AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE CLASS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, BENJAMIN LOOKER of Norbiton Pottery, Kingston-on-Thames, in the county
of Surrey, Brick and Tile Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE CLASS OF RAILWAY
CARRIAGES to be as follows :-
The method ordinarily employed for indicating the class of railway carriages by
painting "first "second" ог "third" on the doors of the compartments is
difficult to distinguish on a crowded platform, and when the doors are open and
standing edgeways to the platform; nor can such words be read when the train is
approaching the platform.
My invention consists of a small plate of metal, or a slab of wood or other
suitable material of suitable form, or other prominent device, affixed by screws or
other convenient means, to the edge of the carriage roof, or to the top of the side
of the carriage, in such a position that it can be seen over the heads of persons
standing on the platform, and can be seen on looking up or down the train, when
such train is stationary, or when the train is approaching the platform.
I may fix one such plate or projection at each corner of a carriage, in which case
I prefer to place them at an angle with the side of the carriage, or I may place one
in the centre of the edge of the roof, projecting at right angles from the side of
the carriage, or I may place two plates or slabs in the centre of the side of the
carriage inclined at an angle to each other, or I may combine the application of
plates or slabs in any or all of these positions on the same carriage.
To cause such plates or slabs to indicate the class of the carriage to which they
are attached, I paint or otherwise make them in three distinctive colours, to
represent first, second and third class respectively, and by preference I employ for
this purpose the colours which are used for the corresponding tickets on the
particular railway on which they may be employed,

page_text: Thus for instance, white may represent "first class," blue "second" and pink
"third."
For composite carriages containing compartments of more than one class, I place
a properley coloured plate or slab over the door of each compartment.
My invention will avoid the necessity of passengers running up and down a
platform in search of the particular class of carriage they require, as the coloured
projections will shew them at a glance where to go, and the time allowed for
stoppages at stations, will thus be able to be shortened, thereby shortening the
total time of a journey very materially with an increase of comfort to passengers.
Dated this 2nd dow of Cantambon 700K
AMBROSE MYALL, C.E.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: An improved Device for Indicating the Class of Railway
Carriages.
1, BENJAMIN LOOKER of Norbiton Pottery, Kingston-on-Thames in the county
of Surrey, Brick and Tile Manufacturer, 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 method ordinarily employed for indicating the class of railway carriages, by
painting "first," "second" or "third," or figures having the same meaning, on the
doors of the compartments, is difficult to distinguish on a crowded platform, and
particularly so, when the doors are open and standing edgeways to the platform,
nor can such words or figures be read when the train is approaching the platform.
My invention consists of a small plate of metal, or a slab of wood or other
desired material of suitable form, or other prominent device, affixed by screws or
other convenient means, to the edge of the carriage roof, or to the top of the side
of the carriage, in such a position, that it can be seen over the heads of persons
standing on the platform, and can be seen on looking up or down the train,
when such train is standing at the platform, or even when it is approaching the
platform.
I may fix one such plate or projection at each corner of a carriage, in which case,
I prefer to place them at an angle with the side of the carriage, or I may place one
in the centre of the edge of the roof, projecting at right angles from the side of
the carriage, or I may place two plates or slabs in the centre of the side of the
carriage inclined at an angle to each other; or I may combine the application of
plates or slabs in any or all of these positions on the same carriage.
To cause such plates or slabs to indicate the class of the carriage to which they
are attached, I paint or otherwise make them in three distinctive colours, to
represent "first," "second" and "third class" respectively, and by preference,
I employ for this purpose the colours which are used for the corresponding tickets
on the particular railway on which they may be employed.
"
Thus for instance, white, may represent "first class," blue, "second" and pink,
third."
For composite carriages containing compartments of more than one class, I place
a properly coloured plate or slab over the door of each compartment.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figures, 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent partial
end views of railway carriages, and Figure 5 is a plan of a railway carriage roof,
having my invention applied thereto.
In figures 1, 2 and 3 the indicators A are affixed on the roof near the edge, but
are of somewhat different shapes in each case.
In Figure 4 the indicator B is affixed to the top of the side of the carriage just
under the roof.
In figure 5, C C C C are indicators fixed at each corner of the carriage and at an
angle thereto, as shewn.
Ď is an indicator in the centre of the edge of the roof, projecting at right angles.
E is an indicator formed of two plates inclined at an angle to each other.

page_text: The advantage of the inclined forms of indicator C or E, is that they can be
clearly distinguished, not only on an approaching train, but when standing opposite
to them on the platform.
My invention will avoid the necessity of passengers running up and down a
platform in search of the particular class of carriage they require, as the coloured
projections will shew them at a glance where to go, and the time allowed for
stoppages at stations, will thus be able to be shortened, thereby reducing the total
time of a journey very materially, with an increase of comfort to passengers.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular shapes
of indicators, nor to their places of attachment, as shewn. Such shapes and positions
being capable of variation, provided always that they are such as to enable the
class of the carriage to be readily distinguished by the device in the manner
hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is
The improved device for indicating the class of railway carriages, substantially
as herein shewn and described.