Improved Means for Closing and Fastening and for Unlocking all the Doors of a Railway Train Simultaneously.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 31st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Closing and Fastening and for Unlocking all
the Doors of a Railway Train Simultaneously.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL CHAVASSE, of Ombersley, near Droitwich, Worcestershire,
Aerated Water Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in the hereindescribed improved means for enabling the
carriage doors of a railway train to be closed and fastened or when closed to be
unlocked from the guard's van or from the engine.
According to this invention each of the doors of a railway carriage is closed and
fastened by a separate balance weight or spring (arranged underneath the carriage)
acting upon its corresponding door through a lever or levers which also fasten the
doors when closed or partly closed and in combination with these levers and balance
weights or springs I employ a vacuum, compressed air, steam, or electricity to act
upon the said levers and raise the balance weights or springs simultaneously thus
unlocking all the doors along one side or both sides of the train at the same
time.
The said invention also comprises means for unlocking all the doors of a single
carriage when the vacuum, steam, compressed air, or electricity, is not available.
The said levers by which the doors are closed and locked can very conveniently
be arranged as follows. In the underframe of each carriage and below the hinged
side of each door is a small way shaft having at one end a lever which stands up
above the bottom of the door so that when the lever is turned in one direction it
will act upon and close the door and when turned in the other direction the door
will be free to be opened and on this way shaft is another lever on which is the
balance weight or spring which acting through the levers closes the door. All the
way shafts of the doors at each side of the carriage are connected together and ta
a vacuum, compressed air, or steam cylinder, or piston, or to a small electric motor,
under the carriage by which the balance weights can be lifted or the springs
extended or compressed thereby unlocking the doors and by which the balance
weights can be allowed to fall or the springs be allowed to regain their normal state,
and to lock the doors. These cylinders, pistons, or motors on all the carriages of
the train are connected together and to the guard's van and engine so that either
the engine driver or the guard can cause the levers on which are the balance weights
or springs of the doors along either or both sides of the train to rise fall or
otherwise move and unlock or lock the doors.
When the said weights or springs are released to close the doors each weighted
lever acts only upon its own door independently of the others and if there should
be any obstruction to prevent any one or more of the doors closing when their
weighted levers are released then the other doors of the carriage are thereby not
hindered from closing. This I may effect by slotting those levers which are
connected together so that all the weighted levers will be lifted together but if
any one weighted lever is held up by its door the other weighted levers can fall
without it.
At the end or other convenient part of each carriage I provide a hand lever or
hand levers by which the said levers and weights or springs of that carriage can be
operated (to allow of the doors being opened or closed) when the carriages are
detached or when the vacuum or other motive power is not available and in
combination with this hand lever or hand levers provide for each side of the
carriage a lever bolt or other convenient means for locking either up or down all the

page_text: balance weights or springs or the rod connecting them of the doors along either or
both sides of the carriage.
I may also provide for each side of each carriage a small bolt or other attachment
which is so arranged as to lock all those levers down which act upon the doors at
the corresponding side of the carriage when those doors are closed but this bolt
or attachment is so connected to a small vacuum cylinder or other motive power as
to release the said levers immediately the vacuum, compressed air, steam or electric
current is applied.
I propose to use two vacuum cylinders on each carriage but I may use one
vacuum cylinder only in which latter case, presuming that the doors were right
and left hand, it would be necessary only to use the two way-shafts which would
be made to turn in the opposite direction to one another either by the aid of levers
or cog wheels or other means. The same principle will similarly apply to steam
cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, or electricity whichever method was adopted for
actuating the balance weights or springs.
Dated this 29th day of March 1892.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Closing and Fastening and for Unlocking all
the Doors of a Railway Train Simultaneously.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL CHAVASSE, of Ombersley, near Droitwich, Worcestershire
Aerated Water Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in the herein described improved means for enabling the
carriage doors of a railway train to be closed and fastened or when closed to be
unlocked all from the guard's van or from the engine.
According to this invention each of the doors of a railway carriage is closed
and fastened by a separate balance weight or spring (arranged underneath the
carriage) acting upon its corresponding door through a lever or levers which also
fasten the doors when closed or partly closed and in combination with these levers
and balance weights or springs I employ a vacuum, compressed air, steam or
electricity to act upon the said levers and raise the balance weights or springs
simultaneously thus unlocking all the doors along one side or both sides of the
train at the same time.
The said invention also comprises means for unlocking all the doors of a single
carriage when the vacuum, steam, compressed air, or electricity, is not available.
The said levers by which the doors are closed and locked are by preference
arranged as follows:-In the underframe of each carriage and below the hinged
side of each door is a small way shaft having at one end a lever which stands up
above the bottom of the door so that when the lever is turned in one direction it
will act upon and close the door and when turned in the other direction the door
will be free to be opened and on this way. shaft is another lever on which is the
balance weight or spring which acting through the levers closes the door. All the
way shafts of the doors at each side of the carriage are connected together and to
a vacuum, compressed air, or steam cylinder, or piston, or to a small electric motor,
under the carriage by which the balance weights can be lifted or the springs
extended or compressed thereby unlocking the doors and by which the balance
weights can be allowed to fall or the springs be allowed to regain their normal
state, and to lock the doors. These cylinders, pistons, or motors on all the carriages
of a train are connected together and to the guard's van and engine so that either
the engine driver or the guard can cause the levers on which the balance weights or

page_text: springs of the doors along either or both sides of the train to rise fall or other-
wise move and unlock or lock the doors.
When the said weights or springs are released to close the doors each weighted
lever acts only upon its own door independently of the others and if there should
be any obstruction to prevent any one or more of the doors closing when their
weighted levers are released then the other doors of the carriage are thereby not
hindered from closing. This I effect by so arranging the connections that all the
weighted levers are lifted together but if any one weighted lever is held up by its
door the other weighted levers can fall without it.
At the end or other convenient part of each carriage I provide a hand lever or
hand levers by which the said levers and weights or springs of that carriage can be
operated (to allow of the doors being opened or closed) when the carriages are
detached or when the vacuum or other motive power is not available and I provide
for each side of the carriage a lever bolt or other convenient means for locking
either up or down all the balance weights or springs or the rod connecting them
of the doors along either one or both sides of the carriage.
I will now refer to the accompanying four sheets of drawings and describe how
my said invention is to be performed.
Fig. 1 is a small scale sectional plan view of a railway carriage with my inven-
tion applied, only so much of the carriage being shewn as is necessary to illustrate
my invention;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the said carriage and my invention on an enlarged
scale;
Fig. 3 is a front elevation and
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of one end of the carriage on the same scale as
Fig. 2;
Figs. 5 and 6 shew separate parts of the valve which reverses the vacuum steam
or other pressure from one side of the carriage to the other side.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
The railway carriage represented by Fig. 1 has four compartments for passengers
and a luggage box in the centre. A¹ A A³ A' are the four doors on the right hand
side of the carriage looking towards the right hand of Fig. 1 and A* A* A² A® are
the four doors on the left hand side.
Referring firstly to the doors A' A' A' A' and the mechanism therefor, the
small way shafts carried by bearings under the carriage floors are respectively
marked B B B' B' one for each door and on the outer end of each of these shafts
is fixed the door closing lever C furnished with a small roller c (Fig. 3) at its
upper end to work against a curved metal plate a fixed to the door. The levers
which carry the balance weights D for closing the doors are marked E. They are
fixed respectively to the way shafts B' B B B as shewn so as to cause the
levers C to act upon and close the doors. F¹ is the vacuum, compressed air, or
steam cylinder (of the usual kind as used for instance in automatic breaks) for
lifting the balance weights D and moving the levers C back to the position shewn
by dotted lines in Fig. 3 to allow of the doors being opened. This cylinder F¹ is
fixed to the carriage frame and hasla piston or diaphragm inside to which the rod G¹
is fixed. All the way shafts B₁ B B B are connected to this rod G¹ by short
levers H¹ fixed on each of the way shafts B¹ B' B* B* connected by links h¹ to
collars which are loose on the rod G¹ for the purpose hereinafter described. I is
the main pipe conducting the vacuum, compressed air or steam from one end of the
carriage to the other. These pipes I on the various carriages are connected
together by flexible pipes and unions at i of the kind used in automatic brake
apparatus and the vacuum, steam or compressed air connections on the engine and
in the guard's van may be of similar kind arranged so that either the guard or
engine driver or both can at will cause a vacuum or an air or steam pressure in
the main pipe I (to open the doors) or release the said pressure (to allow the
weights to close the doors) as desired. The main pipe I is carried up and connected
to a three way valve J from which a vacuum steam or compressed air pipe l'

page_text: leads to the cylinder F¹ of the right hand doors and another similar pipe k³ leads
to the cylinder F2 of the left hand doors. This three way valve J has a lever j
connected to the sliding cross bar so that when the train is travelling in one
direction and the doors A¹ A' A' A* are required to be opened and closed the
sliding cross bar ♬ can be moved to the position shewn by the dotted lines in
Fig. 2 and the vacuum, steam or compressed air will be free to pass from the
main pipe I through the valve J and pipe k¹ to the cylinder F¹. When the train
is travelling in the opposite direction and the doors B B B7 B8 have to be
opened and closed then the sliding bar and lever have to be moved to the
right hand to the position shewn by the full lines in Fig. 2 so that the main
vacuum, steam or compressed air pipe I will through the valve J be connected
by the pipe to the other cylinder F.
When the train is running on lines where passengers have to alight some-
times from one side of the carriage and sometimes from the other side then the
slide bar and valve lever are placed in their central position so that both
the pipes and cylinders F1 F2 are in connection with the main pipe I. This
is effected as will be seen in Figs. 5 and 6 by making the passage in the
valve J¹ wide enough to partly overlap the passage to the pipe ¹ and the
passage leading to the pipe k³, so that both passages and will through
the depression j in the valve be connected to the passage and pipe I.
When the doors A' A' A* A' are closed they are maintained in that position
by the levers C being kept vertical by the balance weights D as shewn in
Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and no pressure inside the carriage will force the levers back
and open the doors, but immediately the engine driver or guard opens the valve
to form the vacuum in the main pipe I or cause the steam or compressed air
to enter therein, the vacuum, steam or compressed air acting upon the piston
or diaphragm in the cylinder F¹ moves the rod G' endwise and turns the way
shafts and raises the balance weights D and levers C to the position shewn by
the dotted lines in Fig. 3 so that the doors are then free to be opened.
When the vacuum compressed air or steam in the pipe I is released the
balance weights D act upon their way shafts and gradually move the levers C
back to their vertical position thus closing the doors.
As before stated the collars h² to which the links are jointed are loose on the
rod G¹ and the collars are each acted upon by a collar fixed to the rod G' so
that all the links h¹ will be acted upon when the rod G¹ is moved to raise the
weighted levers E to unfasten the doors, but when the rod G is moved in the
opposite direction by the levers E falling to close the doors then only those levers E
and links h' and way shafts and levers Ċ will move which are free to do so, thus
if there should be any obstruction to prevent any one or more of the doors
closing when their weighted levers E are released then the other doors of the
carriage are thereby not hindered from closing as the rod G¹ can slide freely
through the collars h².
and
L' is the hand lever at the end of the carriage turning on the fulcrum
connected by the quadrant and wire rope m to the lever N¹ which is loose
on the shaft B1 and has another arm N2 which by the link O₁ is jointed to the
collar P which is loose on the rod G¹ and abuts against the fixed collar g².
By turning this lever L' to its lowest position the wire rope m levers N' N' link O'
and collar Pact upon and move the collar and rod G₁endwise and turn the way
shafts B B B B so as to unfasten the doors. This mechanism is for use when the
carriages are detached or when the vacuum or other motive power is not available.
I provide for each side of the carriage a bolt Q' extending from one end of the
carriage to the other furnished with a handle q¹ at each end and a side projection g²
near each of the levers C so that by moving this bolt Q₁ end wise in one direction
that is towards the right hand in Figs. 1 and 3 the projections will come against
the levers C and lock them in their vertical position so as to lock the doors at that
side of the carriage. Then when the bolt Q¹ is moved end wise in the other direction
the levers C are free to be acted upon by the weighted levers and by the vacuum

page_text: compressed air or steam. The notches in the bolt Q' dropping on the pin r
maintain the bolt in its position either way.
Instead of employing the vacuum, compressed air or steam cylinder to move the
rod G and operate the levers C as above described, I may use a small electric
motor such for instance as that shewn in Figs. 3 and 4 and marked S. This motor
is fixed to the underside of the carriage and receives its electricity by wires (not
shewn on my drawing) arranged in any well known manner with suitable switches
so as to be stopped or started or reversed by the engine driver or by the guard.
The rotary shaft t of the motor is connected to the rod G₁ by any suitable gearing
as by the worm u on the shaft t gearing with the worm wheel segment which is
fixed on the cross shaft w on which shaft is also fixed the lever x which at its upper
end is jointed to the rod G¹ so that when the shaft t of the motor S is revolving the
shaft G will be moved either one way to unlock the doors or in the other way to
allow the weighted levers E to act upon and close the doors.
It will be seen that there is an arrangement of vacuum, compressed air, or steam
cylinder F and rod G* and way shafts B5, B6, B7, B8, weighted levers E, door
closing levers C and other connections for closing and fastening and for unfastening
the doors A' A' A'A' at the left hand side of the carriage similarly to and
distinguished by letters corresponding with those above described for the
doors A¹ A' A'A' at the right hand side of the carriage.
It will be evident that instead of the levers E being weighted by balance weights
they may be weighted by springs, or springs may be used as a substitute for the
weighted levers E and arranged to act upon the door closing and fastening levers C
in a similar manner. There is or may be an ordinary spring catch on each door to
keep the door closed until the guard or engine driver brings the levers C into
position to lock the doors.
By using my said invention as above described the closing and locking of the
carriage doors is always under the control of the engine driver and guard, and
passengers are prevented from opening locked doors with private keys. Moreover
the doors are always properly fastened when the train is in motion and thus
absolute safety of passengers and especially of children is ensured. Also when
once the door is fastened by the guard or engine driver no passenger can enter
the carriage thus preventing people entering the train while in motion ; and
passengers cannot leave the train until it arrives at a standstill and then only
at the will of engine driver or guard. Also accidents are avoided through passengers
getting out on the wrong side and all banging of doors is avoided as the levers C
close the door slowly and noiselessly.
Should the door closing arrangement be applied while a person is entering a
carriage there is no fear of his being jammed as the balance weight D is only
sufficient to close the door.
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. In apparatus for closing and fastening and for unlocking the doors of all
the passenger compartments of a railway train simultaneously, the employment
with each door of a door closing and fastening lever such as C arranged to be
moved in one direction (independently of the other door closing levers C) by the
action of a balance weight or spring to close and fasten the door and arranged to be
moved with the other door closing levers in the opposite direction by vacuum
compressed air or steam operated mechanism or by an electric motor under the
control of the engine driver and guard arranged so as to move the levers C
and unfasten all the doors on one or both sides of the train simultaneously and then
when the vacuum compressed air or steam pressure is released or the electric motor
is reversed to allow of each of the doors to be closed by its lever C all substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
2. On a railway carriage and in combination with the doors thereof the use of the

page_text: mechanism substantially as herein described for closing and fastening and for
unlocking the said doors at one side or both sides of the carriage simultaneously,
consisting of the levers C one for each door mounted each upon a separate way
shaft under the carriage floor and acted upon by a balance weight or spring in the
direction to close the door, and the bar G connected to all the way shafts along one
side of the carriage and the bar G³ connected to all the way shafts along the other
side of the carriage each of the bars G¹ G³ being connected to a vacuum compressed
air or steam cylinder or to an electric motor which will act upon the said bar and
move it in one direction and cause it to turn the way shafts and levers C so as to
unfasten the doors or cause the bar G¹ to be moved in the opposite direction
and allow the doors to be closed by their levers C, all substantially as hereiubefore
set forth.
3. In combination with apparatus of the kind denoted under Claims 1 and 2 for
closing and fastening and for unlocking the doors of the passenger compartments of
a railway train or carriage simultaneously, the hand mechanism berein described
for operating the bars G1 G2 to unlock or to close and fasten the doors when the
vacuum compressed air or steam or electric motor power is not available substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
4. In combination with apparatus of the kind denoted under Claims 1 and 2 for
closing and fastening and for unlocking the doors of the passenger compartments of a
railway train or carriage simultaneously, the use of the three way reversing valve
and pipes connected therewith arranged substantially as hereinbefore described so
as to cause the vacuum compressed air or steam pressure to operate the door closing
and locking levers C on one side or on the other side or on both sides of the carriage
as herein before set forth.
5. In combination with apparatus of the kind denoted under Claims 1 and 2 for
closing and fastening and for unlocking the doors of the passenger compartments of a
railway train or carriage simultaneously, the use of the sliding bolts Q' adapted
to lock the door closing levers C substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
6. The combination of parts forming the improved mechanism for enabling the
carriage doors of a railway train to be closed and fastened or when closed to be
unlocked all from the guard's van or from the engine arranged and operating
substantially in the manner herein before set forth and illustrated by the accompany-
ing drawings.
Dated this 30th day of January 1893.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.