US237022A - Railway-car - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. JEFFRIES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAI LWAY-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,022, dated January 25, 1881. Application filed August 9, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1', CHARLES T.JEEFRrEs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Railway-Gars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct a railroad-car that it can be readily changed from a day-car to a sleeping-car with substantial a-nd effectively -isolated berth-sections. This object I attain in a manner too fully set forth in the following detailed description to need any extended mention in this part of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of part of the body of a railroad-car constructed according to my invention, and showing the seats arranged for day use; Fig. 2, a view, partly in section, showing the arrangement of sleeping-berths; Fig. 8, Sheet 2, a transverse section of the body of the car, one side showing the seats for day use and the other side showing the sleeping-berths; and Fig. 4, a sectional plan of Fig. 1 on the line 1 2.

A A are the opposite sides of the car-body, provided with the usual windows, and B B are the seats. Each half of the car-that is to say, the space between the sides A and the tress, a.

To the opposite sides of each partition E, at a point midway between the seat B and the top of the partition, are hinged frames J, also made hollow for the reception of mattresses a, the length of each frame J being equal to half the width of the section or compartment F.

During the day the seat-backs Gr and frames J are elevated and rest against the partition E, being retained in 4this position by any suitable appliancesturn-buckles, for instance, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When turned up in thismanner the edges ofthe frames J andseatbacks Gr are hidden from view by the standards d, Fig. 4, with which the ends of the partitions adjacent to the passage D are provided, said standards being ot' the necessary width for this purpose.

At night the seats B are removed from the seat-frames and placed on the door between said frames, as shown in Fig. 2, and the seatbacks G and frames J are turned down, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, the seatbacks, with their mattresses a, thus forming the lower berth, and the frames J, with their mattresses a, forming the upper berth.

The seat-backs G, when turned down to form a berth, are supported by the seat-frames and by lugs e on the sides A of the car-body, the frames J being supported by lugs c and by jointed links f, connected to the fronts of the frames and to the standards d or to the partitions E, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3, thelinks folding together as the frames J are turned up, (see Fig. 2,) and occupying recesses on the standards d.

The adjacent ends of the seat-backs G and frames J, when said backs and frames are turned down to form berths, are locked by means of bolts g, whereby, in addition to the supporting devices, the necessary security is imparted to the berths. The front of each section or compartment F may be provided with doors or curtains.

It will be noticed, on reference to Fig. 3, that the partitions E do not extend to the roof of the car, the latter being shown by dotted lines, so that, while I am enabled to avail myself of the advantages of permanent partitions between the berths as regards safety and privacy, there is an unobstructed space from end to end of the car above the berths for purposes of ventilation. This space may, if desired, be provided with a grating of wire, or like material, which will effectually prevent communication from one berth to another above the partitions, yet will not interfere with the free passage of air for purposes of ventilation.

The partitions being permanent and the seat-backs Gr and frames J rigid, the berths are necessarily more substantial than those in which temporary partitions only separate the berths and the improved car can be rapidly changed from a day-car into a sleeping-car, as

IOO

the only operations to be performed are thc removal ofthe seats B, the turning down of the seat-backs G and frames J, and the application of the bed-clothing, the mattresses being already in position when said seat-backs and frames are adjusted.

I claim as my invention- 1. Tile combination of the permanent partitions E with seat backs G and frames J, hinged at their lower edges, as described, and each having a. recessed back containing a mattress, a, which, when the backs and frames are elevated, rest against the partitions, and when said backs and frames are lowered form respectively the lower and upper couches of the compartment, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a railroad-car, of permanent partitions between the seats and extwo suhscribin g witnesses.

CHAS. T. JEFFRIES.

Witnesses J. F. GIRARD, ERNEST L. ALTER.

naine to this specification in the presence of 3o

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