IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WARMING AND VENTILATING RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT, to Edward Brown, of Aston, near Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Jewellers' Glasscutter, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WARMING AND VENTILATING RAILWAY
CARRIAGES "
Scaled the 18th February 1876, and dated the 3rd September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd September 1875.
•
I, EDWARD BROWN, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Jewellers' Glasscutter, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WARMING AND VEN-
TILATING RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in warming and ventilating railway carriages
by means of the waste steam and waste heat of the locomotive by which
the train is propelled, the said waste steam and waste heat being
utilized for the purpose of warming and ventilating by means of the
mechanical arrangements herein-after described.

page_text: Underneath each carriage, and constituting as it were a hollow
bottom to the carriage, I fix a flat metallic box or chamber mado of
copper or other metal or alloy not injuriously affected by steam and hot
air. This hollow bottom or flat metallic box or chamber may either be
fixed underneath the wooden floor or bottom of the carriage, or may
itself constitute the floor of the carriage. When it is fixed underneath
the wooden floor the said floor is perforated with small holes to allow of
the ascent into the carriage of the air heated by contact with the flat
metallic box, the said flat metallic boxes are open at their ends, and
when the train is made up the ends of the metallic boxes of the soveral
carriages are respectively connected by means of tubular connectors
with those of the adjacent carriages so as to establish a continuous
passage for steam and heated air underneath the carriages from one end
of the train to the other.
•
In order to effect the connection of the metallic boxes together I
employ tubular coupling pieces of a somewhat smaller size than tho
openings in the ends of the boxes. These coupling pieces have a collar
or socket of larger diameter at one end, by means of which they can be
attached to the boxes. The coupling piece attached to one box enters
the opening in the box of the next carriage. These coupling pieces are
applied after the coupling of the carriages together has been.cffected,
and as cach coupling piece is fixed to the flat metallic box of onc
carriage and slides in the open end of the metallic box of the next
carriage the lengthening and shortening of the train by the action of
the buffers does not affect the continuity of the communication between
the metallic boxes from one end of the train to the other.
In order to direct a current of steam and heated air from the loco-
motive through the said flat metallic boxes I fix a tube between the top
of the funnel or chimney of the locomotive and the flat metallic box of
the first carriage. The said tube is of sufficient diameter to transmit
with little resistance a current of steam and heated air from the funnel
to the first carriage. The said tube may be supported by the tender and
top of the funnel, and joins the top of the funnel at right angles or
nearly at right angles. That part of the said tubo which joins the top
of the funnel is open at its upper sido so as to leave the top of the
funnel in free communication with the atmosphere, but the said open
part is provided with a slide or valve by which it may be closed wholly
or to any required extent, thereby directing the whole or any desired

page_text: proportion of the steam and heated air from the funnel of the locomotive
underneath the carriages of the train. This slide or valve may be
worked by a lever or other equivalent contrivance, and when the opening
to which the slide or valve is applied is fully open the whole of the
steam and heated air passes into the atmosphere.
-
The heating of the hollow bottoms or flat metallic boxes of the
carriages not only effects the warming of the carriage, but by deter-
mining an ascending current of warm air also effects the ventilation of
the carriage whenever it is desired, as it is only necessary to provide an
outlet or an inlet and outlet for external air when the warmth of the
lower part of the carriage effects the rapid removal and renewal of the
air of the carriage.
The flat metallic boxes may be furnished with stop-cocks, at which
the water resulting from the condensation of the steam may be drawn
-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BROWN, of Aston, near Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Jewellers' Glasscutter, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Brown, Her special
license, that I, the said Edward Brown, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Brown, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WARMING AND VENTILATING RAILWAY CAR-
RIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Brown, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in warming and ventilating railway carriages
by means of the waste steam and waste heat of the locomotive by which
the train is propelled, the said waste steam and waste heat being
utilized for the purpose of warming and ventilating by means of the
mechanical arrangements hercin-after described.
Underneath cach carriage, and constituting as it were a hollow bottom
to the carriage, I fix a flat metallic box or chamber made of copper or
other metal or alloy not injuriously affected by steam and hot air. This
hollow bottom or flat metallic box or chamber may cither be fixed under-
neath the wooden floor or bottom of tho carriage, or may itself constitute
the floor of the carriage. When it is fixed underneath the wooden floor,
the said floor is perforated with small holes to allow of the ascent into
the carriage of the air heated by contact with the flat metallic box. :
The said flat metallic boxes are open at their ends, and when the train
is made up the ends of the metallic boxes of the several carriages arc
respectively connected by means of tubular connectors with those of the
adjacent carriages, so as to establish a continuous passage for steam and
heated air underneath the carriages from one end of the train to the
other.
In order to effect the connection of the metallic boxes together,
I employ tubular coupling picces of a somewhat smaller size than the
openings in the ends of the boxes. These coupling pieces have a collar
or socket of larger diameter at one end, by means of which they can be
attached to the boxes. The coupling piece attached to one box enters
the opening in the box of the next carriage. These coupling pieces are

page_text: applied after the coupling of the carriages together has been effected,
and as each coupling piece is fixed to the flat metallic box of one
carriage, and slides in the open end of the metallic box of the next
carriage, the lengthening and shortening of the train by the action of
the buffers does not affect the continuity of the communication between
the metallic boxes from one end of the train to the other.
Instead of metallic boxes tubes may be fixed in the hollow bottoms
of the carriages for a like purpose, the ends of the said tubes being
coupled together by elastic tubular connections.
In order to direct a current of steam and heated air from the
locomotive through the said flat metallic boxes I fix a tube near the
top of the funnel or chimney of the locomotive. The said tube joins
the funnel at right angles or nearly so, and is in communication with
the flat boxes or heating tubes underneath the carriages. The said tube
is provided with a slide or valve by which it may be closed wholly or to
any desired extent, thereby directing the whole or any desired portion of
the steam and heated air from the funnel of the locomotive underneath
the carriages of the train. This slide or valve may be worked by a lever
or other equivalent contrivance, and when the said slide or valve is in
its withdrawn position the whole of the steam and heated air passes
into the atmosphere.
Instead of employing a current of exhaust or waste steam and heated
air for warming the carriages as described, a current of exhaust or waste
steam only may be used. In this case the exhaust tube in the smoke box
of the locomotive is put into communication with the metallic boxes or
tubes in the bottoms of the carriages.
The heating of the hollow bottoms or flat metallic boxes of the
carriages not only effects the warming of the carriage, but by deter-
mining an ascending current of warm air, also effects the ventilating of
the carriage whenever it is desired, as it is only necessary to provide an
outlet or an inlet and outlet for external air when the warmth of the
lower part of the carriage effects the rapid removal and renewal of the
air of the carriage.
The flat metallic boxes and tubes may be furnished with stop-cocks,
at which the water resulting from the condensation of the steam may be
drawn off. Any solid deposit in them may be removed at their open
ends or caught in receptacles fixed to the boxes or tubes.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying
Drawing the manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation a locomotive engine provided with
apparatus constructed according to my Invention for directing a current
of exhaust steam and heated air to the pans, boxes, or tubes under the
carriages of the train; and Figure 2 represents a portion of the same in
longitudinal section. On the top of the boiler of the locomotive engine
and opening into the funnel a is a box or chamber b. Pipes, one of
which is marked c, are connected with this chamber and pass on either
side of the locomotive, and are put into communication with the heating
boxes or tubes under the carriages. In the chamber a sliding plate or
valvo d works, which plate or valve can at pleasure be projected into
the funnel a and over the exhaust steam pipe e or be drawn into the
said chamber b. The open bottom of the valve or plate d is pre-
sented to the top of the exhaust pipe e when the said valve is in its
advanced position, as represented in the Drawing. The front end of the
valve or plate d is curved, while its rear end is open to the box or
chamber b, as best seen in Figure 2.,
When it is wished to direct the current of exhaust steam and heated
air from the locomotive to the carriages the sliding valvo or plate d is
pushed from out the box or chamber into the funnel a, as represented
in the Drawing. When in this position a portion of the exhaust steam
issuing from the exhaust pipe e and a portion of the heated air rising in
the smoke box fare deflected by the curved end of the valve d into the
chamber or box 6, and from thence they pass by the side pipes c to the
boxes or tubes under the carriages. The course of the current of steam and
heated air is indicated by arrows. When the valve or plate d is drawn
into its box or chamber b the end of the said box or chamber bis closed
by the curved end of the said valve, and the whole of the exhaust steam
and heated air now escapes into the atmosphere by the funnel a. The
sliding valve or plate d is worked by the engine driver from the rod g
and hand wheel h, the said rod being connected by a swivel joint to the
cranked lever i, 2. The inner long arm of the lever i,, is slotted,
and a pin or stud k on the valve or plate d engages in the said slotted
arm of the lever, the said pin or stud k passing through a longitudinal
slot in the box or chamber b. By turning the rod g by means of the
hand wheel in one or other direction the valve or plate & may either.

page_text: be projected into the funnel a, as represented in Figure 2, or be drawn
into the box or chamber 6 so as to close the said box or chamber.
In the side pipes c on the locomotive are dust receptacles c³ for
receiving the dust discharged from the smoke box into the said pipes c.
The bottoms of the dust receptacles c² are provided with lids or flaps, by
opening which the dust may be removed.
Figure 3 represents in side elevation; and Figure 4 in cross section a
locomotive engine, to which apparatus, constructed according to my
Invention, is applied for directing a current of exhaust steam only into
the boxes or tubes under the carriages of the train. In this arrangement
I connect with the exhaust pipe e in the smoke box f of the locomotive
side pipes 1, 1, the inner ends of the said side pipes 1, 2, projecting
a short distance into the said exhaust pipe e (sco Figure 4). The
summits of the side pipes 1, 2, outside the smoke box fare furnished
with quick threaded screw valves at m, m, the valve cases or bodies
opening into the external side pipes n, n, and the latter are put in
communication with the boxes or tubes under the carriages. The screw
valves at m, m, are opened and closed by means of side rods p, p, and
levers p, p, on the locomotive. The inner ends of the said rods p, p,
are connected with cranked arms q, q, fixed on the valve plugs or
spindles. By moving the rods p, p, by their hand wheels p³ in one
direction the screw valves at m are opened and the exhaust steam from
the side pipes 7, 1, may be conducted by the external side pipes n, n, to
the boxes or tubes under the carriages, and by moving the rods p in the
opposite direction the said screw valves at m, m, may be closed and the
passage of exhaust steam cut off from the pipes n, n.
The carriages of the train may receive a preliminary heating before
the train proceeds on its journey by taking steam direct from the boiler
so as to conduct it to the boxes or tubes underneath the carriages.
This I effect by means of vertical pipes at " on each side of the loco-
motive connected to the horizontal side pipes n, n, the passage of
steam being controlled and cut off by the rods at & actuating screw
valves at t

page_text: on the outsides of the hollow bottoms of the said carriages. The parts
on either side the said boxes are covered in by plates. The heat from
the heated metallic boxes is radiated into the hollow bottoms of the
carriages, and the heated air ascends in the carriages through holes or
perforations at v, v, in the bottom boards of the said carriages. Over
the holes or perforations v, v, in the bottoms of the carriages is a
sliding perforated plate for the purpose of covering and uncovering at
pleasure the said holes at v, v. Each flat box u is provided with tubular
ends u³, and when the train is made up the said tubular ends u³ of the
metallic boxes u, u, of the several carriages are respectively coupled
together by tubular connections 10, w, of vulcanized india-rubber, in
which the tubular ends 2 of the boxes slide. One of the tubular
connections win combination with the tubular ends of the metallic boxes
is represented in section drawn to a larger scale in Figure 7. A
continuous passage for the steam and heated air, or steam only, is thus
established from end to end of the train, the tubular connections w
permitting by the sliding of the ends u² in them of the longthening and
shortening of the train.
Instead of tubular india-rubber connections, as last described, metallic
connections between the boxes of adjacent carriages, of the kind
represented in side elevation in Figure 8, and plan of under side and
section drawn to a larger scale in Figure 9, may be used.
* is the
metallic coupling piece, having a rectangular figure. The said coupling
piece is of a somewhat smaller size than the openings in the ends of the
boxes u, u. A flange or socket x² of larger diameter is made on the end
of the coupling piece x, by which it is connected to one of the boxes,
the other end of the coupling piece x entering and sliding in the open
end of the box on the adjoining carriage, as will be best understood
by an examination of the sectional view of Figure 9. The collar or
socket is connected to the box by pins and slots, as represented, the
slots in the socket being so large as to permit of a slight lateral motion
in the coupling piece x. Each of the metallic coupling pieces x is thus
fixed to the flat metallic box of one carriage and slides in the open end
of the metallic box of the next carriage, and the lengthening and
shortening of the train does not affect the continuity of the communi-
cation between the several metallic boxes from one end of the train to
the other.

page_text: Figure 10 represents in plan the under side of part of a railway
carriage provided with tubes instead of flat boxes. The said tubes are
marked y. The ends of these tubes on one carriage are connected to
the ends of the tubes on the adjoining carriages by tubular connections,
5 of the kind described and represented in Figures 5, 6, and 7.
The flat boxes u are provided with receptacles, as represented at u',
Figure 6, into which the condensed water from the steam passes, which
water may be removed from time to time by opening a stop-cock, or an
opening may be left at the bottom of the receptacle for the escape
) of the condensed water. When tubes y are used, as illustrated in
Figure 10, the condensed water may be removed from them by pendent
pipes on the said tubes.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but I claim as my Invention of improvements in apparatus
for warming and ventilating railway carriages,-
First. The construction and combination of the parts of apparatus
herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accom-
panying Drawing for conducting a mixture of exhaust or waste steam
and heated air from the locomotive engine to flat boxes or tubes under
the carriages of the train, the said flat boxes or tubes being constructed
and coupled together, substantially as hercin-before described and
illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly. The construction and combination of the parts of apparatus
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accom-
panying Drawing for conducting the exhaust or waste steam from the
locomotive engine to flat boxes or tubes under the carriages of the train,
the said flat boxes or tubes being constructed and coupled together
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, and 10 of the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The combination of the preliminary heating apparatus
represented in Figure 3, whereby steam is taken direct from the loco-

page_text: motive boiler, with any of the arrangements for heating and ventilating
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brown, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Six.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
EDWARD BROWN. (L.S.)