Improvements in Wind Deflectors or Dust Guards for use in connection with the Windows or Sliding Doors of Railway Carriages, Steamboats, and other Vehicles or Conveyances.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wind Deflectors or Dust Guards for use in
connection with the Windows or Sliding Doors of Railway
Carriages, Steamboats, and other Vehicles or Conveyances.
A communication by VICTOR CONSTANT JOSEPH LAURENT and EUGÈNE
SCHERDING, both of 15, Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer and Merchant respectively.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive means of
preventing the external air penetrating with force into the opening of the window
frame of the carriage, whilst the train is running; it thus does away with several
inconveniences caused to travellers, arising from suspended matters, such as cinders,
and sparks from the engine, or even dust, rain or snow, entering the carriage; the
rapid deterioration, too, of the materials forming the internal furnishing of the
carriages will also be prevented.
While the invention is specially applicable to railway carriages, it will, however,
be found equally advantageous for application in connection with the windows or
sliding doors of steamboats and vehicles or conveyances generally.
It consists essentially in arranging externally, and on either side of the bays or
windows of the carriages or other exposed openings, vertical strips, or shutters,
fixed, or movable, the obliquely arranged faces of which lend a direction to the
wind resulting from the rapid course of the train or other cause, and force it to be
deflected outwardly so as to pass over the opening without penetrating therein.
It is evident that, when the carriage is running, the strip, moving rapidly in the
direction of travel, will force the air which it meets to be deflected outwards, and
that, by making this strip of a suitable height, and arranging it in a suitable
manner, the current of air produced will pass over the opening without penetrating
therein.
Finally, it is evident that, by fitting a similar strip on each side of the opening,
the same effects will be produced whatever direction the travel may be.
It will be readily understood that these deflecting strips, which may be named
"dust guards," may be arranged in numerous ways, and that they may be made of
any suitable material such as wood, metal, etcetera, or even of glass, or crystal, in
order not to hinder the view in any way if it be deemed necessary.
For instance, the deflecting strip may be merely formed of a moulding having
oblique faces, arranged vertically on each side of the window of the carriage, this
moulding of wood or metal may be permanently attached to the outside of the
carriage or may even be held in its place by means of two slides, which allow it to
be placed nearer to, or farther away from, the opening; its height may also be
regulated by means of suitably arranged strips.
The shape or cross section of these deflecting mouldings may vary according to
requirements, it is, however, important that their inner side shall also be bevelled
off in order to prevent the deflected current of air from striking against it, and
thereby having a tendency to enter the carriage from this side.
The plate or moulding may be provided at its external edge with a roller
revolvable freely on its axis under the action of the wind, and which may be

page_text: smooth, or be provided with straight or spiral wings if it be deemed advisable;
this roller is intended to increase, by its gyrating motion, the throwing off of the
wind, utilising its repelling power due to centrifugal force.
The deflecting strip, whilst being movable, may be formed of a plate either
hinged on pivots arranged at its extremities, or on a vertical axis, and its inclination
is adjusted automatically by the action of the wind itself resulting from the motion
of the train.
For this purpose, the strip is provided with springs having slight resistance,
which constantly tend to fold it down against the carriage, but, as soon as the train
is in motion, the action of the penetrating air behind the plate overcomes the
resistance of the springs, and brings it automatically in the position where it must
produce the desired effect, and which is limited by means of projections arranged
on two fixed semicircular pieces arranged on supports, and which protect the strip
at its two extremities.
In order to prevent any air passing between the axis and the external face of the
carriage, the strip is provided, at its hinge, with a cylindrical sheath open at one of
its radii, the circumference may thus slide with slight friction on the face of the
carriage; this result may also be attained by any other suitable means. In order
to allow of the deflecting action of the strip being regulated at will, it has a
movable slide, the position of which may be varied by means of an attachment
screw.
The degree to which the strip or shutter is extended may be controlled
automatically; for this purpose, the slide is rendered movable by means of pulleys
running on the edge of the strip and is constantly brought back by means of cords
wound on two spring drums; this slide is further provided with a projecting lath
or strip on which the wind acts with a force proportionately greater as the speed of
the train is increased and thus causes the progressive opening of the slide.. An
indiarubber stud limits, in this case, the degree of opening of the shutter.
It is evident that this arrangement for automatically adjusting the slide is equally
applicable to the different forms of apparatus hereinbefore described.
It is also evident that the use of this system of deflecting plates, or dust guards,
may be applied with the same advantages to all kinds of carriages, steamboats,
moving vehicles or conveyances, and generally in all cases where it is desired
to prevent the wind from penetrating with violence into openings which it
encounters.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wind Deflectors or Dust Guards for use in
connection with the Windows or Sliding Doors of Railway
Carriages, Steamboats, and other Vehicles or Conveyances.
A communication by VICTOR CONSTANT JOSEPH LAURENT and EUGÈNE
SCHERDING, both of 15, Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer and Merchant respectively.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive means of
preventing the external air penetrating with force into the opening of the window
frame of the carriage, whilst the train is running; it thus does away with several

page_text: inconveniences caused to travellers, arising from matters suspended in the air, such
as cinders, and sparks from the engine, or even dust, rain or snow, entering the
carriage; the rapid deterioration, too, of the materials forming the internal
furnishing of the carriages will also be prevented.
While the invention is specially applicable to railway carriages, it will, however,
be found equally advantageous for application in connection with the windows or
sliding doors of steamboats and vehicles and conveyances generally.
It consists essentially in arranging externally, and on either side of the bays or
windows of the carriages or other exposed openings, vertical strips, or shutters,
fixed or movable, the obliquely arranged faces of which lend a direction to the
wind resulting from the rapid course of the train or other cause, and force it to be
deflected outwardly so as to pass over the opening without penetrating therein..
The invention will be best understood by aid of the accompanying sheet of
illustrative drawings, on which :-
Figure 1 is a sketch showing the principle of the invention.
Figure 2 is a face view of a fixed deflecting plate.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same..
Figure 4 is a transverse section of another arrangement of fixed deflecting plate.
Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a hinged deflecting strip.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 7 shows a view in elevation of a deflecting shutter opening automatically..
Figure 8 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 9 shows a varied form of automatic regulating strip or shutter.
In Figure 1, A, represents the side of a carriage travelling in the direction
indicated by the arrow F, B is the opening left free by the lowering of the glass of
the frame, and C is a strip placed obliquely near this opening and on the outside
of the carriage.
It is evident that, when the carriage is running, the strip.C, moving rapidly in
the direction of travel, will force the air which it meets to be deflected outwards,
and that, by making this strip of a suitable height, and arranging it in a suitable
manner, the current of air produced will pass over the opening B without pene-
trating therein, that is to say, it will follow the course of the arrows as shown in
Figure 1.
!.
Finally, it is evident that, by fitting a similar strip on each side of the
opening B, the same effects will be produced whatever direction the travel
may be.
...
It will be readily understood that these deflecting strips, which may be named
"dust guards," may be arranged in numerous ways, and that they may be made of
any suitable material, such as wood, metal, etcetera, or even of glass, or crystal, in
order not to hinder the view in any way if it be deemed necessary.
For instance, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the deflecting strip may be merely
formed of a moulding a having oblique faces, arranged vertically on each side of
the window B of the carriage, this moulding of wood or metal may be permanently
attached to the outside of the carriage or may even be held in its place by means
of two slides b, which allow it to be placed nearer to, or farther away from, the
opening B; its height may also be regulated by means of suitably arranged strips c
inserted as shown in Figure 3.
The shape or cross section of these deflecting mouldings may vary according to
requirements, it is, however, important that their inner side shall also be bevelled
off in order to prevent the deflected current of air from striking against it, and
thereby having a tendency to enter the carriage from this side.
In the variety shown in Figure 4, the plate or moulding a may be provided at
its external edge with a roller à revolvable freely on its axis e under the action of
the wind, and which may be smooth, as shown on the drawing, or be provided with
straight or spiral wings if it be deemed advisable; this roller is intended to
increase, by its gyrating motion, the throwing off of the wind, utilising its repelling
power due to centrifugal force.

page_text: In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6, the deflecting strip fis movable
on pivots resting in supports n fixed on the exterior face of the carriage. On the
lower pivot there is fixed a piece p having the form of a six-sided nut, and on the
opposed faces of which there bear curved springs q.
By this means it will be sufficient to turn the strip by hand, when it will be
held obliquely in the desired position for deflecting the direction of the wind, or
when it is to remain against the exterior face of the carriage if it is not wanted to
be used.
It will be understood that any suitable arrangement may be employed for
bringing the strip f into the oblique position which it is desired to have, or for
turning it against the wall of the carriage; this operation may, if desired, be
performed from the inside of the carriage by means of suitable gearing, or by
suitably arranged rods or cords.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8, the deflecting strip is movable on
a vertical axis h, and its inclination is adjusted automatically by the action of the
wind itself resulting from the motion of the train.
For this purpose, the strip f is provided with springs having slight resistance,
which constantly tend to fold it down against the carriage, as indicated in dotted
lines in the figure, but, as soon as the train is in motion, the action of the penetrating
air behind the plate overcomes the resistance of the springs, and brings it
automatically in the position where it must produce the desired effect, and which is
limited by means of projections i, fitted in holes o, so that their position can be
regulated, arranged on two fixed semicircular pieces jj, and which protect the
strip at its two extremities.
In order to prevent any air passing between the axis and the external face of
the carriage, the stripfis provided, at its hinge, with a cylindrical sheath g open at
one of its radii, the circumference may thus slide with slight friction on the face of
the carriage; this result may also be attained by any other suitable means.
In order to allow of the deflecting action of the strip f being regulated at will, it
has a movable slide k, the position of which may be varied by means of an
attachment screw l.
In the modification represented in Figure 9, the regulation of the width of the
stripfis operated automatically; for this object, the slide k is adjustable by means
of rollers on the arm of the strip f, and is constantly made to return by means of
cords & rolled on two spring-drums t; this slide-board t is further provided with a
projecting ledge u on which the wind bears the more the speed of the carriage
increases, and, accordingly, also adjusts the progressive opening of the slide k.
india-rubber plug or stop v limits, in this case, the degree of opening of the
strip f.
An
It is also evident that the use of this system of deflecting plates, or dust guards,
may be applied with the same advantages to all kinds of carriages, steamboats,
moving vehicles or conveyances, and generally in all cases where it is desired to
prevent the wind from penetrating with violence into openings which it encounters.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A deflector or dust guard to be adapted to the exterior and at each side of the
window frames of carriages, cars, vessels, etcetera, and which consists in a fixed or
movable plate or strip, the faces of which are arranged obliquely, to lend a
direction to the wind arising from the progress of the vehicle and to compel it to
turn outwardly and leave the opening of the window frame without penetrating
into it.
2. In combination with the window frame of a carriage or other vehicle: a fixed
deflecting moulding such as a, the position and height of which can be regulated,
for the object and in the manner hereinbefore explained.
3. In combination with the window frame of a carriage or other vehicle: a fixed

page_text: deflecting moulding, regulatable as regards position and height, furnished with a
smooth or winged roller d, for the object and in the manner hereinbefore described.
4. In combination with the window frame of a carriage or other vehicle: a
deflecting strip such as hinged vertically, and furnished with a stop piece, and
with springs for maintaining it in its different requisite positions, as has been
hereinbefore described.
5. In combination with the window frame of a carriage or other vehicle: a
deflecting shutter of regulatable width furnished with a spring which tends to keep
it against the face of the carriage; its opening being effected automatically under
the action of the wind arising from the passage of the carriage, as has been
hercinbefore explained.
6. In combination with the window frame of a carriage or other vehicle: a
deflecting shutter furnished with a spring which tends to keep it to the face of the
carriage, and with a strip such as k capable of sliding on said shutter and constantly
made to return by a spring such as t; the wind produced by the traverse of the
carriage automatically determining the movement of the said extensible strip,
whilst acting on the ledge u fixed to this strip, as has been herein before described.
O Dated the 28th day of June 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.