An Improved Finger-guard for Railway Carriage and like Doors.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Finger-guard for Railway Carriage and like Doors.
I, SAMUEL HOWE 98 Lordship Lane East Dulwich London S.E. Decorator,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An improved finger guard designed, more especially, for use in railway carriage
and like doors as a guard against accident by crushing, particularly the fingers,
inadverdantly left between the door and frame, whether on the hanging or
closing side.
The said invention is of simple construction silent and automatic in action,
effectively set in motion by the closing of the door whether violently or gently, and
should the fingers remain between the guard and the door, injury is an impossibility
even though no attempt was made to remove the hand.
Requiring no alteration of the existing arrangement in make of doors, the guard
can be fitted and fixed in a few minutes, and may be used right or left without any
difference in construction.
It may be made of any kind of wood preferably hard wood combined with metal,
or altogether of metal as I may select or that is suitable for the purpose.
The following is a brief description of the said invention and relates to a railway
carriage door guard made of wood, with brass fittings, and fixed between the top of
seat line, to as high as it is necessary to carry it, consisting of two strips of wood
the required length in width about two inches by one inch as may hereafter be
determined, one part fixed to the frame, the other part hinged to the fixed portion,
and forming a close butt joint. The motive power causing the moveable flap to act
lies in the construction of the hinge or hinges which permits this flap to act
automatically and without failing on the opening of the door, rising slightly on the
door closing, the movement of the flap is quickened by a spring hidden within the
hinge itself, this spring is practically indestructable as there is absolutely no strain
upon it the weight of flap and the construction of the hinges is quite sufficient for
the purpose.
The flap may be additionally weighted by lead or any other suitable metal.
The moving portion of the guard is curved to a shape adapted for its use, so that
when the door is open the guard presents on its surface a rounded or curved face,
have a
on the top of the moveable flap a curved tongue of brass is fixed which
small wheel on its end and on the door a wheeled plate or angle piece may
directly opposite this tongue.
may
be fixed,
The only part of the aforesaid invention fixed to the door is the wheeled plate
or angle piece, thus leaving the door entirely free in action, although the guard
itself is controlled by the opening and closing of the door.
The main principles of the invention are, an effective finger guard, certain and
automatic in action, simply and economically constructed of inexpensive material,
and adapted both for the hanging and closing side of the doors, quickly fitted and
fixed in position, without constructive alteration.
Dated this 31st day of August 1893.
MITT LAWY
Applicant.
TAT

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Finger-guard for Railway Carriage and like Doors.
1, SAMUEL HOWE 98 Lordship Lane East Dulwich London S.E. Decorator,
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 :-
An improved finger guard designed more especially for use in railway carriages
and like doors, as a guard against accident by crushing, particularly the fingers or
hand, inadvertently left between the door and frame whether on the hanging or
closing side.
The said invention is of simple construction, silent and automatic in action
effectively set in motion by the closing of the door whether violently or gently, and
should the fingers remain between the guard and the door, injury is an impossibility
even though no attempt was made to remove the hand.
Requiring no alteration of the existing arrangement in make of doors the guard
can be fixed in a few minutes, and may be used both on the hanging and closing
sides of the frame with only a slight difference in construction to meet the
difference between right and left, and contact points. It may be made of any kind
of wood preferably hard wood, or wood and metal combined or altogether of metal
as I may select or that is suitable for the purpose.
Substantially the following is a clear description of the aforesaid invention and
relates to a railway carriage door guard, made of wood with metal fittings, and
designed to be fixed between the top level of seat to as high as may hereafter be
determined to carry it, consisting of two lengths of wood the width and thickness
may be varied, but for the purpose of description, say about two inches by one inch.
The width of the guard proper (hereafter called the flap) on the hanging side of
the door should be rather wider than that on the closing side, and the fixing portion
should be at least half an inch thicker than the flap.
The fixed part must be partially bevelled and hollowed at the back and rounded
on the face or front the flap hinged to this fixed portion forming a close butt joint.
The motive power causing the flap to act is produced not only by a rising and
falling spring hinge but also by the opening and closing of the door.
The flap, both back and front is curved to a shape adapted for its use so as to
present on its surfaces, when open or closed, a rounded or curved face leaving no
angles in any part.
The various metal fittings and their design and use are definitely described in the
drawings accompanying this Specification.
The only parts of the guard fixed to the door are the striking plates thus leaving
the door entirely free.
I will now proceed to describe the drawings.
Fig. 1, inside view of door with guard fixed and door closed. A. A. guard.
B. screws for fixing. C. spring hinges. D is Fig. 7. E is Fig. 6 fixed ou door.
F is Fig. 4 fixed on closing side of door. G is Fig. 9. H. is Fig. 8.
Fig. 2. shews end section of guard A, fixed on closing side of door with Figs. 4
and 9 in position.
Fig. 3. shews end section of guard A fixed on hanging side of door, with Figs. 6
and 8 in position.
Fig. 7. acts as a check to flap when the door is closed as shewn at D in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5. shews a rising and falling spring hinge of loose action, and almost
invisible when in use the spring only acts on the door opening, so as to quicken the
action of the guard, not controlling it, there being no tension on this spring it is
practically indestructible, two or more hinges may be used.

page_text: 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,
First. Designed especially for the prevention of injury to the hand, and adapted
for use both on the hanging and closing side of the door.
Second. Instantaneous and automatic in its action.
Third. The guard being attached to the inner portion of the frame, right and
left, leaves the door entirely free in action, and the guard from strain.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1894.
SAMUEL HOWE,
Applicant.