IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING THE SAME, AS ALSO IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS OF TRAINS AND OFFICIALS AND OTHERS AT STATIONS AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wood, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING THE SAME, AS ALSO
IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS,
GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS OF TRAINS AND OFFICIALS AND OTHERS AT
STATIONS AND OTHER PLACES."
Sealed the 5th January 1869, and dated the 14th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th July 1868.
I, THOMAS WOOD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING THE SAME, AS
ALSO IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS, GUARDS
AND ENGINE DRIVERS OF TRAINS AND OFFICIALS AND OTHERS AT STATIONS AND OTHER
PLACES," to be as follows:-

page_text: ment and construction of its internal seats, doors, and passages, which is
described as follows:--The carriage is divided into seven compartments,
namely, as a saloon which occupies the centre or middle portion accom-
modating fourteen passengers; this saloon opens out by a central passage
at each end into two other compartments which are supplied with side doors
by which passengers enter the carriage; these compartments will each
accommodate eight passengers throughout the carriages longitudinally.
A passage is constructed at the extreme end of this passage on the left.
A ladies' compartment is provided that will accommodate four persons;
opposite this compartment on the side of the passage a ladies' retiring
room is provided; at the opposite end of the carriage two similar com-
partments are constructed, one as a smoking, and the other as a retiring
compartment for gentlemen. Each seat in the various compartments is
provided with a spring, which when compressed actuates a sliding bolt,
key, or bar, placed underneath the body of the carriage, which is caused
when the spring is not compressed to project outside the framework in
order to indicate the number of vacant seats inside the carriage. At each
end of the carriage a glass door is provided, through which the guard of
the train alone is allowed to enter. A mirror in the guard's box is so
arranged that the entire length of the compartments of the train are
reflected therein, thereby giving the guard or passengers supervision
throughout the train. Near the glass door through which the guard enters
a check string is provided, by means of which passengers may communicate
direct with the guard; the carriages are also provided with ventilators
extending the full length of the carriage centrally situated longitudinally
on the top thereof.
A second part of my Invention relates to a novel arrangement of
apparatus whereby the passengers may communicate with the guard
in cases of great necessity. The improvements consist in connecting
tassels to handles projecting from the roof of the carriage at short
distances from each other over the heads of the passengers with a chain
or cord running over howls inside the ventilator; these chains are
connected with a lever and spring at each end of the carriage that are
connected to a frame containing a red glass. Near to this is a lamp with
a powerful reflector, the front of the lamp throwing out a white light
and the back a red one. The communicating cord in the ventilator in
connection with the lever and spring actuating the light is also con
nected by separate chains or rods with secret bolts placed inside the
framework of each door; thus when the handle or tassel is pulled it

page_text: simultaneously throws a red glaring light along the length of the train
against the reflector before mentioned in the guard's van, and also
actuates the secret bolt of the carriage door from which the alarm has been
communicated, so as to lock such door, preventing thereby the escape of
any person therefrom. Tubes containing signal sockets are applied in the
guard's van so as to signal to other trains or stations any accident that
may occur.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to a novel arrangement of self-
acting couplings for connecting one carriage with the other, and consists
in connecting the coupling gear with four bars which embrace the
ordinary draw bar; these bars and draw bar projecting from the end
of the carriage are connected together by means of a plate, the opposite
ends of the four bars being connected to a volute spring situated between
the headstock and cross bearers of the carriage. The shackle of the
draw bar rests upon two iron ribs, and is provided with a projecting piece
behind which an iron plate or trigger is provided, so that when the
hook of one carriage advances and touches the shackle of the next
carriage it rises over the top of the hook, the nose of which strikes the
trigger and forces the shackle down upon the hook, thus effecting the
coupling. The shackle and hooks are connected first by the draw bars;
then by a chain connecting the shackle with the hook of the next
carriage; and, thirdly, the supplementary hook connected with the said
trigger is connected by a second chain with a supplementary hook
attached to the next carriage. Thus in case of collision or over tension
should the volute spring break the subdued shock and connection of the
carriages would then be retained by the chains connecting the hooks of the
"draw bars," the chains connecting the supplementary hooks still being
connected to take the shock and strain when the other two have failed.
When it is desired to uncouple the carriage the shackle is thrown off by
means of a chain connected to a spring or plate inside the connecting hook
in the following manner :-The opposite end of the chain is connected with
a roller secured to a bar or short shaft supported transversely underneath
the headstock of the carriage. To the end of the transverse bar outside
the carriage frame a handle is provided, which when turned two or three
times winds up the chain on the drum which draws out the spring from the
groove of the hook, thereby uncoupling or throwing the shackle out of
gear with the hook.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
Wood, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Wood, Her special license that
I, the said Thomas Wood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Wood, 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 RAILWAY CARRIAGES AND IN THE METHOD OF COUPLING THE SAME, AS ALSO
IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING BETWEEN PASSENGERS,
GUARDS, AND ENGINE DRIVERS OF TRAINS AND OFFICIALS AND OTHERS AT STATIONS
AND OTHER PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Wood, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Thomas Wood, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
The first part of my Invention is designed for the purpose of increasing
the accomodation for passengers in railway carriages by a novel
arrangement and construction of its internal seats, doors, and passages,
which is described as follows:-The carriage is divided into seven com-

page_text: partments, viz., a saloon, which occupies the centre or middle portion.
accommodating fourteen or more passengers; this saloon opens out by a
central passage at each end into two other compartments which are
supplied with side doors by which passengers enter the carriage; these
compartments will each accommodate eight passengers. Throughout the
carriage, longitudinally, a passage is constructed; at the extreme end of
this passage, on the left, a ladies' compartment is provided that will
accommodate four persons; opposite this compartment, on the side of
the passage, a ladies' retiring room is provided; at the opposite end of the
carriage two similar compartments are constructed, one as a smoking or
private box, and the other as a retiring compartment for gentlemen. Each
seat in the various compartments is provided with a spring, which when
compressed actuates a sliding bolt, key, or bar placed underneath the body
of the carriage, which is caused, when the spring is not compressed, to
project outside the framework in order to indicate the number of vacant
seats inside the carriage. At each end of the carriage a glass door is
provided through which the guard of the train can enter; a mirror in the
guard's box is so arranged that the entire length of the compartments of
the train is reflected therein, thereby giving the guard or passengers
supervision throughout the train. Near the glass door through which
the guard enters a check string is provided, by means of which passengers
may communicate direct with the guard; the carriages are also provided
with ventilators extending the full length of the carriage, situated
longitudinally and centrally on the top thereof.
A second part of my Invention relates to a novel arrangement of
apparatus whereby the passengers may communicate with the guard in
cases of great necessity, and the improvements consist in connecting
tassels or handles projecting from the roof of the carriage at short
distances from each other, over the heads of the passengers, with a chain
or cord running over bowls inside the ventilators; these chains are
connected with a lever and spring at each end of the carriage, which
support a frame containing a half-moon shaped red glass in connection
with a lamp having a powerful reflector. When a passenger pulls down
one of the handles or tassels it withdraws the lever from under the red
glass slide, allowing it to fall and expose a white glass; the same move-
ment of the lever brings forward the light beneath a magnesium cap,
which it ignites, and thus throws a brilliant white light down the whole
length of the train to the guard. The communicating cord in the

page_text: ventilator in connection with the lever and spring actuating the light is
also connected by separate chains or cords with secret bolts placed inside
the framework of each door; thus when the handle or tassel is pulled it
simultaneously throws a glaring light along the length of the train against
the reflector before mentioned in the guard's van, and also actuates the
secret bolt of the carriage door from which the alarm has been communicated
so as to lock such door, preventing thereby the escape of any person there-
from. Tubes containing signal rockets are applied in the guard's van so
as to enable him to signal to other trains or stations at a distance any
accidents that may occur.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to a novel arrangement of Belf-
acting couplings for connecting one carriage with another, and consists
in connecting the coupling gear with four bars, which embrace the
ordinary draw bar; these bars and draw bars projecting from the end
of the carriage are connected together by means of a plate, the opposite
ends of the four bars being connected to volute springs situated between
the headstock and cross bearers of the carriage. The shackle of the draw
bar rests upon two iron ribs, and is provided with a projecting piece
behind which an iron plate or trigger is provided, so that when the hook
of one carriage advances and touches the shackle of the next carriage it
rises over the top of the hook, the nose of which strikes the trigger and
forces the shackle down upon the hook, thus effecting the coupling. The
shackle and hooks are connected first by the draw bars, then by a chain
connecting the shackle with the hook of the next carriage, and thirdly
the supplementary hook connected with the said trigger is connected by
a second chain with a supplementary hook attached to the hook of the
next carriage. Thus in case of collision or over tension should the
volute spring break the connection of the carriage would then be retained
by the chains connecting the hooks of the "draw bars," the chains con-
necting the supplementary hooks still being connected to take the shock
and strain when the other two have failed. When it is desired to
uncouple the carriages the shackle is thrown off by means of a chain
connected to a spring or plate inside the connecting hook in the fol-
lowing manner :-The opposite end of the chain is connected with a roller
secured to a bar or short shaft supported transversely underneath the
headstock of the carriage. To the end of this.transverse bar outside the
carriage frame a handle is provided, which when turned two or three
timės winds up the chain on the drum which draws out the spring from

page_text: the groove of the hook, thereby uncoupling or throwing the shackle out of
gear with the hook.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Railway Carriages and in the Method of
Coupling the same, as also in the Method of and Apparatus for Signalling
between Passengers, Guards, and Engine Drivers of Trains and Officials
and others at Stations and other Places," I will now proceed to describe
more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be carried
into practical effect.
And in order that the same may be clearly understood I have annexed
hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof (that is to say):-
In Sheet 1 of the annexed Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation (shewn
partly in section) of a railway carriage constructed according to my
improvements; Fig. 2 is a plan view, one-half of which shows the internal
arrangements of the carriage, and the other the construction of the under
carriage frame with the buffers and draw bars; Fig. 3 is a side view (also
shown partly in section) of a portion of the guard's van; and Fig. 4 is a
plan or horizontal section of the same.
passengers
The general arrangement of the carriage is shewn very clearly at
Figs. 1 and 2. A being the saloon; B, the ladies' compartment and
retiring room at one end; and C the private box or smoking room and
gentleman's retiring room at the other end; D is a glass door at each
end (for the entrance of the guard), only to be used by the
in the event of fire or outrage or other emergency, through which the
passengers can see down the whole length of the train to the guard's
van, wherein E is a mirror, in which the guard (though seated back to
the passengers) can also see down the centre of the train; F is the
ventilator, situated longitudinally at the top of the carriage. Connected
to each seat of the carriage is a small bolt or slide, which indicates on the
outside of the frame of the carriage at a, a, how many and which seats
are occupied in the carriage. Outside the carriage at each end is a check
string b, b, by pulling which the passengers can communicate direct with
the guard in the daytime. G is the signal lamp for the night time, and
is situated at each side of the carriage, being furnished with a colored
glass slide in the form of a half moon (to distinguish it from all other
siguals), which slide is supported on one arm of a bell crank lever inside

page_text: the lamp, the other arm of the said lever being connected to the light. or
burner. Running over pulleys inside the ventilator from one end of the
carriage to the other is a chain or cord H, to which are attached at
intervals short chains or cords with handles or tassels d, d, hanging
inside the carriage. The extreme end of the chain H is connected with
the bell-crank lever inside the lamp before alluded to, and also to another
chain I running inside the frame of the carrage, and acting on concealed
bolts for fastening each door of the carriage simultaneously. K is a
reflector inside the guard's van for a purpose herein-after explained.
The action of this signal is as follows:-Upon one of the passengers
pulling down any one of the hanging chains or cords d, d, the chain or
cord H acts upon the bell-crank lever, allowing the red glass to slide
down, and thus exposing the light at the same time that the other limb
of the lever brings forward the light beneath a magnesium cap, and
ignites it, thus throwing a glaring white light along the whole length of
the train against the reflector K into the guard's van, and also projecting
The
the flag c, and simultaneously the chain I bolts all the side doors.
pulling down of one of the short chains or cords d, d, will pull up all
the others, and thus indicate which particular handle was pulled, and the
apparatus can only be set in its normal position by the guard unlocking
the catch lever e, which at the same time unbolts all the doors. L is a
lamp attached to the guard's van, and provided with different colored glasses,
which the guard can move from the inside so as to communicate any
desired signal to the engine driver; M is a rocket tube (also attached to
the guard's van) for giving signals to trains or stations at a distance in case
of any accident, the color or other distinctive feature of the "fire" shown
on the bursting of the rocket indicating the nature of the accident or any
other required signal.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Fig. 5 is a side view, and Fig. 6 a plan
view of my improved self-acting coupling arrangement as applied to
N is the
the carriages at present in use, and drawn to a larger scale.
ordinary draw bar, which (as seen at Fig. 2, Sheet 1) is connected by
the plate spring O to the buffers P. The draw bar is surrounded by four
other auxiliary draw bars f, f, which carry a plate g, g, at their outer
ends, and are connected at their inner ends by another plate h, h, to the
volute springs Q and R, situated between the headstock and cross bearers
of the carriage. The shackle i, i, is connected to the draw bar by a
chain k, k, and is carried by a plate 1, 1, in such a manner that it cannot
fall below the horizontal position, but can rise, as shown by the dotted

page_text: lines in Fig. 5. This shackle is provided with a trigger or tail piece m.
When the two carriages are forced together the hook of the draw bar N'
coming against the shackle i forces it up in the direction shown by
dotted lines; the hook then passing under the shackle comes against the
trigger or tail piece m, and brings the shackle down again over the hook;
the rebound of the carriage draws out the spring and locks the buffer
rods about two inches each. If preferred, this arrangement may be
doubled, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, the second coupling
not coming into operation till the first one has broken or otherwise
failed.
Fig. 7 shows a side view of the coupling as I propose to construct it
when building new carriages. In this case the hooks and shackles i, i, are
forged in one piece or connected together at right angles to each other,
and capable of turning on the shackle pin o in such a way that either hook
or shackle may be used, which prevents the necessity for reversing the
carriages on the turntable, a retaining catch p being provided for
holding the shackle up when the hook is to be presented (see also Fig. 8,
which is a front view of the plate g). In order to accommodate this
coupling to connect carriages of varying heights, I also provide an
adjusting bolt
9, the insertion or withdrawal of which will raise or lower
the hook and shackle when required. In this case the hook acts as the
trigger to pull down the shackle.
A modification of this coupling is shown at Fig. 9, wherein the hook
and shackle i are attached direct to the end of the draw bar N, which
latter is connected to the spring plate h, h, inside the headstock by means
of a chain S.
Fig. 10 shows the method of uncoupling. A curved plate T is connected
to each hook and provided with a chain U passing through the headstock
and coiled on a barrel V, upon turning which by means of a key or
handle the shackles will be lifted and released from their respective
hooks.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I
claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The general construction and arrangement of the carriages.

page_text: Secondly. I claim the method of communicating between the passengers
and guard.
Thirdly. The methods of communication between the guard and engine
driver, and between the guard and the drivers of other trains or other
officers at a distanc.
And, fourthly. I claim the self-acting arrangement for coupling and
uncoupling the carriages without the necessity for the officials going
between the carriages, all being constructed and operated as shown in the
Drawings annexed, and herein-before described, or substantially the same
or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
THOMAS WOOD. (L.S.)