Improved Means for use in Covering Railway Trucks and other Vehicles of a like Character.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept., 189}
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for use in Covering Railway Trucks and other
Vehicles of a like Character.
We, WILLIAM EDWARD CHAMBERS, of 13 Queen Street, Walsall in the
County of Stafford, Clerk, and SIDNEY HERBERT ROBERTS, of 182 Bath Road,
Walsall aforesaid, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its main object improved means for use in covering railway
trucks and other vehicles of a like character, which comprise a framing of special
construction which is connected with the truck or other vehicle in a manner which
allows it to be moved clear of the top thereof, or of a portion thereof, as may be
desired, and to which the tarpaulin or other covering sheet is permanently con-
nected in such manner that it is spread and stretched completely over the truck or
wagon by the act of opening out the frame thereover, whereby the use of the
ordinary trestles is avoided and also the trouble of carrying loose sheets to the
wagons when the same are to be covered and of folding up and removing such
sheets when not required.
The framing constructed according to this invention for supporting the tarpaulin
or other covering sheet has a vertical support at the middle of each end of the
truck or wagon, which is fixed to the truck or wagon end by means of two pins or
bolts of which the upper bolt may conveniently be held in place by means of a
cotter so as to be readily removable to allow of the standard being turned down
sideways on the lower bolt as a pivot. A ridge pole is carried in the upper ends of.
the standards, and passes of course over the longitudinal centre of the truck or
wagon. A pair of lower arms is pivoted to each standard at a point, preferably,
somewhat below the top of the truck or wagon, the arms of each pair being pivoted
to the corresponding standard on opposite sides thereof so that when in their
downward position they pass along outside the ends of the truck or wagon on
opposite sides of the standards. A pair of upper arms is correspondingly pivoted
to each standard at a point intermediate between the pivot connections of the lower
arms and the tops of the standards. Rods, which run parallel with the ridge pole,
are carried, respectively, each in the outer ends of the pivoted arms which,
respectively, correspond with and are opposite to one another at the opposite ends
of the truck or wagon, and there are thus two of such rods on each side of the
truck when the framing is in position thereover for the tarpaulin or sheet to cover
the vehicle. The tarpaulin or sheet is fitted with rings or loops through which
the ridge pole and parallel rods pass, so that such tarpaulin or sheet is permanently
connected with the framing. The tarpaulin or sheet is, of course, brought across
the ends of the frame to cover in the ends of the truck or wagon.
The lower parallel rods on each side pass along outside the truck and below
the top thereof, when the frame is opened out to stretch the tarpaulin over the
truck. The arms which carry these rods rest, when down, upon studs projecting
from the ends of the truck, and are kept, down by means of cotter pins or other
easily removable pins which project immediately over them, and the use of sheet
strings for holding down the tarpaulin or other covering sheet is thus avoided.
-If it is desired to load or unload the truck, it will usually be sufficient to raise
the covering on one side only, and this is accomplished by pushing up the lower
rod on such side until the rib formed by itself and the arms by which it is carried,
coming against the corresponding rib which is above it on the same side of the
truck, lifts such rib also, and then pushing up the two ribs in this manner, together
with the portion of the tarpaulin on the same side of the truck, against the central

page_text: .
rib formed by the standards and ridge pole. The two ribs which have thus been
pushed up against the central rib may be held up in this position by means of
hooks pivoted to the standards. If desired, both sides of the covering may be
raised, and held up, in the same manner.
The lower rods on each side are conveniently fixed within the ends of the arms
by which they are carried by means of cotters or nuts, so that they may be readily
disconnected therefrom and re-connected; and the arms by which they are carried
may be hinged near their inner ends so that they may be turned backwards
outwardly when the rods are disconnected from them. The framing is thus readily
adapted for use when long bars, timber and the like, project beyond the end of
the truck, as the portions of the arms outwards from the hinged joints can be
turned back to clear such bars or the like and then the arms be turned upwards
on their pivots and the portions outwards of the hinged joints be moved forwards
again above such bars or the like and their own rods re-connected therewith,
whereby the truck can be uncovered on one or both sides notwithstanding the
projection of the long bars, timber or the like, beyond the end of the truck, and
consequently over the lower arms when the truck is covered. The position in
which the upper arms are pivoted allows the projecting ends of the long bars,
timber or the like to pass under such arms. The end of one tarpaulin or sheet may
be attached to the end of the one on the adjacent truck, in order to cover the
projecting ends of any bars or the like which have been loaded on to a truck.
The parallel bars and the ridge bar may conveniently be tubular, for lightness
and strength.
The standards are pivoted to blocks on the ends of the trucks so that they may
be turned down sideways clear of the strengthening pieces on the ends of the
trucks; and, if it is desired to completely uncover the truck, this may be
accomplished by turning down the rib formed by the standards and ridge pole
sideways in the manner indicated, and closing the ribs which are then on the upper
side thereof against such rib.
Framing of the character above described may be adapted to give almost any
shape and height of covering likely to be required, as the length of the upper
arms may be such, in relation to the height at which they are pivoted and to the
height of the ridge pole, as to give any desired degree of slope from such ridge
pole to the rods which they carry, and to make the portions of the covering
between such rods, and the lower rods either vertical or inclined in any desired
degree. The tarpaulin or other covering sheet may be so carried by the
framing as to prevent any swagging thereof, and thus ensure a good shoot for
the water.
.
For some purposes, the rib formed by the standards and pole piece will not
require to be capable of being turned down, and in such cases the standards may
be fixed rigidly in place in any convenient manner.
Dated this 21st day of November 1892.
:
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for use in Covering Railway Trucks and other
Vehicles of a like Character.
We, WILLIAM EDWARD CHAMBERS, of 13 Queen Street, Walsall in the County
of Stafford. Clerk, and SIDNEY HERBERT ROBERTS, of 182 Bath Road, Walsall
aforesaid, Clerk, 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 has for its object improved means for use in covering railway
trucks and other vehicles of a like character which are required to be used in the

page_text: conveyance of long bars, long lengths of timber and the like which project beyond
one or both ends of the truck or other vehicle, and comprises a framing of special
construction which is connected with the truck or other vehicle in a manner which
allows it to be moved clear of the top thereof, or of a portion thereof, as may be
desired, and to which the tarpaulin or other covering sheet is permanently connected
in such manner that it is spread and stretched completely over the truck or wagon
by the act of opening out the frame thereover, whereby the use of the ordinary
trestles is avoided and also the trouble of carrying loose sheets to the wagons when
the same are to be covered and of folding up and removing such sheets when not
required.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood we will proceed to describe
it with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which
Figure 1 represents an end view of a railway truck with a framing, constructed
according to our invention, for supporting the tarpaulin or other covering sheet,
applied thereto. In this view the framing is shewn with its parts in position due to
the left-hand side of the truck being covered and the other side uncovered.
Figure 2 is a corresponding view to Figure 1, but shews the entire framing to be
turned down and the truck thereby mainly uncovered.
And
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the truck when covered in.
Figure 4 is a plan of the truck shewing the framing in the position indicated by
Figure 2.
A standard A is pivoted at a to each end of the truck, being distanced out from
the truck body B by a central strengthening piece or vertical batten b. The
standards may thus be turned down on either side alongside of either of the
ordinary strengthening pieces b', into the position for instance shewn by Figure 2.
Each standard is, however, normally held in its vertical position shewn by
Figures 1 and 3, by means of a bolt e which passes through the standard and is
screwed into a plate d fixed to the body of the truck. The bolts c are conveniently
formed with lever heads which, by hanging down, securely prevent the bolts
working loose, and which enable the bolts to be unscrewed and screwed up with
great facility. A ridge-pole C is carried by the upper ends of the standards A.
In the illustrations it is shewn as formed in one piece therewith, but it may of
course be riveted or otherwise fixed thereto as desired. A pair of lower arms D is
pivoted at ee to each standard at a level somewhat below the top of the truck or
wagon body as shewn so that when in their downward position they pass along
outside the ends of the truck or wagon body on opposite sides of the standards, as
will be clearly understood by reference to the illustrations. A pair of upper
arms E is pivoted at ff to each standard A, that is to say, in position intermediate
between the pivot connections e e and the ridge pole C so as to give head room
between the top of the body of the truck and the underside of such arms for the
passage of long bars, timber or the like projecting beyond the ends, or either end
of the truck. The outer ends of the arms D and E at one end of the truck
are connected, respectively, with the outer ends of the corresponding arms at the
opposite end of the truck by means of rods or bars. In the illustrations the
rods which connect the outer ends of the arms D are shewn as flat bars and to be
connected with the end of the arms by forming the arms with screwed ends h over
which the ends of the bars are passed and fly-nuts i then tightened up. Any
convenient form of readily detachable and attachable connection may, however, be
adopted between the lower rods 9 and the ends of the arms D. The rods ; which
connect the outer ends of the arms E are shewn in the illustrations each to be
formed in one piece with the pair of arms it connects together. The two
standards A and ridge pole C form together the central rib of the framing; each
bar g with the two arms D which it connects together forms a lower side rib; and
each rod with the pair of arms E which it connects together forms an upper or
intermediate side rib. The side ribs may be raised up at either or both sides of
the truck from the position shewn, or corresponding to that shewn, on the left-hand
side of Figure 1 into the position shewn, or corresponding to that shewn, on the

page_text: +
right-hand side of such figure; and the entire framing may be turned down on the
pivots a of the standards A. into the position shewn by Figure 2, and for such
purpose it is not necessary to detach the rods g from the arms D. and to turn such
arms or portions thereof outwards as hereinafter described unless a portion of the
load projects beyond the body of the truck. The tarpaulin or sheet is fitted with
rings by which it is connected with the rods g, or loops passing around such rods are
sewn to the tarpaulin or sheet; and it may be similarly connected also with the ridge
pole and rods, if desired. The tarpaulin or sheet is thus permanently connected
with the framing, and it is, of course, brought across the ends of the frame to cover
in the ends of the truck or wagon. The outline of the tarpaulin on the left-hand
side of Figure 1 is indicated by broken lines. The outer ends of the arms D rest
when down in brackets r fixed to the ends of the truck, and the bars g pass in such
case alongside the body of the truck. In such position of the arms D the tarpaulin
is, of course, stretched over the truck, and the rods keep the edges of the
tarpaulin well down below the top edge of the body and ensure weather-tight
eaves. If it is not intended to attach the tarpaulin to the intermediate side rib,
the arros E are rule-jointed with the standards A, or are otherwise jointed to allow
of their being moved upwards as described and to ensure their not moving down-
wards below their proper opened-out position. The particular joint shewn in the
illustrations consists of a lug k (omitted for convenience in Figure 3) which
projects from the standard A and of a heel-piece / on the inner end of each arm
which is stopped against the lug. The lower side rib may be held down in any
convenient manner to prevent the tarpaulin being raised by the wind, and to
stretch it as much as may be desired. In the illustrations they are shewn to be
By
held down by means of hasps m hinged to the bars g and secured to staples n.
permanently attaching the tarpaulin to the lower side ribs and fastening the ribs
down by means such as described the use of sheet strings for holding down the sides
of the tarpaulin or sheet is avoided.
If it is desired to load or unload the truck or wagon, it will usually be sufficient
to raise the covering on.one side only, and this is accomplished in the manner shewn
by Figure 1, that is to say, by raising the lower and intermediate side ribs on one
side and holding them up by means of a chain, such as the chain o which is shewn in
Figure 3 as hanging down from the middle of the central rib. The tarpaulin.or
other sheet will loop itself between the central and intermediate rib and between
the intermediate and lower side rib as the two latter ribs are raised up towards the
Both
central rib, and the chain passes, of course, around both the loops and ribs.
sides of the truck may of course be uncovered in the same manner; but if it is
desired to uncover the middle of the truck the intermediate and lower side ribs on
each side may be folded up against the central rib, the bolts e withdrawn, and the
central rib be moved down sideways into the position shewn by Figure 2. It will
rest in such position by stop-pieces p carried by the standards A coming in contact
If the
with the tops of two of the strengthening pieces b' on the ends of the truck.
stop-pieces are placed higher up on the standards the latter may be moved
sideways sufficiently to completely uncover the truck.
The arms D are formed each with a hinged joint near to its pivoted connection
with a standard A, or they may be each connected with the standard A by a
universal joint. Each arm D may thus, when disconnected from the side bar g and
raised clear of the bracket r, be moved outwards for the whole of, its length beyond
the hinged joint 9, that is to say, into, the position in which one of such, arms is
shewn by Figure 3, or throughout its entire length if connected. with the standard A
by a universal joint, and it may also be turned on the joint which, it makes with
the standard A, or be turned upwards, on the universal joint, so that when moved
inwards again and connected with the side barg it will be above, any articles, carried
by the truck which are longer than the truck and project consequently over the
end, and thus such articles may be unloaded; and such articles may be covered
by the tarpaulin or sheet by the reverse process to that described. The framing is
thus readily adapted for use when long bars, timber and the, like, project beyond

page_text: the end of the truck. The position in which the arms E are pivoted allows the
projecting ends of the long bars timber or the like to pass under such arms; or the
arms E might of course be pivoted lower down and be shaped to incline outwards
at the height which will give the required head-room, but in such case the inter-
mediate ribs would not lie so snugly against the central rib when closed up there-
against. The end of one tarpaulin or sheet may be attached to the end of the one
on the adjacent truck in order to cover the projecting ends of any bars or the like
which have been loaded on to a truck.
Framing of the character above described may be adapted to give almost any
shape and height of covering likely to be required, as the length and shape of the
arms E may be such, in relation to the height at which they are pivoted and to the
height of the ridge-pole C, as to give any desired degree of slope from such ridge
pole to the rods, and to make the portions of the covering between such rods and
the lower side bars 9 either vertical or inclined in any desired degree. The
tarpaulin or other covering sheet may be so carried by the framing as to prevent
any swagging thereof, and thus ensure a good shoot for the water.
For some purposes, the rib formed by the standards and ridge pole will not
require to be capable of being turned down, and in such cases the standards may be
permanently fixed rigidly in place in any convenient manner.
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 :-
1. A framing for use in covering railway trucks and other vehicles of a like
character, having a central rib and a pivoted lower and intermediate rib on each side
thereof, of which the intermediate rib when opened out gives head room across the
same side of the truck or vehicle for long bars timber or the like projecting beyond
the body of the truck or other vehicle, and of which the lower rib is, when opened
out, below the top of the body of the truck or other vehicle and of which the
arms of such lower rib are capable of being readily detached from the longitudinal
bar or rod thereof and such arms or portions thereof turned outwards on suitable
joints, substantially as described and shewn.
2. A framing for use in covering railway trucks and other vehicles of a like
character, having a central rib and a pivoted rib on each side thereof of which
each latter rib when opened out gives across the same side of the truck or other
vehicle head-room for long bars timber or the like projecting beyond the body of
the truck or other vehicle, substantially as described and shewn.
3. A framing for use in covering railway trucks and other vehicles of a like
character, having a central rib and a pair of side ribs pivoted thereto, said latter
ribs giving when opened out head-room across each side of the truck or other
vehicle for long bars timber or the like projecting beyond the body of the truck or
other vehicle, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a framing for use in covering railway trucks and other vehicles of a like
character, a pair of pivoted ribs which when opened out are, respectively, below
the top of the body of the truck or other vehicle on opposite sides of the centre
thereof and the arms of which may be readily detached from the side rods thereof
and such arms or portions thereof be turned outwards on suitable joints, substantially
as described and shewn.
5. A framing for use in covering railway trucks and other vehicles of a like
character, constructed substantially as described and shewn by the drawings
herewith.
Dated this 18th der of A worst 1892
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.