Improvements in Railway Carriages.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 18º2
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE JONATHAN PORTER, of 73, High Street,
Medford, Massachusetts, United States of America, Architect.]
Improvements in Railway Carriages.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
Car bodies as commonly constructed are composed for the most part of wood,
though for the sake of safety and for other reasons it is expedient that they should
be constructed of metal. It has been found that a car body of substantially
rectangular form in cross section, when constructed of metal, is unduly heavy and
besides this cannot readily be made to withstand the torsional strain to which car
bodies in service are continually subjected. These facts have led inventors and
artisans in devising and constructing metallic car bodies to adopt the cylindrical
form; and while with this form the requirements as to strength and lightness are
to a great extent answered, other difficulties are met with, chief among which are
the expense and trouble of properly bending or curving the metal plates employed
in the body of the car, and the difficulty of providing economic and easily operated
windows.
The first mentioned difficulty in the cylindrical form of car body is unavoidable :
the second is overcome in two ways-first, by building upon the car body a dormer-
like projection for each window; and second, by using a curved sash and curved
glass. The first mentioned expediency is cumbersome and extremely expensive,
while by the second method it is difficult to make a sash which can easily be opened
and closed and which will fit tightly enough to exclude dust and cinders, and, like
the first, it is expensive.
To meet the requirements of the car building art and to overcome the objections
and difficulties hereinbefore recited is the object of my invention, which object is
accomplished by constructing the car body of substantially regular polygonal form
in cross section and making it of straight and angular metal plates, bolted or
otherwise secured to straight or angular metal ribs, it being well known that the
polygonal form is easier of attainment than the cylindrical from the fact that the
bending of the parts, where at all essential or desirable, need be made only at a
few points, while in forming curved parts the bending must be made at practically
all points. Furthermore, by making the car body of polygonal form, being an
approach to a "box-girder "-like form and so in itself a truss, I am enabled to
better brace and truss the car than if it were of the form of an absolute circle or
cylinder, and in this way make it of maximum strength and durability.
Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 shows a transverse or cross section of a car body constructed in
accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the car portrayed in Fig. 1, showing on the
left the exterior and on the right the interior of the car.
Fig. 3 represents in outline a modified form of the car body, and shows also a
form of means for bracing or trussing the upper part or deck of the car.
Fig. 4 is a perspective detail showing the form of the different parts of the frame
and the trussing or bracing of the lower part of the car.
Fig. 6 is a sectional detail hereinafter referred to.
Rionray R. 7 and 8 are sectional details of the window head. iamh and ledge.

page_text: Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of the angular part below the window ledge and at
the point where the floor intersects the side of the car.
Fig. 10 is a diagram intended to illustrate the outside and inside of a window
and window frame.
Fig. 11 is a diagram showing still another modified form of my improved car.
Fig. 12 shows a modified form of rib.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the views.
The car body is composed of plates of metal supported upon ribs running
around or nearly around the interior of the car between the windows, the plates
and the ribs being fastened together by rivets. The general form of the car, as
will be seen by reference to Figures 3 and 11, is that of a symmetrical and fairly
regular polygon.
In the space between the floor a and bottom of the car are three girders b a d
(Figures 1, 3 and 4) running the entire length of the car, the two outside ones
projecting to form a support for the platform e. At the top and bottom of the
girders are riveted angle-irons ƒ g, the angle irons 9 are also riveted to the bottom
plate of the car. Across the tops of the girders at suitable intervals run channel
bars i, Fig. 4, which are fastened to the girders by knees, and at their ends to
pieces like the one shown at j, Fig. 4. These pieces are at the junction of the
bottom plate h and the adjacent side plate k and are riveted thereto. The girders
are further strengthened by the cross braces and m running from the upper part
of one girder to the lower part of another, and the latter extending diagonally and
the former at right angles with reference to the length of the car, this form of
bracing being efficient for the purpose of protecting the car against torsional strain
and preventing it from being twisted askew from any cause.
The floor ท
which is composed of metal plates, rests upon the channel bars i and
the upper angle irons of the girders. The form in cross section of the ribs
running around or partly around the body of the car is shown at o, Figures 4 and 5.
The remainder of the car consists of metal plates riveted to the flanges of the ribs o,
suitable openings being left for windows and ventilators. The exterior finish
consists of mouldings of thin metal at p and q, covering the angles of the car body
at these points; a moulding along the tops of the windows, one at a forming the
window ledge. The sides of the side windows and also the margins or sides of the
deck lights are provided with mouldings.
The windows are very simple in construction. The sash is held in place at the
sides by the beads and n, Fig. 7, screwed to the angle iron which is riveted to
the shell of the car w at the sides of the window opening. At the top the sash
is held between the beads and y, Fig. 6, fastened to the angle irons = and a¹.
The sash when raised slides into the space b', Fig. 6. The bead also serves to
cover the edge of the moulding which is turned under where it comes to a window
space; the bead t, Fig. 7, does the same for the moulding at the sides of the window
frame. At the top of the window is a case c', Fig. 6, which contains the shade and
roller d'. It is secured to the angle iron e and the angle iron f¹ which run from
rib to rib. The window ledge, Fig. 8, is secured in place by the bead g' and also
has its outer edge fastened to the brace h¹ which runs from rib to rib. The window
jamb , Fig. 7, is fastened to the frame in a similar manner by the bead n and to
the brace which runs from angle iron to angle iron m'. The form of angle
iron m' is shown more clearly in Fig. 4; it is an opened angle" but the upper
portion at the window opening is turned down as shown to form a support for the
window ledges, Fig. 8.
66
Another form of rib may be used, as shown in Fig. 12; this form would simplify
the window construction somewhat as the side beads n and t may be secured to the
sides of the channel, thus dispensing with the angle iron; the brace l' would also
not be needed as the channel between the windows would be covered by a metal
cap n which is secured by the beads & and n.
Fig. 5 shows the lining and inside finish more in detail. Upon the inner surface
of the shell and the flanges of the ribs is a layer of mica cement o³, or felt, cemented

page_text: to the shell of the car, or other sound deadening compound. This is necessary to
stop or deaden the sonorous vibration of the metallic car body. Next the cement
is a layer of hair felt p² or other insulating material. Next comes the inside
finish a¹ which is fastened to clamps secured to the tongue of the ribs. wis an
ornamental cap or moulding to cover the joints in the finish which are intended to
come over the ribs. At the horizontal angles of the car the interior finish is to be
fastened to "opened" angle irons which run from rib to rib. A section of one of
these is shown at 1, Fig. 6. The interior finish may be of sheets of any suitable
material, such as wood, paper, leatheroid or metal, and may be strengthened by iron
bars if necessary.
Another method of attaching the interior finish may be adopted. Pieces of
wood may be secured to the inside of the car body wherever desired; these would
preferably be secured to the ribs or near them, the interior finish may then be
screwed or nailed to these pieces of wood. A similar method may be employed in
constructing the windows. Pieces of wood may be secured to the car body in
place of the angle irons h³, v, z, a', and the sashes may be of wood. Also pieces of
wood may be secured to the girders and the floor fastened to them. The use of
wood in this manner would cheapen and facilitate the building of a car very
materially, as it would do away with all necessity for "tapping" for machine screws;
and the small amount of wood used thus could not be regarded as making the car
dangerously combustible.
For freight cars the construction may be similar to passenger cars, except that
the windows would be omitted and doors placed in the sides where needed. Also
the framing of the floor might be stronger, one or more additional girders being
inserted, as shown in Fig. 11. Additional girders may also be used in long passenger
cars.
The form of car body shown in Fig. 8 is regarded as being generally suited for
passenger service, though it may be constructed with a greater or less number of
straight sides so long as the polygonal form, all of the sides of which touch upon
an imaginary circular line, is preserved. Figures 3 and 11 show forms differing
somewhat from that shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3 the sides and lower part of the car
are the same as in Fig. 1, while the top or deck has fewer straight sides or planes
and the deck is strengthened by brace rods B' attached to the ribs and drawn taut
by means of turn buckles T', or other suitable devices. The form of bracing shown
in Fig. 3 is applicable as well to the common form of car body, or the cylindrical
or other form, as to my improvements.
In Fig. 11 the lower part of the car is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except as
to the extra girder, but the top or deck has a greater number of straight sides or
planes.
Although I have been particular to describe the form of the various parts of
my improved car body and their arrangement and relationship to each other, it is
obvious that these may be changed or varied without departing from the nature or
spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. A car body each side of which is formed in cross section with a vertical portion
and two or more inclined portions, composed of angular metal ribs extending around
or nearly around the car body, and metal plates secured to said ribs, substantially
as set forth.
2. A car body the sides of which each consists of a vertical portion, and two or
more inclined portions in cross section, and composed of metal ribs extending
around or nearly around the body, and metal plates secured to said ribs and
bent at angle points thereof to conform to the form of the ribs, substantially as
set forth.
3. A car body of polygonal form in cross section composed of ribs o extending

page_text: around or nearly around the body, the metal plates & secured to said ribs and bent
at angle points thereof to conform to the form of the car body, sound-deadening
material secured to the ribs and plates, and the inside finishing material secured
upon the ribs and sound-deadening material, as set forth.
4. A car body the sides of which are each formed in cross section with a vertical
portion and two or more inclined portions composed of metal plates, and metal ribs o
extending around or nearly around the body, metal plates & secured to said ribs and
bent at the angle points thereof to conform to the form of the car body, the longi-
tudinal metal girders in the bottom of the car, metal bracing intermediate of
the girders, cross bars i and the floor resting upon said bars, substantially as set
forth.
5. A car body of polygonal form in cross section having straight or vertical
sides composed of ribs o extending around or nearly around the body, vertical
plates k secured to said ribs and bent at angle points thereof to conform to the form
of the body, materials forming the under finish or facing, and sound-deadening
material intermediate of the finishing material and the metal plates, substantially as
set forth.
6. A car body the sides of which are each formed in cross section with a vertical
portion and two or more inclined portions composed of metal plates and metal ribs
to which the plates are secured, the longitudinal metal girders in the bottom of the
car, said ribs extending around the car from the outermost of said girders, and
intermediate metal braces, substantially as set forth.
7. A car body of polygonal form in cross section the sides having various planes
or angles, all of the points of the angles touching upon an imaginary circular line,
and portions of the sides being constructed in vertical or nearly vertical planes
composed of angular metal plates and flanged metal ribs extending around or
nearly around the car body to which the said plates are secured, sound-deadening
material o¹ secured to the plates, the layer p' of insulating material and an inside
finish s', as set forth.
Dated this 13th day of October 1891.
ed this 13th day of October 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.