Improved Apparatus for Opening and Closing the Bottom Doors of Railway or other Open-bottomed Wagons.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Opening and Closing the Bottom Doors of
Railway or other Open-bottomed Wagons.
We JOHN FLETCHER KIRKCONEL, Ironmaster, and WILLIAM NOBLE, Joiner,
both of Cleator Moor in the County of Cumberland, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for opening and closing the bottom
doors of railway or other open-bottomed wagons, and is applicable to all kinds of
railway and other wagons, tubs or boxes, having hinged at doors at the bottom to
discharge the contents.
We make the bottom doors in the usual manner, hinged at the sides and closing
together at the centre.
These doors are held up in their closed position (according to our invention) by
means of a cranked bar which is supported in suitable carriers or hangers at or
near each end, one or both ends being made square so that the bar can be turned
partially round by means of a key or lever provided for that purpose.
The cranked bar is also fitted at one or both sides with an arm or lever by
means of which it can be fixed in its raised position by passing behind a guard
attached to the carrier or hanger and secured by a small loose hand. bolt, so as to
hold the doors firmly in their closed position.
When it is. desired to discharge the contents, this bolt is withdrawn, and the
lever can then be moved (so as to turn the cranked bar downwards and allow the
doors to open) by striking the same with the key or lever or any other tool that
is handy.
When the wagon doors require to be closed, this is done by the key or lever,
and for further safety the bolt is put into the slot hole, and partially turned to
secure it.
The use of this improved arrangement allows of greater despatch in emptying
the wagons and instead of requiring two men to open and close many of the doors
as usual, one man can do the work, and with greater ease than two men in the
ordinary way.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Opening and Closing the Bottom Doors of
Railway or other Open-bottomed Wagons.
We JOHN FLETCHER KIRKCONEL, Ironmaster, and WILLIAM NOBLE, Joiner,
both of Cleator Moor in the County of Cumberland, 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 :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for opening and closing the bottom
doors of railway or other open-bottomed wagons and is applicable to all kinds of
railway and other wagons, tubs or boxes having hinged doors at the bottom to
discharge the contents.
Our invention will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings of which
Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a railway wagon showing the invention applied
thereto.

page_text: Figs. 2 and 3 are detached views of parts hereinafter more particularly
described.
We make the bottom doors a in the usual manner hinged at the sides at a¹ and
closing together at the centre.
These doors a are held up in their closed position (according to our invention)
by means of a cranked barb which is supported in suitable carriers or hangers c c¹
at or near each end, one or both ends being made square as shown at b' so that the
bar can be turned partially round by means of a key or lever d provided for that
purpose, shewn detached at Fig. 2.
The cranked bar is also fitted at one or both sides with an arm or lever e by
means of which it can be fixed in its raised position by passing behind a guard c³
attached to the carrier or hanger c as shewn by the detached view Fig. 3 and
secured by a small loose hand bolt so as to hold the doors a firmly in their closed
position.
When it is desired to discharge the contents this bolt f is withdrawn and the
lever e can then be moved (so as to turn the cranked bar downwards and allow the
doors to open see dotted lines Fig. 1) by striking the same with the key or lever d
or any other tool that is handy.
When the wagon doors a require to be closed this is done by the key or lever d
and for further safety the bolt f is put into the slot hole c³ and partially turned to
secure it.
The use of this improved arrangement allows of greater despatch in emptying
the wagons and instead of requiring two men to open and close many of the
doors as usual, one man can do the work and with greater ease than two men in
the ordinary way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
The combination in open bottomed railway and other wagons of doors hinged at
the sides and meeting in the centre and a cranked bar carried in suitable bearings
and supporting the said doors, levers or equivalent means being provided for readily
raising or letting down the said cranked bar.
Dated this 6th day of Donamba 1000
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.