Improvements in Passenger-carriages.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr.,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Passenger-carriages.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Edward C. Sessions, of Oakland, in
the County of Alameda and State of California, United States of America,
Engineer,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of passenger-
carriages, such as are arranged for carrying passengers both inside and on the roof,
and especially to such carriages as are employed for street tramways or railroads.
The invention consists in constructing such carriages with a lateral contraction
of sides of the body of such carriages above the head-room for seated inside
passengers, so as to form a footway and platform at a lower level than the roof, the
distance between the tiers of seats on the top being thus considerably widened and
the top seats correspondingly lowered without interfering with the room required
for inside passengers when entering, standing, or sitting.
The invention also consists in extending the contracted portion of the sides over
the entrance-platform, so as to communicate with means of access to the roof-seats.
The invention also consists in modifying the entrance-platform of such carriages
to conform to the configuration of the sides and roof before named, so that
passengers can enter freely beneath this extension of the contracted portion of the
sides projecting over the entrance-platform.
It also consists in supporting the entrance-platform to such carriages wholly or
in part from the roof-framing, so that the platform may be constructed independent
of the main sills of the carriage, and the steps from the ground be so situated as to
conform to the requirements of the roof above, as before named, and thus permit
free entrance.
The invention also includes the employment of winding or direct stairs or ladders
ascending at one or both ends and on each side of the carriage to the footway in
front of the tiers of seats on top, thus avoiding a cross gangway or passage between
the tiers of seats on the roof.
I am aware that passenger-carriages employed for street tramways or railroads
constructed with tiers of seats on top are well known; also, that such tiers of seats are
reached by stairs or ladders ascending from the entrance-platforms; but in all such
carriages, so far as I know, the portion of the roof used as footway in front of the
seats on top of the carriages has been at such height or elevation as to permit inside
passengers to stand erect beneath the same. To avoid the height required for a
carriage thus arranged, I adopt a new form of constructing the sides, these being
contracted inward above the inside seats at a point sufficiently high to permit head-
room for seated inside passengers, the horizontal part of the contraction forming in
outline a step and foot-rest for outside passengers. The seats for outside passengers.
thus come directly on the edge of the roof, and the latter is thus made sufficiently
wide to offer free standing-room inside of the carriage.
The sides of the carriage are contracted over the heads of inside passengers when
sitting, providing the distance inside for passengers when standing or walking about.
The roof is made in two steps or extensions, the first or main one terminating where it
meets the vertical extension of the sides. This places the angle or corner of the
sides proportionately nearer to extreme width of the carriage, to afford for
passengers inside sufficient room when standing, sitting, or in the act of sitting
down. It also affords a much wider space for head-room between the two footways,
these being extended by overhanging shelves, and at the same time provides ample

page_text: width for a ventilating-extension. This extension forms backs for the top seats,
and a wide platform or deck which may be used for carrying baggage, parcels, or
freight when required for that purpose.
In order to permit the entrance of passengers beneath the footway and with
clearance at the part where the sides of the carriage are contracted, the bottom
platform requires a section conforming in a degree to the roof and the contracted
step-shaped portion of the sides, and the steps of the platform must correspond to
those of the sides. This construction narrows the central portion of the bottom
platform to a little more than that of the door above, and also reduces its extreme
dimensions within the width occupied by the main body, so that passengers are
sheltered in entering and leaving the carriage.
The stairs ascend to the footway on each side of the carriage, and thus permit
the top tiers of seats, if desired, to be extended over the bottom platform, dispensing
with a cross passage between them on the top. This permits passengers to ascend
to either side above from the same end of the carriage and from one entrance-
platform. These stairs may be of a winding form, but it is evident that this
construction may be modified without changing the main object of the invention.
The bottom platform, being below the main sills of the carriage, is partially
supported from the roof by rods, which may form the axis of the stairs when the
latter are of winding form, the inner end being attached to the sills or bottom
framing of the carriage. The hand and guard rails are of the usual construction,
continuous from the lower platform to the top and in front of the seats on the
opposite side of the carriage.
Dated this 15th day of September 1890.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Passenger-carriages.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Edward C. Sessions, of Oakland, in
the County of Alameda and State of California, United States of America,
Engineer), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of passenger-
carriages, such as are arranged for carrying passengers both inside and on the roof,
and especially to such carriages as are employed for street tramways or railroads.
My invention consists in constructing such carriages with a lateral contraction of
sides of the body of such carriages above the head-room for seated inside
passengers, so as to form a footway and platform at a lower level than the roof, the
distance between the tiers of seats on the top being thus considerably widened and
the top seats correspondingly lowered without interfering with the room required
for inside passengers when entering, standing, or sitting.
My invention also consists in extending the contracted portion of the sides over
the entrance-platform, so as to communicate with means of access to the roof-scats.
My invention also consists in modifying the entrance-platform of such carriages
to conform to the configuration of the sides and roof before named, so that
passengers can enter freely beneath this extension of the contracted portion of the
sides projecting over the entrance-platform.
It also consists in supporting the entrance-platform to such carriages wholly or
in part from the roof-framing, so that the platform may be constructed independent
of the main sills of the carriage, and the steps from the ground to be so situated as
to conform to the requirements of the roof above, as before named, and thus permit
free entrance.

page_text: My invention also includes the employment of winding or direct stairs or ladders
ascending at one or both ends and on each side of the carriage to the footway in
front of the tiers of seats on top, thus avoiding a cross gangway or passage between
the tiers of seats on the roof. These various features are illustrated in the
drawings hereto attached and forming a part of this Specification, in which―
Figure is a transverse section through a passenger, tram, or railway carriage
arranged with my improvements and showing the form of the sides and roof, also
the position of seats inside and on the top.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same carriage, the entrance, platform, sides, and roof
being in section to show the relation of the two and the manner of gaining clearance
for
passengers entering from the ground.
Fig. 3 is a complete end view of the same carriage, showing the double ascending
stairs of a winding form for passing to the footways or platforms below or in front
of the tiers of seats on the top.
Fig. 4 is a partial side view also showing ascending stairs and the manner of
supporting the entrance-platform from the roof and beneath the main sills of the
carriage; and
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the form of a common carriage and the section of
the sides thereof removed in my improved construction of the same.
Similar letters of reference on the different figures indicate corresponding parts.
I am aware that passenger-carriages employed for street tramways or railroads
constructed with tiers of seats on top are well-known; also, that such tiers of seats are
reached by stairs or ladders ascending from the entrance-platforms; but in all such
carriages, so far as I know, the portion of the roof used as footway in front of the
seats on top of the carriages has been at such height or elevation as to permit inside
passengers to stand erect beneath the same. To avoid the height required for a
carriage thus arranged, I adopt a new form of constructing the sides, these being
contracted inward above the inside seats at a point sufficiently high to permit head-
room for seated inside passengers, the horizontal part of the contraction forming in
outline a step and foot-rest for outside passengers. The seats for outside passengers
thus come directly on the edge of the roof, and the latter is thus made sufficiently
wide to offer free standing-room inside of the carriage.
Referring now to the drawings, the sides of the carriage A are contracted at B
over heads of inside passengers when sitting, providing the distance from J to J
inside for passengers when standing or walking about. The roof is made in two
steps or extensions, (shown at C and D, Fig. 1,) the first or main one C terminating
where it meets the vertical extension of the sides, as shown. This places the angle
or corner of the sides at J proportionately nearer to extreme width of the
carriage A, to afford for passengers inside sufficient room when standing, sitting,
or in the act of sitting down, as indicated by the figures a, b, and c, Fig. 1. It
also affords a much wider space for head-room between the two footways B B,
these being extended by overhanging shelves H, H, and at the same time
provides ample width for a ventilating-extension F. This extension F forms backs
for the top seats E and a wide platform or deck at D, which may be used for
carrying baggage, parcels, or freight when required for that purpose.
This change
in the configuration of the sides from the ordinary form of construction can be fully
understood by referring to the diagram Fig. 5, Sheet 2, where the shaded parts
at B indicate the sections of the main body A, omitted or removed to gain the
objects sought in my invention. Other letters of reference thereon indicate parts
corresponding to the other figures.
Referring to Fig. 2 it may be seen that the platform I, in order to permit the
entrance of passengers beneath the footway B and with clearance at J, requires a
section conforming in a degree to the roof and the contracted step-shaped portion
of the sides, and that the steps of the platform must correspond to B and C above.
The figures e and d indicate the position of passengers when ascending and
entering. This construction narrows the central portion of the platform at I to a
little more than that of the door above, and also reduces its extreme dimensions

page_text: from to 9 within the width occupied by the main body, so that passengers are
sheltered in entering and leaving the carriage.
The stairs N, Figs. 3 and 4, ascend to the footway B on each side of the
carriage, and thus permit the top tiers of seats, if desired, to be extended over the
platform I, dispensing with a cross passage between them on the top. This
permits passengers to ascend to either side above from the same end of the carriage
and from one entrance-platform. These stairs N are shown of a winding form;
but it is evident that this construction may be modified without changing the main
object of my invention.
The platform I, being below the main sills of the carriage, is partially supported
from the roof by the rods P, forming the axis of the stairs, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4,
the inner end at O being attached to the sills or bottom framing of A, as seen
in Fig. 4. The hand and guard rails Q are of the usual construction, continuous
from the lower platform to the top and in front of the seats on the opposite side of
the carriage.
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 a passenger-carriage for street-railways with tiers of seats on top, the
sides A, formed with angular inward step-shaped extensions B B, providing foot-
room for outside passengers below the roof C, constructed and arranged substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. In a passenger-carriage for street-railways arranged with tiers of seats on top,
the angular inward step-shaped extensions B B of the main sides A A, with a
shelf H, projecting over the extreme width of the carriage, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth and described.
3. In a passenger-carriage for street-railways arranged with tiers of seats on its
top, the narrow-stepped platform I, supported at its outer end from the roof, in
combination with double ascending stairs N and the sunken footway B and the
overhung shelf H, arranged and constructed substantially in the manner and for
the purposes herein described.
4. In a passenger-carriage for street-railways arranged with double tiers of seats
on top, the narrow-stepped platform I, having a construction substantially in con-
formity to the roof and the contracted step-shaped portions of the sides, while the
steps correspond to the portions B and C, and double stairs N, leading to both
sides of the roof from one or both ends of the carriage, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein set forth and described.
5. In a passenger-carriage for street-railways arranged with double tiers of seats
on top, the double stairs N, the axial supporting-rod P, and the platform I,
combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 24th day of March 1891.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.