US1644076A - Spragging device for colliery trams or other vehicles - Google Patents

Description

I Oct.- 4, 1927. 1,644,076

. A. NEIL ET AL SPRAGGING DEVICE FOR COLLIER! TRAMS OR OTHER VEHICLES Filed Jqne 22, 1925 Imus/wan. A. NEIL. S. duh/5. OJVAIL.

Attorney. I

Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,644,076 PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER NEIL, SAMUEL JONES, AND DAVID NEIL, 0F BARRY DOCK, WALES.

SPRAGGING DEVICE FOR COLLIERY TEAMS OR OTHER VEHICLES.

Application filed June 22, 1925, Serial No. 38,763, and in Great Britain my 23, 1924.

This invention comprises improvements relating to the spragging of colliery trams or other vehicles, and has for its object to provide improved means whereby the sprag is automatically released on all trams or vehicles at the rear of the breakage of a journey of trams or other vehicles while ascending or descending a gradient.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1, shows a diagrammatic elevation of parts of a colliery tram fitted with a spragging device according to our invention. v

Figure 2, is a plan of the sprag removed together with a pin on which said sprag is mounted.

Figure 8, is an underside plan, side, elevation and an end elevation of the bracket which is attached to the underside of the tram or vehicle to which the sprag is pivotally connected.

Figure 4, is a front elevation and side elevation of the bracket in which the sprag retaining catch is mounted, whilst Figure 5, is a side elevation and plan of the catch.

In carrying the present invention into practice as shown upon the accompanying drawings the bracket 6 is secured to the underside of the tram 7 and provided with diagonal slots 8 in the two projections 9. The sprag comprises two side members 11 which taper towards one another at their outer end and are connected together by two cross members 12. The sprag is secured to the bracket 6 by means of a bolt 13 which is passed through holes formed in the sprag and through the slots 8 in the bracket 6.

Mounted on the end of the tram is the coupling 21. The bracket 14 is also disposed at the end of the tram in which is mounted a spring controlled catch 15. The catch 15 is formed at one'end with a hook 16, whilst the other end is formed with a loop 17 for the purpose hereinafter explained. Mounted on the spring controlled catch 15 and disposed between the loop 17 and the bracket 11 is a compression spring 18. The pivoted sprag is normally raised to the full position shown in Figure 1, when the hook 16 of the catch 15 engages one of the cross-members 12 and normally retains the sprag in its raised position. The compression spring 18 normally holding the catch 16 in engagement with one of the cross-members 12 of the sprag.

In connecting up a journey of trams fitted with a spragging device according to our invention a wire or other flexible connection 20 is connected from the loop 17 of one tram to a hole 19 in the spring controlled catch 15 of the next tram, the connection of the wire or other flexible connection 20 to the hole 19 of the spring controlled catch 15 is preferably permanent whilst the connection to the loop 17 of the adjacent tram is preferably in the form of a hook 22, so as to provide for disconnecting when the trams are uncoupled.

Should the coupling break between a number of trams, the flexible connection 20 at the rear of the break will be pulled against the action of the tension spring 18, the spring controller catch 15 being then pulled out of engagement with the cross-member 12 of the sprag, thereby releasing the sprag which will fall into the dotted position shown in Figure 1, the end of the sprag engages the ground, whilst the first part of the backward movement of the trams will cause the bolt 13 to advance up the inclined slots 8 and finally prevent any further progress of the trams. p

'What we claim is v A device for the spragging of colliery trams and other vehicles, comprising in combination, a coupling for connecting the trams together, a bracket secured to the underside of the tram body and disposed towards the rear of same, a spragging member pivotally mounted in said bracket and adapted to engage the ground when in its lowered position and prevent backward travel of the tram, a second bracket disposed on the underside of the tram body, and a spring controlled catch disposed in said bracket adapt ed to normally retain the spragging member in its raised position, and a flexible connection one end of which is connected to the beforemention'ed catch, whilst the other end is adapted to be connected to the catch of the preceding tram, so that upon the breaking of a coupling, the sprags on the trams at the rear of the breakage will be released, owing to tension being automatically applied to the sprag retaining catches causing same to disengage the sprag and release same.

In'testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

' ALEXANDER NEIL.

SAMUEL JONES. DAVID NEIL.

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