Improvements in Railway Sleeping and Drawing Room Cars.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Sleeping and Drawing Room Cars.
I, LINFORD FITCH RUTH, cf Connellsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Coke Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of such construction and arrangement of berths, cushions,
chairs, supports, curtains, etc., as to compactly embody the necessary features of
both a drawing room car and of a sleeping car in one construction and to enable
the necessary changes to be readily made to convert the car to either of these uses.
Among its leading features is a system of pneumatic cushions adapted to be inflated
for use or collapsed and compactly stored in situ, the bed or mattress being inflated
and the chair cushions collapsed when used as a sleeping car, and the chair cushions
inflated and the bed collapsed when used as a drawing room car. The sections of
my car comprehend each an upper and lower berth and two chairs disposed beneath
the berths on the floor, and both mattresses or bed cushions of the berths and also
the cushions of the chairs are air tight bags of soft rubber or other suitable
material. The air for inflating the cushions and mattresses is supplied by the main
compressed air pipe of the car which runs longitudinally along the same under the
floor and has three branch pipes for each car section, one of which supples air to
the two chairs while the other two branches supply air respectively to the upper
and lower berth inattresses, the admission of air being governed by cocks or valves
(preferably three-way cocks) which when turned one way admit the air to the cushions
and when turned another way cut off the supply of air and also open a vent or discharge.
The upper and lower berths are constructed and arranged in a similar manner
and hence a description of one will serve for both. The mattress or berth cushion
bas its air tight bag creased to fold like an accordion and at the head and foot it is
attached to a flexible strip that winds upon the conical barrel of a spring, which is
a well known device used in car construction. When the mattress is extended this
strip is pulled out and the spring wound up and when the mattress is collapsed the
tension of the spring winds up the strip on the barrel and folds the mattress into
compact accordion pleats. To guide the mattress at head and foot, and support it
when extended, its bag is provided with a series of hooks that catch over transverse
frame supports which at their outer ends are connected at right angles to vertical
posts or standards and at their ends next to the car sides are hinged so as to fold
in a horizontal plane and lie flat against the sides of the car when the berths are
not in use.
The berths are folded in a housing or casing in the sides of the car
and when it is desired to extend them for use air is turned on, causing the mattress
to be inflated and extended, moving laterally across the guides and supports until
its outer edge is adapted to be held by hooks till it is to be folded again. The
spring is now under tension and when the mattress is to be collapsed and folded its
air valve is turned so as to cut off the supply of air and discharge the contents of
the bag and the spring then, through the flexible strip, draws back the mattress and
tolds it in pleats in accordion fashion. When the cushions are inflated their
communication with the air pipe is cut off by a further movement of the valve
which anintains the mattress inflated independently of any connection with the air
pipe. The mattress at its outer edge is connected to the panel rail which moves in
and out with the mattress and this connection is made at the bottom of the rail
only, so as to prevent the weight of the occupant from tearing any of the mattress
from said rail.

page_text: In each section occupied by two berths there are, under the berths, two chairs
equipped exactly alike. Each has a base which forms a storage place for
blankets, bed-linen, pillows, etc, provided with a hinged door. The chair swivels
on this base about the inlet pipe which passes through a stuffing box and serves to
introduce air to the pneumatic cushions of the chair seat and back. The chair
back frame is hinged to the base frame and folds forward on the same whenever
the cushions are collap-ed, a strap-brace being provided to hold the back from
going back too far. The aim is secured by a button to the back and is hinged to
the base so as to fold inwardly over the seat and it is rigidly held upright by a bolt
when the chair is arranged for occupancy. These chairs have their cushions
centially connected to the branch air pipe and their cushions are distended or
collapsed by the adjustment of the valves in the same manner as the mattresses are.
The sections of the car are separated by partition curtains arranged upon
vertical spring rollers at the side, composed of woven wire covered with cloth and
pulled out horizontally when distended. The cuntains which close the sections
from the central passage way hang from a rod held by arms that rock in bearings
at the top of the car and are stiffened and supported by braces. When not in use
the curtains are folded and the rod is swung back against the ceiling of the car.
Dated this 27th day of November 1894.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Railway Sleeping and Drawing Room Cars.
I LINFORD FITCH RUTH, of Connellsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Coke Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to railway sleeping and drawing room cars, and it has for
its object to lessen the expense of this class of rolling stock, to reduce its weight, to
increase its range of usefulness, and to improve its conditions of cleanliness and
sanitation; and it consists of such a construction and arrangement of berths,
cushions, chairs, supports, curtains, etc., as to compactly embody the necessary
features of both a diawing room car and of a sleeping car in one construction, and
to enable the necessary changes to be readily made to convert the car to either of
these uses. Among its leading features is a system of pneumatic cushions connected
to the compressed air pipes of the train, and adapted to be inflated by opening
suitable valves in connecting pipes, or to be collapsed and compactly stored in situ,
the bed or mattress being inflated and the chair cushions collapsed when used as a
sleeping car, and the chair cushions inflated and the bed collapsed when used as a
drawing 100m car, and both being alternately operated by the dynamic force of the
compressed air according to whichever use is desired, by a simple adjustment of
valves in each section, all as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a car embodying my improvements.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the aisle showing on the right
the disposition of parts when used as a drawing room car and on the left the
disposition of parts when used as a sleeping car, a part of the outside curtain being
in place.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section or ground plan.
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the devices for extending or withdrawing
the pneumatic mattress.
Figure 4 is a detail of one of the mattress supports.

page_text: Figure 5 is a sectional detail of on of the mattress collapsing springs.
Figure is a side view partly in section of the chair.
Figure 7 is a front view of one of its arms and
Figure 8 is an end view of the chair folded.
The sections of my car comprehend each an upper and lower berth, and two
chairs disposed beneath the berths on the floor, both the mattresses or bed cushions
of the berths and also the cushions of the chairs being formed of air tight bags of
soft rubber or other suitable material which are adapted to be inflated and
extended by compressed air when in use, or to be collapsed and folded when not
in use.
A represents the main compressed air pipe of the car which runs longitudinally
along the same under the floor and has three branch pipes for each car section.
One of the branches A supplies air to the two chairs, while the other two
branches A A supply air respectively to the upper and lower berth mattresses.
The admission of air to the cushion of the bed or chairs is governed by cocks or
valves in the respective branch pipes, (preferably three-way cocks), which
when turned one way admit the air to the cushions, and when turned another way
cut off the supply of air and also open a vent or discharge from the cushions.
The upper and lower berths are constructed and arranged in a similar manner,
and hence a description of one will suffice for both. Referring to Figure 1, B shows
the upper berth folded, and B' the lower berth extended for use. The mattress or
berth cushion has its air tight bag creased to fold like an accordion, and at the
head and foot it is attached to a flexible strip i that winds upon the conical birrel
of a spring Figure 5 which is a well known device used in car construction.
When the mattress is extended this strip is pulled out and the spring wound up,
and when the mattress is collapsed the tension of the spring winds up the strip on
the barrel and folds the mattress into compact accordion pleats, as at B in Figure 1.
It desired additional strips and springs I may be provided for the middle part of
the mattress. To guide the mattress at head and foot, and support it when
extended, its bag is provided with a series of hooks b Figure 4 that catch over the
transverse frame supports D made of steel, which supports at their outer ends are
connected at right angles to vertical posts or standards !), and at their ends next
to the car sides are hinged, as at a Figure 4, so as to fold in a horizontal plane and
lie flat against the sides of the car when the berths are not in use, as on the right
hand side of Figure 2. The beiths are folded in a housing or casing II in the
sides of the car, and when it is desired to extend them for use air is turned on from
pipe A by opening one of the valves. The air then entering through pipe A*
or A causes the mattress to be inflated and extended, moving laterally across the
guides and supports D from the position shown at B to the position shown at B¹ in
which latter position its outer edge is held by hooks (Figure 4) till it is to be
folded again.
The spring I is now under tension and when the mattress is to be
collapsed and folded its air valve is turned so as to cut off the supply of air and
discharge the contents of the bag when the spring I through the flexible strip i
draws back the mattress and folds it in pleats in accordion fashion as at B.
When the cushions are inflated their communication with the air pipe is cut off
by a further movement of the valve which maintains the mattress inflated inde-
pendently of any connection with the air pipe. The mattress at its outer edge is
connected to the panel rail R which moves in and out with the mattress and this
connection is made at the bottom of the rail as shown in Figure 4 only, so as to
prevent the weight of the occupant from tearing away the mattress from said tail.
In each section occupied by two berths there are under the berths two chairs
equipped exactly alike. Each chair has a base L provided with a hinged door L'
which base forins a storage place for blankets, bed linen, pillows &c. The chair
(see Figure 6) swivels on this base about the inlet pipe A' for compressed air
which pipe passes through a tight collar or stuffing box K and serves to introduce
air to the pneumatic cushions E¹ E¹ of the chair seat and back. The chair back
rame E is hinged to the base frame E and folds forward on the same as in

page_text: Figure 8 whenever the cushions are collapsed or emptied of air. The arm E is
secured by a button to the back and is hinged to the base E so as to fold inwardly
over the seat as indicated by the arrow in Figure 7, and it is rigidly held upright
by a bolt e when the chair is arranged for occupancy. E is a strap brace to hold
the back from going back too far.
These chairs have their cushions centrally connected to the branch air pipe A¹
as in Figure 3, and their cushions are distended or collapsed by the adjustment of
the valves v¹ in the same manner as the mattresses are.
The sections of the car are separated (see Figure 1) by partition curtains F for
the upper and F for the lower berth, these curtains being arranged upon vertical
spring rollers F2 F3 at the side. The curtains are composed of woven wire covered
with cloth to give substantial protection, and are pulled out horizontally when
distended.
G' are the curtains that close in the sections from the corridor. These curtains
hang from a rod G held by arms that rock in bearings at g at the top of the car,
and are stiffened and supported by braces g¹. When not in use the curtains are
folded and the rod G is swung back against the ceiling of the car as shown in dotted
lines in Figure 1.
The advantages of my invention are as follows.
It takes less time and trouble to convert the drawing room car into a sleeping
car than it does to make up the beds of an ordinary sleeping car. The pueunatic
berths and cushions leaves the car free from all lodging places for dirt, vermin, or
infection, and renders the car much more sanitary and comfortable. There is also a
great reduction in weight, over the ordinary heavy Pullman cars, thereby reducing the
power required for handling, which is an important item. It saves the expense of
extra rolling stock involved in using separate sleeping and drawing room cars,
and also the interest on the investment, and storage for the same. I also overcome
top heaviness of the Pullman cars, by doing away with the heavy upper bunks and
seat frames, and removing the largest part of balance weight placed in cars of
present construction. The construction also allows the placing of ventilators in the
sides of the car above the upper berths thereby rendering the same more comfort-
able in hot weather. The invention also saves the inconvenience to through
passengers of changing from one car to another, for the day and night runs.
Furthermore the construction is well adapted for the comfortable accommodation
and transportation of troops, as large sleeping capacity is afforded.
And again any one berth can be arranged for sleeping while the rest of the car
is used for a drawing room car, or an upper berth can be extended while the chairs
are in use below it thus making it desirable for ladies travelling with small
children.
When cars having my improvements are detached from the train and the system
of compressed air pipes, I provide for the maintenance of the air cushion, or the
inflating of the same, by a separate air pump carried by each car and worked by
hand or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A passenger at laving pneumatic cushions combined with and permanently
connected to the compressed air pipes of the car, and valves for directing the air to
any one of said cushions, or cutting it off from the same, substantially as shown and
described.
2. In a passenger car, the combination of pneumatic berth cushions made with
accordion folds extensible in the plane of the cushion, and permanently connected
compressed air pipes and valves to both inflate and extend the berth cushion by the
power of the compressed air substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a passenger car, the combination of pneumatic berth cushions constructed
to fold as described, permanently connected compressed air pipes with valves

page_text: flexible strips attached to the ends of the berth cushions, transverse guides for
holding the berth cushion strips, and coil springs for drawing back the berth
cushion into a collapsed and folded condition, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. In a passenger car, the combination of pneumatic berth cushions constructed
to fold as described, permanently connected compressed air pipes with valves,
flexible strips attached to the ends of the berth cushions, coil springs for winding
up the same and folding transverse berth supports having guides for the flexible
strips substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. A combined drawing room and sleeping car, having swivelling chairs with air
cushions and pipes entering said cushions through the swivelling connection and
extensible pneumatic berths above the chairs, air pipes and valves connecting with
the same, the said chair cushions and berth cushions being arranged to be the one
extended and inflated and the other collapsed and folded, and vice versa as set forth.
6. In a sleeping car the combination of an air mattress and an outer panel rail
connected thereto at the bottom only, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 25th day of June 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.