Sprung wagon door dampers - GER Monarch Patent Damper

[EHertsGER]

All

 

I know this is going to sound obscure, but I have noted that the GER - and MR/LMS and BR - used a device known, on occasions, as the Monarch Patent Door Damper (or something like that). I have plenty of photos, such as the one attached (the device in question is that lever above the V hanger that is hinged to the door and drops down to the solebar, meeting another hinged assembly and seemingly disappearing into the solebar - but I may be wrong!), to give me an idea of what it looked like. The question is, how did the thing work? My geometry and mechanics is a bit rusty - I think I know, but a more informed viewpoint would be most welcome.

 

 

 

So why ask such a daft question? As a GER modeller, I have found these things all over a number of wagon diagrams, all of which are plentiful in my plans to populate my model. In addition, some MR/LMS and even BR wagon kits (see the 13ton goods wagon image attached) I have on my bench also used this, or a similar, device to dampen the descent of the wagon door(s). I therefore need to represent this device. I have looked at creating one, and decided that 3D printing is the best way to produce such a tiny thing in 4mm scale. Nevertheless, I am one who insists it must be 'right', so hence the need to know what goes on when this thing starts moving about (up and down?) and performing its function - or in other words...

 

....the 'door sprung technique' I suppose.

 

Best,

Marcus

[edubs]

This GER 5 plank (Diag 17?) at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre looks like it still has the door balancers intact.

 

http://www.brc-stockbook.co.uk/GE_Open_1.htm

[EHertsGER]

This GER 5 plank (Diag 17?) at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre looks like it still has the door balancers intact.http://www.brc-stockbook.co.uk/GE_Open_1.htm

Indeed there is - but for a problem or two. One I am in the USA, so don't get over very often. Two, despite its presence at the centre, it is actually buried deep in a shed and not readily accessible to anyone but the determinedly foolhardy - or at least that is what I was told when I asked if I could come and climb all over it (as last year's Scalefour was around the corner, it seemed a logical opportunity to seize.) I will probably have better luck pestering the Bluebell wagon custodians over their similarly equipped MR wagon...

 

But I am grateful for your kind attention and reply.

 

Best,

Marcus

[edubs]

Ah. Ok then.

 

There is a pretty good cut away drawing in R J Essery's "Official drawings of LMS wagons No.1"  at something like 1/12 scale,

 

ISBN 1-874103-30-5.

 

Looks like a slightly heavier duty type than on the medfit shown above, or on GER wagons. The cylinder is bracketed below the solebar rather than behind it. as the door is lowered, the triangular shaped horizontal link pulls a rod out of this cylinder, I'm guessing that air compression / vacuum is what actually retards the door, as no mechanical spring or oil reservoir is shown on the drawing. 

 

Cheers,

 

Eddie.

[EHertsGER]

Ah. Ok then.

 

There is a pretty good cut away drawing in R J Essery's "Official drawings of LMS wagons No.1"  at something like 1/12 scale,

 

ISBN 1-874103-30-5.

 

Looks like a slightly heavier duty type than on the medfit shown above, or on GER wagons. The cylinder is bracketed below the solebar rather than behind it. as the door is lowered, the triangular shaped horizontal link pulls a rod out of this cylinder, I'm guessing that air compression / vacuum is what actually retards the door, as no mechanical spring or oil reservoir is shown on the drawing. 

 

Cheers,

 

Eddie.

Eddie

 

Many thanks - any excuse to add another 'interesting' book to the shelf! Off to Amazon (Barnes & Noble not much good for that sort of thing!)...

 

Best,

Marcus