IMPROVE- MENTS IN BOTTOM DOOR FASTENERS FOR WAGONS."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Roberts, of Horbury, near Wakefield, in the
County of York, Railway Wagon Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BOTTOM DOOR FASTENERS FOR WAGONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1878.
'
CHARLES ROBERTS, of Horbury, near Wakefield, in the County of York, Rail-
way Wagon Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTOM DOOR FASTENERS FOR
WAGONS."
The object of my Invention is to obtain greater security than heretofore to the
bottom doors of railway or other wagons, and an easier means of fastening the
sane, preventing thereby the door or doors from becoming unfastened and falling
down; also the breaking of the same whilst the wagon is in motion, and producing
a self-acting fastener simple and effective in its operation.
My Invention is applicable to shipping or other wagons having a door or doors at
the bottom.
▲ convenient way of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows:-For
wagons having a door or doors hinged on one side I provide a hanging lever carried
in suitable bearings on the framework of the wagon, and, when required, may be
weighted at its end; on this hanging lever is provided a projecting part in which a
catch pin attached to the door is held when the door is closed.
In order to prevent the hanging lever slipping away, and thereby releasing the
catch pin of the door from the projecting part on the lever itself, I provide another.
lever weighted at one end and carried in suitable bearings on the framework; this
lever works transversely and behind the hanging lever, and a projection thereon,
which may be adjustable, wedges or presses against another projection on the
hanging lever, and fixes it in position.
In order to relieve or unfasten the door I raise the weighted lever away from the
projection on the hanging lever, which leaves the hanging lever at liberty to be

page_text: drawn outwards, releasing the catch, thereby allowing the door to open or fall.
After this hanging lever is drawn out, it and the weighted lever are, when preferred,
arranged to lock each other, so that the door or doors may be closed without inter-
fering with the levers, and, when closed, the lovers may be allowed to drop into
position.
When the door or doors are hinged to the sides of the wagon frames instead of
at the middle (which is the usual way a similar arrangement may be employed and
connected together for the more convenient working of the same by suitable inter-
mediate levers and rods.
These fasteners are applicable to wagons with bottom doors hinged at the top of
framework as well as at the bottom of the framework.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
October 1878.
CHARLES ROBERTS, of Horbury, near Wakefield, in the County of York, Rail-
way Wagon Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTOM DOOR FASTENERS FOR
WAGONS.'
The object of my Invention is to obtain greater security than heretofore to the
bottom doors of railway or other wagons, and an casier means of fastening the
same, preventing thereby the door or doors from becoming unfastened and falling
down; also the breaking of the same whilst the wagon is in motion, and producing
a self-acting fastener simple and effective in its operation.
My Invention is applicable to shipping or other wagons having a door or doors at
the bottom.
A convenient way of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows:-For
wagons having a door or doors hinged on one side I provide a hanging lever carried
in suitable bearings on the framework of the wagon, and, when required, may be
weighted at its end; on this hanging lever is provided a projecting part on which a
catch pin attached to the door is held when the door is closed.
In order to prevent the hanging lever slipping away, and thereby releasing the
catch pin of the door from the projecting part on the lever itself, I provide another
lever weighted at one end and carried in suitable bearings on the framework; this
lever works transversely and behind the hanging lever, and a projection thercon,
which may be adjustable, wedges or presses against another projection on the
hanging lever, and fixes it in position.
In order to relieve or unfasten the door I raise the weighted lever away from the
projection on the hanging lever, which leaves the hanging lever at liberty to be
drawn outwards, releasing the catch, thereby allowing the door to open or fall.
After this hanging lever is drawn out, it and the weighted lever are, when preferred,
arranged to lock each other, so that the door or doors may be closed without inter-..

page_text: fering with the levers, and, when closed, the levers may be allowed to drop in
position.
When the door or doors are hinged to the sides of the wagon frames instead of
at the middle (which is the usual way) a similar arrangement may be employed and
connected together for the more convenient working of the same by suitable inter-
mediate levers and rods.
These fasteners are applicable to wagons with bottom doors hinged at the top of
framework as well as at the bottom of the framework.
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood reference
is given to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and marks
theroon.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of part of a wagon with fastoner applied thereto;
Figure 2, a side elevation; Figure 3, a plan; Figure 4, a transverse section ; and
Figure 5, a plan of a modification of the same.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal elevation of wagon with apparatus attached.
Figure 7 is a plan looking at top of framework forming the lower part of wagon
also with apparatus attached.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 shew arrangement of apparatus applied to the wagon door
hinged on one side and opening towards the centre.
a is the wagon door, which is hinged on one side at b, and as near as convenient
to the centre of the wagon, and opening towards that centre in the direction shewn
by dotted lines, I provide a hanging lever c carried in suitable bearings & and
secured to the framework e; this hanging lever c may be weighted, when required,
at its end f, and is provided with a projecting part g, on which a catch pin /
mounted on an arm i attached to the door a is held when the door is closed, as
shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3.
In order to prevent the hanging lever c slipping away, and thereby releasing the
catch pink from the projecting part g, I provide the lever j, which is weighted at
It will be seen
the end and carried in suitable bearing on the framework e.
that the lever j is provided with the projection m, which, when preferred, may be
adjustable. When the door is closed the lever j drops behind the hanging lever c
into the position shewn, and projecting part m coming in contact with another
projecting part n on the hanging lever c retains it securely, supporting the catch
pink, preventing thereby the door a from opening.
In order to relieve or unfasten the door I raise the weighted lever j clear of the
projection n on the hanging lever c, which leaves it at liberty to be drawn outwards
in the direction shewn by arrow, thus relieving the catch pin h, and thereby allowing
the door to fall open. After this hanging lever c is relieved from the catch pin h as
described, it and the weighted lever j, when preferred, are arranged to lock each
other in such a position that the door a may be closed without interfering with
them, and when closed the levers c and j are allowed to drop into the position
shewn.
A modification is shewn at Figures 4 and 5, in which the door opens from the
centre toward the outer framework, and are hinged at o to the side framework e of
the wagon.
A similar arrangement of hanging lever is shown at p, and also of a weighted
lever g, to those herein-before described. The door is supported, when closed, by
the catch lever or tumbler 7, which is of ordinary construction; this catch lever or
tumbler is worked by means of connecting rod 8,which is attached to the hanging
lover at t by ordinary means. The projections u and v on the levers p and q are of
a similar construction, and for the same purpose as those herein-before described for
levers c and J.
?"
It will be seen from Drawings that the lever q is brought outside the framework,
consequently a connection is made with the inside through pin or shaft w and
lever, on which lever the projection u is provided. In this arrangement the
levers are relieved from each other in a similar manner to that described for Figures
1, 2, and 3, and the door a liberated and allowed to fall.

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 shew my door-fastening apparatus applied to wagons with two
doors, such apparatus being marked with corresponding letters to those on Figures
1, 2, and 3.
It will be readily understood that the above-described arrangements can be
modified in various ways to suit various kinds or construction of wagons without
departing from my Invention; but what I claim is, the application of a banging
lever in combination with a weighted lever and parts connected therewith, with
modifications of the same for the purpose of preventing the hanging lever slipping
away, and thereby releasing the catch pin of the door, all operating substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Roberts, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
C. ROBERTS. (L.S.)