EMERGENCY DOORS FOR SALOON BUSES.
Page 23
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A New Design in which the Operating Mechanism is controlled by the Movement of the Rear Seat.
THE regulation in force in certain localities which snakes it conipulsory foe an enclosed bus, of the pay-as-youenter type, or that with means for entrance and exit at the front, to have a door at the rear for emergency purposes, may be a reasonable one indeed, it is probably a necessary one, but it, nevertheless, provides a bit of a problem for the designer of bus bodies. • The door, if it would serve its specific purpose; must be easily opened by the least observant passenger. On the other hand, its unauthorized use, for any purpose whatever, must be made difficult; in addition, the fastening must be a secure one, in order to avoid an untoward accident
of any kind. These requirements are conflicting, and somewhat difficult to meet collectively. One solution of this problem, as presented by Mr. J. W. Brown, who is the managing director of John fiuckingliam, .Ltd., of Bradford Street, Birmingham, appears to embody all these elements needed for success. The door, which, of course, opens outwards, has two fastenings. One of them is obvious, blatantly obvious,it might almost be said; the other is concealed, but is operated automatically by up-tipping the rear seat of the bus, the said seat being just in front of the door, and having to be tipped out of the way in order to afford • access to the, door.
The accompanying illustrations show, in one view, a longitudinal section along the centre line of the bus, displaying this rear seat in section, and the operating mechanism of the door fastening which is controlled by the nriovement of the seat. In the other view, the inside of the door is displayed, the seat being -removed entirely, in order to show the arrangements of the fastenings. Of these, the upper fastening is, of course, the one which is at all times visible; it is a plain hitch, released by a sideways movement of the vertical handle. The other is a bolt which is withdrawn, by means of the mechanism shown, when the seat is lifted.
The seat is, of course, hineed to the door, and swings with it. When down, it rests upon the projecting supports of the two seats in line with it, and the . one on each side of it.
Receipts on Buses Failing.
The Bedwas and 11-Iachen Urban District Council has been advised that the receipts on its bus services are decreasing, and that the falling off in receipts in respect of workmen's fares is particularly noticeable. It is thought that this is due* to the recent rearrangement of services, and a committee has been asked to report on the matter.