Improvements in Obtaining Lavatory or Closet Accommodation in Railway Carriages.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept.,
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Obtaining Lavatory or Closet Accommodation in
Railway Carriages.
I, THOMAS FEWSDALE CRAVEN, of 27 Westbourne Road, Sheffield, in the County of
York, Railway Carriage Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved lavatory for railway carriages whereby space
is greatly economised, and it consists in forming a closet by taking one seat from
one corner of each compartment, partitioning it in the ordinary way and giving it a
door at each end. I connect the cover of the pan of this closet with each door so
that the lifting of the cover secures both, the lowering of the same leaving both doors
again free.
I am thus enabled to make one pan serve two compartments of a railway carriage,
and I do not form any projection in either compartiment beyond the width of the
seats.
I may find it preferable to form the closet for each two compartments on opposite
sides of the carriage.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Obtaining Lavatory or Closet Accommodation in
Railway Carriages.
I, THOMAS FEWSDALE CRAVEN, of 27 Westbourne Road, Sheffield, in the County
of York, Railway Carriage Builder, 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:
This invention relates to an improved lavatory for railway carriages whereby space
is greatly economised, and it consists in forming a closet by taking one seat from
one corner of each compartment, partitioning it in the ordinary way and giving it a
door at each end. I connect the cover of the pan of this closet with each door so
that the lifting of the cover secures both, the lowering of the same leaving both
doors again free.
I am thus enabled to make one pan serve two compartments of a railway
carriage, and I do not form any projection in either compartment beyond the width
of the seats. I may find it preferable to form the closet for each two compartments.
on opposite sides of the carriage.
To secure absolute privacy and prevent the possibility of intrusion from one com-
partment of the carriage to another I may also provide a movable or sliding partition
above the closet seat and reaching to the roof of the carriage or nearly so.
The accompanying sheets of Drawing show a closet of my Invention.
Figure 1 being a general plan view of a Railway Carriage with closet of my inven-
tion and
Figure 2 a plan view of the Closet drawn to an enlarged scale.
A indicating a movable partition.
A slide in which same travels.

page_text: Estud upon which D works to secure lock F.
Flock operated by rods G.
Grods connecting cover B with lock F upon each door.
H lavatories.
I valve for supplying water to closets.
KK closet doors.
A person entering the closet at K meets the partition A which he pushes, sliding
it over the closet until the cover B is free to lift; he then raises this cover thereby
causing the rods G to turn and operate the lock F which simultaneously secures both
doors, a plate upon the outside of the lock indicating in each compartment that the
closet is engaged."
In order that the person may leave the Closet it is necessary that the lid B be
lowered to its normal position thereby freeing each lock the indicating plate of which
then displays the word "disengaged."
"
Upon a person entering at K it is simply necessary to slide the partition A back
to the position indicated by dotted lines upon the drawing and the closet may be
again used in the manner above described.
I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the use of any particular
connections, using such as may in practice find preferable, and my movable partition
may or may not be used, as may be desired; the closet and lavatory fittings may be
such as are in ordinary use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In Railway Carriages, a closet formed by taking one seat from one corner of
each compartment and giving it a door at each end, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In a closet for Railway Carriages having a door at each end as hereinbefore
described, connecting the cover of the closet with each door so that the lifting
of this cover shall secure both doors, substantially as described for the purpose
specified.
3. A closet for Railway Carriages, constructed and arranged to operate substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty second day of July 1889.