Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1888
[Communicated from abroad by CHESTER WILLIAM MAYHEW SMITH, of 224, Sansome
Street, San Francisco, California, United States of America, Patent Attorney and
Counsellor at Law.]
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows
--
The object of my invention is to provide a railway vehicle that will be less liable
to damage by collision than those heretofore constructed, and proof against destruction
by fire.
I accomplish this object by the means hereinafter described.
In constructing my safety-railway-car I have found it necessary that all the parts
be made of a material which is incombustible, and which will not splinter or break.
into fragments which would wound or main passengers in case of collision. Hence
my safety vehicle is constructed as nearly as possible of iron or metal and the parts
are so disposed or arranged as to receive the shock from collision at the strongest
and best fortified points to oppose such contact successfully as well as to resist the
action, of fire in case of accident.
The sills of the carriage is formed of two plates one of which is bent in a peculiar
manner to provide the lips or flanges to receive the side sheets or walls and floor of
the car.
The plates that form the beams or girders are constructed like the sills, one
of such plates being provided with lips or flanges to receive the upper ends of the
side sheets and the edges of the roof plate.
These beams or girders are inverted and receive the upper ends of the side sheets
or walls and the roof of the car.
In constructing these sills and beams or girders the outer plates are bent simply at
a right angle and the edges thereof form one-half of the two lips or flanges which
receive the side sheets while the inner plates are bent to a right angle, after which the
edge of each member is bent outward to a right angle and placed parallel with the

page_text: outer plate in which position the bent edges thereof form the inner half of the two
lips or flanges of the sill and beams.
The floor of the carriage is constructed of one sheet of rolled iron and extends
beyond the body of the car at both ends, forming the platforms. This sheet is
arranged between the two lips or bent plates forming the girders, or beams and the
edges of said floor may, if desired, be made to extend inward within the beams or
girders, between their lips or flanges sufficiently far to touch the outer angle plates
at or near the point where they are bent to a right angle as above explained.
This mode of construction may he adopted where great strength is needed.
In this position the floor is bolted between the lips or flanges at suitable intervals
from end to end, of the car by bolts or rivets.
The side sheets of the carriage are composed of single plates of rolled metal suitable
spaces being cut out for windows and ventilation.
The upper and lower edges of these plates extend between the lips of the beams or
girders, and the said side plates and the enclosing flanges of the beams are bolted at
suitable intervals of space as in bolting or fastening the floor.
The lower edges of these side plates may rest upon the flooring sheet at right angles
when the latter is extended to the inner face of the sills.
The ends of these side sheets forming the side walls of the car may be extended
ontward and wiped or bent around to form the ends of the car suitable spaces being
cut away to provide for the doors and end windows.
The outer ends of the inner angle irons of the heams are extended so that the end
plates will breast against and be held in position by foot and overhead inner angle
irons or these end pieces may be composed of separate curved plates and be bolted
to the outside of side plates or walls of the car.
Good rolled iron or steel one-half inch in thickness will answer for the plates
composing the lower beams or girders and three-eighths or one-half inch iron or
steel for the plates composing the upper beams and floor side plates or walls; while
the roof may be composed of a thinner and lighter plate of metal, such as iron or
steel.
The roof is constructed of a single plate and sprung or bent to form the desired
curvature, and the edges are champed between the inner lips, laps or flanges formed
by the plates composing the upper beams or girders by the rivets or bolts secured in
the same manner as in uniting the side walls or plates and the floor above described
while the ends of the roof plate are rounded and extend over the platform as shown.
Suitable spaces are cut from the roof for windows and ventilation before it is sprang
or put in position.
The gables of the car may be composed of separate pieces cut to conform to the
curve, of the roof at the upper ends, and bolted to the inner face of the roof and the
upper end of end plates of the car when the sheets of the side plates are bent around
to form the ends of the car as hereinbefore described; but when the end plates are
composed of separate sheets these may be cut out to form and carry the gables or ends
with them.
Suitable lettering boards will be provided by the onter faces of the
angle plates composing the upper beams or girders.
upper and outer
For supporting and strengthening the interior of the car vertical or upright wooden
or iron posts are interposed along the sides between the window openings, the upper
and lower faces of the sills may be held in position by bolts or the ends may be morticed
into the beams.
By this means the body of the car will be relieved of the downward thrust or
spring and means will be provided for hanging and operating the windows of
the car.
These upright posts also serve as an important and valuable factor in lining the
interior of car, which lining consists of thin sheets of metal such as copper, brass, or
other non-combustible material which may have a surface of some dead colour to take
off the glaze, or dazzle and also be suitably ornamented.
These sheets are tacked or secured to the upright posts with tacks, nails or screws

page_text: having ornamented heads, and the sheets may extend across the interior face of the
dome of the car and be kept in position by fastening them to longitudinal flat bars.
At suitable intervals of space along the interior of the car are connected braces,
which latter may be constructed of some light material such as galvanized or plated
iron.
The body of the car rests upon horizontal sleepers or beams constructed of wood
or iron.
To these beams are connected the trucks and brake connections, and they also
support the extended ends of the iron floor or platforms.
A packing such as cotton, duck or rubber is employed where iron is opposed or to
or joined with iron for instance at the joints and drill holes for the bolts or rivets, to
neutralize the jarring effect of such connections.
Having thus described the construction of the body and frame work of the improved
carriage I will now proceed to describe the interior fitting.
The saloons, closets and doors are constructed of light sheet metal suitably
ornamented and the partition of the closets and saloons are connected to the body of
the car by angle irons in the usual way.
The seat frames are composed of light metal upholstered with some incombustible
material. The outer ends of the seat frames are connected to and supported upon
the upper faces of the lower sills with the inner ends bolted to the iron flooring.
In sleeping cars the frames composing the berths therein will be constructed of
light metal and be folded up within the casing of the car in the usual way.
The bedding will be prepared of materials made incombustible by saturation in
such fire proof chemicals as are well known in the arts and every effort made to
guard against danger from fire in case the upsetting of furnaces or stoves in the car
should take place.
It will thus be understood that but little, if any, material will be contained in or
about the cars or carriages for fire to feed upon.
Dated this 19th day of March 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, HENRY FARRIS LAKE, of the frin of Haseltine, Lake and Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of my invention is to provide a railway vehicle that will be less liable to
damage by collision than those heretofore constructed and proof against destruction
by fire.
I accomplish this object by the means hereinafter described.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my railway carriage with parts broken away to show
construction and interior of car.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same.
Figure 3 represents parts in section through car.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of a portion of the carriage taken below the
windows.
In Figure 5 a different manner of joining end plates to side plates is shown.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In constructing my safety railway car I have found it necessary that all the parts
be made of a material which is incombustible, and which will not splinter or break
into fragments which would wound or maim passengers in case of collision. Hence
my safety vehicle is constructed as nearly as possible of iron or metal and the parts
are so disposed or arranged as to receive the shock from collision at the strongest and
best fortified points to oppose such contact successfully as well as to resist the action
of fire in case of accident.
A A represents the two plates which together form the sills of the car, and one of
which, as A. is bent in the peculiar manner shown in cross-section in Figure 3, to
provide the lips or flanges A* A² to receive the side sheets or walls and floor of the
car. B Bar the plates that form the beams or girders which are constructed in like
manner to that of the sills, and one of which as B' is provided with the lips or
flanges B B to receive the upper ends of the side sheets and the edges of the
roof plate.
These beams or girders are inverted and receive the upper ends of the side sheets or
walls and the roof of the car.
In constructing these sills and beams or girders the outer plates are bent simply at
a right angle and the edges thereof form one half of the two lips or flanges which
receive the sile she ts while the inner plates are bent to a right angle, after which the
edge of each member is bent outward to a right angle and placed parallel with the

page_text: outer plate in which position the bent edges thereof form the inner half of the two
lips or flanges of the sill and beams. The floor C of the carriage is constructed of
one sheet of rolled iron and extends beyond the body of the car at both ends forming
the platforms. This sheet is arranged between the two lips or bent plates forming
the girders or beams and the edges of said floor C may, if desired, be made to extend
inward within the beams or girders, between their lips or flanges sufficiently far to
touch the outer angle plates at or near the point where they are bent to a right angle
as above explained.
This mode of construction may he adopted where great strength is needed.
In this position the floor is bolted between the lips or flanges at suitable intervals
from end to end of the car by bolts or rivets D as in rivetting boiler plates.
The side sheets of the carriage are composed of single plates of rolled metal E
suitable spaces Ex being cut out for windows and ventilation.
The upper and lower edges of these plates extend between the lips of the beams or
girders, as shown, and the said side plates and the enclosing flanges of the beams are
bolted at suitable intervals of space as in bolting or fastening the floor.
The lower edges of these side plates may rest upon the flooring sheet at right angles
when the latter is extended to the inner face of the sills.
The ends of these side sheets forming the side walls of the car may be extended
outward and wiped or bent around to form the ends of the car as at F, suitable spaces
being cut away to provide for the doors and end windows. The outer ends of the
inner angle irons of the beams are extended so that the end plates will breast against
and be held in position by foot and overhead inner angle irons; or these end pieces
may be composed of separate curved plates and be bolted to the outside of side plates
or walls of the car, shown in Figure 5.
Good rolled iron or steel one-half inch in thickness will answer for the plates com-
posing the lower beams or girders and three-eighths or one half inch iron or steel for
the plates composing the upper beams and floor side plates or walls; while the roof
may be composed of a thinner and lighter plate of metal such as iron or steel.
The roof G is constructed of a single plate and sprung or bent to form the desired
curvature and the edges are clamped between the inner lips, laps or flanges formed by
the plates composing the upper beams or girders by the rivets or bolts D secured
in the same manner as in uniting the side walls or plates and the floor above
described while the ends of the roof plate are rounded and extend over the platform
as shown.
Suitable spaces are cut from the roof for windows and ventilation before it is sprung
or put in position.
The gables H of the car may be composed of separate pieces cut to conform to the
curve of the roof at the upper ends, and bolted to the inner face of the roof and the
upper end of the end plates of the car when the sheets of the side plates are bent
around to form the ends of the car as hereinbefore described; but when the end plates
are composed of separate sheets they may be cut out to form and carry the gables or
ends with them.
Suitable lettering boards will be provided by the outer faces of the upper and outer
angle plates composing the upper beams or girders.
For supporting and strengthening the interior of the car vertical or upright wooden
or iron posts J are interposed along the sides between the window openings; the
upper and lower faces of the sills may be held in position by bolts or the ends may be
morticed into the beams.
By this means the body of the car will be relieved of the downward thrust or
spring and means will be provided for hanging and operating the windows of
the car.
These upright posts also serve as an important and valuable factor in lining the
interior of the carriage which lining consists of thin sheets of metal K such as
copper, brass, or other non-combustible material which may have a surface of some
dead color, to take off the glaze or dazzle and also be suitably ornamented.

page_text: Between the plate E and the lining or upholstering K and also between the root
plate and its lining is inserted a thin sheet of cork packing; this cork packing is
light, will deaden the sound or reverberation is incombustible, and will resist heat
and cold.
These sheets are tacked or secured to the upright post with tacks, nails or screws
having ornamented heads, and the sheets may extend across the interior fice
of the dome of the car and be kept in position by fastening them to longitudinal
flat bars L.
At suitable intervals of space along the interior of the car are connected the
T-braces M, which latter may be constructed of some light material such as galvanized
or plated iron.
The body of the car rests upon horizontal sleepers or beams N constructed of
wood or iron.
To these beams are connected the trucks and brake connections, and they also
support the extended ends of the iron floor or platform.
A packing such as cotton, duck or rubber is employed where iron is opposed to or
joined with iron for instance at the joints and drill holes for the bolts or rivets, to
neutralize the jarring effect of such connections.
Having thus described the construction of the body and frame work of the improved
carriage, I will now proceed to describe the interior fitting.
The salons, closets and doors are constructed of light sheet metal suitably
ornamented and the partitions of the closets and saloons are connected to the body of
the car by angle irons in the usual way.
The seat frames are composed of light metal upholstered with some incombustible
material. The outer ends of the seat frames are connected to and supported upon the
upper faces of the lower sills with the inner ends bolted to the iron flooring.
In sleeping cars the frames composing the berths therein will be constructed of
light metal and be folded up within the casing of the car in the usual way.
"The bedding will be prepared of materials made incombustible by saturation in
such fire proof chemicals as are well known in the arts; and every effort made to guard
against danger from fire in case the upsetting of furnaces or stoves in the car should
take place.
It will thus be understood that but little if any, material will be contained in or
about the cars or carriages for fire to feed upon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by foreign
correspondent I declare that what I clain is :-
First. The combination in a carriage constructed wholly of iron and metal and
partially of iron and partially of wood; of the sills and beams or girders composed
of angle plates bent so as to form double horizontal and riveted lips or flanges as
described.
Second. The combination in a carriage constructed wholly of iron and metal or
partially of iron and partially of wood, of the iron sheet or flooring bolted between
the horizontal lips or flanges of the sills the edges of said sheet or floor extending to,
or nearly to, the outer plates of the sills in the manner described.
Third. The combination in a carriage constructed wholly of iron
or metal or
partially of wood or partially of iron of the side walls or sheets E bolted or riveted
between the lips or flanges of the sills and the lips or flanges of the beams or girders
in the manner set forth and specified.
Fourth. The combination in a carriage constructed wholly of iron and metal, or
partially of wood and partially of iron of the metallic roof G bolted or riveted
between the lips or flanges of the inverted beams or girders B B', constructed and
arranged substantially in the manner herein set forth and specified.
Fifth. In a railway carriage the ends of the side sheets or walls bent around against
the ends of the sills and beans or girders to form the corners and ends of the car in

page_text: the manner described when continuous or extended sheets are employed or the separate
end sheets or plates bent so as to form the corners and front of the car body and
lapped and rivetted to the said side sheet as described.
Sixth. The combination in a car constructed wholly of iron and metal or partially
of wood and partially of iron, of the upright or vertical posts, resting upon and bolted
to the sills and beams or girders, or with the lower ends of said posts morticed into
the sills as specified for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. The employment of a thin sheet of cork packing between the outer shell
or plate and the lining of the carriage substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The method herein described of forming sills, beams or girders for railway
cars and other structures where sheets of metal are to be vertically and horizontally
united by bolts or rivets consisting of two metal plates one of which is bent at right
angles and the other plate bent to a right angle and the edge of each member bent to
a right angle and placed parallel to the outer plate whereby the two series of vertical
and horizontal lips, laps or flanges are formed for bolting or riveting vertical and
horizontal connecting sheets, as described.
2
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.