US579372A

US579372A - Car-fender

Info

Publication number: US579372A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1914-03-23

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1..

W. WEAVER. GAR FENDER.

No.5'79,3'72. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. WEAVER. GAR FENDER.

No. 579,372 Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 3.

W. WEAVER. OAR FENDER.

No. 579,372. Patented Mar. 23. 1897.

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(No Model) 4 Sheebs-Sheet 4.

W. WEAVER.

GAR FENDER. No. 579,372. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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\VILLIAMWVEAVER, OF NORVVALK, CONNECTICUT.

CAR-TENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,372, dated March 23, 1897.

A li ti fil d August 9,1895. $erial No, 558,763. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM \VEAVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in fenders for street-cars, adapted more particularly for use on those cars or vehicles propelled by electricity, cables, or other than horse-power, and having for its object to pro vide a comparatively simple, durable, and effective device for preventing injury and loss of life.

.With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of the parts hereinafter more fully described, whereby the objects of the invention are attained.

111 the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure .1 is a perspective view of a car, showingmy invention applied thereto and occupying its normal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the fender in its normal position, the projected position of the fender being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of a car-body with the fender applied thereto. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a car with the fender out of position for use. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the operating devices of the fender, parts being broken away and in section. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the front fender-bar. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modification. Fig. Sis a similar view on a reduced scale, showing the whole of the core of the solenoid.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the body of a car of suitable construction provided with the usual platforms 1, dashboards 2, buffers 3, truck 4, and couplers 5.

B is the fender-frame, comprising the parallel side bars 6 6 and the transverse front bar 7. The side bars 6 are connected to and supported upon a shaft 0, journaled in brackets 8 of a frame D and extending trans versely across and beneath the car-body. Supported upon the ends of the front bar 7 are friction-wheels 9, adapted to make contact with and run upon the rails of the'car track when the fender-frame is in its lowered position. Arranged intermediate of these friction-wheels is a roller 12, journaled upon the front bar of the fender-frame. Inclosed within said roller and connected thereto and to the front bar 7 at opposite ends is a spring 10, adapted to exert a tension upon and rotate the roller. Connected to the roller in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by means of hooks, is an apron 13, which may be in the form of a net woven of suitable material, or, if preferred, it may be in the form of a sheet of canvas or other similar flexible material. The opposite end of this apron is attached to a rod 14c, constructed to conform to the contour of the dashboard 2 and adapted to be received and supported in brackets 15 on the dashboard. The apron may of course be attached to both the dashboard and roller in any other desirable manner, but I prefer the means shown, as it permits the ready attachment to or removal of the apron from the fender-frame or car-body.

lVhatever may be the position assumed by the fender, the apron 13 is never permitted to be slack, such slack as exists from time to time by reason of the variation of the position of the fender being taken up by the spring roller 12. The apron 13 is never wholly unwound from this roller, and consequently when an object falls upon the apron the portion of the apron remaining upon the roller is caused to unwind therefrom and hang loosely between the dashboard and the front bar of the fender to bring the object which has fallen upon the apron in. the same or below the horizontal plane of the roller and thereby prevent it rolling off the fender upon the track.

The frame D is supported beneath the carbody A and is adapted to slide in suitable guides E. These guides, as shown, consist of parallel bars extending longitudinally of the car-body from the front end thereof to a point adjacent the truck, and said bars are provided with dovetailed grooves 17, which receive corresponding projections 18 of the frame D. Extending transversely through the guide bars and projections 18 are openings 19, into which a pin 20 is inserted to hold the frame in their rearward position.

13 against movement. As shown, only two openings 19 are formed in the guide-bars, located centrally and at the rear ends thereof, respectively, but any number of such openings may be employed to suit the position to which it is desired to adjust the frame D.

The shaft 0 is provided with crank-arms 21, to the ends of which the fender-bars 6 are pivotally secured. A spring 22 is also arranged upon the shaft 0 and is connected to said shaft and to alug of the frame D in such manner as to rotate the shaft and throw the crank-arms 21 toward the front of the car. The forward movement of these crank-arms is limited by means of a stop 23, with which they make contact after their ends have reached a horizontal plane higher than that of the axis of their supporting-sh aft 0. hen the crank-arms have once assumed this position, it is impossible to move them in the opposite direction except by rotating the shaft O. This may be accomplished in numerous ways. As shown, however, the end of the shaft C is formed for the reception of acrank, which may be fitted thereto and removed at the pleasure of the operator.

One of the crankarms 21 is provided with a shoulder 24, which is arranged to be engaged by a pawl 25 when said arms are moved rearwardly. This pawl is pivoted in lugs 26, extending from the car-body, and is connected at its rear end to a lever 27 by means of a link 28. Thelevcr 27 is likewise pivoted near its forward end to a lug on the car-bod y and at its extreme forward end is adapted to be engaged by the shank of a button 28, which extends through the platform of the car and is guided in an opening 2.). The pivotal points of the lever 27 and pawl 25 are so arranged that their rear ends overbalance their forward ends, and whenever the pawl is released its forward end is thrown upward.

lVhenever it is desired to set the fender to its normal position, the shaft C is rotated to move the erank-arms 21 rearwardly and the pawl 25 is thrown into contact with the shoulder 24 of said arms, where it is held by frictional contact, thereby locking the crank-arms Vhen the front bar of the fender comes in contact with an obstruction, the crank-arms, in consequence of the sudden impact, are caused to move rearwardly for a short distance, which has the effect of relieving the pawl of all pressure and permits its forward end to be thrown upward out of contact with the shoulder 24. As soon as the pawl becomes disengaged the shaft C is rotated by the spring 22 and the crank-arms are moved rapidly to their forward positions, causing the front end of the fender to shoot forward and to be simultaneously lowered upon the track.

Projecting from beneath the car-body A at a point intermediate the shaft 0 and the end of the car are guiding-frames 29, arms 80 of which extend beneath the side bars 6 of the fender. These guiding-frames are so arranged that when the crank-arms 21 are in their rearward positions the side bars of the fender are drawn upon the arms 30 su fficiently to elevate the front of the fender a short distance above the track, as shown in Fig. 2. \Vhen these crank-arms assume their forward position, however, the pivotal points of the fender-frame are moved nearer the guidingframes and are elevated to a higher horizontal plane, and consequently the front of the fender-frame is lowered upon the track.

\Vhenever it is desired to throw the fender out of operation, the pin 20 is withdrawn from engagement with the front opening 19 and the frame D is moved rearwardly on the guides E to a point adjacent to the truck of the car, where it is held. by inserting the said pin in another opening near the end of the guide, as sh own in Fig. 4. This rearward movement of the frame D causes the front of the fender to be elevated by the guiding-frame 29, and when fully retracted the front bar of the fender is in substantially the same vertical plane as the dashboard of the car. Of course it will be understood that as the fender is moved rearwardly the apron 13 is wound upon the roller 12 and all slack is taken up. The rod 14 is then unwound from the brackets 15 on the dashboard and placed in similar brackets 40 011 the side bars 6 of the fender, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. at, in order that the apron 18 will not be visible and mar the appearance of the car. If desired, however, the apron may beleft connected to the front of the dashboard, as shown in full lines, Fig. 4, and the car coupled to a trailer by inserting the coupling link or jaw of the coupler through an opening 50, formed in the apron 13 in position to aline with the coupler 5.

In some instances it may be desirable to fit a car with only one fender, in which case the fender would have to be fitted to opposite ends of the car, according to the direction in which it is traveling. This may be readily accomplished by detaching the rod 14 from the dashboard and sliding the frame D out the front ends of the guides at one end of the car and inserting it in the guides E at the opposite end of the car.

Various means may be employed for throwing the fender forward when it makes contact with an object upon the track. In cars propelled by electricity this may be effected by making use of a solenoid 60. (See Fig. 5.) The core of this solenoid is provided with a rack-bar 61, which engages a pinion 62 on the shaft O and rotates it whenever the core is thrown outward by the passage of a current through the coil (33. This current comes from the same source which supplies the car, and the circuit to the coil 63 is normally closed by a switch Get, provided with an L-shaped centrally-pivoted armature (55, which alternately engages contacts 66 67. The armature,however, normally rests in engagement with the contact 67. The rear end of the crank-arm 21 is provided with a finger 68, which when ICO the crank-arm is lifted strikes an arm of the armature and moves it from engagement with r the contact 67 to the contact 66, therebybreaking the circuit to the motor and opening it to the coil of the solenoid. This latter circuit remains open until the crank-arm reaches its extreme forward position, where it contacts with one end of a pivoted lever 69, connected by means of a link to an arm of the armature, and throws the armature back into engagement with the contact 67, thereby breaking the circuit to the coil and opening that to the motor. Of course it will be understood that in this construction the solenoid constitutes the sole means for throwing the fender-frame forward, the spring 22 (shown in Fig. 5) being dispensed with.

Without limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement of the parts hereinbefore described, I claim- 1. In a car-fender the combination with a car-body having guides thereon, of a supporting-frame adapted to travel in said guides, means for holding said frame ina fixed position at different points along said guides, a fender and its operating means supported upon the frame, said operating means being adapted to project or retract the fender independently of the supporting-frame, substantially as described.

2. In a car-fender, the combination with a carbody, of an oscillating shaft supported thereon, crank-arms on the shaft, a fenderframe pivotally connected to the crank-arms, said arms being normally held in a position rearwardly of the vertical plane of the axis of the oscillating shaft and below the horizontal plane thereof, electrically-operated means for effecting a part revolution of the shaft to carry the crank-arms to a position in advance of the vertical plane of the axis of the oscillating shaft and above the horizontal plane thereof, a stop for arresting the move ment of the shaft when the crank-arms are in their forward position, means for locking the shaft when said arms are in their normally-retracted posit-ion, and means for rcleasing said locking devices, substantially as described.

3. In a car-fender, the combination with a car-body, of a fender-frame supported thereon andadapted to move in the direction of the line of movement of the car, means for normally locking the fender-frame in its retracted position, said means being adapted to be released by impact, and electrically-operated means for moving the fender to its forward position when it is released from its looking means, substantially as described.

4. In a car-fender, the combination with a car-body, of a fender-frame supported thereon, and adapted to move in the direction of the line of movement of the car, means for normally lockin g the fender-frame in its retracted position, electrically-operated means for moving the fender-frame to its forward position, and means actuated by the impact of a body with the fender-frame for releasing its locking devices and for directing an elec tric current to its moving means, substantially as described.

5. In a car fender, the combination with a car-body, of an electric motor for propelling the same, a fender-frame supported on the car-body and adapted to move in the direction of the line of movement of the car, means for normally locking the fender-frame in its retracted position, devices for normally directing an electric current to the propellingmotor of the car, electrically-operated means for moving the fender-frame to its forward position, and means actuated by the impact of a body with the fender-frame for releasing 7 its locking means and for breaking the circuit to the propelling-motor and opening that to the fender-frame-projecting means, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM WEAVER.

Witnesses:

PAUL W. STEVENS, W. CLARENCE DUVALL.