US509944A - Sleeping car - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A. RAPP.

SLEEPING UAR.

No. 509,944. Patgnted Dec. 5, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

A. RAPP. SLEEPING GAR.

No. 50 9,9744. Pratente dDeo. 5, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST RAPP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PULLMANS PALACE CAR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SLEEPING-CARA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,944, dated December 5, 1893.

Application filed November 27,1891- Serial No.4=l3.244. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST RAPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleeping-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain novel features in the construction of sleeping cars and particularly to the construction and arrange- 1o ment of the upper or folding berth and the deck walls.

The object of my invention is to so improve the construction of modern sleeping cars as to retain those features which are essential I5 to meet the requirements of service while securing additional advantages in point of utility, as well as in appearance.

Modern sleeping cars have windows which extend to or nearly to the plane of the piv' 2o otal connection of the upper berth to the side wall of the car, and there is also provided windows for the upper berth space. The upper berth must be of such width as to provide, when made up, room for two persons, and is usually made of a width equal to the length of the stationary seats below. Due

regard must be had, of course, to these several essential requirements in the construction and arrangement of the parts of a sleep mg car.

Heretofore in the construction of sleeping cars there has been provided an apron depending from the upper deck sill and against which apron the lower edge of the free margin of the upper berth is swung when the berth is closed. This apron has always been an obstruction to the free and convenient use of the upper berth, because it projected into the head room of passengers occupying the upper berth. I dispense with this apron and rearrange the pivotal connection of the folding berth, raising the pivot thereof slightly and folding the upper corner of the free edge of the berth against the lower surface or edge of the deck sill. I cut away the lower corner of the free edge of the upper berth and thus obviate the objectionable sharp corner of the present upper berth when folded down and thus also provide a proper finish when the up- 5 per berth is closed. By this simple arrangement I am enabled to give more head room below the upper berth, a feature of considerable importance in view of the well known practice of lowering the berths for the purpose of removing orreplacing the bedding and movable partitions usually stored therein while the lower berth is occupied by persons sitting on the seats thereof. I am also enabled by this change of parts to secure a greater width in the clear story, that is between the deck windows, this line being lengthened in the standard Pullman car by about eight inches, and this improves greatly the appearance of the interior of the car making it approach more nearly in its contour the parlor car construction.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken, transverse sectional elevation of a car, the dotted lines showing the old berth and deck construction and the full lines showing my arrangement of the berth and deck. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the same.

In the drawings A represents the deck wall in a car constructed in accordance with my improvements, the dotted letter A indicating the deck wall of sleeping cars of ordinary construction.

B represents the upper berth which is shown in end elevation in Fig. l and in perspective in Fig. 2, and which is pivoted at b, o the dotted reference letters B, b showing the berth and pivotal connection thereof in said previous construction.

The dotted line C shows the apron of the carsof old construction. which apron is entirely omitted in my construction.

By a comparison of the full and dotted lines the saving in head room above the seat D of the lower berth will be apparent. The lower corner of the free end of the upper berth is go rounded or curved, as shown at 00, and the advantage thereof will be clearly appreciated by reference to the heavy and light dotted lines showing the berth in the original and in the changed construction respectivelyand lowered in position for use. The berth swings up and engages with a suitable catch E in the fixed bracket or partition F to which is also secured the drum G of the suspension chain H. The edge of berth B is notched as I00 at y to receive the swinging arms I of the curtain rod J when the latter is in use and the upper berth is not in use.

By rounding the lower corner of the free edge of the berth and making the upper edge thereof engage the lower side of the sill the deck walls may be moved apart a distance equal to twice the depth of the edge of the berth. In this arrangement the surface :0 projects beyond the vertical plane of the deck wall A; but this surface may be so rounded or cut away as not to project beyond said plane. The widening of the space between the deck windows not only improves the appearance of the interior of the car, but it also affords more roomtor lamps and also provides for better lighting and ventilation through the deck windows.

Without limiting my invention to the precise details of construction herein described, I claim-- 1. A sleeping car having stationary lower lower windows and having the upper corners 7 of their free edges adapted to fold directly against the under surface of the deck sill whereby the usual apron is dispensed with and the deck walls being separated to compensate for the omission of said apron, and the lower corners of the free edges of the said berths being rounded or cut away, substantially as described.

2. A sleeping car having stationary lower seats, upper or folding berths pivoted at their inner margins to the side wall of the car and having the upper corners of their tree edges adapted to fold directly against the under surface of the deck sill whereby the usual apron is dispensed with, curtain rod arms pivoted within the upper berth space and carrying curtain rods adapted to be swung or folded into said space, and the upper corners of the outer margins of said berths being notched to receive said arms when the berth is folded and the arms extended, substantially as described.

AUGUST RAPP.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK G. Goonwm, O. O. LINTHICUM.

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