On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
After sno'w has been removed by an ordinary large snow plow from the upper surface of railroad tracks there remains a quantity between the rails, coming up to a level with their upper surfaces, and of course occupying the track of the flange of the wheel along the inner side of each rail. To clear these tracks for the iflange is the use of the plow here illustrated. It was in .use last winter on the Wntcrtown and Rome Railroad, and the officers of the road certify that it operated in a jperfectly successful and satisfactory manner. Two scrapers, a a, are suspended below the bottom of a car platform in such position as to run along the inner side of the rail, and throw the snow over the rail outside of the track. These scrapers are inclined at the proper angle to perform this operation, and they are so secured to the car as to yield to any rigid obstacle which they may encounter in their course. This is accomplished by attaching them to the shafts^ b b which are turned for ward by coiled springs, the braces, c c, serving as stops to prevent the scrapers from being pressed too far forward by the springs. The shafts, b b, have a little longitudinal play to enable the scrapers to pass freely around curves in the track. Arms, d d, are Attached rigidly to the shafts, b b, and are con jiecteil by the rods, e e, to the lower end of the lever, f, so that, by carrying this lever back in its curved .guides, the scrapers, a a, are turned up back out of the way when they are not needed. It will thus be seen that ithis is a very simple and efficient implement, and that all the obstacles likely to be encountered in its operation have been foreseen und guarded against. The patent for this invention was granted (through the Scientific American Patent Agency) June 21, 1860, and further information in relation to it may be obtained by addressing the inventor, W. S. Huntington, at Andrusville, ?. ?.
