Improvements in Railway-carriages.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway-carriages.
I, ISAAC BER GÜNZBURG, of 36 Gozokhovaya Street, St. Petersburg, in the
Empire of Russia, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to passenger carriages which may be adapted for use as
sleeping carriages, the said carriages possessing the advantage that they contain the
same number of seats as the ordinary non-sleeping carriages of the same dimensions,
all places in the improved carriage being adapted for sleeping in a comfortable
manner and the construction of the sleeping arrangement being of the simplest and
least costly kind.
The use of sleeping carriages constructed according to the present invention
instead of the ordinary non-sleeping carriages, will not result in any loss to the
railway companies as they contain exactly the same number of places as the ordinary
carriages. The use of such carriages moreover may result in a profit to the said
companies if a small addition is made to the fare for the sleeping places, and in this
the passengers especially on long journeys will not undergo the inconvenience of
passing the night in an unnatural sitting, or at the best, in a reclining position.
The carriage constructed according to this invention has a lengthwise passage in
the middle on either side of which are arranged short two-seated benches, which
are arranged opposite each other with a space between them, each pair of benches
forming a separate compartment for four passengers, two on each bench. The com-
partments on either side of the passage are separated from each other by partitions
reaching either up to the ceiling or a little lower. In the latter case only the end
posts reach to the ceiling.
The following explanation refers to one separate compartment all the said com-
partments being alike.
On each of the benches are placed two boards, the surfaces of which are hollowed
out on the top side and plain underneath, and which are connected with the said
benches by hinges. When the boards are turned on their hinges, they fill up the
space between the benches and the free ends of the said boards fit upon the edge of
the opposite bench. The free ends of the said boards are provided with curved or
moulded edges corresponding to the curved or moulded edges of the opposite bench
so that when the boards are turned over, the top side of the benches together with
the boards form one horizontal surface with only a small hollow in one of the
benches made to render the seat more comfortable in day time. The hollow made
for the same purpose in the said boards is underneath, when these boards are turned
over as above described. The space between the partitions or the length of the
compartment composed of two places and the space between them, is such as to
permit a man freely to lie down.
The edges of the hinged boards instead of resting on the edge of the bench, can
be arranged to rest on a special slide bar fixed underneath the board.
Thus, when the hinged boards, serving as seats in day time, are turned over, two
sleeping places across the compartment are obtained.
Two separate boards are used in order to permit one passenger to lie down whilst
the other is sitting.
The height of the boards from the floor in the day time exceeds that of the bench
by the thickness of the said board. This small difference in height is even an
advantage, as the passengers can choose at pleasure a higher or lower place.
For the other two passengers of the compartment two sleeping places are arranged
above the aforesaid places. For this purpose to the partitions of the compartment

page_text: are hinged boards the breadth of which is such, that when they are turned up into
a horizontal position, their upper sides form one horizontal level surface, leaving a
small space between the ends of the boards. The said boards are kept in a hori-
zontal position on the front side next to the middle passage by vertical rods and on
the side next to the side of the car by pivoted rods for the hind boards and by the
slide bars for the front boards. Each of the vertical rods is fixed at one end to the
ceiling the other end being formed with a hook which in the day time is suspended
to the ceiling and at night fixed to the free ends of the boards. The pivotted rods
or thick plates are placed in a recess.made in the side of the car near the window
and turn on a horizontal axis till they reach a horizontal position. The slide bars
are fixed to the boards underneath at their front edges. After lifting the two
opposite boards next to the side of the car the same are fixed horizontally by means
of the rods. The two opposite front boards next to the middle passage are then
lifted and fixed horizontally by means of the rods.
Thus, when the boards are lifted, an upper sleeping apartment with a horizontal
surface is formed, where two passengers can lie down lengthwise exactly as in the
lower apartment.
The boards are made separate in order that in case only one passenger wishes to
lie down in the upper apartment it is only necessary to lift one pair of the boards.
The vertical rods near the side of the long passage at the same time prevent the
passengers who lie at the side nearest the said passage from falling out.
For facilitating the ascension to the upper apartment the elbow piece of the bench
may be used which is made of rod iron and ending at the top in a horizontal platform
which serves as a step, a bracket, fixed in the front edge of the partition, being used
to catch hold of while getting into the upper apartment. Standing on the bench
one foot is placed on the platform of the elbow piece and taking hold of the bracket.
with one hand and of the board with the other hand, it is very easy for the passenger
to get into the upper apartment. Moreover to the partition is fixed a thick iron
plate which turns on a horizontal axis into a horizontal position and serves as a step
for ascending to the upper apartment when the two boards facing each other next
to the side of the carriage alone are lifted. The front edges of the boards are
preferably rounded off.
To prevent shaking of the boards in the day time, they are fixed to the partitions
by hooks. One end of the hook is fixed to the partition by a bolt on which it can
pivot while the other end holds the board and presses it against the partition.
The shelves or instead thereof, hooks for the luggage are placed along the
partition or the sides of the carriage.
Dated this 24th day of September 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway-carriages,
I, ISAAC BER GÜNZBURG of 36 Gozokhovaya Street St. Petersburg in the
Empire of Russia, Engineer, 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 :-
-
This invention relates to passenger carriages which may be adapted for use as
sleeping carriages the said carriages possessing the advantage that they contain the
same number of seats as the ordinary non-sleeping carriages of the same dimensions,
all places in the improved carriage being adapted for sleeping in a comfortable
manner and the construction of the sleeping arrangement being of the simplest and
least costly kind.
The use of sleeping carriages constructed according to the present invention

page_text: instead of the ordinary non-sleeping carriages will not result in any loss to the
railway companies as they contain exactly the same number of places as the ordinary
carriages. The use of such carriages moreover may result in a profit to the said
companies if a small addition is made to the fare for the sleeping places and in this
the passengers, especially on long journeys, will not undergo the inconvenience of
passing the night in an unnatural sitting or at the best in a reclining position.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a plan of part of the improved carriage.
Figure 2 a longitudinal section taken on the line A. B. C. D.
Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line E. F. G. H. and
Figures 4. 5. 6. and 7 show details of construction.
The carriage constructed according to this invention has a lengthwise passage in
the middle on either side of which are arranged short two-seated benches which are
arranged opposite each other with a space between them, each pair of benches
forming a separate compartment for four passengers two on each bench. The com-
partments on either side of the passage are separated from each other by partitions
reaching either up to the ceiling or to within a short distance of the ceiling. In the
latter case only the end posts reach to the ceiling.
The following explanation refers to one separate compartment all the said com-
partments being alike.
On each of the benches are placed two boards band b' the surfaces of which are
hollowed out on the top side and plain underneath and which are connected with
the said benches by hinges o. When the boards are turned on their hinges they fill
up
the space between the benches and the free ends of the said boards fit upon the
edge of the opposite bench c. The free ends of the said boards & and b' are provided
with curved or moulded edges corresponding to the curved or moulded edges of the
opposite bench c as shown in Figure 4 so that when the boards 6 and 6' are turned
over the top side of the benches a together with the boards 6 and 6' form one hori-
zontal surface with only a small hollow in one of the benches c made to render the
seat more comfortable in day time. The hollow made for the same purpose in the
said boards 6 and 61 is underneath, when these boards are turned over as above
described as shown in Figure 2. The space between the partitions or the length of
the compartment composed of two places and the space between them is such as to
permit a man freely to lie down.
The edge of the hinged boards
and instead of resting on the edge of the
bench & can be arranged to rest on a special slide bar or bolt a fixed underneath the
board c as shown in Figure 5.
Thus when the hinged boards 6 and serving as seats in day time, are turned
over two sleeping places across the apartment are obtained.
Two separate boards band b' are used in order to permit one passenger to lie down
whilst the other is sitting.
The height of the boards and b¹ from the floor in the day time exceeds that of
the bench c by the thickness of the said board b. This small difference in height is
even an advantage as the passengers can choose at pleasure a higher or lower place.
For the other two passengers of the compartment two sleeping places are arranged
above the aforesaid places. For this purpose to the partition of the compartment
are secured by hinges o¹ two boards d and d' the breadth of which is such that when
they are turned up into a horizontal position, their upper sides form one horizontal
level surface, leaving a small space between the ends of the boards. The said
boards d and d' are kept in a horizontal position on the front side next to the middle
passage by vertical rods fand f' and on the side next to the side of the car by
pivoted rods g for the hind boards d and by the slide bars for the front boards d.
Each of the vertical rods fis fixed at one end to the ceiling the other end being
formed with a hook which in the day time is suspended to the ceiling and at night
fixed to the free ends of the boards. The pivoted rods or thick plates 9 are placed
in a recess made in the side of the car near the window and turn on a horizontal
axis till they reach a horizontal position. The slide bars h are fixed to the boards d..

page_text: underneath at their front edges as particularly shown in Figure 6.
After lifting
the two opposite boards d next to the side of the car the same are fixed horizontally
by means of the rods f and g. The two opposite front boards d' next to the
middle passage are then lifted and fixed horizontally by means of the rod f¹ and rod
or bolt h.
Thus, when the boards d and d' are lifted an upper sleeping apartment with an
horizontal surface is formed where two passengers can lie down lengthwise exactly
as in the lower apartment.
The boards d and d¹ are made separate in order that in case only one passenger
wishes to lie down in the upper apartment it is only necessary to lift one pair of the
boards.
The vertical rods fand f¹ near the side of the long passage at the same time
prevent the passengers who lie at the side nearest the said passage from falling out.
For facilitating the ascension to the upper apartment the elbow piece of the bench
may be used which is made of rod irou and ending at the top in a horizontal plat
form which serves as a step a bracket / fixed in the front edge of the partition being
used to catch hold of while getting into the upper apartment. Standing on the
bench a or c one foot is placed on the platform k of the elbow piece and taking hold
of the bracket with one hand and of the board with the other hand it is very easy
for the passenger to get into the upper apartment. Moreover to the partition is
fixed a thick iron plate p which turns on a horizontal axis into a horizontal position
and serves as a step for ascending to the upper apartment when the two boards
facing each other next to the side of the carriage alone are lifted. The front edges
of the boards d and d' are preferably rounded off.
9
To prevent shaking of the boards d and in the day time they are fixed to the
partitions by hooks q (Figures 3 and 7). One end of the hook is fixed to the
partition by a bolt on which it can pivot while the other end holds the board d and
presses it against the partition.
The shelves or instead thereof hooks for the luggage are placed along the
partition or the sides of the carriage.
The vertical rods f can if desired be arranged to hold the boards d d in the hori-
zontal position by engaging with the underside of the same for this purpose the
edges of the boards are provided with corresponding notches.
The said boards d d may be arranged to rest one upon the other when in the
horizontal position as in the lower apartment.
The step p can be constructed in any other suitable manner for instance by being
pivoted on a vertical instead of a horizontal axis and it can be placed against the
partition parallel with the same so as not to interfere with the comfortable sitting in
day time.
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 :-
First. In a railway carriage the combination of one or more benches facing each
other in a compartment with boards turning on hinges and having a concave surface
on one side and a plain surface on the other each of these boards serving for seats
when turned down on the bench to which it is fixed by hinges as well as for a
sleeping place for one of the passengers when turned over on the other side so that
its free end rests on the border of the opposite bench for which purpose both these
borders have corresponding shaped edges or the boards may rest on slide bars fixed-
underneath the opposite bench, the two benches facing each other and the movable
board forming one horizontal surface on which a passenger can freely lie down, so
that one half of the number of passengers of the compartment can easily lie down
lengthwise in the compartment.
Second. In a railway carriage the combination of each partition of a compartment
provided with suspended boards pivotted on hinges and of such a width that every
two boards (when lifted and held in a horizontal position by rods the front boards

page_text: resting on the hind ones) nearly touch each other and form one horizontal surface
on which a passenger can easily lie down steps provided for ascending to and
descending from this sleeping place and other steps on the partitions all arranged so
that the other half of the number of passengers of the compartment can easily lie
5 down lengthwise in this compartment.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.