IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRAMWAY CARS." A communication from abroad by John Stephenson, of
New York City, in tlie County and State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 15th June 1877, and dated the 16th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS." A communication from
abroad by John Stephenson, of New York City, in the County and State of New
York, United States of America.
This Invention consists of various improvements in tramway cars.
The first part of the Invention relates to the breaks, and consists in an arrange-
ment for preventing the tilting of the car when the latter is stopped suddenly by
the application of the breaks. In this arrangement the break blocks are dispensed
with on the external sides of the wheels, to afford place for the wheel guards, and
diagonal stays are provided to prevent the break blocks being displaced. The break
blocks are suspended from the floor of the car, so as to occupy their proper positions
near the periphery of the wheels. The break blocks for each pair of wheels are
attached at the ends of horizontal cross 'bars, which are connected at or about the
middle of their length by adjustable eyebolts and short connecting rods to a
horizontal lever lying in a more or less oblique transverse position to the car.
lever works on a vertical pivot at the middle of its length, fixed under the floor of
the car in the centre line of the vehicle. The extremities of this lever are connected
by rods and chains with drums or reels at the ends of the car, worked by the
ordinary crank handle, to wind the chains upon them, in order to apply the brakes.
Diagonal stay rods are connected by one end to the transverse bars carrying the
break blocks, and by the other end to the floor of the car.
This
By using breaks only between the two pairs of wheels I am enabled to provide a

page_text: wheel guard or scraper, serving to prevent injury to persons who may fall in front
of the car; also to clear the rails of dirt and other obstructions, the said guard or
scraper consisting of a plate of steel placed in a forwardly inclined position directly
in front of the wheels. This guard is carried at the free end of an arm, to which
the guard is fitted by a sliding joint, so arranged that the guard may be adjusted.
at any desirable proximity to the rail, the said arm being bolted to the axle box and
curved to hold the guard directly in front of the wheel. The lower end of the guard
may have an adjustable piece of hardened steel for enduring service in scraping the rail.
Another form of scraper or guard, though not so automatic, consists in the steel
plate pivoted to the lower end of an arm attached at its upper end to the under
side of the car platform, and thence extending diagonally downward in shape, to
bring the plate at the lower end upon the rail. The contacting part or scraper may
be a piece of hardened steel connected to the arm by a hinge joint, so as to readily
trip on contact with a spike head or other obstacle, or by the motion of the car
being reversed. The arm should be of steel plate, and so shaped as to lift the
scraper from the rail until forced down by a lever operated by a pedal, and connected
by a rod with the spring arm when required.
An improvement in the end platforms of the car consists in enclosing the driver's
platform on all sides by carrying the dash rail and apron in semicircular form, so
that the ends of the dasher make junction with the body of the car near the front
corners. A gate may be arranged at one side for the convenience of the driver. In
cars hauled at either end alternately a pair of gates may be provided, hung in such
manner as to be readily transferred from one platform to the other, as needed. The
dasher apron is protected from damage at one side by the break reel, and at the
other side by an iron stay rod or guard extending from the dasher rail at the top to
the floor of the platform.
In cars which are turned round at the end of the journey, and therefore proceed
always in one direction, the rear platform is at a lower level than the floor of the
car, and thus serves also as a step intervening between the car floor and the
ground.
The platform is supported on an iron frame bolted to the under framing of
the car, and which rises to a sufficient height at the rear edge of the platform to
afford protection to the passengers in entering and leaving the vehicle.
The lamp house in which is located the lamp for illuminating the car, and which
lamp, by a system of reflectors, augments the light, and in combination with the
lens projects the rays of light beyond the car for signal, and by peculiar method of
introducing the atmosphere secures more perfect combustion and freedom from
smoke, and also prevents the unpleasant effluvia from offensive oils. The lamp
house is hinged at the top, opening outward and upward, and when turned up
The door when
is held in place by an S hook attached to the ceiling of the car.
shut is held tightly closed by another hook, or any other of the known methods.
Within on the floor of the lamp house is placed the lamp, the bottom of which has
a downward projection lodged in a cavity in the floor, the under side of this cavity
being closed by any available method, though I prefer a metal dish, because
convenient for catching drippings of the oil. Directly behind the lamp is a reflector
with a transparent opening, which permits the light of the lamp to shine through
it and the lens placed in or beyond the opening.. The lens may be of tinted glass,
or in combination with tinted glass, for the purpose of making signal. In addition
to this reflector are placed two other reflectors, placed diagonally at such angle or
These reflectors may
angles as will best diffuse the reflected light within the car.
be of any desirable forın or construction. To insure proper combustion the lamp
house is supplied with atmosphere from outside the car by means of a series of ducts
or any other mode of inlet near the floor of the lamp house, and the discharge of
smoke from the lamp house is through a smoke stack passing from the apex of the
lamp house up through the roof, and terminating in a cowl. Within the smoke
stack and over the glass chimney is located a shield, so arranged that a rush of air
down the smoke stack will be diverted from passing down the glass chimney. It is

page_text: sometimes convenient to have from this shield or its vicinity pendants forming
fingers for steadying the upper end of the glass chimney.
A system of signal bells which enables passengers while seated to signal tho
conductor without alarming the driver, and in a car operated without conductor to
signal the driver, consists as follows:-Near each internal side wall of the car is
placed a series of hand pulls, preferably located at the pillars, and in position to bo
easily reached by passengers. The operation is best when the bell cords are near
the eaves of the roof, so that the pulls may hang perpendicularly. The system thus
described is adapted to cars managed by the driver without conductor, but for a car
with conductor and driver it is best to have three lines of bell cords, viz., first, a
central line located at or near the highest part of the roof, out of convenient reach
of passengers. This central cord extends from platform to platform, with a bell at
cach end for the uso exclusively of driver and conductor. At each side of the car
is also located a bell cord with bell and the necessary hand pulls ; but each side cord is
so arranged that the bell at either end may be detached, and passengers using the bell
pulls at one side only communicate with the conductor, while, as before provided,
the conductor and driver communicate through their exclusive line.
The method of hanging and operating the doors of the cars is as follows:―The
usual manner of running the doors is by sheaves or rollers at the lower edge of the
door, which rollers travel on a rail resting on the car floor, but the surface of the
rail is seldom free from obstructions, which cause the door to be moved withi
difficulty. For this and other reasons I hang the door by sheaves and rollers
travelling on overhead rails, and I place part of the supporting rail above the lead
of the door frame, and the other part of the rail in a lower plane at one side of the
door frame. By this arrangement the sheave or wheel at that edge of the door is
free from contact with the car roof.
When a car is managed by the driver without a conductor, it is desirable that
the driver should control the entrance door, to open or close it at pleasure; this I
accomplish by various mechanisms.
One method of moving the door is by means of a lever and rock shaft. The lever
is fixed on the rock shaft, and has a handle in convenient reach of the driver. The
power of the driver is transmitted through the lever and rock shaft, and a lever
arm at the rear end of the latter to the rear door, which is connected to said lever
arın by a pin working in a slot or otherwise, the mode of connection with the door
not being material provided it is officient. Though the passage of the rock shaft
(provided with universal joints where necessary) through the upper part of the car
is the preferable mode the connection with the hand lever may be under the floor of
the car, or under the seats, or behind the backs of the seats, or in any other part of
the car, through which the power of the driver to operate the car door may be
transmitted to the door by means of a lever or levers, or an arm or arms, or through
a rock shaft.
Another method of operating the door is by mechanism composed in part of cog
gearing. In this arrangement the car door has sheave wheels at the lower edge
which travel on a rail. Connected with the bottom of the door is a toothed rack bar,
into which a toothed cog wheel meshes. The axis of the cog wheel extends to the
front of the car forming a rock shaft, and there receiving a rotary motion from the
driver by means of a lever or cog gearing, of bevel wheels, or any other device, as
the important part of the Invention is the facility or mechanism to move a car door
by the driver through the medium of cog gearing.
Another device for operating a car door by the driver is the combination with the
door of cords and pulleys, the cord or cords being attached to the door, passing
around pulleys at the angles of the circuit, and extending within reach of the
driver, so that he may open or close the door at pleasure. It is best for the cords to
pass from the door to the driver through pipes or tubes, which pipes forin the hand
rail within the car.
It is not necessary, that this precise arrangement of parts should be maintained,

page_text: as the chief parts of the Invention is the combination of car door and cords, by
which the driver may open and close the door at pleasure.
The Invention also comprises other arrangements and devices for operating the
car doors not necessary to describe now in detail, as the Invention is, broadly, for
operating the door of a street car by the driver through the medium of cord or
equivalent, or lever, or machine cogs or rock shaft, including the various practicable
combination of these kinds of mechanisins.
The weight of the pole when borne by the horses is apt to chafe their necks.
Experience has shown that the standing pole as now in use is but a partial remedy,
because of the difficulty of adjusting and keeping its outer end at the proper
elevation ; I remedy these defects by a simple and inexpensive device. The draw bar
is of the usual kind, except a slight modification of the post under the draw bar in
its junction with the draw bar, where the union is made behind the draw pin instead
of before the pin, as formerly. The pole is provided with a brace stay and post, the
lower part of which post is a polygon and the upper part round; on the lower part
of this post is placed a flanged thimble fitting the polygon. The edge of the
thimble is serrated, and the indentations are of different depths. The correct height
of the outer end of the pole is instantly attained by raising that end to the desired
height, and sliding upward the flanged thimble to the round part of the post, and
then rotating the thimble until it finds an indentation of the proper depth to hold
the pole adjusted as desired.
The Invention also comprises a car of light construction, easily moved by one
horse, and operated by the driver without a conductor. In this car the front
platform is enclosed, and the rear platform forms also a step is provided with a
stern rail, as before described. The fare box is located in the front of the car,
immediately behind the driver; the change gate is in the car door: The cash box
is located on the dasher rail immediately before the driver; a handle or lever is
provided, as above described, by which the driver opens or shuts the door. A
mirror is provided above the face of the driver, in which he sees the movements of
passengers.
A system of bell signals is provided, as above described, by which the passengers
while seated can communicate with the driver, and cards of instruction for directing
passengers as to mode of pay.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th September 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY CARS." A communication from
abroad by John Stephenson, of New York City, in the County and State of New
York, United States of America.
This Invention consists of various improvements in tramway cars, which I will
proceed to describe with the aid of the accompanying Drawings.
The first improvement relates to the brakes, and consists in an arrangement
having for object to avoid the strain on the ends of the car and prevent them from
being pulled down and the car from "hogging" when stopped suddenly by the
application of the brakes. In this arrangement the four brake blocks are located
between the two pairs of wheels (those usually employed on the outer or opposite
sides of the wheels being dispensed with to afford room for the wheel guards hereafter
described), and diagonal stay bars are provided to prevent the brake blocks being
displaced.
The improvement is illustrated in Figures.1 and 2, which represent a side eleva-

page_text: tion of a car with brakes attached, and a plan of the brake gear separately. Tho
brake blocks A are suspended from the floor or under frame of the car so as to
occupy their proper position near the wheels. The pairs of brake blocks are
respectively attached to the extremities of horizontal cross bars A', A¹, which aro
connected at or about the middle of their length by adjustable oye bolts a, and con-
necting rods a¹ to a horizontal lever a³, working on a pivot a³, at the middle of its
length fixed under the floor of the car in the centre line of the vehicle. To the
extremities of the lever are connected rods and chains a³, which are wound upon
their respective drums or roels a³; at the end of the car, in order to apply the brakes
by turning crank handles; as, a², are diagonal stay rods connected by their lower
ends to the transverse bars A', and by their upper ends to the floor or framing
of car.
By using brakes between the two pairs of wheels only I am enabled to provide
wheel guards and scrapers, which serve to prevent injury to persons who may fall
in front of the wheels, and also to clear the rails of dirt and other obstructions. This
improvement is also illustrated in elevation on the left side in Figure 1, and
separately in plan in Figure 3. Each guard and scraper consists of a steel plate B
placed in a forwardly inclined position directly in front of the wheel, and carried at
the free end of an arm b, to which it is attached by a sliding joint b', so arranged
that it may be adjusted at any desirable proximity to the rail, the said arm which
is bolted by the other end to the axle box boing curved to hold the scraper in its
The lower end of the scraper
proper position directly in front of the wheel.
inay have an adjustable piece of hardened steel for enduring service in scraping the
rail.
A modified form of guard and scraper, is shown at the other end of the car in
Figure 1, and separately in elevation in Figure 4; B is the scraper at the lower end
of a spring arm b attached at its upper end to the under side of the car platform,
and thence extending diagonally downwards in such manner as to bring the
lower end upon the rail. The contacting part or scraper B may be a piece of
hardened steel fastened to the arm so as to be readily removeable for repair or
renewal, and it may be connected to the arm or guard b by a hinge joint as shown,
so as to readily trip on contact with a spike-head, butt, joint, or other obstacle.
The arm b should be of steel plate, and so shaped as to lift the scraper from the
rail until forced down by pressure upon a pedal 62 acting on one end of a lever b³
pivotted at the other end to the under side of the car frame, and connected to the
spring arm b by a rod b^.
The improvement in the end platforms, having for its object to prevent casualties,
is illustrated in Figure 5, which is a side elevation of a car. It consists in enclosing
the driver's platform on all sides by carrying dash rail c and apron C in semicircular
form, so that the ends of the dasher are connected with the body of the car at the
front corners c¹. For the convenience of the driver a gate C¹ may be arranged at
one side of the platform, said gate and its top rail being hinged to the car at c¹, and
forming a continuation of the dash rail and apron. With this arrangement it is
necessary that the car should always proceed with this end forward, which may
conveniently be done where the rails at their termini form circuits, or are provided
with turntables to enable the car to be turned round at the end of the journey.
Dis the rear platform of such a car. It is at a lower level than the floor of the car,
and thus forms a step between it and the ground, and is provided with a handrail
or guard for the protection of passengers entering or leaving the car, as shown in
the end view, Figure 6. Ordinary cars, which are hauled at either end alternately,
may be provided with a pair of gates C¹ to enclose the platform occupied by the
driver for the time being, as shown in Figure 1, hung by hinge pins c¹ to the body
of the car, so as to be readily detached and transferred from the one end of the car
to the other, as needed.
Another improvement relates to the lamp for illuminating the interior of the car.
The improvement consists in the means for catching the overflow of oil from the
lamp, and also preventing any lateral movement of the lamp, and for supplying air

page_text: for the support of the flame, whereby more perfect combustion and freedom from
smoke and the effluvia of offensive oils are ensured. Figure 7 is an inside elevation,
and Figures 8 and 9 vertical and horizontal sections respectively of the lamp box.
The base of the lamp E has a downward projection e lodged in a corresponding
cavity in the floor of the lamp box, the under side of this cavity being preferably
closed by a metal or other dish c¹ for catching the drippings of the oil; F is a
reflector behind the lamp, having an aperture containing the lens G for projecting
the light beyond the car; and F1, F', are two other lateral reflectors placed at
suitable angles for reflecting the light within the car. The lamp box is enclosed by
a door E¹, and to ensure proper combustion the lamp box is supplied with air from
the outside of the car, through a number of ducts e³ or other inlets near the floor of
the lamp box, the smoke from the lamp being discharged through a smoke stack Es
rising from the apex of the lamp box through the roof of the car, and terminating
in a cowl. Within the smoke stack, and over the glass chimney, is located a
shield es so arranged as to prevent a down draught in the smoke stack passing
down the glass chimney; e' are fingers for supporting the shield.
Another improvement relates to a system of signal bells, whereby the passengers
when seated may signal the conductor at whichever end he may be located without
alarming the driver. This is shown in Figure 1, and consists of three bell cords,
viz., a central one H running along the highest part of the roof out of the passengers'
reach, from one platform to the other, with a bell at cach end for the exclusivo
use of the driver and conductor, and two other bell cords H' running one at each
side of the car along the lowest part of the roof, and provided with hand pulls or
pendants within easy reach of the seated passengers, and conuected each with a
bell at either end in such manner that the passengers' bells at the driver's
end may be disconnected, and those at the conductor's end only used for the time
being.
Another improvement relates to the method of hanging the doors. The usual
manner of running the doors is by sheaves or rollers at the lower edge travelling
on a rail fixed on the car floor. The objection to this arrangement is that the
rail is seldom free from obstructions which impede the movement of the door.
The improvement consists in hanging the door by sheaves running on or between
overhead rails placed partly above the head of door frame and partly in a
lower plane at one side of the door frame, so as to avoid the car roof, as
illustrated in Figure 10. I is the door, and i, i, the sheaves running on rails I, I,
above and beside the door frame respectively, and by which the door is hung. Is
are guard rails, between which and the supporting rails I, I, the sheaves i are
securely retained. The rails all droop slightly at the ends, so that the door rests on
the floor at each end of its course, but is raised clear of it in moving from one
position to the other.
When a car is managed by a driver without a conductor, it is desirable that the
driver should be able to control the door at the rear end of the car, so as to open and
close it at pleasure. This may be, accomplished by various arrangements of
mechanism constituting part of this Invention. One of these, shown in Figures 1, 5,
and 11, consists of a rock shaft K. mounted in bearings at the upper part of the car,
and extending from end to end, with an extension K¹ beneath the bonnet over the
driver's platform connected to the shaft K by a universal joint k, and provided with
a lever handle K² within convenient reach of the driver. At the rear end of shaft K
a lever arm K³, Figure 11, is fixed, the extremity of said arm being connected with
the rear door I by a pin on the arm working on a slotted plate attached to the
door, whereby the door may be opened or closed by turning the rock shaft partly
round by means of the handle. Though the passage of the rock shaft through the
upper part of the car is the preferable mode, the connection between the hand lever
and the door may pass under the seats or floor of the car, or behind the backs of
the seats, through which the power to operate the door may be transmitted by a
lever or levers or an arm or arms, or through a rock shaft.
Another arrangement is illustrated in side and end elevation, Figures 12 and 13..

page_text: In this case the door is not hung from the top, but has sheaves at bottom running
on a rail on the floor as usual; is a toothed rack bar fixed to the bottom edge of
the door (also shown separately) with which gears a cog wheel " keyed on a longi-
tudinal shaft L running beneath the car from one end to the other, and operated by a
lever handle L¹ on a vertical shaft at the front of the driver's platform geared with
shaft L by bevil wheels l*.
Another arrangement is shown in plan and end elevation in Figures 14 and 15.
This is suitable for cars running either end foremost. In this case there are two
shafts L, each operated directly by a handle L¹ at one end, and having an arm fixed
on the other end carrying a toothed segment L³ which gears with a toothed rack
fixed to the door as shown. The handles L' of the two shafts are at opposite ends
of the car, the one being used for working the door at one end, and the other for
that at the other end.
Another arrangement is shown in plan, Figure 16, and end elevation, Figure 17.
It consists of cords M attached to the door I, and passing round pulleys m at the
angles of the circuit and extending within reach of the driver at M³, so that he may
open or close the door at pleasure. The cords pass through tubes M² which form
the hand rail under the roof of the car. The pulleys m are enclosed in cases to
keep the cords upon them.
Figures 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 show various other arrangements of cords, rods,
and levers, for enabling the driver to operate the sliding door (whether curved
or straight) at the rear of the car, which will be readily understood from the Drawings
without detailed description.
Another improvement relates to the pole bar, and consists in an adjustablo
support whereby the height of the pole may be varied to suit the horses. Experience
has shown that the weight of the pole when borne by the horses is apt to chafe
their necks, and the pole now in use is open to objection because of the difficulty of
adjusting and keeping its outer end at the proper elevation; I remedy this defect by
means of a simple device shown in Figure 24.
""
The draw bar N is of the usual kind, except a slight modification of the post N¹,
which projects down from the draw bar N from a point behind the draw pin n
instead of in front thereof as formerly. The pole P has a brace stay P¹ supporting
a post p, the upper end of which is round and the lower end polygonal. Upon
the latter is fixed a plate R whose edge is serrated, the indentations ŕ therein being
of different depths. The correct height of the outer end of the pole is instantly
attained by raising that end to the desired height, and sliding upward the plate R
to the round part of the post 2, and then rotating the plate until an indentation T
of the proper depth comes opposite to post N¹; then the plate is lowered and the
indentation bears against the post N₁ to hold the pole at the proper height.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the sainc, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination of the brake blocks and bars A, A³, with the actuating
horizontal lever ( connected to said bars by short connecting rods a', the whole
being suspended between the two pairs of wheels of a tramcar, so that the power
may be transmitted by a push motion when through the connecting rods to the
bars and brake blocks, substantially as specified.
2nd. Connecting the cross bars A' by diagonal stay bars a' with the bottom of
the car body, to deprive said bar of end motion, as described.
3rd. The improved combined wheel guards and scrapers, arranged and applied sub-
stantially as lierein shown and described.
4th. Enclosing the driver's platform on all sides by the dash rail apron and
door connected to the body of the car, substantially as described and shown in
Figure 5.
5th. Providing the platform of ordinary cars with a pair of doors and their attach-
ments, whereby the doors may be transferred from the one platform to the other,
substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 6th. In combination with the lamp chamber of a tramcar cut off from atmospheric
communication with the interior of the car and provided with a smoke stack, one
or more ducts, channels, or openings leading from the atmosphere outside the car
to the interior of the lamp chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7th. A lamp box of a tramcar provided with a cavity in its floor, and a dish or
receptacle for the oil drip of the lamp, substantially as set forth.
8th. The combination with the lamp chimney and the smoke stack of the lamp
box of the shield, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
9th. The system of signal bells and cords for passengers' use, illustrated in
Figure 1, for signalling the conductor without alarming the driver, substantially as
shown and described.
10th. Hanging the car doors by sheaves running on fixed rails above and at one
side of the door frame, substantially as shown and described.
11th. The several arrangements of mechanism for enabling the driver to operate
the door at the rear of the car, substantially as set forth.
12th. The adjustable device for supporting the pole at different heights to suit the
horses, substantially as described and shown in Figure 24.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
14