Improvements in Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of App icat on, 14th May, 1899-Accepted 15th June, .1389
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Vehicles.
1, GEORGE MORTIMER PULLMAN, of Chicago, State of Illinois, United States of
America, Gentleman, 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 :—
The object of my invention is to provide suitable means whereby a continuous
connection between the contiguous ends of passenger railway cars may be made, this
connection being an entirely closed passage way, preferably of the width of the car
platforms, and serving at the same time as a vestibule for entrance and exit to the
respective ends of the cars; the connection between the solid parts forming a vestibule,
being made of 'flexible or adjustable material so as to constitute a loose or flexible
joint that will permit of sufficient movement of each unit car in travel, but at all
times preserving a complete vestibule connection between the respective cars.
One form of construction by means of which I propose to carry out my invention,
and which I have found by far the most desirable in practical use, is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which―.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, showing the contiguous ends of adjacent cars.
Fig. 2 is an isometrical perspective view of the end of a car.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the foot-plate device.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing portions of the platforin, vestibule and buffer
mechanism; and
Fig. 5 is a detail view in section taken longitudinally through the platform.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
In the particular form of my invention herein described, sleeping-cars or passenger-
cars of ordinary construction are used. Stanchions i, are located at the outer or front
end of the platform near the sides of the latter, extending to an extension of the ca
roof, and are there firmly secured. Between these stanchions and posts Z, at the
end of the car, are beam connections which, with the former, constitute door-frames.
The stanchions of respective sides of the platform are joined at the top, forming an
archway in the passage-way between the cars.
These stanchions, when supplied with doors hereafter described, and the roof above
them, enclose the ordinary platform, except at the outer ends thereof, which are open,
or have a passageway between the stanchions i. Now, I am aware that it has been
attempted to form an enclosed connection between these last named passageways by
means of a bellows somewhat like that of an accordeon without the sideboards; but
such bellows have never, so far as I know, been so provided with means for holding
them in position, and at the same time assuring a tight joint between the bellows of
adjoining cars, as to really possess a practical value.
The problem is to hold each bellows so firmly to its car that it will maintain its
place when the car is uncoupled from others; second, to so support them that when
cars are coupled, the ends of adjoining bellows or connections take their relative proper
positions so as to form a continuous passage without any necessity of manipulating
the bellows or flexible connections; third, to provide a continuous flooring between
the cars; fourth, so to combine the parts that both the flexible connections and the
flooring shall be so supported that the cars may approach nearer, and remove further
from each other, without disturbing either the continuity of the flooring or that of the
hellows or enclosed flexible passageway; fifth, that the cars may, as in travelling
around curves they must, have the longitudinal line passing through the center of
one car at an angle with that passing through the center of another car without
disturbing the continuity of the foot passage or causing open spaces between the ends
of adjoining flexible passageways.

page_text: Now, think I have solved this problem by a construction to be described,
premising, however, that parts of my structure may be used without, or disassociated
from other parts.
1 prefer to mount the arch-plate a, or face plate forming the open end of a vestibule
extension to a railway car when not coupled with another car in a train, which sustains
the outer edge of the flexible connection, upon the ordinary buffer rod located below
the platform of the car, but it may be mounted upon other buffer rods, i.e., rods
which are so acted upon by springs as to tend to move outwards from the end of the
car. I prefer to mount the foot-plates also in the same way, but may mount them on
separate spring rods.
I will commence my description with the foot-plates and the preferred way of
supporting them. The drawings show a huffer-rod and draw-bar of a well known
kind. The buffer spring m encloses the buffer rod, and this rod is moved outward by
the spring, and inward by the impact of an adjoining car, or buffers connected
therewith. Upon this rod is mounted a cross-bar, or equalizing bar. l, in such manner
that it can move out and in with the buffer rod, and at the same time oscillate upon
its center as the evener of a waggon does upon the pole. Two rods, s, s', are attached
to the ends of this cross-bar I, not firmly, but by a sort of hall-and-socket joint, in
such manner that the cross-bar may change its angle to horizontal lines drawn
perpendicular to the length of the car, while the rods s, s', always remain sub-
stantially parallel with the sides of the car. These rods s, s¹, pass through mortises
or guide plates made in or supported by the transverse timbers of the car and are
thus confined in such manner that they can slide outward and inward in the
direction of their length, but cannot practically move in any other direction. These
rods at their outer ends project beyond the outer cross-beam of the car, and are there
pivoted to the buffer plate n. This plate is a vertical plate, as long as the width of
the flexible connection, with its upper edge on a level, or thereabouts, with the top of
the ordinary platform.
A study of the mode of supporting this buffer-plate, as above described, will show
that it is pressed out by a spring; that it can be shoved towards the car by the
application of sufficient force, and that it can change its angular position with reference
to the end of the car when at its extreme outward and inward locations, or anywhere
between them. This buffer plate on one car could not have its acting face coincident
with a similar buffer-plate on an adjoining car when the two cars are rounding a
curve, unless it could change its angle with reference to a longitudinal line passing
through the center of the car, so that it can be at times at right angles to such a line;
and at times at various other angles. The support of the buffer-bar before described
not only permits these changes of angular position, and the in and out motions of the
buffer-bar, but prevents its center from leaving a horizontal longitudinal line passing
through the center of the car to which it is attached, so that the center of the buffer-
bar is always, whether projected or shoved in, practically in line with the center or
middle of the platform. The mode of supporting this buffer-bar must be such as to
permit it to have these motions, so long as the buffer bar is permitted to move as
described, and at the same time have its center restrained so that it can move only in
a certain path, as before described.
Two cars moving in a train vary the distance between the ends of their respective
platforms, and also the angles that one of these ends makes with the other, and there
is a gap between the platforms. It has been customary to close this gap with a piece
of board entending over both platforms and held to one of them by a bolt. This was
a clumsy contrivance and needed manipulation when cars were coupled, and would not.
answer my purpose at all. In order to make a continuous foot path without a gap
between adjoining cars, I apply to each of the buffer-plates before described a foot-
plate o. This foot-plate is wide enough, preferably, to nearly reach from one
stanchion to its neighbour, measuring across the car, and long enough, measuring
in the line of the length of the car, to reach from the buffer-plate in its most
outward or extended position, to a point over the car platform., I prefer to provide
its outer edge with dowels on the under side thereof, which dowels enter depressions

page_text: or sockets, in the upper edge of the buffer-plate as the foot-plate can then be
detached easily, but the outer edge of the foot-plate may be riveted or otherwise
secured to the buffer-plate, or the foot-plate may have (when the buffer plate is
not used) its outer edge supported by such a structure as supports the buffer-plate.
Whether the foot-plate be attached to the buffer-plate, or be used without one, it
must be so supported that it can move in and out from the end of the car, must
be forced out by a spring or springs, and must, like the buffer-plate, be so restrained
that its center always moves in the same longitudinal line, parallel with the car
body, while it is free to change its angular position to a line passing longitudinally
through the center of the car. The inner edge of the foot-plate rests upon the top
of the platform of the car, and slides and turns upon it when the car is in motion,
or preferably rests, as shown in the drawings, in a shallow cavity as deep as the
threshold or foot-plate is thick, formed in the top of the platform. In consequence
of the threshold or foot-plate being supported as described, so as to be capable of
moving as described, it is clear that the outer edges or ends of two adjoining foot-
plates in different cars, when coupled and moving, will always remain in contact, thus
constituting a footway without a gap in it, and which will admit but little wind or
dust into any covered way that may be constructed above it.
Upon the two ends of the buffer-plate, I mount an arch-plate a firmly attached to
the buffer-plate, made preferably of iron, and of about the shape and proportions
indicated in the drawings. As this arch-plate is firmly secured to the buffer-plate, it
is capable of being moved in the same way; has the same motions, and is restrained in
the same manner; that is, it can move in and out from the platform, it can oscillate,
and nevertheless a vertical line drawn through its center will always practically be in
a vertical plane passed longitudinally through the center of the car, and it must be
supported either from the buffer-bar, or by other means of the same character, so as
to be capable of thus moving.
When two adjoining cars are coupled, the arch-plates on cach car abut one against
the other, and they thus abut when the cars are upon straight lines or curves, or are
being started, tending to separate or are stopping tending to come nearer together.
The two arches in adjoining cars therefore make a joint; they need no manipulation
when cars are coupled, none when they are uncoupled, and in consequence of their
being forced together by springs when the cars are in train, the adjoining faces of the
two arches cannot slide one upon the other without inducing considerable friction.
This arch-plate is to have attached to it, one edge of a sheet of india-rubber fabric
or leather, or other flexible material, and at the other edge of this flexible fabric is to
be tacked or otherwise attached to the stanchions or to a wooden framing supported
by the stanchions, and the sheet is to be so large, measuring in the direction of the
length of the car, that it will be a little loose when the arch-plate is in the position
farthest away from the car.
I prefer to provide the spaces between the stanchions on the same side of the
platform with doors, h, h', made preferably as double doors meeting in the center, or
of two leaves, one of which is hinged upon the other, so that they may be as much out
of the way as possible when open. Now, as the foot or threshold plates of adjoining
cars fit each other and their platforms, as the adjoining faces of the arch-plates
fit each other, and as the space between each arch-plate and the car is covered
with india-rubber fabric, etc., in all positions of two coupled cars, whether in rest
or motion, it will be perceived that when the doors are added, the whole train may
be considered in fact as a single car, and that passengers can pass from car to car
not only without danger, but in comfort, and it is needless to detail the great
utility of such an arrangement, especially in trains which are composed in part of
dining or smoking cars, or either of chem. Moreover, my construction as a whole,
and in all its parts, presents no difficulty in coupling or uncoupling cars, necessitates
no extra manipulation; all that is necessary is to push the cars together and
couple them, just as if my invention were not used. Owing to the peculiar mode
of supporting the arch-plates so that they may move as described, and be restrained
from moving except with their centers in longitudinal vertical central planes passing

page_text: through the cars, to which they are attached, and to the fact that they are
forced out by springs, it follows that my contrivance has the additional advantage
of materially diminishing sidewise vibration of the cars.
The structure as a whole would work fairly well, as described, with strong arch-
plates strongly and firmly secured to springs that force them outward, but I prefer
also to support the upper ends of the arch-plates from the car-body. To this end 1
have connected to the upper end of the arch-plates by pivots or hinged joints, two
rods, c, c. These rods slide in guides or supports k, k, and are forced outwards by
strong spiral springs t, t. The guides &,, are bolted to framing supported by the
stanchions, and the rods e, c¹, can move in and out, together or independently, but
cannot practically move sidewise, or in lines which are not parallel to a line passing
centrally and longitudinally through the car. These rods c, c', have the same motion
as the rods s, s¹, below the platform, and as they are pivoted to the arch-plate, this
arch-plate is so supported at top that its top can move, and is restrained, in the same
way as the foot-plate, the buffer-plate and the lower part of the arch-plate A
supporting structure the same as that of the buffer-plate might be used in place of the
one shown in the drawings for supporting the top of the arch-plate, as both structures
have substantially the same mode of operation. When the upper part of the arch is
thus supported the whole structure is very firm, and the effect in diminishing oscillation
is increased, while at the same time the joint between two adjoining arch-plates is a
tighter one.
I do not claim broadly a series of spring buffers or a spring buffer mounted upon the
body of a railway car above the platform thereof, nor two cars provided with such buffers
so arranged as to come in contact when the cars are in train, as such devices form the
subject matter of the claims in the U.S. patent granted to Sessions, November 15, 1887,
No. 373,098. Nor do I claim broadly and irrespective of the manner in which it is
supported upon the car, so as to have the motions and be restrained as described, a
strong arch-plate so constructed as to furnish considerable frictional or rubbing
surface when it is brought in contact with a similar arch-plate mounted upon an
adjoining car.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
:
1. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, of a face plate forming
the open end of a vestibule extension to a railway car when not coupled with another
car in a train, a buffer plate which is pivotally connected with a spring extended
buffer rod, and arranged as described, to be capable of oscillating on a fixed center
but restrained by guide rods as described, to compel its center of oscillation to move
only in a line passing longitudinally and horizontally through the center of the car;
the said buffer plate and the face plate of the vestibule connected therewith being
free to move angularly with such fixed longitudinal line of their movement.
2. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a face plate forming
when railway cars are not coupled, the open end of a vestibule extension of a car, a
buffer plate pivotally connected with a spring extended buffer rod and a threshold
plate, the said buffer plate and threshold plate being arranged as described, to be
capable of oscillating on a fixed center, but restrained as to other movements to one
in a line passing longitudinally and horizontally through the centre of the car.
3. The combination of a face plate, forming when railway cars are not coupled, the
open end of a vestibule extension to a car, a buffer plate pivotally connected with a
spring extended buffer rod, and the said face plate connected at its upper end with
spring extended guide rods, substantially as described, and its foot to the buffer plate
whereby the said face plate is made capable both at its top and at its bottom to oscillate
on a vertical central line but is restrained as to other movements to one in a line
passing longitudinally and horizontally through the centre of the car, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4. The combination of a face plate forming when railway cars are not coupled the

page_text: open end of a vestibule extension to a car, and arranged as herein before described to
be capable of oscillating on a vertical central line, but restrained as to other movements
to one in a line passing longitudinally and horizontally through the centre of the car,
and a flexible bellows or equivalent extensible connection uniting the face plate with
the car body structure, substantially as described.
5. A vestibule extension to a car body which is made up of the following
components: 1st, an extension of the car body so as to practically enclose tho
entrance platform, and provided with doors at the sides; 2nd, an extensible section
of flexible material uniting the said extension of the car body with a face plate which
forms, when railway cars are not coupled, the open end of the vestibule; 3rd, the
said face plate combined with the car structure and arranged, as described to oscillate
on a central vertical line, but restrained as to other movements to one in a line
passing longitudinally and horizontally through the centre of the car; and 4th, a
threshold plate having the same movements and restraints as the said face plate,
substantially as described.
1000
wwwy
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.