Improvements in Railway Carriage and other Door Locks, and Safety Mechanism connected therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Carriage and other Door Locks, and
Safety Mechanism connected therewith.
I HENRY WILLIAMS Gowanbrac Crosshill Glasgow Renfrewshire Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its objects the improving and simplifying of the construction
of railway carriage door locks, by employing very few parts and giving special
means for their handy maintenance and by its special safety connecting inside
operating mechanism giving increased safety, comfort, and conveniences to the
travelling public using the vehicles which doors are equipped with my improvements
as it provides a simple and effectual means of unlatching the carriage door lock
from the inside of the vehicle, and at the same time to guard against the mischievous
operation of its mechanism by children or accidentally by adults. These improved
door locks are also applicable for road carriages or analogous purposes.
In making a lock according to my invention I place a radial acting bolt to work
on its axis or centre through which I pass the square or other shaped working
spindle or shaft all in the ordinary way inside an ordinary shaped rectangular metal
case or housing but having in its face plate special arrangements afterwards
referred to.
At about midway of the back edge and lower back corner of this radial working
bolt I will form small convex or angled projections so as to give but small frictional
contact in the working of the complete lock. I will or may arrange a small pulley
turning or working on a centre pin secured to the bolt, instead of the projections
referred to on the bolt, or I will or may form suitable recesses to receive small
antifriction balls to be operated on by the bolt as the medium of working contact
between the back and lower edge of this radial acting bolt and a swing lever
fulcrumed on or near its centre the one or lower end of which I would form as a
straight plane to engage with or receive the projections of the radial acting bolt in
its slambing or bolting actions or positions.
Or by an alternative arrangement I may or will form the lower end of this back
fulcrumed lever to receive a pulley which will act against the radial bolt in either
its slambing or locking positions and so obviate friction in the actions of the
complete structure. To the other or top end of this back fulcrumed lever I will
employ a spiral or helical spring which will act as a continuous compressing force
against the lever. and so be transmitted through its fulcrum to the movements and
position of the radial working bolt.
This spring I purpose placing into its position ready for performing its function
from and through the face plate of the metal case of the complete lock and secured
there by a screwed stud threaded into its position in its opening in the face
plate against the compressing pressure or force of the spring and when screwed
to its proper or intended place I will lock, or check, screw it there by the use
of a small check or lock screw engaging half its diameter in the screwed stud
and its other half into the face plate. By this screwing means of the stud a
broken spring can be much easier withdrawn from the lock than it can by the
means now in use.
By an alternative arrangement I will or may substitute for the screw stud a
novel formed fulcrum plate of rectangular shape on its face, which face will be
when in position flush with the face plate of the lock. Its opening in the face
plate will have side projections of dove tail form so as to receive their corre-
sponding recesses in its fulcrum plate which will enable this plate to fulcrum
itself into its position against the compressing force of the spring and when in

page_text: its position will be held there in its dove tail or recess by the continual pressure
of the spring. The upper end of this fulcrum plate I will extend so as to be
further secured by the fixing screw of the lock to its timber framing. Thus in
employing this fulcrum plate with the spring in the event of a spring getting
broken it can with equal ease as before described with a screw stud be with-
drawn and a new spring inserted into the lock ready for use, as the mere pressing
inwards of the lower end of this fulcrum plate against the pressure of the spring
with a small tool will immediately eject same.
The square or other formed operating spindle or shaft of the complete lock I
will or may extend through the timber work of the door sufficiently far to allow
of the receiving of my mechanism for the latching or unlatching of the lock
from the inside of the carriage or vehicle which will be as follows:-
On the inside end of this square or other shaped shaft or spindle I secure a
short lever, crank, quadrant, cam, pinion or equivalent organ and attach, connect,
or gear to same by either a suitable radial joint and pin or corresponding rack
to the pinion or crescent. The vertical connecting rod or chain or connection
up to its working or operating lever or handle on the side stile or cross rail of
the door near the top so as to be out of the way of the mischievous interferance
of children or accidental action of adults.
When I employ a chain or jointed flexible agent as the connection from the
lock. spindle up to the inside operating handle I will encase same out of the way
of interference. Thus by the employment of a chain or flexible vertical connec-
tion I secure an independant action of the outside handle to that of the inside
handle or lever, or I may or will obtain this independant or separate action of
the two handles by a slotted or link joint at either of its ends or any part of
same, so as to avoid any movement of the inside handle when the door is
slambed to.
I will or may also employ a suitable spring or counter balance, to, or in the
inside handle to enable it to support itself and to perform its function indepen-
dant of the outside handle or to be acting as a counter or auxiliary weight to
the spring inside of the lock itself.
Dated this 10th day of June 1892.
HENRY WILLIAMS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Carriage and other Door Locks, and
Safety Mechanism connected therewith.
I, HENRY WILLIAMS of Gowanbrae Crosshill Glasgow Renfrewshire, Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention has for its objects the improving and simplifying of the construc-
tion of railway carriage door locks, by employing very few parts and giving
special means for their handy maintenance and by its special safety connecting
inside operating mechanism giving increased safety, comfort, and conveniences to
the travelling public using the vehicles in which the doors are equipped with my
improvements as they provide a simple and effectual means of unlatching the
carriage door lock from the inside of the vehicle and at the same time to guard
against the mischievous operation of its mechanism by children or accidentally
by adults. These improved door locks are also applicable for road carriages or
analogous purposes.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended two sheets of explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.

page_text: Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is an external side elevation and Figure 2 a corre-
sponding front elevation of a slamb lock for railway carriage doors as constructed
in accordance with and illustrative of one arrangement of my improvements.
And Figure 3 is a corresponding side elevation with the external cover plate
removed to show the internal parts or mechanism. And Figure 4 is a detached
detail view of the spring securing screw stud and its locking screw.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views corresponding to Figures 1, 2, and respectively
showing a slightly modified arrangement of my improvements, while Figure 8 shows
detached front, edge and back views respectively of the spring securing sliding
fulcrum plate, used as an alternative for the screw studs shown in Figure 4.
Figure 9 on Sheet 2 shows an elevation looking at the inside of a railway
carriage door, as fitted with one arrangement of my improved safety mechanism
or appliances for operating the locks. Figures 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 respec-
tively are plan and elevation views respectively of the safety operating mechanism
as slightly modified from that shown in Figure 9. And Figure 14 is an elevation
of another arrangement showing an endless chain as part of the operating
appliances. While Figure 15 is a view broken away corresponding to Figure 9.
showing the spring operating mechanism placed horizontally instead of vertically
as in the aforesaid arrangement.
Referring first to the views shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings
:-
In making a lock according to my invention I place a radial acting bolt B to work
on its axis or centre B' through which I pass the square or other shaped working
spindle or shaft all in the ordinary way inside an ordinary shaped rectangular metal
case or housing A but having in its front face plate A special arrangements
afterwards referred to.
At about midway of the back edge and lower back corner of this radial working
bolt B I form small convex or angled projections B* so as to give but small frictional
contact in the working of the complete lock.
I fit a swing lever C ou a fulcrum screw pin C₁ within the case A the lower end
of which lever engages with or receives the projections of the radial acting boit B
in its slambing or bolting actions or positions as shown in Figure 3, or by an
alternative arrangement as shown in Figures 5 and 7. I would form the lower end
of this back fulcrum lever C to receive a pulley E fulcrumed on it at E¹ so as to
act against the radial bolt B in either its slambing or locking positions and thus
obviate friction in the actions of the complete structure. To the other or top end
of this back fulcrumed lever C I employ a spiral or helical spring D which will
act as a continuous compressing force against the lever C and so be transmitted
through its fulcrum C¹ to the movements and position of the radial working
bolt B.
This spring DI place into its position ready for performing its function from and
through the face plate A' of the metal case A of the complete lock and be secured
there by a screw stud d threaded into position in its opening in the face plate A¹
against the compressing pressure or force of the spring D and when screwed to its
proper or intended place I will or may lock or check screw it there by the use of a
small check or lock screw d' as particularly shown in detached view Figure 4
engaging half its diameter in the screw stud and its other half into the face
plate A By this screwing means of the stud d d' a broken spring D can be much
easier withdrawn from the lock than it can by the means heretofore in use.
By an alternative arrangement as shown in Figures 6 to 8 I will or may substitute
for the screw stud d da novel formed sliding fulcrum plate d preferably of
rectangular shape on its face which face will be when in position flush with the face
plate of the lock as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The opening in the face plate A'
will have side projections d of dove tail form so as to receive the corresponding
recesses in the fulcrum plate which will enable this plate to fulcrum itself
into its position against the compressing force of the spring D and when in its
position will be held there in its dove tail or recess by the continual pressure of

page_text: the spring D behind it. The upper end of this fulcrum plate d I will extend so as
to be further secured by the fixing screw d of the lock to its timber framing.
Thus in employing this fulcrum plate ď² with the spring D in the event of a spring
getting broken it can with equal ease as before described with a screw stud be
withdrawn, and a new spring inserted into the lock ready for use as the mere
pressing inwardly of the lower end of this fulcrum plate against the pressure of
the spring D with a small tool will immediately eject same.
The square or other formed operating spindle or shaft of the complete lock I will
or may extend through the timber work 7 of the door Zsufficiently far to allow of
the receiving of my mechanism for the latching or unlatching of the lock from the
inside of the carriage or vehicle all as described in reference to the figures on
Sheet 2. On the inside end 6 of this square or other shaped shaft or spindle 1
secure a short lover a as shown in Figures 9 to 11, 14 and 15, or a toothed quadrant
as shown in Figures 12 and 13, or it may be a crank, cam, pinion, or equivalent
organ, and attach, connect, or gear to same by either a suitable slotted radial joint
and pin a¹ or corresponding rack a¹ to the pinion or crescent a Figure 13. The
vertical connecting rod a² or chain Figure 14 or like connection up to its working
or operating lever or handle c on the side stile or cross rail of the door preferably
near the top so as to be out of the way of the mischievous interference of children
or accidental action of adults.
The rod chain or jointed flexible agent a³ forming the connection from the lock
spindle up to the inside operating handle c is preferably encased out of the way
of interference, and I thus secure an independent action of the outside handle to
that of the inside handle or lever c.
Or I may or will obtain this independent or separate action of the two handles
by the slotted or link joint a' at either of its ends, or any part of same so as to
avoid undue movement of the inside handle c when the door is slambed to. I will
or may also employ a suitable spring c¹ or counterbalance to or in connection with
the inside handle to enable it to support itself and to perform its function inde-
pendent of the outside handle or to be acting as a counter or auxiliary weight to
the spring D inside of the lock itself.
In Figure 15 the operating handle c and spring c¹ are set horizontally above the
top of the sash of the door, and a bell crank connection is employed between the
handle c, and the vertical connection a³.
In unlatching the door from inside the carriage as shown in Figures 9 and 13,
the pulling downwards of the handle e perform this function which vice versa the
pushing or lifting upwards of the handle c will complete the locking of the door
after it has been slammed to. While in the arrangements shown in Figures 11
and 14 the pushing upwards of the handle c effects the unlatching of the lock,
and vice versa the pulling downwards of these handles effects the locking of the door
after it has been slammed to.
The endless chain arrangement shown in Figure 14, the chain is secured to
the top pulley and passes round the lower pulley c and springs c' are interposed
to give a cushioning action while the door is being slammed. In Figure 15 the
handle C is arranged to operate horizontally and act otherwise substantially as
described in reference to Figure 9.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In railway carriage and like door locks the portable securing of a helical
spring by a screw stud inserted into and through the face plate and screwing into
the body frame of the lock substantially as and in the manner herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In railway carriage and like door locks, the portable securing of a helical
spring by a screw stud inserted through the face plate, in combination with a

page_text: locking screw engaging said stud and the face plate, substantially as and in the
mauner herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
3rd. The alternative mode of securing the helical spring by a fulcrated sliding
plate formed with projections or recesses which engage corresponding projections
or recesses in the fixed face plate of the lock substantially as and in the manner
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
4th. In connection with railway carriage and like doors the method of operating
the lock from the interior of the carriage, consisting in fitting a lever quadrant or
equivalent organ to the lock spindle and operating same through a rod, chain, or
equivalent connection from a handle placed out of the reach of children, substan-
tially as herein described in reference to and by way of illustration shown under
several applications in the accompanying drawings.
5th. In connection with railway carriage and like doors, the combination com-
prising a lever, quadrant or like organ, a vertical rod with pin or slotted joint, and
an operating handle and recoil spring, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of January 1893.
HENRY WILLIAMS.