IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER OF RAILWAY TRAINS WHILST IN MOTION."
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Chubb and Solomon Fry, both of Bristol,
in the County of Somerset, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OR METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PASSENGERS,
GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER OF RAILWAY TRAINS WHILST IN MOTION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Chubb and
Solomon Fry at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th May 1865.
We, WILLIAM СHUBB and SOLOMON FRY, both of Bristol, in the County of
Somerset, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OR METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PASSEN-
GERS, GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER OF RAILWAY TRAINS WHILST IN MOTION," to be
as follows:-
These improvements consist in making a passage through the centre or
other part of each carriage, and communicating from the outer end of each
carriage by a platform or footboard for the guard to have free access through
the whole line of carriages. The footboards have hinges to admit of their
being thrown up during the operation of coupling the carriages, and are made
to slide in socket inwards upon the action of the buffers, and a spring at the
back to throw it outwards when the train is in actual motion. The sliding
socket to be made of iron or other metal. Or the footboards may be made to
act without slides, so that when the buffers are compressed the boards shall
fly upwards upon their own hinges, and fall down in their place when the

page_text: carriage is in motion. To prevent the ill effects of the weather, the roof of
each carriage may be extended with a lap, or a sliding bonnet or covering over
the whole of the footboards, with glass for light, otherwise hand rails may be
used. A sash door is to be fixed at each end of the carriage, and others at
each compartment, if required, or a curtain may be used. Seats, sliding, or to
lift up and down, may be arranged in the passage way, so as not to lose space.
A direct communication to the whole line of carriages is thus effected; the
guard can pass directly to the engine driver, and direct him how to act. In
case of fire, accident, or danger, the passengers can make their escape into
other carriages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Chubb and Solomon Fry in the Great Seal Patent-
Office on the 11th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CHUBB and SOLOMON FRY, both of Bristol, in the County of Somerset, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
William Chubb and Solomon Fry, Her special licence that we, the said
William Chubb and Solomon Fry, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Chubb and Solomon Fry, our
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 miglit 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 MEANS OR
METHOD OF EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARD, AND ENGINE
DRIVER OF RAILWAY TRAINS WHILST IN MOTION," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said William Chubb and Solomon Fry, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Chubb and Solomon Fry,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner:
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in;
and by the following statement:-
;
These improvements consist in making a passage through the centre
or other part of each carriage, and communicating from the outer end of
each carriage by a platform or footboard for the guard to have free access.
through the whole line of carriages. The footboards have hinges to admit of
their being thrown up during the operation of coupling the carriages, and are.
made to slide in sockets inwards upon the action of the buffers, and a spring
at the back to throw it outwards when the train is in actual motion. The
sliding socket to be made of iron or other metal, or the footboards may be:
made to act without slides so that when the buffers are compressed the boards
shall fly upwards upon their own hinges, and fall down in their place when:
the carriage is in motion. To prevent the ill effects of the weather, the roof.
of each carriage may be extended with lap, or a sliding bonnet or covering
over the whole of the footboards, with glass for light, otherwise hand rails:
may be used. A sash door is to be fixed at each end of the carriage, and:
others at each compartment, if required, or a curtain may be used. Seats,
sliding, or to lift up and down, may be arranged in the passage way, so as;
not to lose space. A direct communication to the whole line of carriages is,
thus effected; the guard can pass directly to the engine driver, and direct him
how to act. In case of fire, accident, or danger, the passengers can make
their escape into other carriages.
a re-
In order that our Invention may be fully understood we annex a Sheet of
Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a telescopic or sliding hinged
platform, and Fig. 1* a section thereof, with the footboard turned up.
presents a portion of the floor of the carriage, and 6, the sliding footboard
or platform; c is the hinge; and d, the spring to keep the platform out.
Fig. 2 represents a plan view of two sliding platforms hooked or fastened
together by the staple and bolt head d falling in the socket; these platforms
do not require hinges, as they may be pushed inwards by means of the
guides e and slot f, as shewn in the under plan view, Fig. 3. g is a stop fixed
to the under floor of the carriage. Fig. 4 represents an elevation of two
railway carriages with a portion of the engine or tender, (the wheels, springs,
and buffers being omitted.) The Invention is here shewn applied.
ends of each carriage are provided with doors, which should be glazed in the
upper panel, so that the guard can see from one end of the train to the other,
or a sliding passage or covered way may be fixed at the end of each carriage,
The

page_text: forming sides and roof for protection against bad weather; these sliding ways
are made in two sizes so as to work one within the other. Fig. 5 shews a,
side elevation of this example, a being the back of the carriage; and b, b,.
the covered sliding passage ways; Fig. 6 being an end view of the same.
. Where the footboards are unprotected by these covered ways slack chains
may be applied for the hands to grasp. Throughout the centre of the carriages.
sliding or hinged seats may be applied to admit of the passage of the guard.
or other person. These seats may therefore either be removed vertically or;
horizontally in slides, or they may be let down on a ledge.
On the tender of the engine a passage for the stoker or driver may be made.
midway, or at the side and to the rear (in the latter case guarded by hand.
rails), in order that the communication may be complete.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would remark in conclusion, that we
lay no claim to the central way throughout the train of carriages, as the plan
has already long been used, but we claim as our Invention, and desire to be.
secured to us by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, the application of.
sliding telescopic platforms or footboards, hinged or otherwise, and the covered
bonnets, passages, or sliding ways for protection against weather, in order
to complete the passage or communication from one end of the train to the
other, substantially as herein specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Chubb and Solomon Fry,
-
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
HENRY MOUNTSTINANS,
Clarence Place,
Kingsdown,
Bristol.
WILLIAM CHUBB. (L.S.)
SOLOMON FRY.
(L.S.)