Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention hereinafter set forth is an improvement upon the construction
for which Letters Patent No. 10,527 of 1893 were granted to George Moore. The
earlier invention to which said Letters Patent relate, presents a convertible street
railway car, that is, one which is capable of conversion from a closed car, such as
is desirable in wintry or inclement weather, to an open car, such as is suitable
for use in pleasant or warm weather. A car embodying this earlier invention is
provided with upright frames of circular form from near the floor on one side of
the car to a corresponding point on the opposite side of the car, the said upright
frames having on each side thereof two concentric grooves, the car having also
rigid and inflexible movable side sections which are fitted at their edges to the
grooves in the upright frames. The said sections have the same curvature as the
upright frames, and are arranged to slide up and down upon the latter and to
partly pass each other and overlap when in a raised position under the roof of
the car.
The said movable side sections are fitted with window sashes mounted
therein with a capacity to slide within such side sections, and have flexible por-
tions connected with their lower ends and forming the bottoms or lowermost por-
tions of the movable side sections. The improved construction herein set forth
is characterized by the following features; the curvature of the frame terminates
at about the level of the lower edge of the window sash; the upper part of the
sliding section consists of a curved window sash sliding directly in the guides of
the upright frames, and all or nearly all the portion of the sliding sections below
the window sash is constituted of a flexible slat-work curtain; and the sash and the
flexible curtain are separable and are independently movable and are separably
connected together by a suitable catch device.
My invention will be described first with reference to the accompanying
drawings, which illustrate the best embodiment thereof that I have yet contrived;
and the distinguishing characteristics of the invention will be pointed out in the
claims at the close of this specification.
Fig. 1 is a view in cross-section of a car having the said embodiment applied
thereto, taken through one set of sliding sections, and omitting the roof and
other parts not necessary to an understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is a
perspective of two of the upright frames with sliding sections thereon, part of
one section being broken away. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the parts of the form of
spring catch which I prefer to employ. Fig. 4 is a view of the same in section on
the line 1 1 of Thie
2

page_text: 1 is the floor of the car.
2,2 are the upright frames or ribs, springing from the floor at distances apart
corresponding, preferably, to the spacing of the seats of the car. The contour
of each frame is symmetrical, its upper portion being the arc of a circle, and the
said are extending down about to the lower edge of the sash at A. Thence on
each side it runs tangentially to the point B nearly to the floor; and then bends
inwardly in 'an ogee curve C. In my former construction I made the contour of
the frames circular from about B to B; but my present improvement secures the
same height with a wider floor space.
3, 3, are the sashes, running in grooves 4, 4, in the frames 2, 2. 5, 5, are the
flexible curtains or lower portions of the movable side sections, such flexible
portions also running in the said grooves, and joining the sashes but separable
therefrom. The sashes are made curved, with the same curvature as the upper
portions of the grooves. In my Letters Patent aforesaid I have shown and des-
cribed each sash as mounted in grooves in upward extensions of the vertical side
rails of the movable side section, the latter in turn being mounted in the grooves 4,
4, of the frames 2, 2. This mode of construction is expensive and increases
the number of parts. It is moreover of prime importance that the windows of
the car shall be large and commodious, inasmuch as the sliding sashes and cur-
tains of my car are not merely designed for temporary protection, but are intended
to serve permanently to inclose the interior as effectively and satisfactorily during
the entire winter season as would the fixed walls of a car designed only for that
season. My present construction enables the space that formerly existed between
the groove of the frame 2 and the groove of the side rail of the movable section to
be thrown into the width of the glass and thus produces not only a simpler and
less expensive, but a more satisfactory car.
By forming the sash separate from the lower flexible portion or curtain of the
movable side section I enable the upper part of the sides of the car to be com-
pletely opened by running up the sashes, while the lower part is still protected by
the lower flexible portions or curtains 5, 5.
The spring catches for connecting the sashes with the lower flexible portions
of the movable side sections consist, preferably, each of the latch 7, on the lower
flexible portion, the same being actuated by the spring 8, and caused thereby
to engage with the projection cast on the lift 10, the latter being applied to the
sash. Such engagement takes place when the lower flexible portion and sash
are brought together. Consequently when the sash is fully raised and rests in
the upper portion of its groove at the top of the car, it may readily be brought
down by pushing up the flexible portion 5 to meet it, when the spring catch will
lock, after which at any desired time the two may be drawn down together. By
the improvements described above, I retain the advantages of my former con-
struction, its compact storage of the sliding sections in summer, its strong per-
manent and close fitting body in winter, and its capability of ready and immediate
change from one form to the other to meet a temporary emergency; while at
the same time I produce a car body of more advantageous shape, simplify the
shifting parts, enlarge the glass of each window; and enable the sashes conveni-
ently to be drawn down after being raised.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. A railway car body having grooved upright frames located in the sides
and top thereof with the upper portions of said frames curved in the arc of a
circle and the grooves thereof extending across the top of the car, the movable
side sections each consisting of a curved window sash having its side edges fitted
to the curved portions of said grooves and adapted to slide therein, and the flex-
ible lower portion sliding in the same grooves with said sash below the latter
and filling the space below the sash, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. A railway car body having the grooved upright frames located in the
sides and top thereof with the upper portions of said frames curved in the arc
of a circle and the grooves thereof extending across the top of the car, the mov-
able side sections each consisting of a curved window sash having its side edges
fitted to the curved portions of said grooves and adapted to slide therein, and
the flexible lower portion sliding in the same grooves with the sash below the
latter, and filling the space below the sash and having a catch to connect the
said sash and flexible portion together in a separable manner, substantially as
described.
1
+
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.