APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING AND UNCLOSING ALL THE CARRIAGE DOORS IN A RAILWAY TRAIN OR PART OF IT, DISPENSING WITH LOCKING OR RIGID LATCHING
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER PORECKY of No 16 Hargrave Road Upper Holloway in the
County of Middlesex Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of said Invention
for APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING AND UNCLOSING ALL THE CARRIAGE
DOORS IN A RAILWAY TRAIN OR PART OF IT, DISPENSING WITH LOCKING OR RIGID
LATCHING to be as follows :-
I provide for each door of a railway carriage a steel or iron rod of about 4 of an
inch diameter and 30 inches long having at or near each end a branch or arm about
12 inches long projecting at a right angle (and in the same plane) from it and fit
the stem on the carriage vertically close to and parallel with the line of the hinges
of each door so that the arms shall project from it horizontally in front of the
carriage the upper arms at a convenient distance above the level of the roof and the
lower arms below the windows and I secure the stem of each in its position by
means of sockets and staples fixed on the front side of the carriage in such a way
that it may be freely turned in them round its own centre and so form an axis to
the horizontal arms or radii projecting from it-All the ends of the upper arms at
an equal length from their respective axis and at the same distance from each
other as at their axes (fitted on the carriage) I joint or hinge by means of a steel or
iron bar of requisite strength and the same length as the carriage connecting them
by means of perforations and pins passing through vertically and fitting in them
steadily and freely-Thus the arms being parallel to each other and the bar
parallel also with the plane of the front of the carriage (by which expression
throughout I mean the door side) and all parts being moveable relatively to each
other and about their fixed centres at the front of the carriage the ensemble forms
a series of parallelograms placed and moveable in a horizontal plane in front of the
carriage which can be presented either in the form of rectangles when the upper
arms are at right angles with the bar (and which will be the same with the front
of the carriage) or when the arms are turned of a circle from that position
either way the whole will collapse at the side of the carriage Now when the arms
are at right angles to the front of the carriage the doors can also be opened at right
angles as is usual for ingress and egress of passengers and each of the lower arms
will be just behind its corresponding door Again if the arms are turned of a circle
from the doors they will be quite removed from them but if the arms are turned
from a rectangular position relative to the bar of a circle towards the doors each
of the lower arms will gradually press against its corresponding door and close it
and keep it shut until again removed from it-Now as the same effect extends to
all parts of the whole of the parallelograms whichever of their component parts is
moved and whatever the number of doors to a carriage if any number of carriages

page_text: be provided with such contrivances and those contrivances connected (directly or
indirectly) to each other the result will be the same for all-When therefore the
movement is originated by means of a lever a capstan or other suitable contrivance
fixed so as to be conveniently under control of the Engine driver or the Guard. or
other person on duty and that connected with the end of the bar or upper arm
nearest to it the movement will be imparted to all the appliances connected with it
Considering however the variable proximity of the carriages and the frequent
deviation of one side from the other in consequence of curves in the permanent
way the connecting piece between the appliance on the one carriage and that on
the next should be such as will allow for such divergences for instance a spiral
spring enclosed in a tube and where the movement is to be extended throughout a
long train it will be advisable in order to have the effect undiminished at the
farthest end from the source of movement to have the connecting pieces between
the appliances so arranged that the nearer to the source of the movement the
farther should be the point of connection from the axis fitted on the carriage and
the farther from the motive power the nearer should be the point of connection to
that axis so as that in transmitting the movement from a longer to a shorter radius
the deficiency of effect.owing to distance may thus be compensated.
On the same principle this system of appliances may be so modified that instead
of having the lower arms for shutting the doors to have it effected by means of
certain fittings on the bar and for that purpose I have only 3 steel or iron
rectangular brackets each having one branch about 18 or 20 inches long and the
other 12 inches long and fit one at each end and the other about the middle of the
length of the carriage with the angular part upwards a little above the level of
the roof and secure the long branch of each in a vertical position by means of
sockets and staples so that it can be freely turned in them round its own centre
and thus form an axis to the horizontal arm projecting from it in front of the
carriage-The ends of the branches are jointed by means of a bar of about the
same length as the carriage in the same way as by the preceding mode namely that
the branches shall be parallel to each other and the bar with the front of the
carriage The bar I provide with small cylinders of about an inch diameter and
about 6 inches long firmly fixed and descendingly perpendicularly from it so as to
reach a few inches below the upper line of the doors-The cylinders are to be fixed
on the bar at such points of its length as to be right opposite to the line of the
hinges of each door when the bar is at right angles with the branches and
the result will be in all respects the same as in the preceding mode for when
the parallelograms are in a rectangular position each of the cylinders will be just
opposite the line of the hinges of its corresponding door and the doors may be
opened as usual and when collapsed in the direction away from the doors of a
circle they are quite removed from them but when the branches are turned of a
circle towards the doors and the parallelograms changing from rectangular through
rhomboidal forms the bar with the cylinders moving laterally and longitudinally at
the same time each cylinder will press against its corresponding door and shut it-
All other arrangements are as in the preceding mode-When the movement for
both closing and unclosing the doors by means of the system of parallelograms is
to be started from the same end of a train and yet be always that of pulling it
might be advantageous to have the upper arms at the ends of each carriage pro-
jecting horizontally in opposite directions at right angles to the verticals and joint
or binge them by means of a bar in a similar manner to that before described but
passing along and above the roof of the carriage and each set connected as before.
It must of course be understood that as the carriages have the doors on both
sides a similar set of the appliances would have to be provided to each.
Dated this 31st day of March 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER PORECKY of N° 16 Hargrave Road Upper Holloway in the County
of Middlesex Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
APPARATUS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CLOSING AND UNCLOSING ALL THE CARRIAGE
DOORS IN A RAILWAY TRAIN OR PART OF IT, DISPENSING WITH LOCKING OB
RIGID LATCHING and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I provide for each door of a railway carriage a steel or iron rod or bolt of about
inch diameter and about 4 feet long having at or near each end a branch or arm
about 12 inches long projecting from it at right angles, both branches being in the
same plane, and fit the stem vertically on the carriage, close to and parallel with
the line of the axes of the hinges of each door so that the arms shall project from
it horizontally in front of the carriage, the upper arm at a convenient distance above
the roof (all such arms being on the same level) and the lower arm below the
windows of the carriage door-The bolts at the end doors of each carriage or
preferably two extra brackets (without a lower arm) at the extreme ends of the
front of the carriage (by which expression throughout I mean the door side) are to
have their upper arms double or T shaped transversing the vertical stem at right
angles, one arm projecting in front and the other over the roof of the carriage each
of these arms being of the same length as the others-The stem of each bolt or
bracket I secure in its position by means of sockets and staples fixed on the front
side of the carriage in such a manner that it may be freely revolved within them
round its own centre so as to form an axis to the projecting arms when they are
moved in their horizontal plane-It may be so arranged that the vertical part of
each bolt or bracket shall at the same time form the axis or pin of the hinges of
each door-Each of the upper arms, at or near the free end is to be provided with
a pin of about inch diameter and 1 inch long projecting from it perpendicularly
upwards, the pins of all the arms are to be at a like distance from their respective
axes fitted to the carriage.
A bar, of the length of the carriage and about 1 inches wide and inch thick
being provided at certain intervals with perforations of about inch diameter
which intervals must be equal to the distance between the axes of the bolts fitted
to the carriage is fitted on to the corresponding pins of the horizontal arms in such
a manner as to be free to turn steadily round these pins and secured from slipping
off them-If preferred the case may be reversed the bar being provided with pins
and the arms with perforations-The two arms projecting over the roof from the
Tshaped brackets at each end of the carriage are to be connected by an iron rod
of about inch diameter and of the same length as the front bar and fitted in the
same way-Thus the whole presents a parallelogram placed in a horizontal plane
above the level of the roof the central line of its width being situated in the plane
of the axes fitted to the front of the carriage round the fixed centre of which axes
all parallel parts of the parallelogram are subject to a similar and simultaneous
movement when movement is imparted to any of its component parts but while all
the arms and their connecting bar in front move one way the two arms over the
roof and the rod connecting them move in the opposite direction, each side being
capable of revolving through half a circle, that is to say, when the arms are at right.
angles with the bar or rod connecting them they may be turned of a circle
backwards or forwards until they collapse together and thus by means of the cross
arms at each end and the bar connecting them in front and the rod over the roof
both the closing and unclosing of the doors can be effected from the same end by

page_text: pulling that is to say-if the movement is to be imparted from the hind end of
the carriage then for closing, by pulling the arm in front, and for unclosing, by
pulling that over the roof, and the reverse when to be effected from the fore-end-
Now, when the upper arms are at right angles, with the connecting bar or, what is
the same thing, with the front of the carriage the lower arms being in the same
plane with the upper arms will be in the same position and consequently all the
doors of the carriage may be open at right angles as is usually the case for the
ingress and egress of passengers and each of the lower arms will be just behind its
corresponding door-Again, if the arms are turned of a circle from the doors they
will be quite removed from them but if the arms are turned from a rectangular
position relative to the bar a quarter of a circle towards the doors each of the lower
arms will gradually press against its corresponding door and close it and keep it
shut until again removed from it-Now as the same effect extends to all parts of
the parallelogram whatever be the number of doors in a carriage, if any number of
carriages are provided with such contrivances and those contrivances connected
with each other the result will be the same for all-When therefore the movement
is originated by means of a lever a capstan or other suitable contrivance fixed so as
to be conveniently under the control of the engine driver or guard or other person
on duty and that connected with the arms nearest to it the movement will be
imparted to all the appliances in connection with it-Considering however the
variable proximity of the carriages and the deviations of one side from the other in
consequence of the curves in the permanent way the connection between the
appliance on one carriage and that on the next should be such as will allow for such
divergences, say a spiral spring enclosed in a tube (as in weighing machines) —
Furthermore, where the movement is to be extended throughout a long train it will
be adviseable in order to have the effect undiminished at the end farthest from the
source of movement to have the connecting pieces between the appliances 80
arranged that the nearer to the source of movement the farther should be the point
of connection from the axis fitted on the carriage and the farther from the motive
power the nearer should be the point of connection to that axis so that in transmitting
the movement from a longer to a shorter distance from the axis the deficiency of effect
owing to distance may thus be compensated-For instance, the arms at the ends of
each carriage might have perforations say at intervals of an inch so that the
connecting piece may be fitted into a perforation nearer to or farther from the axis
as each particular case may require.
On the same principle this system may be so modified that instead of having the
shutting of the doors effected by the lower arins which necessitates the provision of
bolts at each door it shall be effected by certain projections from the front bar-
For this purpose I have only the two cross or T shaped brackets at each end of the
carriage as before (or say also a third bracket in the middle as an additional
support,) The arms projecting over the roof are connected by a rod and those
projecting in front are joined by a bar free to turn round the connecting pivot or
pin as before but in this case the bar, instead of having perforations or pins, is
provided at like intervals-namely-corresponding to those between the axes of
the binges of the doors with firmly fixed cylinders of about 1 inch diameter and of
such a length as to reach a few inches below the line of the upper edge of each door,
which cylinders descend perpendicularly from its lower surface-The result will be
in all respects the same as in the preceding mode, for when the parallelograms are
in a rectangular position each of the cylinders will be just opposite the line of the
hinges of its corresponding door, and the doors may be opened as usual, and when
collapsed in the direction away from the doors of a circle they are quite removed
from them but when the arms or branches of the brackets are turned of a circle
towards the doors and thus the parallelograms changing from rectangular to
rhomboidal forms, the bar with the cylinders are then moving laterally and
longitudinally at the same time and each cylinder will press against its corresponding
door and shut it-All other arrangements are as before described.

page_text: It will be understood that each side of the carriages should be provided with
similar appliances.
It will be seen that by the aforesaid arrangements the Guard or the Engine
driver or if required both of them will be enabled to effect the gradual and
simultaneous closing of all the carriage doors of a railway train without slamming
and no opening of them can possibly occur through inadvertence or for criminal
purposes by passengers but as a provision in case of help or protection being needed
it will be desirable that the doors should not be kept too tightly held but the arms
slightly relaxed so as to allow of the doors being pushed open about an inch and
thus a sudden push against any door will cause the whole apparatus to vibrate and
draw attention of the Guard and the passengers in other carriages to that part and
any other communication between passengers and Guard and Engine driver as well
as locks and rigid latches may be dispensed with and also that in case of danger or
blocking on one side of the train the apparatus on the other may be instantly
released and so afford means of escape.
I do not confine myself to any special mode of working the appliances but prefer
to effect the movement by a perpetual screw placed horizontally acting on the teeth
of a cogged wheel with a vertical axis which axis can be either the stem of the
nearest bracket itself or a separate one and communicating with the arms projecting
from it but in any case the arrangement ought to be at both ends of the train.
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 arrangement and application of a system of parallelograms composed of hinged
parts and connected and worked together so as to effect the simultaneous closing
and unclosing of all the carriage doors in a railway train as and in the manner
herein before particularly described
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