US534312A - Street-car fender - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

B. L. BURLESON. STREET GAR FENDER.

No. 534,312. Patented Feb. 19, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

RODERICK L. BURLESON, OF OARROLLTON, ILLINOIS.

STREET-CAR FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,312, dated February 19, 1 895. Application filed December 20, 1894. Serial No. 532.497. (Ne model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RODERICK L. BURLESON, of Oarrollton, in the county of Greene and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Street-Car Fender; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in street car fenders.

My object is to provide a substantial and inexpensive fender of such flexibility that it will notinjure aperson whom it strikes, but will catch up such person and carry him or her along with the car until the latter can be stopped.

With this end in view, my device consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts fully set forth in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the fender shown in connection with the end of a street car, and Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

A, represents the platform of a car; B, the dashboard, and O, the fender consisting of a rocking frame adapted to oscillate upon a crossbar g, rigidly secured in the forward ends of two arms d, d, which are hinged, as shown in the drawings, to the front end of the platform of the car.

The lower part or foot-board of the rocking frame consists of a flat forward projecting leaf 0, adapted to carry a louder-plank e, of

which the front edge is cushioned with rubber or some other soft material, as shown at F; the rear part of said buffer-plank being longitudinally grooved for the reception of the leaf 0, upon which it is adapted to slide freely to and fro to a limited extent in the direction of the cars length.

To the front edge of the leaf 0, are secured two bow springs S, S, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the free ends of said springs impinging upon the bottom of the groove in the buffer-plank so as to press thelatter forward. To limit the travel of the buffer-plank, forward and rearward, and retain it in position laterally, it is provided with a slot t, in which is inserted a stud i, secured in the leaf c.

For retaining the rocking frame 0, in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, and to allow it, when brought into use, to fall back into 5 5 the position shown in dotted lines, spiral springs r, 'r, as shown. in Fig. 2, are employed, one end of each being secured to each of the bars or arms 0?, d, and the other to the rocking frame, so as to raise the latter and retain it at an inclination governed by the length of the cord or chain 10, as shown in Fig. 1; its fall rearward being arrested with but little shock, by springs q, q, and retained in the latter position by a pawl h.

The height at which the buffer-plank is sustained above the rails may be governed by the length of the stays N, N, which may consist of smooth cords, or chains covered with leather, so as to inflict as little injury as pos- 7c sible upon the person caught up by the fender.

With the combined elasticity of the cushion F, and the springs S, S, the shock in picking up a person either standing or having fallen upon the track, will be so reduced as to Very much lessen the risk of breaking the legs or ankles.

As to the concussion resulting from a person falling against the back of the rocking frame and throwing it into the position shown in dotted lines, it may be here observed that its resistance to motion, is so slight, in consequence of the abundant elasticity of the springs r, r, and the arresting of its motion, when turned down, so gradual, owing to the pliancy of the springs q, q, that it would be almost impossible for any serious injury to result therefrom.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1 In a street car fender, the combination with a rocking frame supported in front of the car by an axis upon which it is adapted to oscillate, of a foot-board or buffer-plank adapted to travel a limited distance to and fro in the 5 direction of the cars length, on a forward projecting leaf at the foot of the rocking frame and forming a part thereof,'said projecting leaf having secured to the front edge thereof springs adapted to push the buffer-plank to the extremity of its forward travel, and yield when it comes in contact with an object upon the track, the forward edge of said bufier plank being cushioned with rubber or other suitable elastic material, a slot 25, in the top of the butter plank, for the reception of a stud '2', secured in the leaf 0, so as to limit the travel of the buffer plank and retain it in position laterally, springs S, S, for holdinguhe rocking frame in normal position, springs q, q, for re' ceiving the back of the rocking frame when thrown down, a pawl h, for retaining it in that position, and a cord or chain 19, for re- 10 taining the rocking, frame at the required inclination when turned up; all of said parts constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of 15 November, 1894.

RODERICK L. BURLESON. lVitnesses:

R. NEWTON, O. HILL.

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