improvements in and relating to the Supporting of the Tarpaulins or Coverings of Railway Wagons and other Vehicles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 14th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1887
improvements in and relating to the Supporting of the Tarpaulins
or Coverings of Railway Wagons and other Vehicles.
I, JAMES HENDERSON, of Cambusbarron, Stirlingshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My Invention comprises improvements in special fittings and appliances for carrying
or supporting tarpaulins or coverings over railway wagons and other vehicles in an
inclined manner from the centre downwards towards the two sides of the vehicle, so
as to prevent the bagging of the coverings and ensure the protection of the goods
or materials in the vehicles against damage by rain or water, as all water would run
off the inclined tarpaulins, as also snow or ice as it became melted, there being no
hollow parts for water or snow to lie in and permeate the tarpaulins.
My invention or improvements, as applied to a railway truck or wagon, consist all
as follows:-In fitting and securing near the central part of each vertical end of the
wagon a deep socket, preferably of plate metal, into which a sliding vertical style or
bar of wood or of metal would be fitted the full depth of the socket and end of the
wagon, so that the styles could be raised to any desired height, and have slots or pin
holes in the sockets for inserting a cotter or bolt under or across each style to maintain
it at a proper height above the goods and wagon frame in the centre of its ends to
carry the tarpaulin in an angled manner from this central part of the wagon, all as
will hereinafter be described. The upper end of each centre style would be formed
with a groove in it for stretching and retaining a wire, manilla, or other rope longi-
tudinally over the centre of the vehicle; and the one end of the rope might be fixed
to an eye or hook on the outside of one of the socket plates, so that the rope could
be drawn tight within the grooves in both styles and secured to a hook or other
equivalent on the socket at the other end. This rope when so tightened would form a
central ridge for carrying the tarpaulin placed over it, which would extend down on
opposite sides over the goods towards the side frames of the wagon, where its lower
edges would be secured as usual by ropes or cords to the ordinary hooks or other
fastenings for the purpose, thus forming a long angled tent-like covering. Or other-
wise, in place of this rope, a wooden bar may be used, secured by a hasp, or a metallic
[Paine Bill

page_text: rod secured by screws or other equivalent, on the upper ends of these vertical styles,
to form the ridge of the tarpaulin covering to angle it on opposite sides as described ;
and when a metallic rod is used, it may have a sheathing of hollow wood tubes slipped
over it to afford a greater protection against the wearing and cutting of the tarpaulin
by friction. When long or tall styles are required, these may be made in the form of
forked bars below, working in double slide guides, so that the forks of these styles
would pass down on each side of the draw hooks, and so rise to a greater height than
the depth of the ends of the wagon when that was required. Or otherwise, the styles
when inade of metal, may be fitted a little to the one side of the centre, so as to pass
the draw-book of the wagon when this is found desirable.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Supporting of the Tarpaulins 1
or Coverings of Railway Wagons and other Vehicles.
I, JAMES HENDERSON, of Cambusbarron, Stirlingshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in
writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention comprises improvements in special fittings and appliances for carrying
or supporting tarpaulins or coverings over railway wagons or trucks and other vehicles
in an inclined manner from the centre downwards towards the two longitudinal sides
of the vehicle, so as to prevent the bagging of the coverings and ensure the protection
of the goods or materials in the vehicles against damage by rain or water, as all water
would run off the inclined tarpaulins, as also snow or ice as it became melted, there
being no hollow parts for water or snow to lie in and permeate the tarpaulins.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended
an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are a longitudinal section and end elevation respectively of an
open railway wagon or truck W, as fitted with one arrangement of my improvements
for supporting the tarpaulins or coverings, and in which a rope a is shown as used to
support the tarpaulin secured to and stretched between the end vertical stiles or
standards A A¹, A A¹. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a corresponding open

page_text: truck showing a slightly modified arrangement in which a rod or bar a¹ is used instead
of the rope a on the top of the end standards A, A', for carrying the tarpaulin.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of a truck, showing the end vertical stiles or standards A A',
as fitted with their securing stems A¹ sufficiently to one side of the centre of the
wagon W, so as to work clear of the draw hooks wo, when this is found desirable.
Referring to these Drawings
:―
My invention or improvements, as applied to a railway truck or open wagon W,
consist all as follows:-In fitting and securing near the central part of each vertical
end W₁ of the wagon W on the outside, a deep socket B, preferably of plate metal,
into which the lower securing stem A' of the sliding vertical stile or bar A A¹, of
wood or of metal is fitted through the socket B, nearly the full depth of the end W
of the wagon W, so that the vertical sliding stiles A A' when down in their lowest
position may rest on a projecting flange or angle-iron B¹, and out of the way when not
required for use, and be raised to any desired height, and have pin holes or slots at A¹
in the sockets B for inserting a strong pin or bolt 6 through each socket B and stile A
to maintain it at a proper height above the goods and enclosing sides or frame of the
wagon W in the centre of its ends W¹, or the stiles A A¹ may rest on their retaining
pins 6 when in their raised position, to carry the tarpaulin T in an angled manner
towards both sides from this central part W of the wagon W, all as will hereinafter
be described. The upper end B of each centre stile A is formed with a groove in it
for stretching and retaining a hemp, manilla, wire, or other rope a longitudinally over
the centre of the vehicle W, but the rope would preferably be formed with a galvanized
wire in the centre of each strand protected by the manilla or hemp outside, which
besides strengthening the rope would prevent it being easily cut. The rope a may, by
one simple arrangement, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, be made in two parts, having
their one ends fixed to the top of each stile A at A, and their other ends formed with
eyes and drawn tight and secured by a cord in the centre as at a² by one person
standing in the centre of the vehicle who can draw it perfectly tight by pulling the
cords through the eyes as blocks. Or by another arrangement this might be done
by one cord, having the one end of the rope a fixed to an eye or hook on the top of
one of the socket plates B, and carried up over the top of and drawn tight within
the grooves in both stiles A, and secured to a hook or other equivalent on the socket B
at the other end W' of the wagon W, although this is not so convenient, the men
having to stand unseen at the ends of the wagons. In either case this rope a, stretched
between the stiles A, when so tightened, would form a central ridge support for
carrying the tarpaulin T placed over it, (as shown dotted in in Figure 2) which would
extend down on opposite sides over the goods towards the longitudinal side frames of
the wagon W, where its lower edges T¹ would be secured as usual by ropes or cords to
the ordinary hooks or other fastenings for the purpose, thus forming a long angled
tent-like covering at T. Or otherwise, in place of this rope a, as shown in Figures 3
and 4, an iron or other metal rod a' may be used, laid or secured in the groove at the
upper end A of the vertical stiles A, A², to form the ridge of the tarpaulin covering T
to angle it on opposite sides as described; and when this metallic rod a¹ is used, this
may be retained or secured in the grooves at the upper ends of the stiles A, A¹, by
plates outside at 63, and it may have a sheathing of hollow wood tubes or balls a
slipped over it, as shown in Figure 3, to afford a greater protection against the
wearing and cutting of the tarpaulin by friction, or the effects of the corrosion of the
iron rod. Instead of a metallic rod a', a wooden bar may be used secured in like
manner in the grooves at the top of the stiles A. When long or tall stiles A, A' are
required, these may be made of metal or wood, or partly of both, and have their lower
stems A¹ fitted a little to one side of the centre so as to pass the draw hook to of the
wagon W, when this is found desirable, and as shown in Figure 4. Or otherwise the
lower stems A' of these stiles A A¹, may be made in the form of forked bars below, not
shown in the Drawings, working in double slide guides secured to the ends W₁ of the
wagon, so that the forks of these stiles would pass down on each side of the draw
hooks, and so rise to a greater height than the depth of the ends of the wagon when
that was required.

page_text: 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,―
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of devices or
supports and their fittings for carrying the tarpaulins or coverings of railway wagons
or trucks and other vehicles, all substantially as herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In railway wagons or trucks and other vehicles, the fitting of a deep
socket B at each end W', through whieh works a vertical sliding stile standard or
bar A A¹, adjusted to any desired height for carrying a ridge rope or bar a or a¹ to
support tarpaulins or coverings, all substantially as and for the advantages herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In railway wagons or trucks and other vehicles, a tarpaulin or covering
support, comprising a vertical adjustable or sliding stile standard or bar A A', at each
end W₁ of the vehicle W, in combination with a rope, rod, or bar a, a¹, stretched
between the supporting stiles A A¹, all substantially as and for the purposes and
advantages herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. In railway wagons or trucks and other vehicles, the fitting and use of a
central or ridge rope a, supported on end stiles A, A¹, for carrying tarpaulins or
coverings over the goods in such vehicles, all substantially as and for the purposes and
advantages herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In railway wagons or trucks and other vehicles, the use of vertical end stiles
for supporting tarpaulins or coverings over the goods in such vehicles, all substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 14th day of Navambar 1887
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents.