A Pneumatic Lock, Bolt, or Catch to Secure Railway Carriage and other Doors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan.. 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Pneumatic Lock, Bolt, or Catch to Secure Railway Carriage and
other Doors.
GEORGE CHARLES INKPEN Architect & Surveyor Havelock Villas Victoria
Road North Southsea Hants, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
A bolt or catch either in addition to or working in conjunction with the present
locking arrangement of railway carriage doors and actuated by pneumatic force,
pressure or suction obtained either from the present system as adopted on many
railways for working the brakes on railway carriage wheels, or by a separate system
of pneumatic tubes. The invention so far as it relates to railway trains is designed
to prevent carriage doors being opened before a train is brought to a standstill and
thus avoid the risk of accidents that now frequently. occur through passengers
alighting from trains on approaching station platforms whilst they are in motion.
The bolt or catch can be put into action immediately the brake power is applied
to the train and remain so, securing the door until the moment the pneumatic force
actuating the brakes is released immediately on which by means of a spring or
otherwise the bolt or catch is automatically withdrawn and the door may be opened
in the usual way.
The bolt or catch may be put out of action by means of a key & arranged to
secure a door or series of doors at any time-and is also applicable to other doors
than railway carriages.
Dated this 26th day of January 1201
GEORGE CHARLES INKPEN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Pneumatic Lock, Bolt, or Catch to Secure Railway Carriage and
other Doors.
GEORGE CHARLES INKPEN 1 Havelock Villas, Victoria Road North Southsca
Hants, Architect & Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a pneumatic lock, bolt or catch devised preferably as an
addition to the ordinary locking arrangement of railway carriage and other doors,
capable of being simultaneously locked & unlocked as a safety bolt when placed
singly or in series and when under the control of a guard or other official the
opening of doors of railway carriages at other times than proper stopping places
could be prevented & thus avoid risk of accidents resulting from the improper
opening of such doors.
The official could release the safety bolt of the doors on one side of the carriages
whilst those on the opposite side would if so wished remain secured.
The lock bolt or catch consists of an air tight chamber within which is a spherical
ball moving freely to & fro which is divised to be fixed preferably in the framework
surrounding the door having a striking plate or other contrivance placed opposite &
in the framework comprising the door into which the spherical ball engages when
so required.
The action of the bolt is the movement of a spherical ball towards the face plate
of the lock when forced from behind by air pressure, steam or the like which may
be introduced by any convenient means.
In the front of the lock is a circular opening or recess into which the ball is

page_text: forced being retained in that position whilst the pressure behind is maintained &
when engaged with the striking plate fixed opposite to it in the framework forming
the door it becomes a perfect & secure bolt or catch which can be immediately
released if the pressure behind the spherical ball is removed as the ball would go
back into the chamber & beyond the opening in the front part of the lock this
allowing the door being opened when required.
The pneumatic or other pressure could be obtained either from the usual system
as applied to railway trains or by a separate arrangement & the admission
regulating & release of the pressure supplying the lock chamber which being
communicated by tubes having cocks or taps could be arranged in any convenient
position & manner so as to be under the control of an authorized official thus
enabling him to secure or release one or more locks at will.
The admission of pressure to the lock chambers so as to effect doors separately
could be done by intercepting the supply tube with a cock actuated by a key in any
convenient way.
The spherical ball is preferably ground into the socket in the face of the lock so
as to ensure perfect contact at all points. I may also use a washer of rubber,
leather or other suitable substance or material to attain the same end.
From the foregoing it will be seen that a lock formed & actuated in the manner
herein described having neither springs nor other mechanism cannot possibly
become dearranged & requires the minimum amount of attention to keep it thorough
repair.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which-
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the bolt door style & jamb.
Fig. 2 represent a cross section thro' the bolt, door style, jamb, & tube.
Fig. 3 represents face of lock showing ball bolt.
Fig. 4 represents striking plate fixed in door style showing sinking or opening
to receive ball.
Fig. 5 section thro' a railway carriage compartment showing suggested position
of bolt & supply tubes. H. floor. J. door. K. lock. L. tube supplying pressure
to the lock.
In the accompanying drawings the several parts are designated as follows:-
A-Metal air tight chamber.
B-Spherical ball moving within the chamber A dotted lines show position of
ball when not influenced by pressure.
C-Socket against which spherical ball is pressed.
D-Recess or opening in striking plate with which spherical ball engages.
E-Tube for transmitting pressure to the air tight chamber A.
F-Door style.
G-Door jamb.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said invention
& in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :
First. The lock bolt or catch devised to secure railway carriage & other doors
actuated by pneumatic steam or the like pressure alone & the capability of doors
being locked & unlocked at a distance either singly or in series substantially as set
forth.
Secondly. In the spherical ball bolt in combination with an air tight chamber
substantially as herein described.
Thirdly. In automatic locks for securing railway carriage & other doors the
combination of a cubanical hal
2.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said invention
& in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
First. The lock bolt or catch devised to secure railway carriage & other doors
actuated by pneumatic steam or the like pressure alone & the capability of doors
being locked & unlocked at a distance either singly or in series substantially as set
forth.
Secondly. In the spherical ball bolt in combination with an air tight chamber
substantially as herein described.
Thirdly. In automatic locks for securing railway carriage & other doors the
combination of a spherical ball moving within & air tight chamber with compressed
air steam or the like substantially as herein described.
Dated this 24th day of October 1891.
GEORGE CHARLES INKPEN.