IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOFS FOR RAILROAD CARS AND HURRICANE DECKS OF VESSELS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 100, Fleet Street, in the City of London, American Bar-.
rister-at-Law, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROOFS FOR RAILROAD
CARS AND HURRICANE DECKS OF VESSELS." -A communication from abroad'
Alan Dine Winslow of Cleveland Ohio United States
Sealed the 25th September 1862, and dated the 17th June 1862.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration, on
the 17th June 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 100, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, American Barrister-at-Law, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROOFS FOR RAILROAD CARS AND HURRICANE DECKS OF VESSELS," and have peti-
tioned Her Majesty - to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that said Invention has been communicated to me from abroad
by Alonzo Page Winslow, of Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
NOW KNOW YE, that I the said George Haseltine do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement, reference being.
bad to the accompanying Drawings, making a part of said Specification, in
which Figure 1 is a plan view; Figure 2, a longitudinal section in the direction
of the line X', X', in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a transverse section in the direction
of the line X, X, in Figure 1; Figures 4 and 5 are detached sections, which
will be referred to in the following description; Figure 6 is a plan or top
view of the roof with part of the sheeting removed; Figure 7 is a longitudinal
section in the direction of the line X, X, in Figure 6; Figure 8 represents
detached sections. Like letters denote like parts in the several views.
The outside covering A, Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the roof may be of wood
covered over in the usual manner; in Figure 1 a portion of this outside roof
is removed for the purpose of showing my improvements. The rafters B may
be made and connected to the railroad car and the upper cabin of vessels in
any desirable manner suitable for this purpose. In the sides of each rafter is
cut a groove C, Figure 4, the curve of which conforms to the top of the rafter,
and extends the entire length of it, as seen in Figure 5. Between the rafters
in the grooves is placed a metallic plate or sheet, D, which extends the entire
length across the car, as indicated in Figures 1, 3, and 5. The ends of the
plates D extend over the sides of the car or cabin to the inside of the moulding
or cornice E of the roof; this cornice prevents the plates D from sliding
laterally out of place. On the top of each rafter is fastened the cap F, which
extends the whole length of the rafter, as seen in Figure 3; the sides of this
cap are so turned that the sides, lap down on the plates D, as seen in
Figure 2. The plates herein shown are curved for the purpose of conveying
all moisture or wet that may get under the roof A to the centre of the plates
from the sides and grooves. Straight, angular, or corrugated plates may be
employed instead of the plates D, but I prefer the latter, as I consider it.
better adapted to the purpose designed. Between the roof or sheeting A and
the plates D is formed a chamber G, into which a current of air is continually
passing through the openings H at each end of the plates, and through these
openings is discharged all wet and dust which may gather in the chambers.
The chambers being open to the atmosphere by means of the openings H, the
interior of the car is rendered much more cool and comfortable than when the
heated air is confined, as is now the case. The plates are made to fit, not
tightly, in the grooves, but so that they will move readily and adjust them-
selves to the straining and springing of the car or vessel, and so that in case
one of the plates should become injured, that it may be easily withdrawn
and replaced.
In the ordinary mode of covering. the roofs of cars with tin or iron, the

page_text: strain and continual jarring of the cars, and the expansion and contraction,
cracks and loosens the metallic sheets from the roof; then leakage follows;
which does more or less damage, particularly on freight cars, as the goods
become injured to a greater or less extent. When thus exposed, and when
the roof is composed entirely of wood, the joints or seams become opened by
exposure to the weather and racking of the cars, which again exposes the
freight to injury. Again, the wood roof is at all times liable to be fired
by sparks from the engine. With my improved roof these difficulties are
obviated, as all leakage from the roof A is conveyed by the plates D through
the openings H, and in case the roof A should be fired, the metallic roof
below would prevent the fire from injuring the freight, so that the train could
be stopped and the fire subdued without injury to the lower roof or goods.
This manner of constructing the roofs of railroad cars is much less expensive
and more durable than the ordinary metallic roofing, and it may be applied to
the hurricane decks of steamboats, propellers, and other vessels using cabins
with hurricane decks. All structures of this kind are more or less subject to
continual strain and racking of the timbers, and this roof by its peculiar
construction is rendered flexible to a certain extent, and will adjust itself to
the working of the car or vessel.
A variation of this mode of constructing roofs is represented in Figures 6;
7, and 8, whereby the moisture and wet will be even more effectually excluded
from the car, and from the construction and arrangement of the roofing plates
with the rafters or carlines; they can more readily be adapted to old cars.
These plates can also be better and more readily manufactured than the
plates D, otherwise they are alike in their application and results. .-
The plate D, Figures 6 and. 7, corresponds to the plate D, and is eon-
nected to the carline or rafter B in the same manner, or in a way similar, that
is, the rafter B is grooved upon the sides or otherwise fitted to receive the
edge of the plates. This feature is clearly exhibited in the several sections in
Figure 8, to which reference will again be made. The plate D' also differs
in its form from the plate D described, which will be duly set forth. It is
found in practical experience that in consequence of the capillary attraction
the water or a portion of it that falls upon the roof passes into the groove in
the side of the rafter, where it receives the edges of the plates D and passes
down inside of the car. This is particularly the case while the cars are
ascending or descending a grade, as the rain by the inclination of the track
and speed of the cars will thus pass inside of the roof over or around the edges
of the plates, especially if the tops of the plates are in any way exposed, to
view by openings in the sheeting G'. It is also found to be a difficult matter.

page_text: to roll or swedge the plates when they are curved in two directions, as
described and shown in Figure 2, one of which curves is represented by a in
Figures 7 and 8, the other curve corresponding to the curve of the roof. At
b, b, b, b, in Figure 7, the body of the plates D' are shown as flat in the
longitudinal direction of the car, the only curve in the body of the plate being
in the direction lengthwise to the plate and transversely to the length of the
car. At section e in Figure 8 the rafter is represented as grooved upon each
side to secure the edges of the plates D'. In section f, Figure 8, the rafters
or carlines B are shown rabbeted from the top downward, that is, each upper
corner is removed and a recess is thus formed to receive the edges of the
plates which are turned upward and inward. The sides of the rafters are
consequently without grooves, as seen in the Figure. In this form the metallic
cap F is turned downward and upward at its edges, and is thus caused to
embrace the edges of the plate D' upon which they are folded, as seen in
section f at h, h. In sections d and e, Figure 8, the edges of the plate are
turned upward and outward. In section e the edges of the plate thus formed.
enter the grooves i, i, in the sides of the rafter B; in this case the metallic
cap F has its edge turned downward so as to nearly meet the horizontal.
portion, or body of the plate D¹. In section d, Figure 8, there is represented
a piece of timber C (seen also at C, Figure 7), which corresponds in its length
and curve to the rafter B; this piece C is rabbeted out on both the lower
corners or edges, so as to form a T-shaped piece when viewed in cross section
as in the Figure.
In adapting my improvement to old cars or those that have been roofed in
the ordinary manner, I first strip off the old roof and secure to the top of
each rafter the T-shaped piece of timber C by means of nails or screws. The
point of unison between the rafter B and timber C is indicated by the red line
in Figures 7 and 8. The grooves g, g, formed by the rabbet of the piece 'C
receive the edges of the plate D, which are turned upward and outward, as
shown in the section e, Figure 8.
In building new-cars the rafters can be grooved upon each side before they
are secured to other parts of the frame, and, thus fitted to receive the edges of
the plates D', but in old cars that need new roofing it becomes a very difficult.
matter thus to groove them on account of their position as well as from the
presence of nails previously used in the construction of the roof, and hence the
attachment of the piece C to the rafter B. The rafters B being fitted as
herein-before stated either by rabbeting upon the sides or attaching the piece C,
the plates D' formed as described are introduced at the eaves of the car, the
edges of the plate following along the grooves until it reaches to the opposite.

page_text: side of the car; when all are thus introduced they are secured in place by.
means of the moulding I, Figure 6, which is screwed or bolted to the ends of
the carlines or rafters. The piece I can consequently be removed at pleasure
for the purpose of repairs. The cap F, which consists of a metallic plate
formed as herein-before stated, can be secured to the top of the rafters by
means of screws or otherwise. For the purpose of protecting the metallic
plates D' and caps F from receiving injury by walking upon the roof, I cover
the whole by means of the sheeting G¹; this consists of boards which run
lengthwise of the car or deck, but it is not necessary that they should be
jointed or matched together. In the construction or repair of car roofs either
of the forms shown at sections d, e, or f, may be used, but I prefer those
shown at d or e.
Having fully described and ascertained the nature of said improvements, I
claim,―
First, the plates D, D, caps F, and grooved rafters B, when arranged
substantially as herein set forth for the purpose described.
Second, I claim the T-shaped piece of timber C in combination with the
roof, constructed substantially as described, for the purpose of more readily
renewing the roofs of cars which have been used and required to be renewed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)