US1102287A - Combination door and door-step for platforms of cars. - Google Patents

Description

E. M. MOLLER'. COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR STEP r03 PLATFORMS 0F CARS. APPLIO'ATION FILED FEB.26, 1914. 1 1 Q2 287 Patented July 7, 1914.

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WITNESSES: 1 INVENTOR M/w/W EflvarHM.Mn11ar,

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E. M. MULLER. v COMBINATION DOOR ANDDOOR STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0P CARS.

AYPLIdATION FILED I'EB.26, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

8 SHBETSSHEET 2.

2% llll g w WITNESSES: v WfiW My $060M INVENTOR. E Eiv arEl M. M01121, 1 BY ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS CO1, PHOTO-LIYNOH WASHIIG'I'DN. D C,

B. M. MULLER. COMBINATION DOOR AND DO0R.STEP FOR PLATFORMS or CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.-26, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB.26.1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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PETERS O-LITHO.,WASHINGTUN. D C

E. M. MULLER.

COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0F CARS. APPLICATION nun 1112691914.

1,102,287. Patented July 7, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WITNESSES: INVENTORZ v 36 Eflvarfl M.Mu11er,

, B. M. MULLER. COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0F CARS.

APPLICATION FILED FEILZB, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

8 SIIBETS-SHEET 6 I INVENTOR.

4 Eava a MMDnEr, 1265mm, WWW/ATTORNEYS WlTNESSES: wmfl dmf mJz i TNE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-THU; WASHINGTON, D C.

E. M. MULLER.

COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0F CARS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.26, 1914.

1,102,287. Patented July 7, 1914.

8 SEEETS-BHEET 7. i

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Eflva'ra M. Muller; fluff/mg ML /1 ofwwm ATTORNEYS INVENTOFF- BY Md, @fikmgk,

ATTORNEYS E. M. MOLLBR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.26. 1914.

Eflvara. M.Mu11er,

COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0P CARS.

EDVARD M. MULLER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINATION DOOR AND DOOR-STEP FOR PLATFORMS 0F CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Application filed February 26. 1914. Serial No. 821,244.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EovAnn M. iiflonnnn, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Doors and Door-Steps for Platforms of Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally to improvements in railway cars; and, the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel construction of railway car, and preferably to the street-railway car construction, combining with the platform of the car and its vestibule-door, means in a portion of thcplatform which can be raised in the manner of a trap-door, and at the same time, by means of an intervening mechanism automatically dropping a step as the trap-door is raised,

or raising the step as the trap-door brought into its closed relation with the opening in the platform of the car.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simple arrangement of trapdoor for the platform of a railway car and a means cooperating with the said trap-door for simultaneously with the respective opening or closing movements of the trap-door lowering or raising a car-step.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention. I

\Vith the various objects of the present invention in view, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel arrangements and combination of the various devices and parts, combined with the platform of a railway car, for operating a trap-door located in the floor of the platform and simultaneously with the operation of the trap-door, either lowering or raising a step located beneath the opening in the platform.

The invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the arious mechanism employed to accomplish the herein-before stated results, as well as inthe details of the construction of the parts of such mechanism, all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of this specitication.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicht Figurc 1. is a side elevation of the one vcstibnled end-portion of a railway car, the vestibuled platform of which is provided with a combined trapdoor and movable step made according to and embodying the principlcs of the present invention, thevestibuledoor being shown closed and the stop being represented in its folded or raised position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional represent tion of the various parts represented in said liig. 1, showing the platform and trap-door in plan, and the trap-dom' in its closed po sition in the opening of the platform. Fig. 3 is adctail vertical section taken on line i i-53 in said Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail transverse vertical section, taken on line t4 in said Fig. 2, said views being made on enlarged scales. l ig. 5 is a detail vertical section, similar to that represented in said Fig. 3, but showing the trap-door raised and the step lowered: and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional representation of the said parts, said section being taken on line 6(\ in said Fig. 5, lookin in the direction of the arrow ;1 Fig. 7 1s a detail plan view of a portion of the car-platform and the trap-door in its closed position, said view being also made on an enlarged scale, and showing in connection with saidparts, in horizontal sectional representation, portions of the vestibule-frame and of the vestibule door. tain parts of the frame-work and the trapdoor in vertical section, and in elevation, a l'iolt-operating mechanism for locking the trap-door in its closed position, the various parts being represented in their normal initial positions when the bolt is in its locking engagement with the trap-door; and Fig.

9 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 9-9 in said Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrow .2, with the bolt-operating mechanism represented in elevation. F ig. 10 is a detailed sectional representation of a portion of the platform of the car and a portion of the trap-door in its raised position, said view showing in connection therewith a portion of the pivot-mechanism con- Fig. 8 is a detail view, showing cernected with the trap-door and the movable step, and spring-controlled ivoted retaining lever in engagement with said pivotmecl'lanism for fixing the raised. trap-door immovably against accidental displacement when raised.

Similar characters of reference are em ployed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference-character l indicates a portion of the body of a street-rad Way car which is provided at one or both of its ends with the usual inclosed vestibuleplatform 2. The frame-work of the vestibule is provided upon its side between a pair of posts or standards, as 3 and 4:, with an opening, the opening between said posts or standards being adapted to be closed by a suitably constructed vestibulemloor, as 5, which is hinged to one of said posts or standards, as 3, by means of the usual hinges 6. Suit-ably mounted beneath the platform 2, and extending laterally across and directly beneath a trap-door receiving opening 7, located in said platform and adjacent to the opening between the said posts or standards 3 and i, is a shaft or spindle 8, said spindle being oscillatorily mounted in suitable bearings 9 which are suitably secured to a portion of the framework, as 10, substantially as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings. Suitably fitted within the said opening 7 is a trapdoor, as 11, preferably made of sheet steel, the said trapdoor having suitably secured upon its under surface, near one edge of the door, a set of bearings, as 12, by means of which the door is mounted upon said shaft or spindle 8, and suitably secured thereto so as to be swung upwardly from its closing position within the opening 7, or to be swung from its raised position into its closed position with the oscillations of the shaft or spindle 8 in the manner and for the purposes to be hereinafter more fully set forth. Suitably secured to the platform 2, at one of the marginal portions of the platform which bound the said opening 7 is a plate 13 having one of its marginal edges extending partway ver the opening 7, substantially as shown, so as to provide a stop for a suitable packing-strip 1a which is attached to the lower surface of the trap-door at the edge near the hinged portion of the door, so as to provide a dust and weather-- proof joint at this edge of the door, when closed, as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings. Suitably secured to the lower face of the trap-door, near the marginal edge-portions thereof, is a packing-retaining frame or means, as 15, and a suitable packingl'l, which, when the trapdoor is closed rests upon a bracket-like receiving member or element l8 suitably disposed within the trap-door receiving opening at the bounding portions of the platform,so as to provide dust and weather-proof joints, when the trapdoor is closed, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Fig. 4: of the drawings. The trap-door is also provided along its marginal edge, located adjacent to the opening formed between the standards or posts 3 and 4: with an upwardly projecting rib 19, or other suitably formed member, against which is secured, by means of a clamping or fastening bar 20, another packing strip, as 21, which tightly binds against the usual base-strip 22 of the vestibule-door, when the latter and the trapdoor are both closed, so as to also provide at this point a dust or weather-proof joint, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of said Fig. l: of the drawings.

Depending from the frame-work for the support of the platform, and extending across the trapdoor-receiving opening, (beneath the platfornn) are a pair of plates or other suitable supporting elements, as 23, formed with suitably disposed bearing-receiving openings 24, in which are oscillatorily arranged suitably constructed bear ing-sleeves as 25. Brackets 26 are also secured by means of rivets 27, or other fastening means, to said plates or supporting elements 23, said brackets being likewise provided with bearing-receiving openings 28 which are in registration with the said open ings 24:, and in which openings 28 portions of thesaid bearing-sleeves 25 are also oscillatorily arranged.

Suitably mounted and secured upon the portions 29 of said brackets, by means of bolts 30, or other suitable fastening devices, is a stationary or fixed step 16, all of which is clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings. Mounted in the said bearing sleeves 25, and suitably fixed. to said sleeves by means of pins 31, or in any other suitable manner, is another shaft or spindle 32. Suitably secured upon said shaft or spindle 32, by means of pins 33, or other suitable fastening means, are a pair of downwardly extending hangers 34: formed at their lower portions with the step-supporting members upon which is secured by means of screws or bolts 36, or other suitable fastening means, a step 37. Each hanger 34: is also provided with a rearwardly extending stoparm 38 adapted to engage with a suitable buffer 39, see Fig. 6 of the drawings, which acts as a stop to retain the step in its horizontally fixed relation for safely stepping thereon when in its lowered posit-ion. As shown. in said Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, one end-portion of the said shaft or spindle 32 extends for some distance beyond the supporting plate or element 23 located nearest the first-mentioned shaft or spindle 8. Securely fixed upon this projecting end portion of the shaft or spindle 32, by means of a nut 41 and nut-lock L2, or in any other suitable manner, is a crank-arm 40 formed with a pin receiving hub 42, in which is movably placed a pin. as 43. Likewise securely fixed upon the said shaft or spindle 8 is a link '14, formed with a pin-receiving hub 45, in which is movably placed a pin 46. Pivotally mounted upon said pin 46 is another link 44 formed with a hub to in which is niovably placed a pin 46, upon the projecting end-portions of which pin are the eyeportions -18 of a yoke 47, said yoke being provided with an internally screwthreaded tubular. member 49. Pivot-ally mounted upon the projecting end-portions of the pin 43 are the eye-portions 51 of a connecting yoke formed with a tubular hub 52 in which is a pin Pi'votally mounted upon the projecting end-portions of the pin 53 are the eye-portions 55 of another yoke 54, said yoke 54 being also provided with an internally screw-threaded member 56. Screwed into the said screw threaded members 49 and 56 of the respective yokes 47 and 50 are the respective screw-threaded end-portions of a short connecting rod 57, the construction of the rod 57 with relation to the respective knucklejoints thus provided, being such that the parts may be readily adjusted, as will be clearly evident. Thus it will be seen, that the two shafts or spindles 8 and 32 are operatively connected by this interconnecting mechanism, so that the oscillations of both shafts or spindles will take place simultaneously. Vith the arrangement and construction of the several devices and parts, in actual use, the weight of the movable step and the hanger for suspending said step from the shaft or spindle 32 is such that the normal tendency of the various devices and parts is such that the stepseeks toassume the lowered relation shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, with the trap-door correspondingly moved into its raised position out of the trap-door receiving opening 7 in the platform 2.

To retain the trap-door in its lowered and closed position within said opening 7. and the movable step in its raised position, a suitably constructed trap-door retaining mechanism of the character illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 may be employed. This mechanism consists, essentially, of a bolt 58 which is slidably disposed in a space 59 between the members 60 and 61 of the framework of the car-body, said bolt having a portion extending into and through an open ing 63 in the part 62 of the frame-work and having its free end portion or nosing 6i slidably in retaining engagement with an angularly formed lock-plate, as 65, which is suitably secured upon the under surface of the trap-door.

The said bolt 58 is pro vided with a downwardly extending hub- ]ike element 66, said element being movably disposed in a guide-slot or other suitably formed opening, as 67, in said member 61. The said hub-like member or element 66 is provided with a sutable slot or opening as ('38, which slot or opening extends also into the main body of the bolt Suitably mounted in a bearing is a rock-shaft 70 having suitably secured thereto a crankarm 71. the upper portion 72 of which extends into the said previously-mentioned slot or opening (.38. Suitably mounted upon another portion of said rock-shaft T1 is another cranlcarm 73, said crank-arm 73 being pivotally connected, as at 7-1, with a lever 75 which is pivoted at its one end, as at 76, to a portion 77 ot' the lower structure or lrameuvork of the car-body. Extending laterally from the other end-pm'tion of said lever T5 is a pivot-stud, as 78, with which is pirolally connected the lower cnd-portio1r of a link. This link consists, preferably, of two link-members 7'.) and 80, which are adjustably connected by means of an adjusting nut, as 81, or other suitable adjusting connectingmember. The upper portion of the link-member S0 is provided with a laterally extending member 82, formed with an elongated opening or slot 83, into which extends a stud or projectimi of a crank-arm 84, said arm being operatively connected with the spindle S6 of an operating, lever or handle S7. The said member 82 is slidably disposed in a suitably-constructed guidingelcmcnt 88. \Vhen the several parts of the lmlt-operating mechanism are in their relati ve posit-ions indicated in said Figs. 8 and S) of the drawings, the bolt securely locks the trap-door in its closed position in the platform of the car, the movable step being also retained in its raised position. \Vhen, however, the lever or handle 87 is turned into a position at right angles to that shown insaid Fig. 8, it will be clearly seen that the mechanism just described operates to withdraw the bolt from its retaining or locking engagement with the trap-door, whereupon the trap-door rises automati ally, and also the automatic lowering of the suspended step takes place. As soon as the trap-door is raised, and the step lowered, the vestibule door is opened, and the passenger may alight from the car. or may enter the car. That the trap-door may be positively held in its raised position; but may be easily closed by the operator a fixture or bracket 88 may be provided. see Fig. 10 ofthe drawings, which carries an extension 89. Pivotally connected with said fixture or bracket 88', by means of a pin or bolt 90 is a rock-arm 91 formed in its upper marginal edge, at the one end of the said rock-arm, with a suitable depression or recess, as 92. into which a roller 93, mounted upon tli previously-mentioned pin 46, rides when the trap-door is raised, as will be clearly understood from an inspection of said Fig. 10 of the drawings. Springs, as 94: are arranged between the end-portion 95 of said rock arm 91 and the extension 89 of the fixture or bracket 88, the purposes of said springs bein self-evident.

The purposes and operations of the various devices and parts described in the foregoing specification will be clearly understood from an inspection of the several figures of the drawings, and, therefore, it is deemed un necessary to further describe the manipulation and operations of the said devices and parts.

I am aware, that changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the said specification, and as defined in the clauses of the claims which are appended thereto. Hence, I do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said devices and parts as described in the said. specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustrated in the accompa nying drawings.

I claim:

1. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a trap-door pivotally mounted in said opening, a bolt slidably mounted in the frame-work of the car for normally retaining the trap-door in its closed position, means for releasing said bolt from its locked engagement with the trap-door, and a counterbalancing step cooperating with the trapdoor for automatically raising the same as the step is lowered when the trap-door is released from its engagement with said bolt.

2. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a trap-door pivotally mounted in said opening, a bolt slidably mounted in the frame-work of the car for normally retainingthe trap-door in its closed position, said bolt being provided with an elongated opening, and means for releasing said. bolt from its locked engagement with the trap-door, consisting of a rock-shaft, a crank mounted upon said shaft, said crank having its free end-portion extending into the opening of said bolt, a second crank also mounted upon said shaft, a lever pivotally connected with said last-mentioned crank, a link pivotally connected with said lever, said link being provided with a laterally extending member formed with an elongated opening, a spin dle, a handle and a crank-arm mounted upon said spindle, and a stud on said crankarm, said stud extending into the opening of the laterally extending member of said link, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a second rock-shaft also mounted beneath said opening, a step carried by said second rock-shaft, and mechanism between said two rock-shafts cooperating with said shafts that when the step is lowered the trapdoor is raised, and vice versa.

4. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a second rock-shaft also mounted beneath said opening, a step carried by said second rock-shaft, and mechanism between said two rockshafts, cooperating with said shafts that when the step is lowered the trap-door is raised, and vice versa, said mechanism consisting of a crank-arm secured upon one of said rock-shafts, a link secured upon the other rock-shaft, a yoke pivotally connected with said link, a second yoke pivotally connected with said crankarm, a third yoke pivotally connected with said firstmentioned yoke, and a connecting rod between said second and third-mentioned yokes.

5. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a trapdoor pivotally mounted in said opening, a fixed step beneath said opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said fixed step, hangers suspended from said rock-shaft, a step carried by said hangers, means for rocking said shaft, and a stoparm extending from said shaft.

6. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a fixed step beneathsaid opening, a second rock-shaft mounted beneath said fixed step, hangers suspended from said second-mentioned roclcshaft, a step carried by said hangers, and mechanism between said two rock-shafts, cooperating with said shafts, that when the step is lowered the trap-door is raised, and vice versa.

7. In combination with the platform of a car, said platfom being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a fixed step beneath said opening, a second rock-shaft mounted beneath said fixed step, hangers suspended from said second-mentioned rock-shaft, a step carried by said hangers, mechanism between said two rock-shafts, cooperating with said shafts, that when the step is lowered the trapdoor is raised, and vice versa, and a stop-arm extending from said second-mentioned rock-shaft.

8. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a fixed step beneath said opening, a second rock-shaft mounted beneath said fixed step, hangers suspended from said second-mentioned rock-shaft, a step carried by said hangers, mechanism between said two rock-shafts, cooperating with said shafts, that when the step is lowered the trap-door is raised, and vice versa, said mechanism consisting of a crank-arm secured upon said second-mentioned rockshaft, a link secured upon the first-n1entioned rock-shaft, a yoke pivotally connected with said link, a second yoke pivotally connected with said crank-arm, a third yoke pivotall connected with said firstmentioned yo (e, and a connecting rod between said second and third-mentioned yokes.

9. In combination with the platform of a car, said platform being provided with an opening, a rock-shaft mounted beneath said opening, a trap-door mounted upon said rock-shaft, a fixed step beneath said opening, a second rock-shaft mounted beneath said fixed step, hangers suspended from said secend-mentioned rock-shaft, a step carried by said hangers, mechanism between said two rock-shafts, cooperating with said shafts, that when the step is lowered the trap-door is raised, and vice versa, said mechanism consisting of a crank-arm secured upon said second-mentioned rock-shaft, a link secured upon the first-mentioned rock-shaft, a yoke pivotally connected with said link, a second yoke pivotally connected with said crankarm, a third yoke pivotally connected with said first-mentioned yoke, a connectin rod between said second and third-mentioned yokes, and a stop-arm extending from said secondmentioned rock-shaft.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of February, 1914.

EDVARD M. MOLLER.

Witnesses FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. WV. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of thin patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent;

Washington, D. G.

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