An Improved Railway Car or other like Vehicle.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Railway Car or other like Vehicle.
I, ALBERT BIERSTADT, of 1271 Broadway, New York, County and State of
New York, United States of America, Artist, 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:-
The principal object of my invention is to provide a railway car or other like
vehicle, the walls and roof of which may be extended, together with mechanism
for raising and lowering said parts whereby the car may be enlarged to such an
extent as to be suitable for a church, a chapel, a theatre, and for the purposes of
lecturing, exhibiting pictures or other articles, camping out etc.
A further object of my invention is to provide a railway car or other like
vehicle of the character described in which pictures or other articles to be
exhibited may be shipped without injury and without the necessity of rehanging
or rearranging when it is desired to exhibit them.
My invention consists in providing a vehicle with sides or walls which are made
to extend and preferably to unfold so as to form an enlargement of the body of
the car for the purposes described; in providing within said walls space for
transporting pictures or other articles to be exhibited; in so constructing and
arranging said walls that they may be connected and joined to the corresponding
parts of a similar car for the purposes described; and in providing mechanism for
moving the various extensible parts of the car.
The invention is shown and described as applied to a railway car.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a car in section, showing the roof raised and
the sides partly unfolded.
Fig. 2 is a view of a transverse section taken on the line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view of a transverse section of the car with the roof lowered and
the sides closed.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a section of a modification with the sides partly
unfolded.
Fig. 5 is a view of a transverse section taken on the line x-x of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a view of a transverse section of the same with the sides closed.
Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a further modification showing two cars joined
together.
Figs. 8 and 9 are views of a transverse section of the same with the sides
closed.
Fig. 10 is an end view of a transverse section of a still further modification with
the sides closed and the extensible roof lowered.
Fig. 11 is a view of a transverse section of the same with the sides unfolded
and the extensible roof raised.
Fig. 12 is an end view of a transverse section of a still further modification with
the sides closed and the extensible roof lowered.
Fig. 13 is an end view of a transverse section of the same with the sides unfolded
and the extensible roof raised.
Fig. 14 is an end view of a section of my preferred form of car and mechanism
for moving the various parts.
Fig. 15 is a view of the same with the sides and roof extended.
Fig. 16 is a plan view of operating mechanism under the car.

page_text: a detail plan view of a portion of the end of the car.
Figs. 18 and 19 are sections of the posts which support the roof when the car
is closed and opened respectively.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawings, A denotes the ordinary car truck provided with
wheels B. C denotes the Hoor of the car, attached to the trucks in the usual
manner, D the end walls, E the doors and F windows of ordinary construction.
Gare posts forming supports for the upper portion of the car body.
a-a denote portions of the side wall, hinged to the floor which when opened and
moved outwardly on their hinges form a wing or extension floor; b-b denote
chains attached to the portions a and passed over a pulley or drum c (Fig. 1, 4
and 7) to the windlass d, by means of which or any other suitable mechanism, the
portions a are lowered and raised and held in position when extended or unfolded.
In Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive a different mechanism is used to operate the parts a
which will be more fully described hereafter. e-e denote portions of the side
walls hinged to the posts G, which when extended outwardly on their hinges form
the end wall of the wing or extension.
- denote portions of the side wall which when swung outwardly form the
side wall of the wing or extension. This part may be hinged to the part e as
shown in Figs. 1 and 10 or it may be similarly attached to the parts a, as shown in
Figs. 4 and 7. The parts e and fare omitted from the drawings in Figs. 12 and. 13,
these figures being intended to illustrate more particularly mechanism for raising
and lowering the extensible roof and floor.
yg denote portions of the side wall which when extended form the wing or
extension roof, and when closed and held in place by any suitable means, form the
outer sides of the car.
denotes the roof proper of the car; this roof may be extensible as shown in
Figs. 1, 10 and 12 or stationary as shown in Figs. 4 and 7.
Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the roof may be raised and lowerel by
means of the rack k and pinion secured to the posts G, or by any other suitable
means and when raised is held in position by said rack and pinion and also by the
extensions g of the posts G.
The operation of enlarging the car is as follows:
The part g is raised, the part a, lowered the proper distance by means of the
chain b, pulley e and windlass d; the portion e, turned outwardly on its hinges
until at right angles with the posts G; then the part fis similarly turned until it
is at right angles to the part e; the part g is then lowered till its outer edge re-ts
upon the part f.
are
Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the posts
provided at their upper ends with grooves g2 through which the racks k move when
operated by the pinion . The outer sides of the roof are slotted to permit the
glass n attached to the racks, to slide up and down with it, for admitting light.
o is a rod of iron attached to the top of the racks, to which rod the portion g is
binged.
p is a strip of wood secured at right angles to the portion a to which is hinged
the portion f
p is another strip of wood secured at right angles to the portion f. These
strips serve as a guard to prevent the parts a and f from striking together, thereby
preventing damage to the pictures or other articles which may be attached to the
portion f.
The operation in enlarging this modification is substantially the same as hereto
fore described with the exception that the part fis turned outwardly and upward
on its hinges until at right angles to the part a, instead of as above described.
Referring now to the Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the roof his provided with a tower or
steeple which is made of telescopic parts and operated by means of the rack k
and pinion 2. To the upper end of the posts G are attached a rack k and
pinion, for extending the portion 9 for admitting more light.

page_text: The part 9 may be provided with an extension piece 9 made preferably of glass,
which with the corresponding portion of a similar car produces a higher roof for
the extended structure.
The floor of the extended structure may be supported by braces g.
The structure may also be provided with a second story fitted into the
channels in the posts G and supported by the braces t. v denote seats which
fold up when the car is closed and wa folding staircase leading to the second
story.
This modification is extended as follows:
The portions g-g with extensions are raised until the edges of the extension
pieces abut to form the roof, and the parts a-a lowered as heretofore described.
The second story is then placed in position and braces or supports placed under it,
the floor and the roof. The parts g-g not already raised are then raised; the
remaining parts a-a lowered, the parts fraised to a perpendicular position and
parts gg lowered until they rest upon the part f; the part e is then turned
outwardly to form the end wall. The tower or steeple is raised by the means
above described and the ends of the structure remaining open, closed with canvas
or other suitable material.
Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11, the racks k which support the roof move up
and down within the posts G. y denotes a beam secured to the posts G, to which
are fastened the shafts and pulleys for raising or lowering the roof and
simultaneously lowering or raising the parts a.
The roof is raised by means of the racks k and pinion, the latter being
rigidly attached to the shaft 13. m' is the end wall of the extensible roof and
when not raised takes the position shown in Fig. 10. n' are supports for the top
of the roof resting upon the beam o¹.
have also
u', b, c, d, e and are intermeshing pulleys
a, b, c, d, and f. The shafts & and
sprocket wheel a over which and the sprocket wheel
to the shaft 3, an endless chain passes.
rigidly attached to shafts
rigidly attached to them a
which is rigidly attached
The operation of this mechanism is as follows:
When power is transmitted to the shafts e' and" in the direction indicated by
the arrows (Fig. 10), the shafts are, through the intermeshing pulleys aud
connections above referred to, rotated outwardly, thereby causing the racks k to
move upwardly and thus raise the extensible roof and thereby cause the chain b to
unwind from a drum which is securely attached to the shaft 13. This permits the
portions a-a to swing outwardly on their hinges simultaneously with the raising
or lowering of the extensible rouf so as to finally assume the horizontal position
shown in Fig. 11; the overlapped parts g-y shown hinged to the top of the
extensible roof, yielding sufficiently to allow of this movement when the extensible
roof portion is raised.
Referring now to Figs. 12 and 13, m2 is a brace attached to the upper parts of
the posts G. n are 1osts connected at their upper ends by the beams n³ on which
are fastened the shafts n n and drums cc; k denote racks supporting the roof
and adapted to slide within the posts w and a pinion attached to the shaft n' by
means of which with their connections, the extensible roof together with the
parts 9 are raised or lowered simultaneously with the lowering or raising of the
parts a.
The operation is as follows:
When power is applied to the shafts n', the racks are caused to be raised and
thus raise the extension rool, also cause the chains b to unwind from the drums c, c,
and thus lower the parts a and at the same time raise the part 9 which moves
upwardly as it is attached to the extensible roof and also outwardly by means
of the lever which also acts as a brace when the wing roof is extended.
Referring now to Figs. 14 to 19 inclusive, the numerals 1 and 2 denote gear
wheels and 3 is a worm connected with the wheel 2 and the cross head 4 sliding in
the guide 5 and 6-6 denote ropes or chains extending from each side of said

page_text: cross head. 7-7 and 8-8 are pulleys. 9 denotes a cross head and 10-10 ropes or
chains connecting said cross heads with the posts g', running over pulleys 11-11.
12 denotes a rope secured to the floor of the car, passing over pulleys 13-13-13
and connected to the roof g. 14 denote beams sliding in the top of the extensible
roof.
15 and 16 denote gear wheels and 17 a worm connected with the wheel 16 and
passing through the cross head 18 hetween the double rod 19. 20 denotes another
cross head and 21 a pulley attached thereto. These cross heads 18 and 20 slide in
the guides 22.
23 denotes a rope or chain attached to the floor A of the car and passing around
the pulley 21 thence around the pulleys 24-24 and 25 and adapted to pass around
the pulley 26 and also adapted to be connected with either the outer end of the
extension floor a or the upper portion of the sides / according as to whether it is
desired to raise the part a or the part f as the case may be.
27 and 28 denote keys by which the gear wheels are operated.
The operation of this mechanism is as follows:
The gear wheels 1 and 2 are operated by turning the key 27, which causes the
cross head 4 to be drawn toward the center of the car by means of the worm 3 ;
this causes the rope 6 which runs over the pulleys 7 and 8 to pull the cross head 9
and the ropes 10-10 running over the pulleys 11-11 down, thereby raising the
extensions g of the posts G and thus raising the extensible roof. By this operation
the braces or beams 14 are gradually forced outwardly owing to the tension on the
rope 12 which at the same time gradually raises the roof y.
The gear wheels 15 and 16 are operated by turning the key 28, which causes
the cross heads 18 and 20 to be drawn towards the center of the car by means of
the worm 17 this causes the rope 23 by means of intermediate pulleys 24-24
and 25 to lower or raise the portion a when it is connected thereto; when,
however, said rope 23 is connected to the part f and the worm 17 is operated,
the part is raised or lowered by means of this rope and the intermediate
pulleys 24-24-25 and 26.
The operation of closing the car and its modifications is the reverse of that in
opening it.
All the various modifications of the car are preferably made in three sections,
so that the various parts may be more easily moved into position, and may be made
of material ordinarily used in the construction of Pullman cars and preferably of
the size of said cars.
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. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall or walls
com sed in part of a portion adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly to form
a wing floor and a portion adapted to swing outwardly and in a direction at right
angles to the said floor, substantially as described.
2. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall or walls
composed in part of a portion adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly to form
a wing floor and means for raising, lowering and supporting said swinging portion,
a portion adapted to swing outwardly and in a direction at right angles to the said
floor, a portion adapted to swing outwardly from and in a direction at right angles
to said fast mentioned swinging portion, and a portion adapted to swing outwardly
and upwardly to form a wing roof, substantially as described.
3. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and means
for raising and lowering said roof and a side wall or walls composed in part of a
portion adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly to form a wing floor, substan-
tially as described.
4. A railway car or other like vehicle having a side wall composed of swinging
portions and an extensible roof, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. A railway car or other like vehicle having a side wall composed of outwardly
Swinging portions and an extensible roof, substantially as described.
6. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and a
side wall or walls composed in part of a swinging portion, substantially as
described.
7. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall or walls
composed in part of a portion adapted to swing outwardly from the floor of the car
to form a wing floor and a portion attached to and adapted to swing upwardly from
said swinging portion substantially as described.
8. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall or walls
composed in part of a portion adapted to swing downwardly and outwardly from
the floor of the car to form a wing floor, a portion attached to said swinging
portion at its upper end when folded, and extending inwardly at right angles
thereto, a portion adapted to swing upwardly from said last mentioned
portion and having attached to its lower end when folded a portion extending
outwardly at right angles thereto, a portion adapted to swing upwardly and in a
direction at right angles to the roof of the car to form a wing roof and a portion
adapted to swing in a direction at right angles to the wing floor, substantially as
described.
9. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall or walls
composed in part of a portion adapted to swing upwardly from and in a direction
at right angles to the roof of the car to form a wing roof and means for extending
the same upwardly from the roof, substantially as described.
10. A railway car or other like vehicle having a side wall composed of swinging
portions adapted when opened or unfolded to form a wing and when closed to form
a space or casing adapted to hold a picture or other like article, substantially as
described.
11. A railway car or other like vehicle having a side wall composed of outwardly
swinging portions adapted when opened or unfolded to form a wing floor and when
closed to form a space or casing adapted to hold a picture or other like article, and
an extensible roof, substantially as described.
12. A railway car or other dike vehicle provided with a side wall composed of,
swinging portions adapted to be joined to the corresponding swinging portions
of a side wall of a similar car to form a structure as and for the purposes
described.
13. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a side wall composed of
parts adapted to be joined to the corresponding parts of a side wall of a similar car
to form a structure as and for the purpose described.
14. The combination of two railway cars or other like vehicles, a part of the side
wall of one being joined to a part of the side wall of the other, to form a structure,
as and for the purposes set forth.
15. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and a
side wall or walls composed in part of an outwardly and downwardly swinging
portion to form a wing floor and adapted to be moved simultaneously with the
raising or lowering of the extensible roof, substantially as described.
16. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and a
side wall or walls composed in part of a swinging portion adapted to be moved
simultaneously with the raising or lowering of the extensible roof, an upwardly
swinging portion and a portion adapted to swing outwardly and at right angles to
the car.
17. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and a
side wall or walls composed in part of an outwardly and downwardly swinging
portion to form a wing floor and adapted to be moved simultaneously with the
raising or lowering of the extensible roof and means for producing such simultaneous
result, substantially as described.
18. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof and a

page_text: wing roof, adapted to be raised or lowered simultaneously with the raising or
lowering of said extensible roof, substantially as described.
19. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof, a wing
roof adapted to be raised or lowered simultaneously with the raising or lowering of
said extensible roof and means for producing such simultaneous action, substantially
as described.
20. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with an extensible roof, a wing
roof, adapted to be raised or lowered simultaneously with the raising or lowering
of aid extensible roof, an outwardly swinging portion adapted to form a wing floor
and to be lowered or raised simultaneously with the raising or lowering of said
extensible roof and wing roof, and means for producing such simultaneous action,
substantially as described.
21. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a roof which is capable of
being raised, and with one or more side walls that are composed partly of hinged
portions capable of being raised to form wing roofs on the lower sides, in
combination with:-two gear wheels gearing one with the other; means for
operating one of the same, and suitable means actuated by the other wheel for
operating ropes or chains attached to the extensible roof and also to the said
movable portions of the side walls, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
22. A railway car or other like vehicle provided with a roof which is capable of
being raised, and whose side walls are partly composed of portions hinged on their
upper edges and capable of being raised to form wing roofs on the lower sides,
said vehicle comprising operating mechanism such as the gear wheels 1 and 2
(Figs. 14 to 19 inclusive) and the worm 3 adapted to act (by means of a crosshead
such as 4 sliding in suitable guides) upon repes such as 6 passing over pulleys 7, 8,
a crosshead 9 connected by ropes 10 passing over pulleys 11 to the uprights that
carry the roof of the vehicle, and a rope such as 12 attached at one end to the floor
of the vehicle, and which, after having passed over pulleys 13 mounted at the ends
of movable cross beams 14 sliding in the top of the roof of the vehicle, is attached
at its other end to the portions which are hinged and are adapted to form wing
roofs such as g (Figs. 14 to 19), the whole with the object of raising the movable
central roof whilst raising at the same time the said movable portions g on the
lower sides for the purpose of forming wing-roofs, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
23. A railway car or other like vehicle comprising one or more side walls partly
composed of portions which are capable of swinging downwardly and outwardly so
as to form a wing floor on each side of the main floor, and of other portions hinged
to the first named portions and adapted to swing upwardly and outwardly
perpendicularly to the said floor so as to form the lateral partitions or walls of the
extended or enlarged car, substantially as described, in combination with gear
wheels and means for operating the same, a worm actuated by one of the gear
wheels and operating suitably guided movable crossheads, one of which carries
a pulley over which passes a rope that is attached at one end to the floor of the car
and that, after passing over suitable guide pulleys, is connected either to the
outer end of the said portion which is adapted to form the wing floor on the lower
side of the extended vehicle, or to the upper edge of the extensible portions
designed to constitute the side partitions or walls of the extended car, the whole
with the object of lowering or raising the said portions, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
24. A railway car or the like vehicle, whose side walls are partly composed of
portions capable of swinging down so as to lengthen the floor, and of other portions
capable of being raised perpendicularly to the first-named portions so as to
constitute side partitions or walls at the ends of the (by this means) lengthened or
extended floor, the said vehicle comprising means consisting substantially of a rope
such as 23 (Figs. 14 to 19) passing over pulleys such as 24, 24, and 25, and capable

page_text: of passing over a pulley 26, movable crossheads 18 and 20, upon une (20) of which
there is mounted a pulley 21 over which the rope 23 also passes, said rope being
attached at one of its ends to the fixed floor of the vehicle, and at its other end
either to one or to the other of the aforesaid extensible portions, according to the
circumstances of the case, and also of operating mechanism such as the gear
wheels 15, 16, and the crank handles or keys 28 for operating the crossheads 18
and 20, for the purpose of lowering, and raising the said extensible portions,
substantially as described herein before.
25. A railway car or the like vehicle, provided with a roof capable of being
raised, and with one or more side walls composed partly of portions capable of
being raised so as to form wing roofs at the sides of the main roof, and partly of
portions capable of being swung downward so as to lengthen the floor, and to
which there are movably jointed other portions capable of being raised so as to
form side walls at the sides of the floor thus lengthened, in combination with means
for raising the main roof, whilst at the same time raising on the sides of the latter
the portions designed to form the wing roofs, and with means for swinging down
the portions designed to lengthen the floor, as also for raising the extensible
portions designed to constitute the side walls of the extended or enlarged car, the
whole substantially as herein before described and as illustrated in Figs. 14 to 19
inclusive of the accompanying drawings, and for the purposes set forth.
البهي
1000
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.