IMPROVED APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR COVERING AND UNCOVERING RAILWAY TRUCKS AND WAGGONS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Dodd, of Crumlin, near Newport, in the
County of Monmouth, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR COVERING AND UNCOVERING RAILWAY TRUCKS AND
WAGGONS."
Sealed the 22nd December 1868, and dated the 26th June 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Dodd at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1868.
I, TпомAS DODD, of Crumlin, near Newport, in the County of Mon-
mouth, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVED APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR COVERING AND UNCOVERING RAILWAY
TRUCKS AND WAGGONS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the constructing of railway trucks
with moveable covers, tops, or roofs, the covers, tops, or roofs being at
the same time supported on a roller fixed on the top of the truck.
When it is desired to use the portable cover for protecting the inside or
contents of the truck the said roller is turned so as to unfold the cover
which is thereby rolled on the same. When the truck is about to be

page_text: unloded the said cover can be rolled up on the roller so as to protect it
from damage, and at the same time be ready for use at any minute by
simply turning the roller in the opposite direction. These moveable
covers may be made of tarpauling or any other suitable material for the
purpose of packing up in a portable form on the roller when not in use.
The said roller may be rotated in a variety of ways for the purpose of
packing and opening the said covering, whether by cords, chain, handle,
or hand wheel, or gearing, which may be put in motion by the guard
But I
of train when standing on the ground or buffer of truck.
prefer to use a hand lever which actuates a paul, giving motion to a
ratchet wheel which communicates motion to a spur wheel keyed to the
axle of the said roller. When it is desired to unroll or unpack the
roller it is simply necessary to more a reversing lever which is placed
within reach of the lever which raises the paul on the right-hand side
and lowers the paul on the left into gear, thereby giving motion to the
roller in the opposite direction, and by this means unrolling the cover.
But when desired the said pauls may be thrown out of gear for the
purpose of allowing the cover or tarpauling to be pulled down by hand.
When the covers are pulled down for covering the truck, I hold them
fast at each corner, either by attaching the cords to rings or eyes or on
to a hand ratchet or paul which holds the same perfectly tight to protect it
from the wind. But I do not confine myself to either of these modes.
When it is desired to give motion to the said roller it is simply necessary
to give a lateral to-and-fro motion to the said lever, which is placed at the
end of the truck or carriage within the reach of the guard or other person
using the same. The rollers and coverings are casily removed from one
truck to another by one man.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Dodd in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DODD, of Crumlin, near Newport, in the County of Monmouth, send
greeting.
WHEREAS: Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight; in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Dodd, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Dodd, my executors, administrators, and assigns;..
or such others as I, the said Thomas Dodd, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS OR
ARRANGEMENTS FOR COVERING AND UNCOVERING RAILWAY TRUCKS AND WAGGONS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Dodd,
my executors. or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their,, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months: next and imme..
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Dodd, do hereby declare
the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention has for its object the construction of railway trucks-
and waggons. with readily moveable tops, roofs, or covers, each such
top, roof, or cover being supported on a roller fixed upon. the truck or
waggon, which moveable top, roof, or cover when required to be used for-
protecting the inside or. contents of the truck or waggon is rolled on or
covers the same by turning the said roller, so as to unroll or unfold the
same. The said top, roof, or cover being capable of being rolled up on
to the roller when the truck. or waggon is- unloading,, so as to protect
it from damage and at the same time be ready for use at any minute-
by simply turning the roller in the opposite direction.. The moveable-
roof, top, or cover may be made of tarpaulin or any other. suitable:
material, in order that it may be packed up in a portable form on the
roller when not in use..
Rotation of the said roller for the purpose
of packing or closing and opening the said top or covering may be
effected in a variety of ways, whether by cords, chains, handle, or
hand wheel or gearing, and the same may be put in motion by the guard

page_text: of the train when standing on the ground, or the buffer or truck of the
waggon, or in any other suitable position. I prefer, however, to use
a hand lever actuating a pawl giving motion to a ratchet wheel, which
communicates motion to a spur wheel keyed to the axle of the said
roller. For the unrolling action it is simply necessary to move a
reversing lever placed within reachable distance from the lever, which
raises the pawl on the right-hand side and lowers the pawl on the left
into gear, thereby giving motion to the roller in the opposite direction
and by this means unrolling the cover. When desired the said pawls
may be thrown out of gear for the purpose of allowing the cover or
tarpaulin to be pulled down by hand. Upon the top or cover being
pulled down or let down by the reverse action of the apparatus I fasten
the same at each of the corners, and at other points if desired, either
by attaching their cords to rings or eyes or on to a fastener hereafter
described and illustrated by the Drawings, which holds the top or cover
perfectly tight to protect it from the wind, forming a sound well-
fitting top or cover to the truck or waggon; but I do not confine: myself
to either of these modes. Motion can be imparted to the said roller by
moving the lever or handle to and fro, or by any suitable means that will
cause the roller to rotate.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my Invention,
I will now proceed to describe and ascertain in what manner the same
is to be performed or put in practice, which I shall do by reference to
the accompanying Drawings..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. View of one arrangement of the mechanism I adopt for com-
municating motion to the roller. a, toothed wheel attached to the end
of roller; b, toothed wheel gearing into wheel a; c, c, toothed wheels
mounted on the frame d, d, to which is attached the hand lever e, e,
which on being moved to the right or left in the position shewn in the
Drawings either reverses the motion or throws the wheels c', c, out of
gear; ff, a hand lever through which, by moving it to and from m to n,
motion is given to the mechanism; g, g', ratchet wheels fixed to
wheels c, c'; h, h, pawls gearing with ratchet wheels g, g', these pawls
are kept in gear with the wheels g, g', by springs i, . The pawls are
mounted on levers or bars j, j, hinged at one of their ends to the
spindles of wheels c, c', and at their other ends to a cross lever k
mounted on the spindle which itself is mounted on the hand lever f

page_text: In the Drawing the apparatus is shewn out of gear, but if it be wished
to cause the roller to revolve in the direction indication by the arrow at a
the hand lever k is moved to m, thus throwing the wheel c into gear
with the wheel b; the hand lever f, f, is then moved to and fro from
o to p, causing the pawl n to move the ratchet in the direction
indicated by the arrow, the wheel c being fixed to the ratchet g is moved
in the same direction, and communicates its motion to the wheel a
through the wheel b, and thence to the roller, so as either to raise or
lower the truck or waggon cover, and if the motion is to be reversed the
hand lever e, e, is moved to n, and when the roller wheel is to be left
free the hand lever e, e, is to be placed in the position shewn in
the Drawing.
Fig. 2. View of another arrangement of mechanism for giving motion
to the roller. Here a denotes a toothed wheel at the end of roller; b,
toothed wheel gearing into wheel a; c, wheel gearing into b; d, chain
wheel fixed to wheel c, and cut to allow chain to fit in it; e, e, e,
chain which passes round chain wheel d, d, and round small chain
pullies ff. The chain need not be crossed as shewn in the Drawing,
and it
may also pass round one small pulley, either for f¹ (only). To
actuate the mechanism the chain is caused to move by hand or other-
wise in the direction shewn by the arrow, causing the wheels to move
as shewn by the arrows, and the roller moves in the direction shewn by
the arrow at a. It is obvious that a reverse motion can be communi-
cated by moving the chain e, e, e, in the opposite direction to that
indicated by the arrows.
Figs. 3 and 4, side and end elevations respectively of truck with square
pitch with my apparatus (as shewn at Fig. 1) for covering and un-
covering fitted thereto. Figs. 5 and 6, side and end elevations respec-
tively of round ended truck or waggon, illustrating how my Invention
(as shewn in Fig. 1) is applied thereto. Figures 8 and 9, side and end
elevations respectively of round ended goods' truck or waggon, shewing
my Invention (as shewn at Figure 1) applied thereto. Figures 9 and 10,
side and end elevations respectively of a low truck, with my Invention
(as shewn at Figure 1) applied thereto. Figure 11, end elevation of
round ended truck, with my Invention, as described with reference to
Figure 2, applied thereto. Figure 12, cnd elevation of round ended
truck or waggon, shewing my Invention (as illustrated at Figure 2)
applied thereto.

page_text: In Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, aforesaid, " denotes the roller; a,
mechanism, as illustrated at Figure 1; 6, hand lever for actuating.
mechanism; c, hand lever for throwing mechanism in and out of
gear.
In Figures 11 and 12. a denotes the mechanism as described and
illustrated with reference to Figure 2 of the Drawing; e, e, endless
chain; ff, pulleys.
Figure 13, cover or top fastener herein-before mentioned, shewing the
rope taut and hitched fast. Figure 14, same unlocked without rope..
Figure 14, part plan of fastener. Figure 15, part plan of cover or top
when end flaps ** are required, which said flaps are dispensed with.
in other tops or covers Figure 16, end elevation of cover or top with
end flaps, shewing the means of fastening the flap. a, a, hook round
which the rope r, r, is wound, as illustrated, and fastened at bottom by
fastener b.
Having now particularly described the nature of the said Invention,
and ascertained in what manner the same is to be performed or put in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of the "Improved
Apparatus or Arrangements for Covering and Uncovering the Railway
Trucks and Waggons," consisting of the moveable top, roof, or cover,
provided with roller capable of being actuated in the manner herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Dodd, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
Witness,
THOMAS DODD. (L.S.)
ALEX. P. WRIGHT, Secretary to the
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross.