IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES THROUGHOUT A TRAIN OR PORTION THEREOF, ALSO ADAPTABLE FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGER, GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Rowlands, of Mottram, near Manchester, in the
County of Chester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND
UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES THROUGHOUT A TRAIN OR
PORTION THEREOF, ALSO ADAPTABLE FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PASSENGER,
GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER."
Sealed the 10th January 1879, and dated the 13th July 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Rowlands at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1878.
EDWARD ROWLANDS, of Mottram, near Manchester, in the County of Chester.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
THROUGHOUT A TRAIN OR PORTION THEREOF, ALSO ADAPTABLE FOR COMMUNICATING
BETWEEN PASSENGER, GUARD, AND ENGINE DRIVER."
My Invention consists in simultaneously locking and unlocking railway carriage
doors by the guard, engine driver, or other person in charge of the train.
In carrying out my Invention I adopt mainly the following arrangements:-
To the top of the carriage at each end is fitted a bracket or other arrangements,
which carry by a pin a rod, to which (at each end of the carriage) is secured a
rod or bar running the whole length of the carriage. On this rod is cast or formed
as many pins or projections as there are compartments to the carriage, which pins
or projections pass into a groove or opening of a rod, which is provided with the
bolting arrangements to the doors.
The rod running the length of the carriage is at its ends provided with hooks,
so that connection may be made between the carriages, such connection being
formed with a spring so that as the carriages (when, for instance, on curves) move
nearer together or further apart the rods are kept in their proper position by
means of such spring connections between the carriages.
The action is as follows:- -When the carriage doors are unlocked the bar running
the length of the carriages is in such a position that the rods carrying the bolts

page_text: are hanging perpendicularly, so as to admit of the doors being opened in the
ordinary way.
To lock the doors same are first closed, and the guard or other responsible person,
by means of a lever, wheel, or other suitable contrivance, actuates the rods carrying
the locks, and the whole of the doors are locked.
On releasing the lever to open the locks the rods, by their own weight, fall out
of gear.
The locks are preferably double-acting, so that in whatever position the carriage
is the lock operates.
The rod running the length of each carriage may, if desired, be placed at the
lower part of the carriage. I prefer, however, to place same at the top, as it is
more convenient.
The rods, locks, &c., are arranged, it is to be understood, on both sides of the
carriage, so as to operate on the doors on either side.
Arrangements in connection with the above are sometimes made for communi-
cating between passenger and guard, so that from each compartment a pull, push,
or other arrangements in the carriage would form electrical connection. This is
effected by contact being formed, which acting on a wire running to the guard's
van, or by contact with the bar (running the length of the carriage) being formed,
indication is given to the guard or other responsible person, the said wire or con-
nections being provided with the ordinary arrangements of battery and indicator.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Rowlands in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
January 1879.
"
EDWARD ROWLANDS, of Mottram, near Manchester, in the County of Chester.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
THROUGHOUT A TRAIN OR PORTION THEREOF, ALSO ADAPTABLE FOR COMMUNICATING
BETWEEN PASSENGER, Guard, AND ENGINE DRIVER."
My Invention consists in simultaneously locking and unlocking railway carriage
doors by the guard, engine driver, or other person in charge of the train.
In carrying out my Invention I adopt substantially the following arrangements:
-To the top of the carriage at each end is fitted a bracket or other arrangements
which carry by a pin a rod, to which (at each end of the carriage) is secured a rod
or bar running the whole length of the carriage. On this rod is cast or formed as
many pins or projections as there are compartments to the carriage, which pins or
projections pass into a groove or opening of a rod, which is provided with the
bolting arrangements of the doors."
The rod running the length of the carriage is at its ends provided with hooks,
so that connection may be made between the carriages, such connection being
formed with a spring, so that as the carriages (when, for instance, on curves) move
nearer together or farther apart the rods are kept in their proper position by means
of such spring connections between the carriages.

page_text: The action is as follows:-When the carriage doors are unlocked the bar running
the length of the carriages is in such a position that the rods carrying the bolts
are hanging perpendicularly, so as to admit of the doors being opened in the
ordinary way.
To lock the doors same are first closed, and the guard or other responsible person,
by means of a lever, wheel, or other suitable contrivance actuates the rods carrying
the locks, and the whole of the doors are locked
On releasing the lever to open the locks the rods, by their own weight, fall out
of gear.
The locks are preferably made double-acting, so that in whatever position the
carriage is the lock operates.
The rod running the length of each carriage may, if desired, be placed at the
lower part of the carriage. I prefer, however, to place same at the top, as being
more convenient.
The rods, locks, &c., are arranged, it is to be understood, on both sides of the
carriages, so as to operate on the doors on either side.
Arrangements in connection with the above are sometimes made for communi-
cating between passenger and guard, so that from each compartment a pull, push,
or other arrangements in the compartments of each carriage would form electrical
connection. This is effected by contact being formed, which, acting on a wire
running to the guard's van, or by contact with the bar (running the length of the
carriage) being formed, indication is given to the guard or other responsible person,
the said wire or connections being provided with the ordinary arrangements of
battery and indicator.
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practice, I will
now proceed (aided by the accompanying Drawings) to further and particularly
describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out
in practice, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, side elevation of my improved locking arrangements working from the
engine.
Fig. 14, side elevation of same working from the guard's van.
Fig. 2, end view of guard's van.
Fig. 3, enlarged detail view showing the lock.
Fig. 4, detail sectional end view, showing the lock, and also the push for com-
municating.
A is the engine; B, B', B², the carriages; C, guard's van; D, rod running the
length of each carriage, as shown; E, brackets, one end of each being secured to
the carriage at e, the other end of each bracket, by pin e', carrying the rod D ;
F, pins or projections formed on each rod D in number as many as there are doors
to the carriages; G, rods, which are suspended (and secured) from the pins or pro-
jections F on the rod D; H, locking or bolting arrangements secured to the
rods G; I, hooks at each end of the rods D; K, spring connections (preferably
galvanized), which, by the shackles shown, make connection between the carriages;
L (Fig. 1), lever fitted on the engine, which, by bell cranks 1, l', and rods 12, 13, is
connected to the system of rods D running the length of the train; M (Fig. 1a),
lever in guard's van, which actuates the locking arrangements by bell cranks and
rods similar to those fixed on the engine.
It will be noticed that the Drawings show the whole of the compartments
unlocked.
Suppose the engine driver lock the carriages, the doors of the compartments
being closed by pulling over the lever L, the bell crank is pulled forward, drawing
with it the rod 3 and the bell crank, the springs K draw the rods D forward,
and the locks H pass into position, locking the door of each compartment.
:

page_text: To release the locks all that is required is to place the lever L back to its
original position, and the weight of the rods D causes the locks L to fall back,
unlocking the doors.
When the driver pulls over his lever by the system in the guard's van the
lever M is also actuated, so that by these arrangements it is known to the guard
what has taken place.
The locking by the guard (see Fig. 1a) is effected by actuating the lever M,
and the action will be similar to that before described, the lever on the engine also
being actuated as before described.
By these arrangements therefore the locking can be effected either by the guard
or engine driver; and further, should a train be partially composed of luggage or
other vans the guard and engine driver can control each portion of the train fitted
with my arrangements.
In communicating between passenger and guard a wire a runs alongside and
parallel with the bars D. The spring connections K between the carriages are
galvanized, so that the current passes freely from the wire through such con-
nections to the wire of the next carriage, and so on through the length of the train.
The wire is put in connection with the battery b in the guard's van.
To give the alarm the passenger presses the button c (though a pull arrangement
may be used). By pressing the button electrical communication is made with the
wire a, and the current passes to the guard's van, and thus the alarm bell d is set
ringing. The button or pull in the compartment is, when actuated, caught by a
spring catch, so that the guard can ascertain from whence the alarm was given.
The pull or push to resume normal position is released by the guard, it being
out of the power of the passenger to do so.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practice,
I hereby declare that I claim the Invention for improvements in locking and
unlocking the doors of railway carriages throughout a train or portion thereof;
also adaptable for communicating between passenger, guard, and engine driver,
substantially as the same is herein-before set forth and described, and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings, wherein the particular and important points or features
are the double-action locking arrangements actuated as before described, and the
arrangements for electrical communication.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Rowlands, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent-right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross, S.W.
EDWARD ROWLANDS. (L.S.)