IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY. CARRIAGES AND IN RAILWAY BREAKS AND SIGNALS, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO MARINE PURPOSES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Petitjean and
Edward M'Nally at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 2nd August 1865.
WILLIAM HENRY PETITJEAN, of the City of Manchester, Gentleman,
5. and EDWARD MONALLY, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of tho said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
RAILWAY. CARRIAGES AND IN RAILWAY BREAKS AND SIGNALS, PART OF WHICH IS
APPLICABLE TO MARINE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
.Our improvements in the construction of railway carriages consist in
making high doors with windows between the compartments of railway
carriages,-the. said doors are placed in the middle of the carriage, and they
reach from the seat to the roof or thereabouts, the windows are covered with
curtains. In case of danger or attempt at violence the person attacked can
call the attention of passengers in the adjoining compartments by striking the
5 door or breaking the window, and when the door is fastened it may easily be
broken through to afford access to the compartment in which the violence is
being attempted.
Another part of our Invention consists in making the foot boards, which
extend the whole length of the carriage, to project beyond the ends thereof,
and in making hand rails all along the carriage excepting at the doors, and
projecting beyond the ends thereof, to assist the guard or other person moving

page_text: along the train when in motion. The projecting ends of the foot boards and
hand rails may be made to hinge back if required.
Our improvements in railway breaks consist in an improved combination
of gearing and springs for accumulating power to press the break blocks
against the wheels when it is desirable to retard or stop a train of railway
carriages. Ou the tender or in the guard's van is a shaft, with a worm
gearing into a wheel, the boss of which forms a nut taking into a screw on a
horizontal shaft, the ends of which are coupled by a double swivel hook or
other suitable coupling to a similar shaft attached to the adjoining carriages.
The breaks are connected as usual to a rocking shaft, to which is fixed a lever,
which is held on one side by a stop piece connected to the horizontal shaft,
and the other side of lever is acted upon by a spring which abuts against a
shoulder fixed to the horizontal shaft. When the shaft is moved longitudinally,
by turning round the worm and wheel above referred to, the spring is brought
into a state of tension, and as soon as the horizontal shaft has been turned
partly round by the driver, or guard, or other person acting on a lever the
stop piece liberates the lever on the rocking shaft, and allows the accumulated
force of the spring to apply the breaks to the wheels. In order to make the
breaks act in whichever direction the carriage may be placed when running,
the links between the levers on the rocking shaft and the break blocks are
made with shoulders which act alternately on the break blocks.
Our improvements in signals consist of a whistle or other alarum which is
sounded by allowing a portion of compressed air to escape from an air vessel
charged when required by an air pump. Each compartment of each carriage
forming the railway train is provided with such a whistle or alarum, and the
tap for sounding it is connected to a cord passing into the carriage, so that
any passenger may pull it when required, the cord is also in connection with
a flag or othe signal to shew the guard or driver from which carriage the
signal bad been given. At night when a signal is raised the light from the
lamp in the carriage falls on it and is reflected in a mirror or mirrors placed
in suitable positions near the guard and driver, or the flag or other signal
may be used without the whistle. Instead of compressed air a vacuum may
be found in the air vessel, or gas under pressure may be supplied to the air
vessel. The signals above described are applicable on board ship, or for light
houses, or other marine purposes.