NEW OR IMPROVED FASTENINGS FOR THE MOVEABLE ENDS OR SIDES OF RAILWAY WAGONS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Pickering, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Railway Wagon Builder, for the Invention of "NEW OR
IMPROVED FASTENINGS FOR THE MOVEABLE ENDS OR SIDES OF RAILWAY
WAGONS."
Sealed the 26th June 1877, and dated the 16th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Pickering at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1877.
EE
JOHN PICKERING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Railway
Wagon Builder. NEW OR IMPROVED FASTENINGS FOR THE MOVEABLE ENDS OR
SIDES OF RAILWAY WAGONS."
This Invention, which relates to improvements in the arrangement or construction
of fastenings for holding shut the moveable ends or sides of railway wagons,
consists of a pair of hooks, each of which is arranged in a vertical recess at the
lower part of the wagon, and in such a position that when the moveable end or
side is shut, the hooks fall down over a bar and prevent the moveable end or side
from being opened, until the hooks are lifted up out of contact with the bar. The
outer face or edge of each hook is inclined or curved, so that as the end or side of
the wagon falls or is shut to, the ends of the bar coming in contact with the
inclined or curved faces of the hooks lift them up and allow the bar to pass there-
under, after which the hooks fall to their lowest position, thereby securing the
moveable end or door in the shut position as herein-before mentioned, the hooks
being prevented from coming out of contact by a pin dropped into or placed in
a hole.
Under a modified arrangement the terminals of the bar at the lower part of the
moveable ends or sides of the wagon are formed with a rounded portion, over which
a moveable link or muzzle is shut, and after being shut is retained in place by a pin
passed or dropped through or into the rounded portion. This modified arrangement
has the advantage over the preceding, that it may be sunk into a recess cut into
the woodwork of the wagon, so that it does not project beyond the woodwork, and
is thereforo less liable to be injured or broken.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Pickering in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th October
1877.
JOHN PICKERING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Railway
Waggon Builder. "NEW OR IMPROVED FASTENINGS FOR THE MOVEABLE ENDS OR
SIDES OF RAILWAY WAGGONS."
My said Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement or construction of
fastenings for holding shut the moveable ends or sides of railway waggons, and
consists of a pair of hooks or catches turning on centres on the lower part of the
immoveable sides or ends of the waggon, in such a position that when the moveable
end or side is shut the said hooks or catches fall over the ends of a bar fixed to the
said moveable end or side.
According to another arrangement the terminals of the bar on the moveable side
or end are formed with rounded projecting portions, over which links or muzzles on
the immoveable ends or sides are turned and fixed by pins.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
annexed Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the body of a railway waggon with my improved
fastening applied thereto to fix or hold shut the moveable side or end; Figures 2
and 3 are respectively an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1 and a plan of
the same; Figure 4 is a section on the line 1, 2, Figure 1, of the front part of the
same with the moveable side closed and fastened; and Figure 5 is a similar section
showing the said moveable side or end unfastened and raised.
The wheels and other parts of the waggon which are not necessary for the
illustration of my Invention are omitted from these Figures.
In the ends A are formed recesses a which are covered by side straps a¹; hooks
or catches B turn on pins b passing through these straps a¹ and recesses a, the said
hooks or catches being in such a position that when the moveable end or side C is
shut, they fall down by their own weight over the projecting ends c¹ of the bar c
bolted to the side C, and prevent the said side from opening until the hooks B are
lifted up clear of the said projecting ends of the bar c. The outer face or edge of
each hook B is inclined or curved, as seen in Figure 2, so that when on the falling
or shutting of the moveable end or side c, the projecting ends of the bar c come in
contact with the said inclined or curved fices, the said projecting ends lift the
hooks and pass thereunder, the said hooks falling to their lowest position and
securing the closed moveable side.
The hooks may be prevented from accidentally rising by passing a pin c through
the side strap a¹ over the back of the said hooks, as seen at e in Figure 2, and on
the right-hand fastening in Figure 1; or this pin may be dispensed with, as shewn,
with respect to the left-hand fastening Figure 1. The moveable end or side is hung
by the suspending links & upon the rod D, so that it may be turned thereon when
the hooks are disengaged, as seen at Figure 5.
Figures 6 and 7 shew respectively end and side elevations of the lower portion of
one end of a railway waggon, provided with fastenings, constructed according to
another arrangement of my Invention.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3, 4, (Figures 6 & 7,) showing
the two parts of the fastening engaged, and Figure 9 is a like section shewing the
two parts of the fastening disengaged. In this arrangement each end of the bar c,
which is shewn secured on the lower part of the inner face of the moveable end or
side c, is formed with a rounded projection c, and to each end or side of the waggon
is bolted a strap b carrying a link or loop B, which is capable of being turned upon
the rivet or pin b¹; the said links or loops B being turned outwards clear of the

page_text: moveable side, as shewn at Figure 9, the moveable end or side is closed and
fastened in that position by turning the loops B over the rounded projections c¹, as
shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the said loops being secured in position by pins e
passing through holes in the said rounded projections.
I have shewn only one fastening in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, but it will be under-
stood that a precisely similar fastening is provided at both sides or ends of the
waggon.
In either arrangement of fastening the bar c extending the whole length of the
moveable end or side may be replaced by short straps or bars, as shewn in Figures 8
and 9, and those straps or bars, and the straps b in the arrangement Figures 6, 7,
8, and 9, may be sunk into recesses cut in the woodwork of the waggon, as shewn,
so that the fastenings do not project, or project but slightly beyond the body of the
waggon, and are therefore not liable to injury.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The new or improved fastening for the moveable ends or sides of railway
waggons consisting of hooks or catches on the immoveable part which drop over
the projecting ends of a bar or bars or straps on the moveable sides or ends of the
waggons, essentially as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The new or improved fastening for the moveable ends or sides of milway
waggons consisting of loops or links on the immoveable part which pass over and
are secured by a pin upon rounded projections fixed to the moveable sides or ends,
essentially as hercin-before described and illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Pickering, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Thirteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
JOHN PICKERING. (L.S.)