AN IMPROVE- MENT IN AND ADDITION TO THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Southwood, of Houndsditch, in the County
of Middlesex, Merchant and Manufacturer, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN AND ADDITION TO THE DOORS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER
CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Southwood at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th September 1880.
JOHN HENRY SOUTHWOOD, of Houndsditch, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND ADDITION TO THE DOORS OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES."
My Invention relates to an improvement in and addition to the doors of railway
carriages and other carriages or vehicles, and has for object to provide means for
the reception of wet umbrellas in railway carriages and other carriages or vehicles
whereby these articles, instead of being carried, as now, in the hand of the user,
may be deposited, thus releasing the user from an objectionable incumbrance, and
at the same time saving the upholstery of the vehicle from damage.
The means I employ for the purpose consist of a curved or other suitably shaped
sheet of metal forming a rack or receptacle, which is provided at bottom with a
trough from which lead discharge pipes or outlets, through which the water is
discharged as it runs or drips from the wet umbrella. The said rack or receptacle,
which is preferably divided into two compartments, is intended to be affixed to the
inside panel of the door or doors of the vehicle, and it may also replace the padding
now in use in many vehicles. It is secured to the panel by screws or other suitable
means, and an opening or openings contrived in the lower portion of the panel
allows the discharge pipe or pipes to pass through, so that the water instead of
remaining in the trough is discharged outside the carriage or vehicle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Southwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th March 1881.
JOHN HENRY SOUTHWOOD, of Houndsditch, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant
and Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND ADDITION TO THE DOORS OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND OTHER CARRIAGES OR VEHICLES."
My Invention, which relates to an improvement in and addition to the doors of
railway and other carriages or vehicles, has for object to provide means for the
reception of wet umbrellas in railway and other carriages or vehicles, whereby
these articles instead of being carried, as now, in the hand of the user may be
deposited, thus releasing the user from an objectionable encumbrence, and at the
same time saving the upholstery of the vehicle from damage.
The means employ consist of a rack or receptacle specially devised for the
purpose, and which is fitted to the door or doors. It is constructed of a sheet of
-metal_of_curved or other suitable shape, and is provided at bottom with a trough
or chamber. A pipe or pipes lead-from-this-trough_or_chamber, so that the water
as it runs or drips-from-the-wet-umbrellas is discharged outside the carriage-or-
vehicle instead of remaining in the trough or chamber. The rack-or-receptacle_is_
preferably divided into two compartments, and is affixed to the inside panel of the
door or doors of the vehicle by suitable meaus, and the discharge pipe or pipes pass
through the panel or bottom rail of the door.
In order that my Invention may be more fully understood, I proceed to describe
same, aided by the accompanying Drawings, which shew, by way of example, my
Invention applied to a railway carriage door.
Fig. 1 is an interior elevation of a railway carriage door, and Fig. 2 is an exterior
elevation of the same, to which my umbrella rack is fitted; Fig. 3 is a vertical
section taken on the line 2, 2, of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections of the
rack; Fig. 4 being taken on the line x, y, and Fig. 5 on the line a, 3, of Fig. 3.
A is the door of the railway carriage, and B the umbrella rack. This rack is
provided with a flange b, by means of which it is secured to the panel C of the
door by screws or other suitable contrivances. It is furnished at bottom with a .
trough or chamber bx for receiving the water as it drips or runs from the wet
umbrellas. This trough or chamber is provided with a discharge pipe c, which
passes through the panel or bottom rail of the door; it is slightly inclined in a
downward direction so as to facilitate the running off of the water, and also the
entire draining of the trough or chamber, the bottom of which is, for this purpose,
of rounded form.
The rack is slightly tapered from top to bottom, as seen in the vertical section,
Fig. 3, so as to allow ample space at top for the spread of the unrolled umbrellas
without encroaching upon the footroom at bottom.
I prefer to construct the portion 6' of the rack extending between the trough
and the beade of perforated sheet metal, in order that the air may circulate freely
therein and thus assist and quicken the evaporation of the moisture contained in
the wet umbrellas.
D is a rib which divides the rack into two compartments, thereby preventing
the umbrella handles tilting in the way of the open door, and at the same time
serves to strengthen the whole rack; E is a metal strip or band soldered to the
outside of the rack, and serving to prevent the escape of the solder when fitting in
the rib D, and at the same time gives an additional rigidity to the rack. By
dividing the rack into two compartments, one such compartment will suffice for
the reception of a certain number of umbrellas belonging to persons on one side of

page_text: the carriage, while the other compartment will suffice for the umbrellas of those
on the other side, and at the same time it will prevent injury to the umbrellas
by limiting the number of samo to be received into one compartment.
Each door of the vehicle is fitted with a rack, and these racks advantageously
replace the padding now so often used, and covering the panels, and at the same
time they do not take up any more space in the carriagos, while they offer to the .
public a desideratum long wished for, and to the railway companies a saving in
upholstery.
By giving to the racks the convex or bellied form seen in Figs. 4 and 5, all sharp
or pointed corners or angles are obviated, thus preventing injury to persons
entering or quitting the carriage, or to those sitting in the corner seats of the
same.
In some instances the perforated metal portion b¹ may be dispensed with, thus
economizing cost, and the trough b* is then connected to a rail or bar e by means
of the rib D, as shown in Fig. 6.
Although my Invention is specially destined as a rack for wet umbrellas, it can
also serve as a rack for dry umbrellas, or as a stand for walking sticks and parasols,
and although I have described and shewn the same as applied to the door of a
railway carriage, I wish it to be understood that it can be applied in precisely
similar manner to the doors of cabs, omnibuses, and other carriages or vehicles.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. Fitting or providing the doors of railway carriages and other carriages or
vehicles with means or appliances for the reception of wet umbrellas, and for the
exit of water dripping therefrom, substantially in the manner set forth, whereby
such articles, instead of being carried in the hand, as now, to the inconvenience
of the user, and to the detriment of the upholstery of the carriage, may be
deposited.
Second. The rack or receptacle for holding wet umbrellas constructed, arranged,
and fitted to the doors of railway carriages, or other carriages or vehicles,
substantially in the manner described and as shewn in the Drawings.
Third. The modified arrangement of rack as described and shewn in Fig. 6 of the
Drawings, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Southwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN H SOUTHWOOD
201