IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CLOSING, FASTENING, AND RELEASING CARRIAGE DOORS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Pickwell at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1879.
"
ROBERT PICKWELL, of Lowgate, Kingston upon Hull, in the County of York,
Civil Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CLOSING, FASTENING, AND
RELEASING CARRIAGE DOORS."
My Invention. consists in the closing, fastening, and unfastening or releasing of
the railway carriage doors of a train by any means of obtaining motive power
either by compressed air or other fluid, or atmospheric air acting against rarified
air or other fluid, or by means of vacuum or exhaust produced, by preference, as at
present in the working of brakes on railways, or by direct mechanical appliances.
My Invention has for its object, 1st, the prevention of accidents to passengers and
others whilst attempting to enter or alight from trains whilst in motion, falling out
of carriages and the present inconveniences of opening carriage doors from the
outside handles; 2nd, the decrease in the cost of labour to railway companies of
working passenger trains at stations, platforms, etc. In practising my Invention
I use any of the well known appliances for producing vacuum or exhaust, compressed
or rarified air, or other fluid, combined with mechanical appliances similar to those
now used for the purpose of working brakes on railways; but I use such appliances
for the distinct and separate purpose of closing all doors which have been left open
without the need of any porters on the platform to do this; securely fastening all
doors after closing the open ones, and unfastening or releasing all doors so that the
same may be open for exit of passengers at will.
The motive power is placed under the control of the guard or engine-driver or
both, by preference, and so arranged that the moment before starting the train all
the open doors are closed, and every door in the train fastened, and the moment
after the train has stopped all the doors in the train are released and free to be
opened at will, except in cases where the present ordinary lock can be used to keep
any of the doors permanently or for the time secured. The apparatus is arranged
to work automatically; should the carriage break away or accident occur the whole
doors would at once be released and be free to be opened at will. The improve-
ments can be performed by using either compressed or rarified air. Under each
carriage floor is fixed a cylinder provided with packed piston, springs, glands, &c., &c.,
and connected to a continuous air pipe coming from the engine and from end to

page_text: :
.
end of the train, provided with the usual and suitable couplings, cocks, valves, &c., &c.,
This cylinder-bas-piston rod-and-cross-head_working upon a crank shaft, which
by-suitable connecting cranks is again connected with a horizontal sliding bar-on-
each side of the carriage-under the floor, or similar position. Upon this sliding bar
are fitted stops-and-regulating springs, which actuate levers attached to each door
of the carriage. These levers are fixed at the under side of the carriage floor, or
similar position, and work round the centre of the hinge pin of the door. Upon the
carriage and rising from the bottom of the-same-is fixed a-strong_round hinge bar
upon which the door is partly hinged. Upon this upright bar is fixed one or more
strong studs, and corresponding notches are fixed to the door. This upright bar is
free to move in an opening direction without opening the door. Upon this upright.
bar and at about the level of the present door fastening or elsewhere is fitted an
arrangement worked by eccentric, cam, crank, or similar device, which by means of
a small connecting rod withdraws or advances the spring latch fastening on the
closing side of the door. This fastening apparatus is withdrawn so that the door
may be opened when the train is at rest, and by the action of the revolving upright
rod above referred to, the open doors are simultaneously closed and the fastener
advanced so that on being closed the door is securely fastened until the revolving
rod and latch is again withdrawn by the man in charge. To each carriage door
there may be fixed any ordinary spring latch with inside and outside handle, which
is always free to work so that the door may be opened or closed by hand whilst
standing in station. An indicator is proposed to be fitted, or bell struck, or similar
device, by preference, to indicate when the doors are fast and when they are free.
The present lock may be left on, so that the doors may be locked permanently or
otherwise when it is desirable. 2nd, I can also work my Invention by actuating
. similar mechanism by means of a vacuum or exhaust, or partial vacuum or exhaust,
or rarified air or other fluid. And by any other of the well known appliances with
their several valves, connections, injectors, regulators, cylinders, &c., or improve-
ments in the same in use for working brakes on railways, being under the control
of the guard or engine driver every carriage door in the train. 3rd, my Invention
can also be worked by applying direct mechanical connection from end to end of
the train, and brought my means of suitable levers, cranks, &c., under the control
of the engine driver or guard. The motive power can be derived from the revolu-
tion of the carriage wheels or from electricity. In each case, my means of the
regulating spring attached to the closing levers, the Invention provides for the
possibility of any door being accidentally jammed and kept partly open by a
passenger being trapped or other similar cause; in the act of closing in each case
the regulating spring will allow the closing levers to act precisely the same as if no
such obstruction existed, the spring being in this case more compressed at the
particular door thus detained, and as soon as the obstruction is removed this door
will at once be closed-and-fastened-the-same-as-all the other doors. This regulating
spring is attached so as to prevent the occurrence of any serious accident to
passengers whilst entering the carriages. When it is intended to work the
apparatus, the guard or engine driver, by means of a three way valve, cock, lever,
or similar device, at one operation immediately charges each of the cylinders, sacks,
or similar apparatus under each carriage floor, which at once act on the sliding rod,
levers, and eccentrics, &c., and carry with them the levers and upright hinge rod in
a closing direction. In the act of closing, these rods and notches meet with all
doors which have been left open and close the same; by the same motion the
eccentric or crank arrangement for fastening the doors is worked, and the spring or
other latch is pushed forward into position so that when the door closes the latch
at once securely fastens all the doors that were left open, and also all doors that
were closed but not fast. The moment 'all the doors are thus secured the train
starts, and every door in the train is fastened beyond the control of any one
excepting the guard or engine driver. When the train arrivés at the next station
platform, and immediately the train has stopped, the guard or engine driver, by
means of the valve, cock, lever, or similar device, relieves the pressure; the 'lever
}
"

page_text: under the carriage floor withdraws the sliding rod, also turns the upright rod and
eccentric, and withdraws the latch fastening of every door in the train and leaves
the whole of the carriage doors free to be opened. The apparatus is also automatic
in so far as releasing is concerned, that in case of a break away or similar accident
all the doors are at once released and left free to be opened at will. In any case,
my Invention can be worked by using any of the well known modes and apparatus
of producing motive power with all their several appliances of valves, pipes, cocks,
cylinders, sacks, levers, &c., used for the working of brakes on railways, and I claim
the use of each or any or all of the same for the purpose of working this my
Invention exclusively. The above are examples of how my Invention may be
worked, but I do not bind myself to any one or each of the same above described,
and declare that my Patent is for the closing and fastening of all doors and the
releasing of the same by an apparatus under the control of the engine driver or
guard.