AN IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGES USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF PASSENGERS ON RAILWAYS, AND AN IMPROVED SEAT APPLICABLE TO SUCH CARRIAGES, AND TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
HOULDSWORTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Tenth day of September, in the fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Houlds
worth, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial license that I, the said
Henry Houldsworth, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Houldsworth, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGES USED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF
PASSENGERS ON RAILWAYS, AND AN IMPROVED SEAT APPLICABLE TO SUCH CARRIAGES,
AND TO OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso obliging me, the said Henry Houldsworth, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chan-
cery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Houldsworth, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly set
forth and ascertained in and by the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and the following description thereof:-
My Invention comprises two objects, 1st, to combine in some degree the
pleasure of outside with the comfort of inside travelling; and, 2nd, to econo-
mise the space occupied by seats where space is an object, and to protect out-
door seats from the weather.
The first of these objects is accomplished by covering the carriages (which
for this purpose I generally construct without compartments) either wholly or
in part with metallic wire gauze cloth or net, of a texture sufficiently close to
break the force of the wind and destroy the violence of the currents of air
produced by rapid motion through it, and also to impede the entrance of the
coke dust emitted by the locomotive chimney, and yet not materially to
obstruct the view of external objects; the second by the use of seats con-
structed to turn or fold up of themselves when not in use by the action of
springs or weights.
The following description, with references to the Drawings hereto
annexed, will fully explain how my improvements are carried into effect:-
Figure 1 represents a side view or elevation of the improved carriage;
Figure 2, an end view; Figure 3, a cross section; Figure 4, a longitudinal
section shewing the interior arrangement of the body of the carriage;
Figure 5, a plan. The same letters of reference apply to the same parts in
each of these Figures.
The under part of the carriage, including the framing of the under body,
the springs, buffer, and draw apparatus, wheels, axles, &c., are the same as in
other railway carriages in use.
The body of the carriage here described is eighteen feet long by seven feet
nine inches wide, and seven feet nine inches from the floor to the higher part
of the arched roof. The pannels of the sides of the carriage are carried up
about three feet above the floor (as in the open stand-up carriages now in use
on some railways), and are terminated on the top edge by rails a, a, extending
lengthways and morticed on to the ends of the upright framing posts b, b..
The ends GG; of the carriage are framed, and carried up-to the height of the
roof, and are circled, to correspond with the arched covering. To the uprights.
b, b, of the side framing, which are placed at the distance of about two feet
from each other, are fixed brackets projecting outwards about six inches,.
which support a rail d, d, ou each side, parallel to the rails a, a, as shown in:

page_text: Figures 3 and 5. From these outer rails spring a series of arched ribs e, e,
corresponding in number and position to the upright posts, and forming the
framing for carrying the wire-gauze covering and the roof. Along the upper
part of the arch, and resting on and screwed to these ribs, a boarded water:
tight rooff, extends from end to end, about five feet nine inches in width,
terminating in a cornice at each end, and giving stiffness and strength to the
whole upper framing. Along each edge of this roof extends a strong rail
forming a ledge to conduct the rain water to the ends of the carriage, whence it
descends by a groove in the outer ribs to the gutter rails h, h, and from thence.
down the water pipes i, i, towards the ground. These rails h, h, extend from
end to end, and are screwed to the arched ribs, which they cross at right
angles, and contribute to the stiffness of the framing. In the centre of the
carriage an upright pillar j from the floor to the ridge piece of the ceiling
forms a further support of the roof. At each side of the carriage, but diagonally
at opposite. corners, are the doors of entrance D, D. It will be seen by inspec-
tion of Figure 1, that the ribs of the arched dome or roof divide the sides of
the upper part of the carriages into perpendicular parallel spaces, and that
each of these is divided horizontally into two compartments by the gutter rails
h, h; all these compartments are covered or filled in with sheets of metallic
wire cloth, gauze, or riet, see the red lines, Figure 1, each of which sheets may
be removed, or replaced separately, being attached to the wood framing by
small nails. Two only of the compartments are represented in the Drawing
as filled in. The cloth, gauze, or net which I have hitherto found to suit best
is made of copper wire of about the one hundreth part of an inch diameter,
and woven with about thirty wires to the inch; but I use also cloth, gauze, or
net made of brass wire, and also of brass wire coated with platina; and I
claim the use for the purposes herein described of cloth, gauze, or net made of
metallic wire generally. The end pannels n, n, are filled in with glass, and in
some cases I divide all the lower compartments into two parts by horizontal
bars, filling in the upper of these parts with plate glass. In addition to this
covering of wire cloth, the upper compartments are provided with waterproof
curtains or blinds m, m, one on each side of the carriage, shown in blue lines,
Figure 2, which extend from end to end over the ribs and wire cloth, and are
made to let down and protect the passengers from rain, and to roll up at
pleasure. These curtains are attached at one edge to the under side of the
ledges g, g, throughout their length, in a recess grooved out to receive and
conceal the rollers when the curtains are rolled up, and at the other to a brass
tube roller about two inches diameter, extending from end to end of the
carriage, and the curtains are of such a width that when down the roller rests.

page_text: in the lower gutter, see Figure 2, by which the rain collected by the curtain.
passes off to the pipes i, i. The curtains are rolled up by chains acting upon
pulleys fixed on the end of the rollers. The chains are fastened at one end to
the ledge pieces, and thence passing half round the roller pulleys into the
interior of the carriage over carrying pullies, are united in pairs, each pair
acting upon one roller; from the point where the chains join a single rope or
chain is conducted to a convenient situation to enable the passengers to raise
or let down the curtain at pleasure. From the above description, with the aid
of the Drawings, it will be seen that the upper part of the carriage, commencing
about three feet above the floor, consists of an arched covering, of which the
upper part is a permanent roof, and the two side portions, comprising each
a width of about five feet six inches, and extending the whole length of the
carriage, are openings for the purpose of vision, obstructed only by the arched
ribs e, e, the gutter rails h, h, and the wire gauze, the latter serving the
important purpose of protecting the passengers from the dust and the incon-
venient force of the wind.
The interior arrangements remain to be described. The carriage represented.
is intended to accommodate thirty-two passengers; seats for sixteen of these are
arranged on a stage three feet six inches in width, which extends along the
centre from end to end, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5, and which, being raised
a foot above the floor, affords space for small articles of luggage underneath,
and enables passengers occupying these centre seats-to see about them advan--
for the
tageously. These seats o, o, are hinged to turn up,
purpose of affording
the occupants more space when they change from a sitting to a standing position.
On each side of the stage are passages p, p, from end to end, about two feet
two inches wide. In these. passages two fixed seats 7, 9, are placed in the
corners opposite the doors, and two. hinged seats are attached, 2, 7, to the ends
of the carriage near the doors, and the remaining ten, s, s, (also hinged) are
fixed to the sides of the carriage, five in each passage. These twelve hinged
seats are fitted with springs to fold or turn them up to à perpendicular position.
when they cease to be occupied, by which much additional space is then
gained for persons to move about. The general construction of the self-folding
seats is represented in Figures 6 to 10. The simplest form is that shewn
in Figure 6, where A is the seat hinged to the inner side pannel of the
carriage at a; C is an iron bar or prop-hinged at the pannel-c, and sliding
at the upper end in a shallow flat groove in the inner side of the seat.
the space between the inner and outer pannel is fixed a flat whip spring b,
connected by a jointed link to the diagonal prop. The spring in its quiescent
state stands perpendicular, at which time the seat and prop are in a similar
In

page_text: position as in Figures 7 and 9; when the seat is turned down by hand the
prop C is forced outward at the top, and draws the spring with it till the head
of the prop abuts against the end of the groove, at which point the seat is
horizontal when the force which turns the seat down, or the weight which
keeps it down, is removed, the reaction of the spring draws the prop, and
consequently the seat, into the upright position. One inconvenience attaches
to this the simplest construction, namely, that when the seat is turned down
to the horizontal position it must be retained there by hand till the person
sits down. That inconvenience, however; is obviated in the next form about to
be described, wherein the seat when turned down preparatory to use retains its
horizontal position till pressed down a second time either by the weight of a
person sitting upon it, or otherwise, when it is prepared to assume the upright
position; as in the former case. Figures 9 and 10 represent this form of con-
struction on a larger scale. Figure 10 shews the seat as when in use';
Figure 9 as when not in use; the principal parts correspond to those described
in the former case; but the spring here represented is a compound one, and
consisting of a steel plate screwed at one end to the pannel, and bent in the form
of a', as shewn at d, Figure 9, in dotted lines, and 'a spiral spring con-
nected at its lower end with the former, limited in the extent of its action by
the stop nut e, and attached at the upper end to an arm projecting from the
seat. In this form the spring acts directly upon the latter to turn it up; and
the diagonal (contrary to the former case) is raised to the upright position by
the motion of the seat being retained in connection with it by a projecting
pin f, Figures 9 and 11; which slides in a recess prepared for it in an apparatus
let into the seat and firmly screwed to it; one form of this, which I call the
"retaining apparatus," is shewn in Figures 12 to 17 inclusive, drawn full size.
It consists, first; of a thin brass plate A, A, with four ears a, a; by which to
screw it to the sent and projections on one side, b, c, d, e, f, and g, to which the
moving parts of the apparatus are attached; second, a slide piece L, see Figure
12; third, a joint piece T. An end view of the latter is shewn, Figure 16, jointed
by the wire pin v to the two ears 0, 0, of the slide L. It consists of a middle piece
T, with two ears X, X, to form the joint, and two arms at right angles, namely,
y and z; the latter is a curved arm, as seen in Figure 15, y is straight, and to
it is attached a flat springs, which rests at the outer end upon a pin t, which
projects from the slide. The spring is fastened to the arm by a screw n, and
nut, the head of the former being bevilled on both sides. The slide is con-
nected to the fixed part of the apparatus at one end by the pin m, which,
passing through the slit k, retains it in a longitudinal groove formed by the
two horns g, 9, which stand out from the plate. At the other end the cross

page_text: arm of the slide L rests in slits cut in the ribs e, e, see Figure 16, which
also stand out from the plate a, a.
The slide is fitted to move easily
endways, to the extent of about, a quarter of an inch; but at the same
time it has a degree of friction given to it by the pressure of the spring j
upon a projection 9 on the slide. In Figures 14 and 15 the slide,
with its joint piece T, is shewn in the two extreme positions. This
retaining apparatus is screwed on the top side of the seat under the cushion.
Figure 17 represents the apparatus let into the seat. It shews also the upper
end of the diagonal prop C in connection with it. The head of the prop is
shewn, Figure 11; it is of a width to slide easily between the edge of the
springs and the guide rib b, see Figure 13, which project about half an inch
from the plate. This head carries two short studs, the larger, l, employed to
move the slide, and to retain the seat in an horizontal position; the smaller to
carry a tumbler h, which acts to prevent the retaining the seat when the
latter is depressed a second time. d is a projection cast on the plate to cause
the tumbler to assume a perpendicular position when the head of the prop
abuts against the stop c, f. The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows:
-Figure 17 represents the seat with the apparatus screwed to it in the per-
pendicular situation it assumes when not occupied. The works above described
are concealed in a mortice cut through the scat to receive them. The
upper part of the diagonal prop is seen partly concealed in a recess grooved
in the under side of the seat, which recess is continued down to the prop joint
(Figures 6 and 10 represent this recess unoccupied). The larger stud / in the
head of the prop is seen, Figure 14, in dotted lines, overlying the spring s.
When the seat is turned down the former is pushed outwards, and the stud
sliding in the direction of the arrow, Figure 15, along the surface of the spring,
sustains at the same time the weight of the prop upon the spring. When the
stud arrives at the bevilled screw head n it has to force itself through the gorge
between n and q, and in doing so pushes the slide into the position shown in
Figure 14, after which the end of the prop, coming in contact with the stop
c, f, and the seat being then horizontal, the person turning it down naturally
leaves hold; the seat would then turn up, but when it begins to rise the upper
end of the prop does not rise with it till the stud 1 meets the spring s, and then
the latter, being in contact with the inner bevilled side of the screw head, see
Figure 15, which is at right angles to the then direction of the prop, first
draws the slide to its original position, namely, in a direction contrary to the
arrow, and then retains its hold of the, bevilled head, preventing the seat from
rising further; (however, if the seat is forcibly raised, the spring s yields
sufficiently to allow the stud to slip over the screw head, and the sent to

page_text: assume the perpendicular). At this time the stud and slide are in the position
seen, Figure 15, and the tumbler rests, as shewn by the dotted lines, against
the point of the curved arm ; but when the seat is again pressed down by the
weight of a person sitting upon it, or otherwise, the prop abuts a second time
against c, f, the tumbler assumes the perpendicular position shewn in Figure
14, and the circular notch in the lower end is brought over the point of the
curved arm, which is then in the position shewn by the dotted lines. Here
the parts remain until the seat is relieved of the weight, when, by its motion
upwards, it brings the point of the curved arm in contact with the notch in the
tumbler, and the latter, acting as a temporary support, prevents the
prop from
falling low enough to enable the stud to lay hold a second time of the screw
head, meanwhile the seat continuing to rise, and by its motion causing the
head of the prop to recede from the stop c, f, the tumbler becomes a short
radial bar working on the point of z as a centre, and lands the stud upon the
flat part of the screw head, when it easily passes back through the gorge, and
allows the seat to resume its perpendicular position. A jointed cover to
conceal the works is shewn at h, h, Figures 9 and 10; it is hinged at i, and
connected at the other end to the prop by the two ears and a cross-pin k,
Figure 10, so as to open and shut with the motion of the prop. It is evident
that the turning up of the seat may be effected by a weight instead of a spring, and
I reserve the right to use either, as may be most convenient; but the upward
motion of the seats produced by the action of either is necessarily rapid, and in
certain cases it may be desirable to retard it. The compound spring effects
this to a certain extent; but when a slower motion is desired, I employ in
conjunction with it a piston working in a small cylinder filled with a fluid or
air as a retarder. This application is shown in Figure 8. The cylinder is
placed in the space between the outer and inner pannels. The piston contains
a small valve opening downwards; the head of the piston rod connects with an
arm projecting backwards from the seat; the cylinder is closed at the bottom,
and is jointed there to a fixing, so as to accommodate itself to the radial motion
of the piston head joint. When the seat is turned down the piston rises, and
the air or fluid in the cylinder passes down through the valve. When the
seat springs up the piston descends rapidly, and the valve closing, the com-
pressed air or fluid retards the upward motion of the seat until the former has
time to escape by the sides of the piston. It will be seen that the same
mechanism here described, as applied to seats for the purpose of economising
space where such is an object, applies equally to garden and other out-door
scats where it is desirable to protect the seat parts froni wet, by constructing
them to turn up of themselves whenever they cease to be occupied. Figures

page_text: 18 and 19 shew such application, which will be easily understood after the
prévious description by inspection of the Drawings.
In conclusion, in the construction of my improved carriage I do not confine
myself to the use or application of metallic wire cloth, gauze, or net as a
covering or partial covering to such carriages only as shall answer the
description before given, but extend it-generally to every other kind or
description of railway carriage; either as a covering or partial covering of the
same, or as a substitute for or in addition to glass in the windows thereof;
nor for such purposes do I confine myself to the use of gauze; cloth, or net
made wholly of metal wire, but use for the like purposes gauze, cloth, or net
composed partly of wire and partly of other materials, and also perforated
metal plates, hair cloth, and other interstitial or perforated fabrics or materials.
Nor do I-limit the use of my improved seats to railway carriages, but apply
them to conveyances of every description,. to steamboats and sailing packets,
and in every situation where seats are used and economy of space is an object.
I also use them 'for garden seats; and wherever seats are exposed to the
weather. Nor do I confine myself to any particular form of springs or
apparatus; as the simple turning up of the seats effected by my first-described
apparatus, or the retaining action and subsequent turning up of the sent
effected by my second-described 'apparatus, or the regulating action obtained
by the cylinder and piston, may all be accomplished by other mechanical
combinations which will readily occur to persons conversant with mechanical
contrivances. -
Having now fully described the two separate heads of my Invention, I beg to
state that as regards my improvement in railway carriages the chief feature of
my Invention consists in the application of the principle that in the passage of
air through wire gauze, hair cloth, or other interstitial materials of a 'like
description, the violence of the current is destroyed by the resistance of such
materials, aud that adopting this principle I cover or partially cover carriages
used for the conveyance of passengers on railways, or openings in such
carriages, with wire gauze, hair cloth, or other interstitial fabrics or minutely
perforated materials, as herein-before set forth, which protect the passengers
from the force of the wind and the currents of air produced by rapid motion,
and also serve the important purpose of preventing the entrance of the coke
dust emitted by the locomotive engine, without materially impeding the view of
external objects. And as this Invention may be applied in many different
ways besides that which I have described, all of them producing the same
or nearly similar effects, I claim generally the use and application for the
purposes berein-before specified of wire gauze, hair cloth, perforated metal

page_text: plates, and other interstitial or perforated fabrics or materials, as herein-before
set forth and described, to carriages used on railways for the conveyance of
passengers, whether the said fabrics or materials be applied in the precise
manner herein-before set forth and described or not.
be
And as regards my improved seat, I claim the application and use of
springs or weights to turn or fold up seats when not in use, as herein-before
set forth and described. I claim also the retaining apparatus and the retarding
apparatus applicable to such seats as herein-before described. I claim also the
application of springs or weights in combination with the retaining and
retarding apparatus, or either of them. And as the springs or weights may
applied in various ways, and the retaining and retarding apparatus, or either of
them, may be also constructed and applied in many different ways to produce
the effects herein set forth and described, I claim all such modifications of the
springs or weights, and of the retaining and retarding apparatus or either
of them as when applied to seats will produce the same or similar effects
as are herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Houldsworth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.