Improvements in Railway Cars.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Cars.
I, CHARLES ALBERT GOULD, of 120, Broadway, New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America President, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates generally to improvements in railway cars, and specifically
to improvements in the construction of what are known as vestibules at the ends of
the cars, these vestibules consisting of enclosures whereby a closed passageway is
provided between two cars. The advantages of vestibule connections in railway
Among these advantages
cars are manifold, and well understood in the art.
may be mentioned the two most important, which are that passengers can go
from one car to the other without coming into contact with the outer air, and
without any danger or liability of injury by falling from the train, or otherwise';
and, secondly, the vestibules forming as they do a highly resilient connection
between the cars, take up the shocks and jars incident to the starting and stoppage
of trains, to such an extent that such shocks and jars are only slightly felt by the
passengers in the coaches. It is also true, as ascertained by the practical use of
vestibuled trains, that in such trains, as compared with those not provided with
vestibule connections, there is much less liability of injury to passengers from end
to end collisions, the vestibule connections preventing in a marked degree the
telescoping of the cars.
It is conceded that vestibule connections per se are old, and well known and
well understood in the art, and it is not claimed that this invention relates to the
fundamental principles involved in such constructions, but, on the contrary, this
invention relates to important features of construction in such vestibule connections,
whereby the face plates of two vestibules in contact are capable of movement both
laterally and lengthwise of the car, and laterally independent of the car, whereby
friction between the face plates avoided, and contact between them in rounding
curves or otherwise, is always secured.
Specifically, this invention consists in connecting and supporting each face
plate to the frame carrying it, by means of rods or links, whereby each face
plate is free to move by its own gravity to any position necessary to preserve the
Each vestibule consists of a fixed
alignment of the two face plates in contact.
stationary plate, bolted or otherwise properly secured to the car body, and an
extensible bellows-like hood, is secured at one end to the fixed plate, and at the
The rods or links are likewise
other end to the face plate of the vestibule.
secured at one end to the fixed plate, and at the other end to the face plate of each
vestibule, and are free to move, as the face plates move longitudinally or laterally,
by gravity. The cross pieces at the top of the fixed plates and face plates may be
arched, if desired, and the extensible hood forming the closure may be of similar
configuration. The rods or links employed are preferably of compound form, and
may be combined with anti-friction rollers, whereby, as the face plates assume
different positions, the rods or links will adjust themselves to such positions,
without undue friction.
Dated this 10th day of Mar 1894
MARKS. & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Railway Cars.
I, CHARLES ALBERT GOULD, President of 120, Broadway in the City, County
and State of New York, United States of America, 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 generally to improvements in railway cars, and specifically
to improvements in the construction of what are known as vestibules at the ends of
the cars, these vestibules consisting of enclosures whereby a closed passageway is
provided between two cars. The advantages of vestibule connections in railway
cars are manifold, and well understood in the art. Among these advantages may
be mentioned the two most important, which are that passengers can go from one
car to the other without coming into contact with the outer air, and without
danger or liability of injury by falling from the train, or otherwise; and secondly,
the vestibules forming as they do, a highly resilient connection between the cars,
take up the shocks and jars incident to the starting and stoppage of trains, to
such an extent that such shocks and jars are only slightly felt by the passengers
in the coaches. It is also true, as ascertained by the practical use of vestibule
trains that in such trains, as compared with those not provided with vestibule
connections, there is much less liability of injury to passengers from end to end
collisions, the vestibule connections preventing in a marked degree the telescoping
of the cars.
It is conceded that vestibule connections per se are old, and well known and
well understood in the art, and it is not claimed that this invention relates to the
fundamental principles involved in such constructions, but on the contrary, this
invention relates to important features of construction in such vestibule connections,
whereby the face-plates of two vestibules in contact are capable of movement
both laterally and lengthwise of the car, and laterally independent of the car,
whereby friction between the face-plates is avoided, and contact between them in
rounding curves or otherwise is always secured.
Specifically, this invention consists in connecting and supporting each face-plate
to the frame carrying it, by means of rods or links, whereby each face-plate is free
to move by its own gravity to any position necessary to preserve the alignment of
the two face-plates in contact. Each vestibule consists of a fixed stationary plate,
bolted or otherwise properly secured to the car body, and an extensible bellows-
like hood is secured at one end to the fixed plate, and at the other end to the
face-plate of the vestibule. The rods or links are likewise secured at one end to
the fixed plate, and at the other end to the face-plate of each vestibule, and are
free to move, as the face-plates move longitudinally or laterally, by gravity. The
cross-pieces at the top of the fixed plates and face-plates may be arched, if desired,
and the extensible hood forming the closure may be of similar configuration.
The rods or links employed are preferably of compound form, and may be
combined with anti-friction rollers, whereby, as the face-plates assume different
positions the rods or links will adjust themselves to such position, without undue
friction.
Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention,
Fig. 1, is an elevation partly in section showing the vestibules of two adjoining
cars connected together;
Fig. 2, is an end view of the vestibule, partly broken away;
Fig. 3, is a side view of a vestibule partially in section, and broken away at

page_text: Fig. 4, is a partial sectional view of the adjoining face-plates of two vestibules
illustrating the locking and guiding mechanism, and Fig. 5, is a horizontal section
thereof; Fig. 6, is a vertical sectional view, taken transversely;
Fig. 7, is an enlarged view of the anti-friction rollers;
Fig. 8, is a fragmentary view of the end of a vestibule, illustrating the lateral
movement ;
Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are details of modified forms of supporting mechanism.
In describing the drawings I employ for convenience numerals to designate the
various parts, and referring thereto.
1, designates the side walls of a vestibule, 2, the end walls thereof.
3, the stationary platforms of the cars, and 4, the movable platforms or
buffer plates, which are yieldingly supported at the front ends of the stationary
platforms.
5, designates the open frames, which are secured in the opening or passageway.
in the end walls of the vestibules and provided with the arch-shaped face-
plates 6, arranged in front of the end walls of the vestibules.
7, designates
forwardly inclined arms, the lower ends of which are pivotally secured to the
vestibule frame on opposite sides of the end opening by means of brackets 8,
and 9, represents horizontal eyes or sockets formed at the upper ends of the
supporting arms 7, which latter support the face-plates 6.
_ 10, represents suspension rods, whereby the face-plates are attached to the
supporting arms. These rods are pivoted with their lower ends to the rear sides
of the face-plates at about one half the height of the latter, and-arranged with
their upper ends in the eyes of the supporting arms. The upper portions of
the suspension rods are provided with knuckles or collars 11, having semi-spherical
lower sides, which rest upon the upper sides of the eyes of the arms 7, thereby
supporting the face-plates. The eyes of the supporting arms are sufficiently
large to permit the suspension rods to oscillate freely both laterally and lengthwise,
and the face-plates being attached to the lower ends of these rods, partake of this
swinging movement.
•
The face-plates move backwardly and forwardly with the buffer plates. When
the face-plate recedes as the buffer plate is pushed back in coupling two cars
together, the upper ends of the supporting arms 7, swing backwardly and the face-.
plate rises slightly. When the buffer-plate is moved forwardly by its spring,
the upper ends of arms 7, swing forwardly and the face-plate descends slightly.
The forward movement of the upper portion of the face-plate is limited by
chains 12, which are secured to the upper portions of the face-plate and the
vestibule. Lateral movement of the face-plate is permitted by the suspension rods,
which latter are free to oscillate transversely, owing to the swivelling connection
between their upper ends and the upper ends of the supporting arms 7. The upper.
ends of the suspension rods are provided with anti-friction rollers 13, which bear
against the upper rear sides of the face-plates and separate the face-plates from the
upper ends of the supporting arms and suspension rods, so as to avoid friction and
permit the face-plates to move with perfect freedom. Each face-plate is provided
with two supporting arms and suspension rods, which are arranged on opposite sides
of the passageway in the face-plate.
The upper ends of the supporting arms and suspension rods are preferably bent
inwardly so that the anti-friction rollers bear against the upper transverse portions.
or arch of the face-plate.
14, represent links, whereby the lower end of the face-plate is guided upon the
movable buffer-plate. The lower ends of the links are pivoted to upwardly
projecting bifurcated lugs, 15, formed on the ends of the buffer-plate. The upper
ends of the guide-links are arranged between the rear side of the face-plate and
guide-plates 16, secured to the rear side of the face-plate. The lower ends of the
face-plate terminate at a short distance above the lugs 15, of the buffer-plate and
do not rest upon said lugs. The guide plates 16, secured to the rear side of

page_text: the face-plate, are provided with off-set portions 17, which extend below the ends
of the face-plate and are arranged in the rear of the lugs of the buffer-plate.
18, represents longitudinal bolts connecting the guide plates and the face-plate
and passing through upright slots 19, formed in the links, whereby the links are
held between the guide and face-plates, and the latter is permitted to move freely
laterally and to rise and fall slightly. That portion of each bolt 18, which is
arranged in the slot of the guide link is surrounded by a ferrule or stay, 20, which
prevents the guide and face-plates from being drawn together too tightly, and
whereby binding of these parts is prevented.
21, represents a sliding bolt arranged in one side portion or leg of each face-
plate, and 22, is a recess formed in the opposite side portion or leg of said face-
plate, in line with the sliding bolt. This sliding bolt projects with its front end
through an opening 23, in the face-plate and is adapted to engage in the recess 22,
in the face-plate of the opposing vestibule. The rear end of the sliding bolt is
arranged to slide in a pocket 47, formed in one of the guide plates 16, secured to
the rear side of the face-plate. The sliding bolt is preferably curved upwardly
with its rear end and provided with anti-friction rollers 24, which ride upon the
curved inner side of the pocket so that the bolt slides out of the pocket by gravity,
and projects from the face-plate in the normal position of the parts. When the
face-plates of two opposing vestibules are in line and bear against each other, the
sliding bolt of each. face-plate engages in the recess of the opposing face-plate,
thereby locking the face-plates against transverse movement on each other and
compelling them to move together laterally. When, however, the face-plates are
out of line, the face-plate of one vestibule strikes the sliding bolt of the opposing
face-plate and forces said bolt into its pocket. The sliding bolts remain in their
retracted position, until the face-plates have been brought in line by the vibration
of the cars.
When the face-plates are in line, their recesses are likewise brought
into line with the opposing sliding bolt which permits the latter to slide outward
and engage in said recesses, thereby effecting an automatic coupling in the
face-plates.
25, represents an outer flexible curtain or hood, secured with its front edge to
the outer edge of the face-plate and with its rear edge to the end frame of the
vestibule.
26, represents a similar inner curtain or hood, secured with its front edge to the
inner edge of the face-plate and with its rear edge to the end frame of the vestibule,
thereby forming a double flexible connection between each face-plate and vestibule,
which encloses the mechanism for supporting the face-plates.
27, 28, 29, and 30, represent bows conforming to the arch shape of the face-
plates, and whereby the flexible curtains are supported between the vestibules and
the face-plates. The outer curtain of each face-plate is supported by an outer
front bow 27, and an outer rear bow 28. The outer front bow is pivoted with its
lower ends to the outer sides of the guide plates 16, on the rear side of the face-
plate, and the lower ends of the outer rear bow are pivoted to the outer ends of
the brackets 31, secured to the end frames of the vestibules. The inner front
bow 29, of the inner curtain is pivoted with its lower ends to the inner sides of the
guide plate 16, and the inner rear bow is pivoted with its lower ends to the inner
ends of the brackets 31. The supporting bows may be secured to the curtains in
any suitable manner, but preferably by securing the same between the layers of
each curtain, as shown.
48, represents flaps which cover the links 14, and the guide-plates 16, so that
they are concealed from view on the inside of the hood, and avoid exposure to rain
and dust on the outside of the hood. These flaps are secured along their rear
edges to the curtains in any suitable manner, but preferably by a row of stitches.
The free ends of the flaps overlap the links and guide-plates and are firmly held in
contact therewith during the lateral movement of the face-plates, by spring 32,
secured upright between the layers of the flaps.
The face-plates and their supporting devices are so balanced that the face-plates

page_text: have a tendency to drop forward or toward each other by gravity, which causes
the face-plates to hear firmly against each other, and form a tight connection
between the vestibules. When the face-plates of two vestibules are coupled, they
move together transversely independent of their vestibules, thereby avoiding the
friction and wear between two face-plates which move laterally with reference to
each other.
33, 33, are levers arranged transversely on the inner side of the end wall of the
vestibule and fulcrumed at their outer ends upon hangers 34, pivoted to the end
wall of the vestibule, and arranged on the outer sides of the supporting arms 35.
The levers 33, support the outer portions of the supporting arms 35, which latter
rest loosely upon the levers near their fulcra. The levers 33, are formed at their
outer ends with knuckles 36, which are loosely seated in socket or cavities 37,
formed in the lower ends of the hangers 34. The adjacent inner ends of the
levers 33, are embraced by a loop 38, which is connected with the inner end of
the push bar 39, by a chain, rope or cable 40, running upwardly around a guide
wheel 41, and thence downwardly over a similar wheel 42. These guide wheels
are journalled in recesses formed in the end wall of the vestibule. The lower end
of the chain 40, is attached to the push-bar 39, at a point behind the lower guide
wheel 42, so that an upward pull on the front portion of the chain tends to force
the push-bar, with the rail 43, and face-plate 44, outwardly. The inner ends of
the levers 33, preferably rest upon anti-friction rollers mounted in the loop 38.
The supporting arms 35, the rail 43, and the guide bars 46, together form a
pivoted frame which carries the face-plate, and which is capable of swinging
vertically upon the pivots of the supporting arms 35, while the supporting rail 43,
from which the face-plate is suspended, is at the same time capable of moving
toward and from the end wall of the vestibule by means of its guide bars, which
slide lengthwise upon the supporting arms 35. The weight of the depending face-
plate depresses the supporting rail 43, and the pivoted supporting arms 35, and
the latter in turn depress the levers 33, thereby causing the levers to force the
push-bar 39 and the face-plate outwardly through the medium of the loop 38, and
chain 40. When the face-plate is pressed inwardly by an opposing face-plate,
the push-bar is also forced inwardly, thereby pulling the front portion of the
chain 40, downwardly over its guide rollers, and raising the inner ends of the
levers 33, and causing the latter to lift the supporting arms 35, with the rail 43,
and face-plate carried thereby. The face-plate thus acts to force itself outwardly
against an opposing face-plate by its own weight, without the employment of a
separate weight for that purpose, and resists the pressure exerted against it by a
contiguous face-plate, but recedes and rises when the pressure of a contiguous
face-plate exceeds its own resisting power.
As the face-plate is suspended from the rail 43, by rollers, it is free to roll
sidewise upon said rail to a limited extent in accommodating itself to the oscillation
of the car.
As the supporting rail of the face-plate is pivoted to its guide bars 46,
and the latter are free to slide in the supporting arms 35, the face-plate can assume
a position at an angle to the end wall of the vestibule in rounding curves without
causing binding of the parts.
By employing the levers 33, the face-plate receives a greater range of movement
toward and from the vestibule of the car than is imparted to the pivoted supporting
arms. This relative movement of the supporting arms and the face-plate is
proportionate to the lever arms and may be varied by causing the supporting
arms to bear upon the levers at a greater or less distance from the fulcra of
the levers.
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. The combination, with a railway car, its vestibule and movable buffer-plate,

page_text: a laterally movable connection attaching the face-plate to the buffer-plate, whereby
the face-plate can shift its position laterally on the buffer plate while remaining
parallel with the buffer-plate, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with a vestibule car and its buffer-plate, of a face-plate
arranged above the buffer-plate, and links connecting the lower ends of the face-
plate with the buffer-plate by pivots arranged lengthwise of the car whereby the
face-plate is enabled to move with its lower ends transversely on the buffer-plate,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with a railway car provided with a vestibule, of a hood
attached to the vestibule, a face-plate attached to the hood and swivelling suspension
rods whereby the face-plate is suspended on the car, and enabled to move lengthwise
and transversely of the car, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, with a railway car provided with a vestibule and a yielding
buffer-plate of a hood attached to the vestibule, a face-plate attached to the hood,
swivelling suspension rods, supporting the face-plate on the vestibule, and trans-
versely oscillating links connecting the lower ends of the face-plate with the buffer
plate, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination, with a railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule,
of a hood attached to the vestibule, a face-plate attached to the hood a suspension
rod attached with its lower end to the face-plate, and a supporting arm pivoted
to the vestibule and connected with the upper end of a suspension rod, substantially
as set forth.
6. The combination, with a railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule,
of a hood attached to the vestibule, a face-plate attached to the hood a supporting
arm pivoted with its lower end to the vestibule and provided at its upper end with
an eye, and a suspension rod attached with its lower end to the face-plate and
provided at its upper end with a semi-spherical knuckle resting upon said eye,
substantially as set forth.
7. The combination, with a railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule,
of a face-plate, a hood connecting the face-plate with the vestibule, a suspension
rod attached with its lower end to the face-plate, a supporting arm pivoted with
its lower end to the vestibule and supporting the suspension rod at its upper end,
and a roller mounted on the upper end of the suspension rod and bearing against
the rear side of the face-plate, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with a railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule,
of a face-plate, a hood connecting the face-plate with the vestibule, a suspension
rod pivoted with its lower end to the face-plate, a supporting arm pivoted with its
lower end to the vestibule and having a swivelling connection at its upper end with
the upper end of the suspension rod, and a stop chain connecting the vestibule with
the face-plate, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination, with the railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule
and a movable buffer-plate, of a face-plate, a hood connecting said face-plate with
the vestibule, swivelling supports connecting the upper portion of the face-plate
with the vestibule, links pivoted with their lower ends to the buffer-plate and
provided with slots and pins or bolts secured to the lower portion of the face-plate
and engaging in said slots substantially as set forth.
10. The combination with a vestibule car, of a movable face-plate and an-
automatic locking bolt projecting from the face-plate and adapted to engage in a
recess in the face-plate of the adjoining car whereby the bolt is pressed back when
the face-plates are out of line and is automatically projected and interlocked with
the opposing face-plate when the face-plates register with each other, substantially
as set forth.
11. The combination with a railway car provided on its platform with a vestibule
of a face-plate capable of transverse movement and provided with a recess on one
side, a rearwardly ascending pocket formed in the opposite side of the face-plate
and a retractable bolt arranged in said pocket, whereby the bolt is projected by
gravity, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 12. The combination, with a railway car, its vestibule, and the face-plate, of
a flexible hood connecting the vestibule with the face-plate, and a bow pivoted with
its lower ends to the vestibule and supporting the hood between the vestibule and.
the face-plate, substantially as set forth.
13. The combination, with a railway car, its vestibule and the face-plate, of a
flexible hood connecting the vestibule with the face-plate, and a bow pivoted with
its lower ends to the face-plate, and supporting the hood between the vestibule
and the face-plate, substantially as set forth.
14. The combination, with a car vestibule and its face-plate capable of vertical
and longitudinal movement with reference to the car, of supports capable of vertical
and longitudinal movement and connections extending from the face-plates to said
supports, whereby the weight of the face-plate produces a descending and an
outward movement of its supports, forcing the face-plate outwardly, while an
inward movement of the face-plate produces a receding and an ascending movement
of its supports, substantially as set forth.
15. The combination, with a car vestibule and its face-plate capable of vertical
and longitudinal movement with reference to the car, of vertically-movable
supporting arms attached to the vestibule, longitudinally-movable guide-bars
mounted ou said arms and carrying the face-plate, a push-bar whereby the
longitudinal movement of said guide-bars is controlled, and a connection
extending to the push-bar from the face-plate, whereby the downward movement
of the face-plate forces the push-bar and the face-plate outward, substantially as
set forth.
16. The combination, with a car-vestibule and its extensible hood having a face-
plate, of a push-bar connected with the face-plate, a supporting-lever connected with
the push-bar, and a pivoted arm resting upon said supporting-lever and supporting
the face-plate, substantially as set forth.
17. The combination, with a car-vestibule and its extensible hood having a
face-plate, of a push-bar connected with the face-plate, a supporting lever, a
cord or chain connecting the supporting-lever with the push-bar, and a pivoted
supporting arm resting upon said lever and supporting the face-plate, substantially
as set forth.
1
1004
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.