US1798542A - Sleeping car - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1931. J. KOCH ET AL SLEEPING CAR.

Filed March 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 31, 1931 J. KOCH ET AL SLEEPING CAR Filed March 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED s'rA'rss Fla JOSEF KOCH AND MAX KLIESCH, OF SGHLIEREN-ZURIGH, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGlIOl-ES T0 FIRTH SCHWEIZ, VVAGONS- 8a AUFZUGEFABRIK A. G, ECHLIEREN-ZUEICII, OF

SCHILIER-EN, SWITZERLAND SLEEPING CAR Application filed March 24, 1930 Serial No. 438,456, and in Switzerland November 2, 1929.

This invention relates to a sleeping car mounted on bogies and including transversely disposed beds and entrance platforms at the ends of the car.

The sleeping cars used in Europe at the present time comprise a plurality of compartments which are accessible from a central longitudinal corridor, and each second class compartment is provided with two beds arranged above each other, and a single lavatory. This arrangement is disadvantageous for the reason that the upper bed is accessible only by climbing. Another annoyance for the passengers is the fact that often two per sons that are complete strangers to each other thereof, in order to provide the requisite adaptability for negotiating curves and to stay ithin the clearance line allowed for the cars, and on the other hand by the provision of the proper comfort and safety of the passengers, in that it is absolutely required that the whole disposition of the compartments be very plain and all the compartments accessible directly from the corridor without the aid of ladder-steps and the like so as, in emergencies, to enable the passengers of the car to escape unhindered to the outside, and that besides the possibility of passing from one car to the other is afforded. more, for sanitary reasons and comfort, it is a necessity to provide a separate lavatory for each passenger.

Heretofore, a practical solution responding to the above-mentioned requirements in satisfactory manner could not be found, because in all the known sleeping cars provided with single compartments several compart- Furtherments were either accessible only with difliculty or limited as regards space and arrangement to such an extent that the passengers had the impression of being trapped which would actually hold true in case of a railroad accident. 5'

According to the invention, in the sleeping car an adequate number of single compartments is provided for approximately the usual number of passengers, in such manner that all the above sa1d cond1tions are entirely met, in that the bottom of the car is lowered between the bogies in'a manner known perthereto whereb the lon itudinal corridors v y b aifordingdirect accessto the laterally offset cabins are extended through to each platform so as to be accessible therefrom and the upper compartments are raised to such a level that at the ends of the car above the bogiesfree rooms for the accommodation of the braking appliances, accumulator batteries and other* accessories are formed.

The loweringof the car bottom between the bogies is already known with street cars for passenger traflic, but merely in connection with side doors to lee-provided, in order to'drop the'floor of the car to alowest possible depth, so as to facilitate the entering andleaving the car by avoiding a'plurality of treads oran unusually high tread respectively. This construction, however, has never been used in conjunction with sleeping posed arrangements for the compartments no advantages were obtainable therewith.

Heretofore, it was also unknown to arrange two longitudinal corridors extending, all the way through a sleeping car so as to provide convenient access to the single compartments thereof and to avoid the use of ladders and the like. Previous proposals for arrangements, wherein. the compartments cars, inasmuch as with'the hitherto pro-- lOQ cessible from the longitudinal corridor were designed as single compartments, referred to compartments with longitudinally disposed beds which from the point of view of comfort are not in favour with the travelling public. Admittedly, an attempt was made to make a lower and an upper tier of single compartments accessible from a single longitudinal corridor, directly by pairs of adjacent doors, but also this arrangement had so many drawbacks as regards the available space for each single compartment, and particularly the design of the upper compartments that this proposal,-at least in Europe, was never seriously considered.

Owing to the arrangement provided by the invention, approximately the same number of passengers as usual can be accommodated in single compartments, which are entirely independent of each other, without unduly increasing the length of the car, in such manner, that all the compartments are directly ventilated, and illuminated by day light. that proper freedom of movement is afforded in the compartments and the latter accessible from each respective corridor which in turn is freely accessible from both entrance platforms so as to provide two possible thoroughfares, whereby the passage through the train is facilitated, especially if only one corridor be used for the one direction of passing.

Moreover, the possibility of providing double compartments exists, the partition walls thereof between the beds of two adjacent compartments being adapted to be lowered, so that the two cabins may be combined.

In the drawing an embodiment of the invention is shown, by way of example, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the one longitudinal side of the one half of the car;

h 132g. 2 a similar view to Fig. 1, of the other Figs. 3 and 4 show horizontal sections on the lines IIIIII in Fig. 5, and IVIV in Fig. 6, and

Figs. 5 and 6 show cross-sections on the lines VV in Fig. 3 and IV-IV in Fig. 4.

The sleeping car as illustrated is equipped.

in usual manner with two four wheel bogies D on which the car body is mounted. .The two entrance platforms 1 at the ends'of the car are disposed at thenormal level i. e. at the same level as the floors of all the normal corridor carriages and the very ends of the cars are provided with the usual flexible gangway bellows and draw bridges.

The car body has aclear-story 2 which extends close up to the upper profile limit of the international conventional clearing line, as indicated in chain lines in Fig. 5, whereby the maximum available car height above the head of the rail is determined, Whilst the lower car bottom is dropped down level of the floor of the corridor.

between the bogies and for about the middle third part of the car width is extended down as close as possible to the lower limit of the said profile, so as to form a depressed portion with respect to the mean floor level of the car. The clear-story 2 is provided in its longitudinal sides with a pivoted ventilation window 2a for each compartment. From one platform to the other extends a lower corridor 4 which follows the car bottom so as to rise up above the bogies to the same level as the platforms, whilst the lower middle portion joins the portions above the bogies on both ends at t u by means of four normal stair treads. Beside this corridor the lower sleeping compartments 5 are disposed which are directly accessible from this corridor by way of swinging doors and the floors of which are arranged in the very bottom 8 of the car one step lower than the The raised portion of the car bottom beside the bed 6 serves for the accommodation of a chair 7 adjacent to wh ch a shelf 8 is provided. At the one end of the shelf 8 the partition wall is offset to confine the lavatory 9 of the adjacent compartment and beside the said offset portion the lavatory 10 of the respective compartment is arranged. Directly above the chair a large window 11 is provided. The part 12a of the partition wall 12 of the compartment is constructed as a swinging door which is normally closed and which may be unlocked by the car conductor if talking'communication between the two adjacent compartments is to be provided.

But also the upper part of the partition wall 22 between the beds 60f two adjacent compartments may bedetachably arranged so as to be enabled to be sunk in the lower part thereof which permits of effecting a complete communication between the respective compartments. This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4, the partition wall 22 between two adjacent compartments being shown to be collapsed.

In the part of the compartment designated by the measurement K even a tall person is enabled to stand in upright position and, on the whole, this, compartment, which bymeans of a connecting pipe to the pivotal skylight windows 2a is adapted to be properly ventilated and is illuminated by a window, affords all the necessary space for undressing, laying away the clothes and washing, as well as for a bed of normal length, whilst the suitcase may be stowed away under the bed. The lower compartments are disposed in the depressedpa-rt of the car only. The free spare room 13 above each bogie and laterally of the corridor 4 which is directly accessible from outside and from the lower corridor by way of the double swinging doors 14 and 14a respectively serves for the accommodation of the braking apcompartments pliance, the accumulator battery and other accessories. In this layout the provision of directly above the axles, where the bumping and the noise caused by the wheels is greatest, is dispensed with.

The upper corridor 15 situated on the opposite side of the car which extends longitudinally above the lower compartments and is of suficient height to enable a tall person to pass it in upright position is accessible from both entrance platforms by means of four stair treads such as at t, 0, and the upper compartments 16 adjacent to the said corridor are accessible by way of sliding doors 17 placed above atread. Each of the upper compartments contains a bed 6 and adjacent thereto a chair 7, which is mounted above the ceiling of the lower corridor, a shelf 8 beside the chair, and a lavatory '10 laterally of which, in the same manner as for the lower compartments, the lavatory 9 of the adjacent compartment is disposed. In the middle compartments the bed 6 is placed at the normal level (Fig. 6), whilst in the three compart-' ments from each end it is raised somewhat higher, as shown in Fig. 5, as in these places the lower corridor is slightly higher. All the upper compartments are illuminated and adapted to be ventilated by the skylight windows 2a, and in the middle compartments an additional window 18 is provided behind the chair. Thus, all the upper compartments are also directly accessible from the pertaining corridor and adaptedto be well ventilated; they permit, in the part designated by the measurement d, a tall'person to stand in upright position, they afford the necessary space for undressing, for storing the clothes,

and for washing and they accommodate a bed of normal length. The dress suit case may be stowed away under the bed and above the window a rack 19 for the trunks is arranged. A swinging door 12a in the partition wall 12 of two adjacent compartments again permits of effecting a talking communication between the latter. The car contains all told 20 sleeping compartments as compared with a capacity of 22 passengers of the existing sleeping cars with two beds arranged above each-other,

anda single lavatory in each second class com-.

partment.

The level of the two toilets 100 is a trifle higher than the lower side-corridor. Above each toilet a big water reservoir 21, asshown in chain lines in Fig. 5, for the toilet and the lavatories is placed. The shape of the car bottom results-in a heavy construction, due to the great hei ht, and provides a large moment ofresistance. The car is of high stability, affords a smooth run, free of shocks, and ofiers much greater safety against telescoping than the existing cars of usual construc tion.

The described car may be carried out, by

way of example, with-the'following'dimensions:

WVe claim:

1. A sleeping car of the type wherein transversely disposed beds are arranged in single compartments, comprising in combination, a pair of bogies, a depressed portion of the car bottom between the said bogies and extending for a part of its width down to a conventional clearance line in relation to a track, a lower longitudinal corridor situated on the one side of the car, lower compartments positioned beside the said lower corridor, an upper longitudinal corridor situated ahove the said lower compartments on the other side of the car, upper compartments adjacent to the said upper corridor, and an entrance platform at each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending in a straight line through to each entrance platform so as to be accessible therefrom and affording respective access to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments.

2. A sleeping car of the type wherein transversely disposed beds are arranged in single compartments, comprising in combination, a pair of bogies, a depressed portion of the car bottom between the said bogies and extending for a part of its width down to the limit as defined by the conventional clearance line In relation to atrack, a lower longitudie nal corridor situated on the one side of the car, lower compartments positioned beside the said lower corridor, the level of the floor ofthe said lower compartments being one 1 step lower than the level of the floor of the p said lower corridor, a raised portion provided in the floor of the said lower compartments opposite to the said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion of the said lower compartments, an upper lon 'itudmal corridor situatedabove the said lower compartments on the other side of the car, upper compartments adjacent to the said each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending through to each platform so as to be accessible therefrom and atfording respective access to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments,'e'nd parts of the said lower corridor raised to the level of the said entrance platforms, and steps provided between the said lower corridor and the said end parts of the same.

' 3. A sleeping car of the type wherein'transversely disposed beds are. arranged in, single' no upper corridor and an entrance platform at said lower corridor, the level of the floor of the said lower compartments being one step lower than the level of the floor of the said lower corridor, a raised portion provided in the floor of the said lower compartments opposite to the .said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion, of the said lower compartments, the floor of the said upper compartments being raised one step above the floor of the said upper corridor, a raised portion in'the floor of the said upper compartments opposite to the said upper corridor and formed by the upper part of the said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion of the said upper compartments, and an entrance platform at each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending through to each plat-form so as to be acessible therefrom and affording respective access to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments, end parts of the said lower corridor raised to the level of the said entrance platforms, steps provided between the said lower corridor and the said end parts of the same,

and steps provided between the said upper corridor and the said entrance platforms.

4. A sleeping car of the type wherein transversely disposed beds are arranged in single compartments, comprising in combination, a pair of bogies, a depressed portion of the car bottom between the said bogies and extending for a part of its width down to the limit as defined by the conventional clearance line in relation to a track, alower longitudinal corridor situated on the one side of the car, lower compartments positioned beside the said lower corridor,-the level of the floor of the said lower compartments being one step lower than the level of the floor of the cent lower compartments being disposed beside each other, anupper longitudlnal corridor situated above the said lower compartments on the other side of the car, upper compartments adjacent to the said upper corridor, the floor of the said upper compartments being raised one step above the floor of the said upper corridor, a raised portion in the floor of the said upper compartments opposite to the said upper corridor and formed by the upper part of the said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion of the said upper compart' ments, a window arranged behind the seat in each upper compartment, a lavatory 1n each upper compartment, the lavatories of each two adjacent upper compartments being disposed beside each other, and an entrance platform at each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending through to each platform so as to be accessible therefrom and affording respective access to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments, end parts ofthe said lower corridor raised to the level of the said entrance platforms, steps provided between the said lower corridor and the said end parts of the same, and steps provided between the said upper corridor and the said entrance platforms.

5. A sleeping car of the typewherein transversely disposed beds are arranged in single compartments, comprising in combination, a pair of bogies, a depressed portionof the car bottom between the said bogies and extending for apart of its width down to the limit as defined by the conventional clearance line in relation to a track, a lower longitudinal corridor sltuated on the one side of the car, lower compartments positioned beside the said lower corridor, the level of the floor of the said lower compartments being one step lower than the level of the floor of the said lower corridor, a raised portion provided in the floor of the said lower compartments opposite to the said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion of the said lower compartments, a bed in each lower compartment, a common partition wall, provided between adjacent compartments and the beds of every two adjacent lower compartments being placed alongside said partition wall and the upper part of the said partition wall being adapted to be sunk in the lower part of the same for the purpose of effecting complete communication between the respective compartments, an upper longitudinal corridor situated above the said lower compartments 'on the other side of the car, upper compartments adjacent to the said upper corridor, the floor of the said upper compartments being raised one step above the fioor of the said'upper corridor, a raised portion in the floor of the said upper compartments opposite to the said upper corridor and formed by the upper part of'the said lower corridor, a fixed seat arranged on the said raised portion of the said upper compartments, a bed in each upper compartment, a common partition wall provided between adjacent compartments and the beds of two adj acent upper compartments being placed alongside said partition wall and the upper part of the said partition wall being adapted to be sunk in the lower part of the same for the purpose of'effe'cting complete communi I cation between the respective compartments, an entrance platform at each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending through to each platform so as to be accessible therefrom and affording respective ac-' cess to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments, end parts of the said lower corridor raised to the level of the said entrance platforms, steps provided between the said lower corridor and the said end parts of the same, and steps provided between the said upper corridor and the said entrance platforms.

6. A sleeping car of the type wherein transversely disposed beds are arranged in single compartments, comprising in combination, a pair of bogies, a depressed portion of the car ottom between the said bogies and extending for a part of its width down to the limit as defined by the conventional clearance line in relation to a track, a lower longitudinal corridor situated on the one side of the car, toilets disposed approximately at the same level as the said lower corridor, a water reservoir placed above each of the said toilets, lower compartments positioned beside the said lower corridor, an upper longitudinal corridor situated above the said lower compartments on the other side of the car, upper compartments adjacent to the said upper corridor, and an entrance platform at each end of the car, the said upper and lower corridors extending through to each platform so as to be accessible therefrom and afiording respective access to the laterally offset upper and lower compartments.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOSEF KOCH. MAX KLIESCH.

Images