Improved method of Securing Railway Coach Doors.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improved method of Securing Railway Coach Doors.
WILLIAM JOHNSTONE Doctor of Philosophy Analytical and Consulting Chemist.
Public Analyst and Assayer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists in so arranging that all the doors of the railway carriages
comprising an ordinary passenger train shall be under the complete control of the
front or rear guard of the train no passenger being able to open any of the doors
whilst the train is in motion.
My invention also enables the guard to simultaneously close all the carriage doors
of the train by simply turning a handle in the brake-van when they will remain
perfectly secure, thereby preventing any passenger from either entering or leaving
the carriages whilst the train is in motion.
My invention may be described as follows
First: I fix a straight rod of iron (set in proper bearings) ending in a bevelled
wheel on the outside of each of the door-posts close to the door hinges. This upright
rod has rigidly fixed on it (at the proper place) an arm of suitable length, which when
pressed against the door, closes the same and prevents them being opened until the
pressure is again removed.
Second: I fix a connecting rod of iron running in suitable bearings (either on top
or bottom of the carriages) along the whole length of the carriages (which rod is
suitably connected with the guards van) & upon which there are fixed bevelled wheels.
at proper distances from one another so as to fit into the bevelled wheels on the end of
the upright rods, which are fastened on the door posts.
When both rods are in position & properly fixed, by simply turning a handle in the
guards-van to the right or to the left as the case may be, pressure will immediately be
exerted upon the arm of the upright rod & thereby close all the doors that are open &
also keep every door securely closed until the guard reverses the said handles & reinoves
the pressure, thereby allowing any door to be opened.
Each carriage on the train is fitted as herein described & suitably connected to one
another so as to form one continuous rod the whole length of the train & when so
connected every door is then under the control of the guard.
Dated this 29th day of October 1889.
WILLIAM JOHNSTONE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Securing Railway Coach Doors.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSTONE Doctor of Philosophy, Analytical and Consulting Chemist,
Public Analyst and Assayer, of 13, Fish Street Hill, Eastcheap, London 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:-
This invention has for its object an Improved Method of Securing Railway Coach
Doors.
My invention consists in so arranging mechanism, that all the railway carriage
doors of an ordinary passenger train shall be under complete control of the front or
rear guard, so that when the train is in motion no passenger shall be able to open any
of the doors.
My invention also enables the guard to close all the carriage doors simultaneously,
[Price 8d 1

page_text: and when closed they will remain perfectly secure until released by the guard, thereby
effectually preventing any passenger from entering or leaving the carriages whilst the
train is in motion.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2. is an end view of an ordinary railway
carriage with my method of securing the doors applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a front elevation and Figure 4 is a vertical section, both drawn to an
enlarged scale, shewing more clearly the mechanism or contrivance which is applied
to each of the doors.
Figure 5 shews an universal coupling which may be employed for connecting the
longitudinal shafts of one carriage with those of another.
Figure 6 shews a mechanical arrangement for actuating the securing contrivances
and which is situated in the guard's van; but I wish it to be clearly understood that
I do not confine myself to this particular arrangement as any other suitable kind may
be employed.
a. a are vertical spindles turning in bearings a, a, and carrying near their lower
ends bevil pinions which gear with bevil wheels a carried by longitudinal shafts d d.
dd are brackets forming bearings for supporting the said shafts d. These brackets
are furnished with footsteps for receiving the lower extremities of the vertical
spindles a.. Each of the vertical spindles is provided near its upper end with a
horizontal arme of suitable length and rigidly connected to said vertical spindles.
These arms are adapted to bear against and securely retain the carriage doors in their
closed positions at the proper times by means of the contrivance shewn at Figure 6.
As before stated this contrivance is situated in the front or rear guard's van and is
operated by the guard. It consists of a vertical rod g provided at its upper part with
a rack and at its lower part with a rack g. h is a hand-wheel whose axis carries a
pinion engaging with the rack g¹ so that when the hand-wheel is turned, the rod g
ascends, thereby causing the toothed segment i, which engages with the rack g³, to
turn. The toothed segment is rigidly carried by the longitudinal shaft so that when
motion is given thereto this shaft is turned and transmits motion to all the bevil
wheels b, c, thereby causing all the vertical spindles carrying the arms
revolved for half a revolution. The arms are thus removed from contact with the
doors and lie against the sides of the carriages.
All the doors are then free to be
opened. When the guard operates the hand-wheel in the reverse direction the arms e
resume their original positions and by so doing they simultaneously close every door
which may be open and also keep all the doors securely closed.
to be
The longitudinal shafts of one carriage are connected to those of the other, so as to
form one continuous length of shafting extending the whole length of the train by
means of the universal coupling illustrated by Figure 5. The portions and are
connected together by the holt 1, the portion permits of horizontal movement and the
portion of vertical movement as is well understood. The extremities of the shafts d
are not rigidly connected to the coupling but are capable of endway movement by
means of pins or studs 1. entering corresponding slots formed in the parts j
and . This construction permits of the longitudinal movement taking place (by
reason of the expansion and contraction of the buffer springs when the train starts or
stops) without undue strain coming upon the longitudinal shafts d.
Although the slíafts d are represented in the drawings as located beneath the foot-
board of the carriage, they may if desired be situated near the top of the carriage,
in which case the vertical spindles a would extend downwards instead of upwards and
would carry the bevil pinions at their upper ends instead of at their lower ends.
If desirable I may substitute for the horizontal arms e a rod or bar working
horizontally to and fro in guides carried by the side of the carriage; the to and fro
motion being obtained by means of a spur pinion carried by the vertical spindle a and
gearing with corresponding teeth formed on the rod or bar.

page_text: 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:-
1. My improved method of securing railway coach doors consisting in the use of
horizontal arms rigidly carried by vertical spindles, in combination with suitable
mechanism and gearing for imparting and transmitting motion to said spindles
whereby the horizontal arms can be caused to effect the simultaneous closing of all
the doors and to retain them in their closed positions substantially as herein before
described and shewn by the annexed drawings.
2. Substituting for the horizontal arms e, reciprocating rods or bars provided
with rack teeth which engage with pinions carried by the vertical spindles a.
3. The use of an universal coupling provided with slots for receiving pins or studs
carried by the longitudinal shafts substantially as described and shewn by Figure 5 of
the annexed drawings and for the purpose specified.
4. The construction and arrangement of parts constituting the contrivance for
actuating the arms e substantially as described and shewn by Figure 6 of the annexed
drawings.