IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Narcisse Leroy, of 15, Rue de l'Eglise Batignolles,
Paris, Railway Contractor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 18th January 1856, and dated the 9th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Narcisse Leroy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
October 1855.
I, NARCISSE LEROY, of 15, Rue de l'Eglise Batignolles, Paris, Railway
Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in arranging railway carriages with a longitudinal
passage, with arm chairs or seats, ranged two and two, one behind the other,
on each side of the passage; and I so arrange these seats that those which are
placed side by side may be separated or partitioned off from one another,
either by a permanent partition or by curtains, as may be desired; and I also
arrange railway carriages with seats or beds, in two tiers, one above the other,
both tiers being completely enclosed, that is to say, the upper tier is under
and not on the roof of the carriage, as I am aware that seats have sometimes
been placed on the roofs of railway carriages; and I also arrange railway
carriages with longitudinal passages, with separate chambers or compartments
for beds or seats, arranged on each side of such longitudinal passage, and

page_text: separated therefrom by permanent wooden partitions, or by curtains, as may
be desired; and I also arrange' railway carriages with a gallery or compart-
ment at one end fitted' up as washing and water closets, and at the other end
with a gallery or compartment which may be fitted up with the necessary
apparatus for dispensing refreshments.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Narcisse Leroy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NAROISSE
LEROY, of 15, Rue de l'Eglise Batignolles, Paris, Railway Contractor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Narcisse Leroy, Her special licence that I, the said Narcisse Leroy, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Narcisse
Leroy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY, CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Narcisse Leroy, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Narcisse Leroy, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists in arranging railway carriages with a
longitudinal passage, with arm chairs or seats, ranged two and two, one behind
the other, on each side of the passage; and another part of my
Invention

page_text: consists in arranging railway carriages with a gallery or compartment, fitted
up with washing and water closet, and also with cooking and other apparatus
necessary for dispensing refreshments.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section, and Figure 2 a horizontal section, of
a carriage arranged according to these parts of my Invention. A is the plat-
form or floor of the carriage, supported on wheels and springs in the ordinary
manner; B, B, are the sides or walls of the carriage; C, C, are doors, one at
each end; D is a gallery at one end, by which the carriage is entered; it is
furnished with a railing, in which are gates on each side. E is a gallery at
the other end; on one side of which is a water-closet and washing apparatus
F, and on the other side a cooking apparatus G, and other necessary appa-
ratus for dispensing refreshments. H is the longitudinal passage through the
carriage; and I, I, are arm chairs or seats, ranged two and two, one behind the
other, on each side of the passage H; and if it is desired, these seats may be
separated by a partition as high as the back of the chair, and projecting such
a distance forwards as just to allow sufficient room for passage between the
partition and the back of the next seat, or in place thereof curtains may be
arranged to draw between the backs of the seats.
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging railway carriages with
seats or beds in two tiers one above the other, both tiers being completely
enclosed, that is to say, the upper tier being under the roof of the carriage;
and with reference to this part of my Invention, I would remark that I am
aware that seats have sometimes been placed on the roofs of railway carriages,
and therefore I do not claim the arranging the seats of railway carriages in
two tiers unless both tiers be placed under the roof of the carriage.
Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a horizontal section, of a
carriage arranged according to this part of my Invention. The parts marked
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H are similar to the parts marked with the same letters
in Figures 1 and 2, and therefore these parts need not be again described.
I, I, are beds or seats, arranged in two tiers, one above the other, on each side
of the passage H, and separated by the horizontal and vertical partitions K
and L; M, M, are slides or doors, which open or slide back to admit passengers
to enter to the seats or beds; N, N, are steps attached to the edges of the
vertical partitions L, to facilitate persons in mounting to the upper beds or
seats.
The last part of my Invention consists in arranging railway carriages with
longitudinal passages, with separate chambers or compartments for beds or
seats, arranged on each side of such longitudinal passage; and I would remark
that this part of my Invention is partially exemplified by Figures 3 and 4.

page_text: Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section, and Figure 6 a horizontal section, of
another carriage arranged according to this part of my Invention. The parts
marked A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H are similar to the parts marked with
the same letters in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, and therefore these parts need not
be again described. I, I, are compartments arranged on each side of the
passage H, and are separated therefrom by partitions K, with doors at L, L;
but for these partitions curtains may be substituted if desired. 'M, M, are
seats or beds affixed in the chambers. I, J.
In witness whereof, I, the said Narcisse Leroy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
JNO. COOK,
4, Old Square, Lincoln's nn.
N° LEROY. (L.S.)