US1102006A - Adjustable car-steps. - Google Patents

Description

S. COTHRON.

ADJUSTABLE CAR STEPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1912.

Patented June 30, 1914.

3 SHBETSSHEET 1.

Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CD-IWASHINQTON, 5.1:.

S. COTHRDN.

ADJUSTABLE GAR STEPS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2. 1912.

Patented June 30, 1914.

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S. OOTHRON.

ADJUSTABLE GAR STEPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1912.

Patented June 30,1914.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

Inventor {M @W%m- Ti l I I l I v @t'ty.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,. WASHINGTON, n. c.

nnrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL COTI-IRON, O SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA.

ADJUSTABLE GAR-STEPS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL CoTHRoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shawnee, in the county of Pottawatomie and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Car-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in adjustable steps for passenger coaches; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustratingwhat I now consider to be my preferred embodiment from among other formations and arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and par ticularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1, is an elevation showing the steps in lowered or operative position. Fig. 2, is a vertical section taken in the plane of the line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a plan view showing the steps elevated to form a platform, parts .of the coach being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 4, is an elevation showing the steps elevated to form a platform, and the side wings swung in out of the way and under the steps. Fig. 5, is a vertical section taken in the plane of the line 55, Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a vertical section on an elarged scale taken in the plane of the line 6-6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical sec tion, on an enlarged scale, taken in the plane of the line 7-7, Fig. 5. Fig. 8, is a vertical section, enlarged, in the plane of the line 8S, Fig. 2. Figs. 9 and 10, are detail views of parts on an enlarged scale.

This invention contemplates the provision of a series of steps capable of elevation from their normal operative position for the ingress and egress of passengers to and from the coach, to a position wherein the treads of all the steps will rest in one horizontal plane to form a lateral extension in the plane of the coach platform, whereby passengers and others will be prevented from riding the steps, and from-boarding or descending from a coach while in motion, and also the steps are elevated to a position wherein they are not liable to strike obstructions on or along the road bed, and

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted June 30, 1914,

Application filed January 2, 1912.

Serial No. 669,132.

liability of damage to the steps in case of accident is reduced to the minimum.

In the drawings, I somewhat diagrammatically indicate the end 1, of-a passenger coach equipped with my invention, and having platform 10, and dash or vestibule end wall 11.

Opposite vertical side walls are provided to form a housing for the steps or to form the vertical side walls of the stairway when the steps are in lowered or operative position. These side walls are formed by fixed vertical portions 12, and hinged sections or wings 13, constituting the lower outer portions of said vertical walls. The wings are hinged at 1 1, at their inner vertical edges to the fixed walls 12, to swing on vertical axes. The arrangement is such that the wings are located in the planes of their respective side walls 12 when the steps are lowered or in operative position, as shown by Figs. land 2, and so that they can be swung or folded inwardly together or one behind the other under the steps when the steps are elevated to form the platform extension, as shown by Figs. 4 and 5. When the steps are elevated to form the platform extension the wings are folded inwardly one behind the other so as to extend transversely of the space between the fixed walls 12, and so as to be out of the way of obstructions along the road bed or right of way and thereby avoid danger of damage and reduce to the minimum projections below the coach platform when the coach is in motion.

lVhen it becomes necessary to lower the steps to form the stairway, the wings are first swung outwardly to their operative positions, in the planes, and forming portions of the housing walls. The steps are then allowed to drop to operative positions with one or more of the lower steps extending between the wings and maintaining the same in opened or operative position.

Various means can be provided for swinging the wings to and from withdrawn and operative positions. For instance, I show a horizontal rock shaft 2, suitably mounted longitudinally of the coach and below the platform thereof and provided with a normally horizontally disposed crank arm 20, pivotally joined by elongated pitman 21, to links 22, pivoted at 23, to the lower ends of the wings, respectively. The crank is provided with an operating pull link 24:, at its lower end pivotally coupled thereto and those skilled in the art.

extending upwardly therefrom through an opening 25, in the coach platform and at its upper end having a handle 26, accessible above said platform. The pull link is freely movable longitudinally through the opening 25 to pull the crank 20, upwardly and rearwardly to swing the wings inwardly to folded or inoperative position, or to pull the crank upwardly and forwardly in swinging the wings outwardly in opposite directions from folded to operative po sition, as will be readily understood by The crank has a path of nuwement of approximately 180 degrees, and it is in the two extreme positions that the hinged sections are in the proper positions. The crank and its parts acquire sufficient momentum from the pull to be moved to the extreme positions.

Several vertically movable steps are shown having paths of movement of difierent lengths, said paths all terminating at their upper ends in the same horizontal plane. The steps are approximately similar in construction and each consists of a horizontal tread 3, and a vertical riser 30, rigid with the tread. The risers preferably project slightly at their ends to fit and slide vertically in suitable parallel vertical guideways 31, in the vertical side walls of the stairway housing and having closed lower ends forming stops or shoulders limiting the downward movement of the steps and supporting the same in operative position.

Horizontal rigid cleats 32, limit the up ward movement of the steps while the guideways terminate at their lower ends at different elevations to hold the steps when lowered at the proper elevations to form a stairway. The guideways for at least the outermost (or lowest) step and if so desired, for the next step, extend across the front portions of the fixed side walls, and are continued along the inner faces of the wings, but the vertical length of the wings is such that the steps when in elevated position will be entirely above and clear of said wings. The steps are connected together and the innermost or top step is connected to the rigid riser 30 by vertical channel irons fixed and countersunk in the risers and at their upper ends closed by the projecting front edges of the treads, and horizontal metal plates or bars 34, fixed to the under faces of the treads and projecting rearwardly therefrom with rear T heads 35, confined and slidable vertically in said channel irons. i-i. vertically swingable bridge tree 86, can also be provided at its upper or inner end pivotally ]O1116(l to the lower end of a depending link 37, at its upper'end pivotallv Joined to the platform by m a suitable bracket or hanger 38. ih1s bridge tree extends transversely of the steps beneath the r1sers thereof and atits outer end is pivotally joined to the riser of the outermost or lower step. This bridge tree swings ver tically with the lower step, and when the steps are in upper or platform-extensionforming position, the risers of the steps between the platform and the outermost step, rest on said bridge tree and the steps are up held, braced and steadied thereby and in fact are forced up to position against the cleats or steps 32, thereby. It to be noted however, that when the lowermost step is first elevated, it will be moved up alone until its bar 3st strikes the tread of the next step whereupon said two steps will move up together with their treads flush, then the bar 3% of the second step strilres the tread of the third step when all three steps will. move up together with their treads level and practically abutting to form the closed platform extension.

Various means can be provided for raising' the steps from operative position, although I preferably employ power actuated mechanism for this purpose. .iior instance, in the example illustrated, I utilize the power ofeompressed air taken from the air brake system with which passenger coaches are equipped. ln utilizing this power, the vertical grab irons l, are formed by vertically elongated rigidly-secured cylinders contain ing pistons d0, having depending vertical piston rods 41, at their lower cnl to the upper portions of the ends of the tread of the lower step. Compressed air supply pipes 13, open into the lower ends of the cylinders over the closed lower ends thereof and below the limits of downward movement of the pistons, see Fig. The pipes l3, extend from any suitable source of compressed. air or other actuating fluid and are provided with a suitable valve or valves having proper operating means, not shown herein, for controlling the passe of actuat ing fluid to said cylinders.

At their upper portions, preferably just below the limits of upward lllQVPl'llOlll of the pistons, I provide the cylinders with exhaust outlets ii, for escape of compressed air from the cylinders when the pistons are raised the steps to their platform-extension orniing' position, inasmuch as in the example illustrated, the pressure in the cylinders is not depended on to hold the steps in elevated position.

Those skilled in the art will readily understand that when the parts are in the po tions shown by Figs. 2 and S, if fluid u: Jl the necessary pressure is introduced into the cylinders below the pistons, said pistons will thereupon move to the upper ends of the cylinders lifting the lower step and consequently the remaining s cps in the manner hereinbefore recited. When the steps have been thus elevated to platformextension forming position the handle 26, is pulled up to its limit of upward movement to pull the crank 20, upwardly and rearwardly beyond the dead center and then allowed to drop, to operate the pitman and toggle links 22, to swing the wings rearwardly and inwardly below the steps and out of the way.

I preferably provide suitable spring 'or other catches or look mechanism to hold the steps in elevated platform-extension forming position. These catches are preferably vertically arranged in the fixed portions of the vertical housing walls just above the hinged wings to spring under the opposite ends of the riser of the lowermost step and uphold the same, when said riser has passed upwardly above and clear of the wings.

The guideways 31, are preferably formed by grooved metal plates or channel irons secured and countersunk in the fixed and hinged (wing) portions of the vertical walls of the stairway housing.

The channel bars secured in the fixed portions of the side walls immediately above the wings and that form the upper portions of the guideways 31, for the lowermost step (in the specific example illustrated) carry vertically disposed levers 5 arranged in rear of said bars and fulcrumed between their ends on transverse pivots 50, carried by rearwardly projecting ears 51, rigid with said bars. The upper ends of the levers are notched or otherwise formed to provide riser-engaging and step upholding shoulders or seats 52, and the bars are longitudinally and centrally slotted to permit said shoulder ends 52, to projeetforwardly or outwardly into the channels of the bars for the purpose of projecting under said risers to uphold the step. Coiled springs 53, act on said levers to yieldingly hold their upper ends projecting forwardly into riser supporting position.

I preferably provide means for operating said catches or step upholding levers, to cause withdrawal thereof from step upholding position, so that the bottom step can move past the same to its elevated position, and also to swing said levers from step upholding positions to permit the step upheld thereby to drop to lowered or operative position. For instance, I can employ for this purpose, vertically-disposed depending levers 54, carried by said bars and mounted to rock on intermediate transverse fulcrum 55, and attheir upper ends pivotally coupled to the lower ends of the catches or step supporting levers 5, to rock therewith. The free ends of said catch controlling levers depend from said bars into the path of movement of the wings so as to engage and bear against the rear or outer faces of said wings when in opened or operative positions. The springs 53, not only tend to normally hold the upper ends of the catches in operative position in the path of movement of the step but also tend to hold the lower free ends of the operating or controlling levers 54, projected inwardly beyond the lower ends of said bars forming the guide ways and into the paths of the wings, when said wings are in folded or inoperative position, so that when said wings are swung outwardly to normal or operative positions in the side walls said depending ends of levers 54c, will be engaged by said wings and pressed back thereby against the tension of springs 53, to swing the catch levers 5, in a direction to move their upper ends back from the guideways 31, and thereby release the steps upheld by said levers 5, permitting the same to drop to lowered position.

When the steps are in operative lowered positions, the wings are in their normal operative positions forming parts of the housing walls, and holding the levers 54: and 5, swung to positions against the tension of said springs in which the shouldered stepsupporting upper ends of levers 5, are removed from guideways 31. The steps can then be freely elevated to platform-extension forming position. As soon as the steps have thus been raised above the wings, said wings are swung inwardly to folded inoperative position, and the springs acting on the levers 5, 54, immediately swing said levers to throw the shouldered upper ends of levers 5, into the guideways 31, below the riser of the bottom step to thereby uphold said step and consequently the remaining steps. -When the steps are to be lowered, the wings are first swung outwardly to operative position. The wings in closing into place in the housing walls, engage and swing the levers 54, to move the levers 5, fro-m guideways 31, thereby releasing the steps and permitting them to drop by gravity to their lowered positions.

It is evident that various changes, modifications, and variations might be resorted to in the forms, construction, arrangements and combinations disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

That I claim is 1. In combination with a passenger-coach having a platform, a series of movable steps, means to mount said steps in a normal stairway position, hand-holds for said platform, said hand-holds extending vertically and being hollow, pistons and piston rods mounted in said hand-holds and connected with said steps, said hand-holds adapted to have a connection with a. fluid pressure system whereby the steps may be elevated to a platform forming position.

2. In combination with a passengercoaeh having a platform, a series of movable steps, means to mount said steps in anormal stairway position, hand-holds for said platform, said hand-l1olds extending vertically and being hollow, pistons and piston rods mounted in said hand-holds, said rods being connected to the lowermost of said steps, thelovermost of said steps having a slid able connection with the remaining steps, said hand-holds adapted to have a connection with a fluid pressure system whereby said steps may be elevated to a platform forming position.

8. r'in apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of individual steps each being vertically movable and consisting of a riser and a tread, each riser being provided with a socket-ed guideway and each tread being provided with a headed member to fit in said soclreted guideway, the headed members on each tread fitting in the soclreted guideway of the step immediately above, and means for moving the lowermost step upwardly, said headed members being adapted to move in said socketed guideways until they engage the treads of the steps next above, when the engagement will cause the steps to move upwardly, and so on until the steps are elevated to a platform forming position.

In a apparatus of the character described, a plurality of steps, each being vertically movable and including a riser and a tread portion, a stationary riser adjacent the uppermost of said steps, certain of the risers each being provided with a socketed guideway, certain of the treads each being provided on their under surfaces with a headed member engaging in one of said soclceted o'uidcways, means for lifting the lowermost step, each headed member being adapted to move in its socketed guideway until said headed member contacts with the under side of the next adjacent tread, thereby alining the adjacent t eads in the same horizontal plane and lifting the step next above, and so on until the steps are in a platform forming position.

5. in an apparatus of the character described, plurality of vertically movable steps having p of movement of different lengths be t terminating; their upper ends in the same horizontal plane, said steps including risers and treads, the treads being adapted to be positioned in alinement when the steps reach their upper limit of move ment, a supporting member arranged under and transversely of the steps swingably mounted at end and having its other end pivotally connected to the bottom step said supporting: mei'nber having iorizontal port' an which is adapted to support the intermediate steps, and means for raising said steps.

6. In combination with a passenger-coach, a stairway housii'ig having side members, the side members being provided with vertical guideways of different lengths, a plurality of steps each having riser and a tread portion, said riser portions being extended beyond said tread portions to lit in said guideways, each riser being provided with a soclreted guideway and each tread projecting ever the edge of the riser in front and having a headed member projecting from its rear portion, said headed members adapted to engage in said socketed guide ways, means for raisinp' said steps to a platform forming position.

7. In combination with a passenger-coach, a stairway housing having side members, the side members being provided with vertical guideways of diherent lengths, a plurality of steps each having a riser and a tread portion, said riser portions being extended beyond said tread portions to fit in said guideways, each riser being provided with a socketed guideway and each tread projecting over the edge of the riser in front and having a headed member projecting; from its rear portion, said headed members adapted to engage in said socketed guideways, means for raising said steps to a platform forming position, said means be ing connected to the lowermost step and adapted to elevate said lowermost step, the headed guiding member of said lowermost step being adapted to move in said socketed guideway on the riser of the next adjacent step until the tread portions of the two steps are in the same horizontal plane, when the headed member engages the under face of the front portion of the next adjacent step and lifts said step, the headed member on the tread of said step acting as described to raise the next adjacent step, and so on until the treads of the steps are in the same horizontal plane, forming a platform- 8. In combination with a passenger-coach, a stairway housing having;- side members, the side members being provided with vertical guidcways of different lengths, a plurality of steps each having a. riser and a tread portion, said riser portions beingextended beyond tread portions to fit in said guideways, each riser being provided with a socketed guideway and each tread projecting over the edge of the riser in front and having a headed member projecting from its rear portion, said headed members adapted to engage in said socketed guideways, means for raising said steps to a platform forming position, and means for looking said steps in their platform forming position.

' 9. In combination with a passenger-coach, a stairway housing having side members, the side members being provided with vertical guideways of different lengths, a plurality of steps each having a riser and a tread portion, said riser portions beingextended beyond said tread portions to fit in said guideways, each riser being provided with a socketed guideway and each tread projecting over the edge of the riser in front and having a headed member projecting from its rear portion, said headed members adapted to engage in said socketed guideways, means for raising said steps to a platform forming position, and means for looking: said steps in their platform forming position, said means including spring controlled catches being adapted to have their engaging portions projected into the longest of said guideways to engage the lowermost Step when it is in its raised position.

10. In combination with a car having a platform, folding steps comprising several vertically movable steps, each step consisting of a tread and a riser, means limiting the upward movement of the steps so that their treads lie in a common horizontal plane, means limiting the downward movement of the steps so their treads will lie in different horizontal lanes, means where by each ste has a limited vertical movement independent of the step next above, cooperating, engaging means on each step whereby the vertical movement of the bottom step will carry the remaining steps to an elevated position, and step lifting means pplied to the bottom step.

11. In combination with a car having a platform, adjustable steps comprising vertical walls, each wall composed of a fixed portion and a hinged portion, manually controlled means for swinging the hinged portions to and from operative and inoperative or folded positions, and vertically movable steps arranged between said walls and provided with operating means, said steps when in elevated position being arranged above and clear of said hinged portions.

12. In combination with a car having a platform, vertical walls forming a stairway housing and having vertical guideways, each wall comprising hinged wings traversed. by one or more guideways, manually controlled means for swinging said wings inwardly out of the way and outwardly into operative positions in said walls, several individually complete steps arranged between said walls and vertically movable in said guideways, and provided with operating means.

13. In combination with a passengercoach having a stairway housing, said housing including side members, said side mem bers having guideways of different lengths, portions of said side members being hinged so as to swing to a position transverse of said housing, a plurality of steps each having means engaging in certain of said guideways, said steps being vertically movable, means for elevating said steps into a platform forming position, means for holding said steps in an elevated position, said holding means being adapted to be released by the movement of the hinged portions of th side members of the housing.

14. In combination with a passengercoach having a stairway housing, said housing including side members, said side members having guideways of different lengths, portions of said side members being hinged so as to swing to a position transverse of said housing, a plurality of steps each having means engaging in certain of said guideways, said steps being vertically movable, means for elevating said steps into a platform forming position, means for holding said steps in an elevated position, said 'means including spring controlled levers which are adapted to engage the lowermost of said steps, and having connections which are adapted to be actuated to release said levers by the movement of said hinged sections of the side members of said housing.

15. In combination wit-h a passengercoach having a stairway housing, said housing including side members, said side members having guideways of difierentlengths, portions of said side members being hinged so as to swing to a position transverse of said housing, a plurality of steps each having means engaging in certain of said guideways, said steps being vertically movable, means for elevating said steps into a platform forming position, means for holding said steps in an elevated position, said means including a plurality of spring controlled levers each pivotally mounted so that one end projects into the longest of said guideways to form a support for the lowermost of said steps, a second lever connected to each first mentioned lever and having an operative end projecting into the path of one movement of one of said hinged sections of the side members of the housing, whereby when the hinged sections of the side members of the housing are moved into their normal position they will engage the operating ends of said second mentioned levers and release the lowermost step so that it may drop into normal position by gravity.

'16. In combination with a car having a platform, adjustble steps comprising vertical walls having vertical guideways, hinged inwardly foldable wings forming portions of said walls traversed by guideways, means for swinging said wings to and from operative and folded positions, several vertically movable loosely connected steps movable vertically in said guideways and arranged between said walls, spring catches arranged above said wings to hold said steps in elevated position, catch releasing levers arranged in the paths of and adapted to be actuated by said wings to operate said catches to release said steps, and step operating mechanism.

17 In combination with a passengercoach, a housing having side members prolocking said steps in their elevated position, said locking means being adapted to he released by the movement of said hinged sections into their normal position.

In testimony whereof I a'liiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL ooTi-rno Witnesses:

W. J. BARNETT, W. BARNETT, JR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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