US1094244A - Street-car fender. - Google Patents

Description

R. H. POGUE.

STREET GAR FENDER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 191s.

Patented Apr. 21; 19m

Z 2 a L 6m 6 7 ll 6. 4. ww un: g a m 32 w s w wo 2 w 04 Ah 2 Ill/VENTOR WITNESSES oim A4W# ATTORNEY ROBERT H. POGUE, OF NEW WESTMINSTER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

STREET-CAR FENDER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed March 17, 1913. Serial No. 754,814.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. Poeun, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at the city of New Vestminster, in the Prov- 5 ince of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Car Fenders, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a car fender of that class wherein the front end of the main fender is normally sustained clear of the track and is automatically lowered to the track level by contact of its advance rail with an obstacle on the track.

The improvement comprises the construction of the vertical and horizontal components of the main fender frame to'move as one in lowering the front rail of it to the track, whereby a more prompt action in the dropping of the front end is insured. Improvement is also directed to the manner of supporting the main fender frame in its normal position clear of the track and in breaking that support to lower it when required whereby a simpler and more effective fender is produced.

The invention also includes a provision whereby the main fender may be released to allow it to drop to the track level, by the motorman without the necessity of engagement with an obstacle, thus enabling the motorman to anticipate the automatic action; and also means enabling the main fender to be restored to its normal position by the motorman from within the car.

The invention also shows the application of a supplemental fender or wheel guard to comply with the requirements of certain municipalities aimed to prevent a body, which may be prone on the track and fails to operate the advance release, from passing under the wheels of the car. This supplemental fender is operable with the front or main one, and has in addition a separate release.

The invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the main and supplemental fenders in their normal position. Fig. 2 is the same view showing the fenders as lowered to the track in the operative position. Fig. 3 is a plan of the main fender. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the main fender folded up as out of use, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing the operation of the fender release, the full lines showing it in the normal position and the dot and dash lines as when lowered.

The supplemental fender or wheel guard shown to the left under the car in Figs. 1 and 2, is free from the requirement of having to be folded up against the front end of the car. It comprises an open rectangular frame .40, the sides of which are L shaped in elevation, to form the upright and horizontally extended portions of the supplemental fender. The upper rail of this frame 4L0 is suspended by brackets 43* to the under frame of the car, so that, without other support, the front rail of the supplemental fender will drop to the track level with a radial backward movement. This supplemental fender frame is supported in the horizontal position against this tendency to fall, from a rocking shaft 19 mounted in well braced brackets '20 from the under frame of the car, on each end of which rocking shaft are rocking shaft levers 18 which are pin-connected at 16* to links 15 pivotally mounted on a cross rail 11, which extends across betweenthe sides of the fender frame at the rear. The links 15 and levers 18 are so applied on their respective rail 11 and rocking shaft l9 that when the front rail of the supplemental fender is in its normal position clear of the track, the pin-connections 16 are in the straight line between the axial centers of 11 and 15 and the connection affords direct support as a strut. Beyond the pin-connections 16 the rocking shaft levers 18 are produced and upwardly bent for the attachment to them at 25'? of the mechanism by which this strut system is broken upward to allow the front rail of the supplemental fender to fall to the track level.

The tripping of the supplement-a1 fender 40 is effected by an open frame 36, 39 suspended from the under frame of the car and extending across the width of the track, which frame is connected by rods 34 to the ends of the lovers 18 of the strut support of the supplemental fender at 25*, so that if an obstacle is on the track it will engage the lower rail 39 of the swinging frame 36 and the supplemental fender will be released and will drop to the track.

The fender supporting mechanism is the same whether used on the main fender or on the supplemental fender and the release of it by breaking the strut system upward is the same.

Where the main fender is required to be upfolded against the end of the car, as shown in the front fender on the right in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame of this front or main fender, instead of being in one section or piece as is the case of the supplemental fender 40", is composed of two sections, that is, the vertical frame 2, connected by brackets 4 to the front end of the car under frame, and the horizontal section or frame 3, pin-connected at 5 to the ends of 2. The frames 2 and 3 are retained in l. shape by an articulated brace or stayon each side, composed of the links 6 and 7, pinconnected together at 10, and to the vertical frame at 8 and to the horizontal frame 9, and the end of each link 7 is produced beyond the pin-connection 10 and is bent over the upper side of the front edge of the link 6 to form a stop joint which will break only upward. The ends of the frame 2 adjacent to the pin-connection 5 have a cross stay 11, and a similar stay may extend between the ends of 8. As with the supplemental fender before described, this main fender is supported in the horizontal position with its front end clear of the track, from a rocking shaft 19 mounted in bearings in brackets 20 downwardly projecting from the under frame of the car, connection being made on each side from the cross rail 11 to this rocking shaft by the link 15 and lever 18 pinconnected at 16, and the lever 18 is produced and bent upward for the connection to it at 25 of the releasing mechanism. This release of the fender strut system 15, 18 is automati cally efiected from an advance rail 28 which is, projected in advance of the front rail of the fender frame 2, the rail 23 being carried on two members 22 secured to and backwardly projecting from it. These members 22 are slidable in keepers 24 secured to the front rail of the fender frame 3 and their after ends may rest on the cross rail of this frame. These members 22 are upwardly bent rearwardly beyond this support on the cross rail and are connected by the links 21 to the pins 16 of the extensions of the levers 18. This link connection is only necessary to facilitate the upfolding ofthe horizontal section of the fender.

From the position of the motorman within the car, the strut system 15, 16, 18, which supports the main fender clear of the track is broken upward to effect the lowering of the front end of it to the track level, by a treadle rod 32 the lower end of which is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 29 pivotally' mounted at 30 to the underside of the car body. The other arm of this bell crank is connected by a lever 88 to a lever 28 secured on the rocking shaft 19 and when the treadle rod 32 is pressed down the connection will partially rotate that shaft to break the strut system. The lever 38 is pivoted at 87 to the swinging frame 36. The head 33 of the treadle rod 32 may be formed as a stirrup that will offer a handle by which the mechanism may be pulled upward, so that the motorman may, from within the car, restore the fender to its normal position.

In use, the horizontal frame?) of the front or main fender and the horizontal portion of the supplemental fender 40 are normally supported clear of the track by the articulated struts, that of the supplemental fender being slightly lower toward the track than that of the main fender, owing to its less distance from the center of vertical oscillation of the car. Whenthe advance rail 23, or failing it, the cross rail 39 of the swing ing frame 36, engages an obstacle on the track, it is pressed back and, by its connection to the upwardly turned ends of the levers 18, breaks upward the supporting strut system 15, 18 and 15, 18 of both fenders, if two are used, and allows their front ends to fall backward and downward to the track level. the obstacle should happen to roll under the front or main fender, it will engage the hanging rail 89 of the supplemental fender, and the front edge of that fender will drop to the track and prevent the body from passing under the wheels or under the car. If a body or an obstruction on the track should be noticed by the motorman before the car reaches it, he can instantaneously effect the release of and drop both fenders to the track level in time to prevent the obstacle from passing under the car.

As the vertical and horizontal sections or parts of the main fender frame face as one, the overhanging weight from the point of support is suliicient to insure that it will drop promptly, when released, and the sus pension pivot being well above the normal position of the front rail of the fender as well as behind it, allows the desired backward movement of the front 'rail as it falls, which movement frequently saves the limbs of a body from getting under the front rail of the fender and prevents the body from falling to the track level. This backward movement also lessens the shock of impact. The manner of support in the normal position issimple and direct, as also is the mechanism by which that support is broken to effect the lowering of the fender. Either fender may be used alone, or they may be used together as shown and may be covered with any approved covering of chains or straps or springs. Where the two fenders areused on a car, they are rendered cooperative together by connecting If for any reason its at 37 the rods 38 of the main fender release to the swinging frame 36 of the supplemental fender.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame, the sides of which are of L shape, means for suspending the upper end of this frame from the body of the car, means for supporting the frame with the lower rail of it clear of the track, said means comprising a rocking shaft supported from the under-frame of the car and extending across behind the fender frame, levers secured on this rocking shaft which levers are connected by links to the vertical component of the L shape sides of the frame, the pins connecting the levers to the links being normally in alinement between the rocking shaft and the attachment of the links to the frame, and means for moving the lever upward to allow the front end of the fender frame to fall.

2. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame, the sides of which are of l. shape, means for suspending the upper end of this frame from the body of the car, means for supporting the frame with the lower rail of it clear of the track, said means comprising a rocking shaft supported from the under-frame of the car and extending across behind the fender frame, levers secured on this rocking shaft which levers are connected by links to the vertical component of the l. shaped sides of the frame, the pins connecting the levers to the links being normally in alinement between the rocking shaft and the attachment of the links to the frame, means for moving the lever upward to allow the frontend of the fender frame to fall, a frame suspended from the car in advance of the fender and means for connecting the lower end of this frame to the rocking shaft to break the stability of the supports between that shaft and the fender frame.

3. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame, the sides of which are of L shape, means for suspending the upper end of this frame from the body of the car, means for supporting the frame with the lower rail of it clear of the track, said means comprising a rocking shaft supported from the underframe of the car and extending across behind the fender frame, levers secured on this rocking shaft which levers are connected by links to the vertical component of the L shape sides of the frame, the pins connecting the levers to the links being normally in alinement between the rocking shaft and the attachment of the links to the frame, means for moving the lever upward to allow the front end of the fender frame to fall, a frame suspended fro-m the car in advance of the fender, means for connecting the lower end of this frame to the rocking shaft to break the stability of the supports between that shait and the fender frame, a treadle rod projecting upward through the front end of the car platform and means for connecting the lower end of that rod to a lever on the rocking shaft by which down ward pressure on the rod will break the stability of the connection between the rocking shaft and the fender frame,

4. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame the sides of which are L shaped, means for suspending this frame by its upper rail from the body of the car, means for supporting the frame with the lower rail of it clear of the track, said means comprising, a rocking shaft supported from the under-frame of the car and extending across behind the fender frame, levers secured on this rocking shaft, which levers are link-connected to the lower part of the vertical component of the fender, the pins connecting the levers to the links being normally in alinement between the rocking shaft and the connection of the links to the frame, and an advance rail having backwardly projecting members secured to it which are slidably mounted on the front rail of the fender frame and are connected to the ends of the levers on the rocking shaft.

5. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame suspended by one end from the front end of the car and depending toward the track, a similar frame pinconnected to the lower end of the hanging frame, meansifor sustaining these frames at right angles to one another, said means comprising braces pinconnected to each frame and articulated intermediate of their ends to move outward from the angle, means for supporting the front end of said similar frame clear of the track, said means comprising a rocking shaft supported from the under-frame of the car and extending across behind the hanging frame of the fender, levers secured on this shaft which levers are link-connected to a rail extending across the lower end of the hanging frame, an advance rail having backwardly projecting members which are slidably mounted on the front rail of the fender frame, and links connecting the after ends of these backwardly projecting members to the ends of the rocking shaft levers.

6. The combination of a main fender including a substantially rectangular fend-er frame suspended by the upper ends from the front end of the car and depending toward the track, having a similar frame pinconnected to the lower end of the hanging frame, and braces maintaining these frames at right angles to one another, which braces are articulated to enable the horizontal frame to be upfolded, struts supporting the frame with its front rail clear of the track, which struts are articulated to break upward, means actuated from an advance rail supported in front of the fender for breaking these support struts upward, a supplemental fender of similar form but not articulated to fold up, means for supporting this fender by articulated struts breaking upward, a hanging frame suspended from the under-frame of the car in advance of the supplemental fender and means for connecting it to the articulated struts to break them upward, means for connecting this releasing hanging frame to the releasing mechanism of the main fender and means for op erating the releasing mechanism of both fenders from within the car and for restoring that mechanism to its normal position.

7. In a car fender, the combination of a substantially rectangular fender frame the sides of which are L shaped and which frame is suspended from the body of the car, means for supporting the frame with the lower rail of it clear of the track, said means comprisof the link to the fender frame said levers and links thereby forming struts, a cross rail carried in front of the fender frame and susceptible of being moved backward by engagement with an obstruction on the track, means for connecting this advance rail to the upwardly turned ends of the rocking shaft levers, and means operable from the front end of the car platform for moving the rocking shaft levers upward to break the supporting struts and for restoring the supporting struts to their normal position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT 1-1. POGUE.

Witnesses ROWLAND BRITTAIN, MAY WHYTE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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