IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR GUARD RAILINGS AS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAY TRAINS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph Maquet, Architect, of Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR GUARD RAILINGS AS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAY
TRAINS."
Scaled the 13th July 1875, and dated the 25th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph Maquet
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th January 1875.
I, HENRY JOSEPH MAQUET, Architect, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
5 of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF HAND OR GUARD RAILINGS AS APPLICABLE
TO RAILWAY TRAINS," to be as follows :-
:
The object of this Invention is to prevent accidents to the guards,
ticket collectors, or other railway servants when engaged in passing along
O a train while in motion. It will also facilitate the passage from carriage
to carriage of any traveller who may desire to communicate with the
guard or engine driver in case of accident or for other cause. It will

page_text: also prevent the passengers from getting into or out or a train uncn
has completely stopped.
TU
In carrying out the Invention a hand railing is firmly attached either
The end of
to one of the steps or to the irons which support the same.
the railing of one carriage is connected by chains, or leather, or india-
rubber bands, or other flexible contrivances to the end of the railing of
the next carriage, for which purpose the chains or other analogous devices
are provided with hooks, which will admit of their continuity being
broken when required.
Instead of chains or flexible bands hinged bars may be employed for:
connecting the rail of one carriage to that of the next carriage. These
bars are hinged in the middle so as to be capable of bending down by
their own weight out of the straight line, and they are provided at each
end with rings or hooks, whereby they may be connected to the rails of
the carriages.
Instead of jointed or hinged bars or chains a sliding rod capable of
being slidden backwards and forwards in two eyes fixed on the stationary
rails may be employed.
The long step of one carriage is connected with the step of the next
carriage by means of a flexible platform made of flat iron plates con-
nected together by hinge joints, and provided with a safety hook for
connecting two pieces of flexible platform end to end. In order to give
the hand railing sufficient lateral rigidity it is further connected by
upright standards to the upper framing of the carriage, for which purpose
the standards are bent over or arched at top. The hand railing opposite
the doors of the carriage is made flexible, so that it may be moved back
out of the way when the door is to be open.
In constructing this part of the hand railing one standard is fixed to
the framing of the carriage, and is therefore stationary, and the other is
fixed to the door, being arched overhead to correspond to the other
standards. The fixed and movable standards of the doorway are connected
by horizontal chains, and the panel is completed by vertical chains or
rods. The moveable standard is held in place by a short rigid bar, and a
loose chain is also adapted thereto.
Instead of making the curved or arched part of the movable standard
rigid it may be hinged so that it may be bent up, or the arch may be

page_text: formed of a slotted arm fixed to the carriage, and in the slot of this arm
runs a pin or stud at the upper end of the standard.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Joseph Maquet in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
JOSEPH MAQUET, Architect, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Joseph Maquet,
Her special licence that I, the said Henry Joseph Maquet, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Joseph Maquet, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR GUARD
RAILINGS AS APPLICABLE TO RAILWAY TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Joseph Maquet, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my; or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Joseph Maquet, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing

page_text: nereunto annexed, and to the letters and ugures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to prevent accidents to the guards,
ticket collectors, or other railway servants when engaged in passing
along a train while in motion, and also to prevent the loss of time by
the inspectors at the starting and the arrival of trains. It will also
facilitate the passage from carriage to carriage of any traveller who may
desire to communicate with the guard or engine driver in case of accident
or for other cause. It will also enable assistance to be given to persons
taken suddenly ill while the train is in motion. It will also prevent the
passengers from getting into or out of a train until it has completely
stopped, and will morcover, by facilitating the supervision of the officials,
tend to prevent frauds and robberies which are frequently committed at
goods stations, which are generally open.
In carrying out the Invention a hand railing is firmly attached either
to one of the steps or to the irons which support the same.. The end of
the railing of one carriage is connected by chains or leather or india-
rubber bands or other flexible contrivances to the end of the railing of
the next carriage, for which purpose the chains or other analogous
devices are provided with hooks, which will admit of their continuity
being broken when required.
Instead of chains or flexible bands hinged bars may be employed for.
connecting the rail of one carriage to that of the next carriage. These
bars are hinged in the middle, so as to be capable of bending down by
their own weight out of the straight line, and they are provided at each
end with rings or hooks, whereby they may be connected to the rails of
the carriages.
Instead of jointed or hinged bars or chains sliding rods capable of
being slidden backwards and forwards in two eyes fixed on the stationary
rails may be employed.
The long step of one carriage is connected with the step of the next
carriage by means of a flexible platform made of flat iron plates con-
nected together by hinge joints and provided with a safety hook for
connecting two pieces of flexible platform end to end. In order to give
the hand railing sufficient lateral rigidity it is further connected by
upright standards to the upper framing of the carriage, for which purpose
the standards are bent over or arched at top. The handle railing opposite

page_text: the doors of the carriage is made flexible, so that it may be moved back
out of the way when the door is to be opened.
In constructing this part of the hand railing one standard is fixed to
the framing of the carriage, and is therefore stationary, and the other
is fixed to the door, being arched overhead to correspond to the other
standards. The fixed movable standards of the doorway are connected
by horizontal chains, and the panel is completed by vertical chains or
rods. The movable standard is held in place by a short rigid bar and a
loose chain is also adapted thereto.
Instead of making the curved or arched part of the movable standard
rigid it may be hinged so that it may be bent up, or the arch may be
formed of a slotted arm fixed to the carriage, and in the slot of this arm
runs a pin or stud at the upper end of the standard.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a
train provided with the improved safety platforms and railings; Fig. 2 is
a sectional plan of the same, but shewing only one side of the train.
The construction and arrangement of the opposite side may, if desired,
be precisely similar, or if preferred the safety platform and railings may
be adapted to one side only of the train. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical
section showing one of the side platforms and its accessories. The other
Figures are views of detached parts, and will be hereafter more par-
ticularly referred to.
A is a vertical standard connected by its upper end to the door, as
shown in the detached view Fig. 4, and arranged in such a manner that
it will move in the curve described by the door when it opens on its
hinges; B is another vertical standard, which is attached by its upper
end to the fixed framing of the carriage, and by its lower end to the step
or platform H or to the iron arms H2 which support the step or platform.
The fixed standard B is placed by the side of the door opening in order
that the passengers in getting out or getting into the carriage may assist
themselves by taking hold of the standard. B' is a short vertical.
standard fixed to the step or platform H, or to the iron arms H2 which
support the latter. It may be extended up to the upper part of the
carriage if desired like the standards A and B. B2 is another short
standard at the end of the carriage, and fixed like the standard B¹ to the
step or platform H. It may also be extended up if desired and fixed to
the upper part of the carriage; C, C, are short horizontal chains arranged
I

page_text: in front of the carriage door and attached to the standards A and B'.
Instead of these chains C short jointed or hinged rods C', C¹, may be
employed, or as substitutes for these latter straps or bands made of leather
or caoutchouc may be used; -D, D, is the upper bar of the safety rail.
It extends horizontally along the space between the doors, and is firmly
secured or attached to the standards B, B', and B²; D¹, D¹, are inter-
mediate horizontal bars for supporting the upright rods J, J; E is a
safety chain attached to the horizontal bar D or to the standard B, and
it
may
be connected by hooks to the chains C or jointed rods C¹ when
the doors are closed. It prevents the door from being thrown wide open,
but admits of it being opened wide enough to allow the space necessary
for admission or exit from the carriages on to the step or platform H;
F is a safety cross piece for the safety railing; G, G, are short chains
placed at the spaces between the carriages; they are attached to the
standards B², B², by means of a movable ring or by a hinge joint, so
that the breakage of the couplings of the carriage or any other analogous
accident will not necessarily destroy or permanently damage the safety
railing.
,
Instead of ordinary chains jointed rods G¹, G¹, provided at each end
with links, rings, or hinges may be used. His the step supported by
the iron arms H2 and kept in place by the standards B; H' is a part of
the step which is attached to the lower part of the doorway or to the
movable standard A. It follows the movement of the door and closes
up the space that is required for entering or leaving the carriages; H2 are
iron arms for supporting the step or platform H; and I is a flexible
extension of the platform between the carriages. It is formed of picces
of sheet iron fixed to each end of the wooden stop H by means of stop
hinges; J, J, are iron rods fixed to the step or platform H and to the
horizontal bars D. These rods J may be dispensed with, or they may be
placed diagonally, as shown at J¹, J'.
Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation representing a modification of the plan
just described, some of the parts being movable. This arrangement is
also shewn in clevation and plan at the right-hand end of Figures 1
and 2. A is the door standard, which is provided with a hinge at cach,
extremity, and is connected to the hinges K, which are capable of
making half a revolution and of being folded back upon the arms L
fixed at each end of the door. It must be placed at the side of the door
opening, so as to be comprised within the arc of the motion of this

page_text: latter; B¹ is a standard fixed to the platform or step H, or to the iron
brackets or supports H2. It may be extended up to the upper part of
the carriage like the standards A and B. B² is a standard fixed at the
end of the carriage like the standard B¹. It may also be extended up
and secured to the upper part of the carriage; C; C, are short chains-
arranged in front of the doorway and connected to the standards. A
and B., Instead of these short chains iron bars C¹ may be used, and.
provided at each end with rings or links, or if desired with hinges; or
straps made of leather or caoutchouc may be used if preferred. D is the
upper horizontal bar of that part of the railing which is between the
doorways. It is firmly secured to the standards B, B₁, and B. D¹ are
secondary bars for supporting the rods J. E is a safety chain attached
to the bar D or to the standard B. This chain must be hooked on to the
chain C or C¹ when the doorway is closed. It thus prevents the opening
of the door to the full extent, but leaves a space wide enough for the
entrance or exit of persons on to the safety platform. G, short chains
arranged at the spaces between the carriages, and connected to the
standards B by means of a movable ring or hinge, as in the former
instance, so that an accidental breaking of the screw coupling of the
carriages should not necessarily derange or destroy the safety apparatus.
Instead of this chain an iron rod G³ may be used. The platform or step
is the same as that shewn at H, H', in the other plan, except that slots.
are cut out of it to receive the hinges K, M, and M. An iron bracket
or support similar to that shewn at H', Fig. 3, is attached to the lower
part of the doorway, and is furnished with a hinge in order to receive the
hinged piece K. The platforms of adjoining carriages are connected
together and made continuous by means of a sheet iron foot piece, as
shewn at I in Figures 1 and 2: K, K, are upper and lower hinges of the
standards A, B¹, B², and B³, and are connected to the brackets L and H²
and to the hinges M, which are fixed to the second step or upon an iron*
plate fixed below the step.
The form or arrangement of lever stop for stopping the door when it
opens across the safety platform is shewn in the detached views, Figures 5,
and is constructed as follows:-N is a lever connected to the standard B
and provided with a butt hinge O. It may be moved by means of an
iron rod Q, with a button R fixed on the standard B, and maintained in
position by two supports P and P₁, strongly secured to the framing of the
carriage. The support P is grooved so that the lever N always falls in
the same place and never changes its position.

page_text: From the above description of the two systems of safety railing and
platform shewn in the Drawing it will be understood that the safety
railing (in front of the doorways) formed by the standards A and the
chains C and C¹, in combination with the arrangements above set forth,
constitutes the essential feature of the Invention.
I would remark that I reserve to myself the right (in constructing
my improved safety apparatus) to use either chains or jointed rods, as
may be found most convenient.
Those parts of the safety guard or railing that are between the door-
ways may be constructed in sheet iron, if preferred, strongly rivetted to
the platform or step, and if desired it may be enclosed and constructed
in the form of a covered passage way. I also reserve to myself the right
of placing the step or platform higher or lower, as may be required to
suit different circumstances. The fixed plan shewn at the left-hand end
of Figures 1 and 2 is to be placed on one side only of the carriage; there
will therefore be no risk of a collision between two of the safety plat-
forms. Whatever may be the movement of the trains the apparatus will.
always return to the point of departure in the same direction. This is
a very important point.
In order to alter as little as possible the present dimensions of the.
gauge it will be advisable to shift the horizontal axis of the carriages in
order to re-establish the equilibrium that has been disturbed by the
weight of the additional apparatus on one side only of the carriage, and·
amounting to about four hundredweight for each carriage. The doors of
the side where there is no safety apparatus will be closed by means of a
key, and spring, so that they will always remain closed; and cannot be
opened except by the guard or one of the attendants on the train. In
the "six foot" way between the lines the free space between two trains
when in motion, and composed of the widest carriages, including the:
safety platform, will be about twelve inches. Any carriage exceeding in
width the usual dimensions, that is to say, nine feet, cannot be furnished
with the safety apparatus.
The safety apparatus may be placed on both sides of the carriages when
the annen hatween the lings is lauren than

page_text: a permanent source of danger, inasmuch as in all countries the dimen-
sions of the trains or carriages are necessarily such as will admit of a
person passing from carriage to carriage, and if there is not room for the
safety apparatus to pass there is not room for a person to pass.
The movable arrangement of safety apparatus folds back to a distance
of four inches from the side of the carriage. This arrangement may be
adapted to both sides of the carriage, and is constructed with a view to
prevent the safety apparatus from projecting out too far when the spaces
between the lines are-narrow.
When the train is to start the safety apparatus on the outer side is
opened and that on the inner side is folded back.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Hand or Guard Railings as Applicable to Railway Trains,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
adapting to railway carriages a safety railing constructed and arranged
as herein set forth in combination with a continuous platform or step, so
that the guards or other attendants or officials may be enabled to pass
with safety and facility from end to end of the train when required, as
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Joseph Maquet, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.