h, which extends through
both cylinders and is connected at its upper end with a lever g, by means of which
the apparatus may be raised out of contact with the rail. Part of this rod is
screw threaded and receives a nut i for adjusting the pressure of the spring k
between the cylinder end and the nut, whereby the arm is retained in a vertical
position.
According to our invention we fit the cylinder a to the car in such a manner as
to be capable of assuming the necessary positions when the car is travelling round
& curve. One method of attaining this end is by forming the cylinder a with a
rectangular plate or flange m having holes for the passage of the bolts n by means
of which the cylinder is held in place. Springs o or their equivalents are inter-
posed between the plate and the nuts p, as shown, the latter being adjusted until
the desired amount of compression is obtained. The action of this part of the
improvements is as follows:-Should the car travel round a curve the scraper s
following the curve of the rail causes the apparatus to assume the necessary angle,
the springs o being compressed by the tilting of the plate m carrying the
cylinder a.
Strengthening bars or plates are fitted where necessary, to equalise and
minimise the strain upon the floor of the car.
Another improvement consists in constructing the lower ends of the pivoted
projecting arm d in such a manner that the scraper may be readily detached and
another substituted therefor, as found necessary when the scraper requires renewing
through wear, or the arm requires lengthening or shortening to suit the height of
the floor of the car from the rails. This we accomplish by forming scraper s
separate from the arm d and of varying lengths, but capable of being readily
attached thereto or detached therefrom. One method of connecting the scraper s
with the arm d is shown on the drawings, in which the lower end of the arm d is
so shaped as to fit between the flangest of the scrapers and held in position by
the bolt and nut u.
In Fig. 3 another improvement is shown. In order to prevent the sliding
cylinder 6 rotating within the cylinder a we form feathers on the cylinder b
capable of sliding vertically in grooves a¹ formed in the side of the cylinder a,
thus ensuring that the scraper coincides with the rails.
Rubber or other suitable buffers, such as at kl in Fig. 2, are fitted where found
necessary to reduce concussion or jar and noise arising from the use of the
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus of the description aforesaid, fitting the cylinder a to the rolling

page_text: stock so as to be capable of assuming the necessary angle when travelling round
a curve, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In apparatus of the description aforesaid, the application and use of a
scraper, capable of being readily attached to and detached from the arm d,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
drawings.
3. In apparatus of the description aforesaid, the means for preventing the sliding
cylinder 6 rotating within the cylinder a, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by the drawings.
4. The general construction combination and arrangement of the several and
respective parts together constituting our improvements in apparatus for clearing
the rails of railways and tramways, substantially as described.
Dadesh At 1005
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.