Improvements in Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM JOHN BREWER, Civil Engineer, care of Charles Mason Esq. C.E.
10 Lyndhurst Square, London, S.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to improve the constructional details of railway
passenger cars, and more especially tram cars, or cars used upon street railroads.
My invention consists of several novel details which relate to the construction of
said cars, and in allowing greater seating capacity, without materially adding to
the weight of the car. I also provide a peculiar and novel fender or guard before
each wheel.
I carry out my invention as follows:-
1st. The sills of the cars are partly of wood and partly of iron; the iron is fitted
at side of sill extending its whole length; to provide for the platform the metal rib
is extended outwards at both ends to form the main support for said platform.
At and near ends of the sills a clamp will be fitted to hold the metal rib or
strengthening piece to the sill, and relieve the strain upon the bolts or liability
to fracture the ends of said car sills.
A truss or trusses are provided stretching from end to end of the underside
of the sills, and converging towards the centre of the platform; the supports for
these trusses will depend from any suitable position, but preferably the car sill:
thereby being in a position to utilize the bolts holding the axle boxes to the
car sills; or they may be fixed near the ends of the said sills and connected
with others passing inside the car under the seats.
The entrances to the car are constructed in the following manner: The steps
extend from the side and partly round to the ends of the platform, having
suitable gates to regulate traffic if it be found necessary to close one end.
In a tram car drawn by horses or driven by electricity the driver will have
a more suitable place provided for him by a slight extension on the platform so
that he can stand out of the way of the passengers; the railing round end of
platform will also have a small recess in it for the man to stand or sit in.
To further lighten the roof of the car I propose to fit stanchions inside the
car extending up to the roof; said stanchions being of small diameter and passing
down by the front side of the seats, and causing no impediment to the passengers'
entrance or exit.
The panels of the car, those rising from the sill will be dispensed with, and
in place of these will be fitted perforated metal sheets or wire-work; thus adding
to the means for perfect ventilation of the car: the boarding running the whole
length of the inside under the seats will be constructed so as to regulate the
ventilation upwards.
:
The roof of the tramcar is extended over the platform in circular manner, yet
allowing room for passengers to ascend in the semi-circle thus formed seats will
be ranged for passengers, this formation giving extra room with slight additional
cost and weight. Where the seats are arranged transversely I propose to do
away with the railing (now used) and fix the advertisement boards at the sides
to the ends of said seats; providing the usual railing for the stairway.
To minimise and in a large measure prevent fatal accidents to passengers and
pedestrians I fit or fix in front of each wheel a life guard suspended from the
sill in such a manner that a person falling against same, the said guard swings
sufficiently to cause a break to immediately act upon the wheel; this guard is
provided with soft cushions of rubber or other pliable material.

page_text: In a tram car where the fare is paid by the passenger into a cash box 1 fit
or fix a cash box in such a manner that every penny paid into said box will
register a number.
In a tram car where the driver has charge, and running without a conductor
it is not now the custom to carry passengers on the roof. Having in view the
improvements embodied herein I intend to construct one horse cars having four
or more seats on top; from the stairway to the seats I strengthen the roof only
for footway and weight of passengers; the other part of the roof may be of
any light waterproof material. The stanchions as noted above will support the
extra weight at little additional cost and weight. Each stairway and entrance to
car will be under the driver's control by having a gate or bar kept in position by
a spring catch operated by a wire placed near the driver: thus no passenger can
gain access to the car without the driver's notice: this gate or bar will in opening
inwards register the number of times it is opened, and prevent ingress of more than
one passenger at a time.
The roof of the car will be constructed of T iron with the webb on top side; the
wood flooring will be partly sawn through to receive said webb, or the wood planks
can be laid from rib to rib butting up against the webb of the T iron and fixed
thereto, and then covered by any suitable waterproof material. All the supports of
top seats will be manufactured out of light V shaped iron.
In connection with the aforesaid stanchions, I fit or fix iron, or other metal ribs
springing from the car sill; said ribs will act as and for the ordinary wood ribs
and will be of any desired curves, these ribs may be continued and form supports
for the roofing; and I fit or fix horizontal ribs running from the door posts and
over the stanchions, also forming additional supports for the roof.
Dated this 30th day of September 1892.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Vehicles.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER Civil Engineer c/o Charles Mason Esq. C.E.
10 Lyndhurst Square London S.E. 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 improve the constructional details of railway
passenger cars, and more especially tram cars, or cars employed upon street
railways.
My invention consists of several novel details which relate to the construction of
said cars, and in allowing greater seating capacity, without materially adding to
the weight of the car. I also provide a peculiar and novel fender or guard before
each wheel. The details of the construction, the combination of parts, and the
proper interpretation and limitation of the claims hereunder, will be ascertained.
By the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
wherein is illustrated a tramway car designed for haulage by one horse power, and
showing my improvements combined to secure lightness, strength, seating capacity
upon the car, for carriage of passengers, control of entrance of passengers, to and
upon, and exit from the car amongst other advantages, as will hereinafter appear.
In the drawings-
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of the car partially in section.
Fig. 2. is an end elevation.
Fig. 3. is a transverse section.
Fig. 4. a plan of roof, (with outside seats limited to the capacity of haulage, and
disposed centrally over the wheels, and with the weight supporting framing).
12:
half when of the bod

page_text: Fig. 6. a balt plan of the under frame.
Fig. 7. detail of frame-end-clamp.
The sills A of the cars are partly of wood, and partly of iron ribs, the iron
ribs a are fitted at side of sills A extending the whole length of the car and to
provide for the platform B. the metal rib a, is extended outwards at both sides
at a', to form the primary or main support for said platform.
At and near the ends of the sills A, a clamp (Figs. 1, 6, and 7) will be fitted
to hold the metal ribs, or strengthening pieces a to the sill and relieve the strain
upon the bolts of the framing, or liability to fracture the ends of said car sills.
A truss rod, or rods c (of iron piping as shown) is, or are provided, stretching
from end to end of the underside of the sills A and converging towards the centre
of the platform the supports c¹ will depend from any suitable position, but preferably
from the car sill thereby being in position to utilize the bolts holding the axle
boxes to the car sills (as shown in Fig. 1) at d and to afford support to said bolts;
or the supports e¹ may be fixed near the ends of the said sills, and be connected
with other truss rods passing inside the car under the seats.
The entrances to the car are constructed in the following manner, the steps e
extend from the side, and partly round to the ends of the platforms having
suitable gates F, to regulate traffic, if it be found necessary to close one end of
the car.
In a tramway car drawn by horses or driven by electricity, or other power, and
such as is shown in the drawings, the driver will have a more suitable place pro-
vided for him by a slight extension g on the platform, so that he can stand out of
the way of the passengers, the railings 91 round the end of the platform will also
have a small recess in, to leave space for the man to stand or sit in.
To further lighten and strengthen the roof of the car I fit stanchions h inside
the car, extending up to and under the roof; said stanchions being of small
diameter, and passing down by the front side of the seats and thus causing no
impediment to the passengers entrance, or exit.
In some cases the panels of the car, those rising from the sill will be dispensed
with and in place of these will be fitted perforated metal sheets or wire work thus
adding to the means for perfect ventilation of the car, the boarding running the
whole length of the inside under the seats will be constructed so as to regulate the
ventilation upwards.
The roof of the tram car is extended over the platform, in circular manner yet
allowing room for passengers to ascend; in the semicircle thus formed, seats will
be ranged for passengers and this formation gives extra room, with but slight
additional cost and weight.
Where the seats are arranged transversely, I propose to do away with the
railing (now used) and fix the advertisement boards at the sides, to the ends of said
seats, providing the usual railing for the stairway.
To minimise, and in a large measure prevent fatal accidents to passengers and
pedestrians, I fit, or fix in front of each wheel a life guard k suspended or hung
from the sill, in such manner that a person falling against same, will cause the said
guard to swing sufficiently, to cause the brake to immediatly act upon the
wheel, the said guard is provided with soft cushions of rubber or other pliable
material.
In a tram car where the fare is paid by the passenger into a cash box, the
said box is to be fixed in such a manner that every penny paid in will register a
number.
In a tram car where the driver has charge, and running without a conductor, it
is not now the custom to carry passengers on the roof, but these improvements
applied, as shown and described by, and in reference to the drawings will enable
me to construct a light car, having four, or more seats on top; from the stairway
to the seats, I strengthen the roof for footway, and sufficiently for support of
weight of passengers, but the other part of the roof will be of any light covering,
and waterproof or weather resisting material, the stanchions as herein before

page_text: noted will support the additional weight of seating, and outside passengers, aud
this with but slight additional cost.
Each stairway and entrance to the car will be under the drivers control, by
having a gate or bar f kept in position by a spring catch, operated by a pull and
wire connection, placed near the driver, so that no passenger can gain access to, or
egress from the car; without the driver having notice; this plate or bar is fixed
to open inwards and outwards so as to register the number of times it is operated,
and prevent the ingress of more than one passenger at a time.
The iron work of the roof of such cars will be constructed of T iron inserted
i.e. with the web standing upwards, and combined with this the wood flooring, or
covering is to be partly sawn through with a groove to receive said web-as shown
in Fig. 1 or, the wood planks can be laid across frim rib to rib and the ends be
laid to abut against the T iron web and then be covered by any suitable waterproof
material.
The supports of the top seats, that is, the seat frames and supports will be
manufactured out of light V shaped iron.
In connection with the aforesaid stanchions h I fit, or fix iron, or other metal
ribs springing from the car sill, said ribs will act as, and for the ordinary wood
ribs, and will be of any desired curves. These ribs may be continued, and form
supports for the roofing and I fit, or fix horizontal ribs longitudinally from door
posts to door posts, thus giving proper means for tying and supporting the
structure. These longitudinal ribs at the top, are also carried over and tied to
the stanchions to contribute to the support of the roof, together with the lightness
of construction.
Such construction of vehicle would be usable upon light railways, especially as
well as upon tramway lines, or street railways.
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. The improved light railway vehicle, or tramway car with the parts com-
bined and constructed as, and for the purposes herein set forth, in reference to, and
as shown by the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. In a railway or tramway vehicle as herein specified, the combination
of the stanchions, supports, truss rods, and clamps for the sills, as and for the
purpose herein specified.
Thirdly. In a railway or tramway vehicle as herein specified, the means for the
control of the entrance and exit from, and of the payment of money by the
passengers, combined as herein set forth.
Fourthly. In a railway or tramway vehicle such as herein specified, the life
guard (or "catcher"), mounted in connection with the lever system of the brake
block, combined and operating as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 30th day of June A.D. 1893.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER.