NEW (OR IMPROVED) AUTO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, WHILE IN MOTION, AND FOR UNFASTENING THE SAME, ON THE CESSATION OF MOTION
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE, of Edmonton in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for NEW (OR IMPROVED)
AUTO-PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES, WHILE IN MOTION, AND FOR UNFASTENING THE SAME, ON THE CESSATION
OF MOTION, to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to new (or improved) auto-pneumatic apparatus for
fastening the doors of railway and other carriages, while in motion, and for
unfastening the same on the cessation of motion.
According to my Invention I provide an expanding air reservoir or chamber
(with vent) into which air is forced through suitable connections by air pumps,
bellows or injectors, provided with safety valves to allow for the escape of surplus
pressure. These air pumps bellows or injectors are operated by the revolution of
the axle of one pair of wheels, or by the wheels themselves, through convenient
means, as for instance by bevil gearing, or by wipers, and force or inject air into
the air reservoir or chamber. The injected air causes the expansion of the reservoir
or chamber, and this expansion, by working upon a system of levers connected to
the reservoir or chamber, raises a counter-balance weight, and at the same time,
depresses a connecting rod attached to an arm on a transverse bar extending to
each side of the carriage. This transverse bar works two longitudinal bars or rods
one on each side of the carriage, and to these longitudinal bars or rods are attached
latches or bolts by preference piston spring bolts (one for each door) which secure
the doors when closed. On the carriage being set in motion the pumps, bellows or
injectors at once begin to work and inject or force air into the air reservoir or
chamber, in greater quantity or volume than it can escape through the vent, the
consequence is that the air chamber is expanded and kept so all the time the train
or carriage is in motion, the expansion also keeping the counter-balance weight
raised, and the system of levers being acted upon by this expansion, the longitudinal
bars or rods, with their piston bolts, are brought into action, the doors are secured,
and the bolts are kept shut the whole time the air pumps, bellows, or injectors are
at work, that is to say, during the motion of the train or carriage. Upon the
CD 627

page_text: cessation of motion, the pumps bellows or injectors cease to act, and the air
escaping through the vent, in the air reservoir or chamber permits the counter
balance weight to fall, the descent of which causes the longitudinal bars or rods
to return to their normal position thus withdrawing the bolts and unfastening
the doors.
Should a door, or doors, be accidentally left open, after the starting of the train
or carriage, and after the entire series of bolts has been shot forward by the action
of the apparatus, I construct the bolts with a bevilled edge, so that the door can
be closed and fastened by the yielding of the spring of that particular bolt, without
interference with the remaining bolts. Each bolt may be provided with a handle or
knob, and a slot may be contrived in the case or cylinder to permit the withdrawal
of the said bolt by hand, in case of need.
My improved auto-pneumatic apparatus above described can be used independently
of the present fastenings.

page_text: New (or Improved) Auto-pneumatic Apparatus for Fastening the
Doors of Railway and other Carriages while in Motion, and
I, CHARLES GROOMBRIDGE of Edmonton, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for NEW (OR IMPROVED) AUTO-
PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAGES WHILE IN MOTION, AND FOR UNFASTENING THE SAME ON THE
CESSATION OF MOTION, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :--
My Invention relates to new (or improved) auto-pneumatic apparatus for
fastening the doors of railway and other carriages while in motion, and for
unfastening the same, on the cessation of motion.
+
According to my Invention I provide an expanding air reservoir or chamber
(with vent) into which air is forced through suitable connections by air pumps,
bellows, or injectors, provided with safety valves to allow for the escape of surplus
pressure. These air pumps, bellows or injectors are operated by the revolution of
the axle of one pair of wheels of a carriage or by the wheels themselves, through
convenient means, as for instance by eccentrics, bevil gearing, or by wipers, and
force or inject air into the air chamber. The injected air causes the expansion of
this chamber, and such expansion, by working upon a system of levers connected
to the said air chamber, operates a counter balance weight and, at the same time,
actuates a connecting rod attached to an arm on a transverse bar extending to
each side of the carriage. This transverse bar works two longitudinal bars or rods,
one on each side of the carriage, and to these longitudinal bars or rods are attached,
by suitable levers, latches or bolts, by preference piston spring-bolts, (one for each
door) which secure the doors when closed. On the carriage being set in motion
the pumps, bellows or injectors at once begin to work and inject or force air into
the air chamber in greater quantity or volume than it can escape through the vent,
the consequence is that the air chamber is expanded and kept so all the time the
train or carriage is in motion, the expansion also keeping the counterbalance
weight raised, and the system of levers being acted upon by this expansion the
longitudinal bars or rods, with their piston bolts are brought into action, the
doors are secured and the bolts are kept shot the whole time the air pumps,
bellows or injectors are at work, that is to say, during the motion of the train or
carriage. Upon the cessation of motion, the bellows, pumps or injectors cease to
act and the air escaping through the vent, in the air chamber, permits the counter-
balance weight to fall, the descent of which causes the longitudinal bars or rods to
return to their normal position, thus withdrawing the bolts and unfastening the
doors.
Should a door or doors be accidentally left open after the starting of the train or
carriage, and after the entire series of bolts has been shot forward by the action of

page_text: the apparatus, I construct the bolts with a bevilled edge so that the door can be
closed and fastened by the yielding of the spring of that particular bolt without
affecting the longitudinal rods, or interfering with the remaining bolts. Each bolt
may be provided with a handle or knob, and a slot may be contrived in the case
or cylinder of the bolt to permit the withdrawal of the said bolt, by hand, in case
of need.
My improved auto-pneumatic apparatus above described can be used inde-
pendently of the present fastenings.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood, I proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in
which, Fig 1, is an elevation, partly in section of a railway carriage shewing my
auto-pneumatic apparatus applied thereto. Fig 2 is an end view of the same, and
Fig 3 a plan, also partly in section, of the under framing of the carriage, (the body
of the carriage being removed) shewing the several parts of my apparatus in their
relation to each other. Fig 4 is a detached front view of the piston spring bolt,
drawn on an enlarged scale, and hereinafter particularly referred to, Fig 5 is a
cross section and Fig 6, a longitudinal section of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.
A, is the under framing of the carriage, to which is secured by straps, or by
other convenient means, two air pumps B, B, which are worked by eccentrics a a,
mounted on one of the axles C, of the carriage, and between the wheels thereof.
Pipes bb, furnished with safety valves b¹, convey the air under pressure from the
pumps to an air chamber or receiver D. This air chamber or receiver is constructed
like a bellows, that is to say it is capable of expanding and contracting according to
its inflation or exhaustion; it is also provided with a guide frame and guides cc,
working in grooves c, c¹, having a cross head e, to which is pivotted one end of
a weighted lever f, which lever has its fulcrum at f¹. A vertical rod g, is pivotted
at its upper end to the lever f, between the fulcrum and the weight, its lower lower
end being pivotted to a short lever h, fixed on a transverse rod i. On each of the
ends of this transverse rod is an arm j, in the upper part of which is a slot. This
slot works over a pin or stud on the longitudinal bar 7, on each side of the carriage,
and causes the same to oscillate and operate the short levers 12, pivotted to this bar,
which, having their fulcra on the carriage, at k, k, k, and their upper ends attached
to the bolts L, L, cause these bolts to be shot or withdrawn, that is to say, they are
simultaneously shot, when the system of levers, above described, is operated upon
by the air forced into the chamber or receiver by the pumps, on the motion of the
carriage, and are simultaneously withdrawn on the cessation of such motion, and
the consequent exhaustion of the air chamber or receiver.
The pipes bb, are provided with safety valves b¹ b', before mentioned, and the air
chamber or receiver is likewise furnished with suitable inlet valves. A vent m, is
also fitted to the air chamber or receiver to permit the air to escape when the train
stops; this vent is provided with a stop cock or regulator so that the escape of air
from it may be adjusted to any desired rate. By this means the withdrawal of the
bolts from the doors may be effected either simultaneously with the stoppage of
the carriage, or at one, two, or more seconds afterwards, as desired.
Although I have described and shewn my apparatus as being worked by air
pumps yet I may work the same by means of bellows, set in motion by wipers
fitted to the axle of the carriage, or by other convenient means.
Figs 4, 5 and 6 shew in detail, and on an enlarged scale, the construction of the
piston spring bolt which I use in combination with the above described apparatus.
L, is the bolt case, and M the piston bolt furnished with a spring o.
To the rear
end of this bolt is pivotted the short lever 12, which is operated by the oscillating
longitudinal bar l, in connection with the system of levers above described. The
dotted lines shew the position of the bolt when shot. Should, however, any one of
the doors, by an oversight, be left open after the carriage is in motion a person from
inside, or outside the carriage may close and cause the door to become fastened, by
simply bringing the edge of the door in contact with the bevilled edge, of the

page_text: bolt, when the tongue of this bolt will be pressed back against the spring o, which
spring will, upon the door being shut, immediately react upon the tongue of the
bolt and cause the same to be shot, and so fasten the door which had been left
open.
Thus it will be seen that, by means of my improved apparatus, all the carriage
doors of a train will be simultaneously fastened on the train being set in motion,
and when such motion ceases the doors will be simultaneously unfastened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same may be performed I declare that
I claim
(1). The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the auto-
pneumatic apparatus for fastening the doors of railway and other carriages while
such carriages are in motion and for unfastening the same on the cessation of
motion, substantially as herein described and as shewn by way of example in the
drawings as applied to a railway carriage.
(2). In combination with the axle (or with the wheel) of a railway (or other
carriage) the herein described pneumatic appliances arranged to automatically
operate levers by which bolts or latches are caused to fasten or unfasten the doors
of said carriages, as described and shown.