US1165761A - Extension-step for cars. - Google Patents

Description

F; W. CRAM. EXTENSION STEP- FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED APR-1.1915.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH cmnmsnmu'rorlv D. c.

pniTiin dTATlEd raTianT FREDERICK WERT ORAM, OF MOUNT VERNON, W'ASI-IINGTON.

EXTENSIGIWSTEP F933, CARS.

Application filed April 1, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK Wear CRAItI, a citizen of. the United States of America, and a resident of the town of ilount i ernon, in the county of Skagit and State of il 'ashington, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Extension- Steps for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists .of an attachment for car steps which provides an additional step which may be extended or withdrawn as desired.

Tihe object of my invention is to provide an additional step which may be used in lieu of the stool which is commonly employed when a car is standing upon a track of the same level as the outside platform.

The scope of my invention may be deter-- mined bv an inspection of the claim. terminating this specification.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown the form of construction which is now preferred by me.

Figure l is an end view of a car platform with parts broken away to better show the mechanism of my attachment. E2 is a plan view of one flight of steps with an adjacent portion of the platform, parts being broken away to show the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is anelevation of a flight of steps taken from the side of the car with a portion thereof broken away to show the operating mechanism. F ig. 4- is a sectional elevation showing in detail the catches by which the operating mechanism may be held in either of its limiting positions. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same mechanism. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same mechanism showing the parts in different position from that shown in Fig. i.

if have herein illustrated my invention as applied to the steps of an ordinary railroad car. It is evident that the same type of construction and principles may be applied to other cars, as for instance, electric, street and interurban cars.

1 represents a flight of steps which is of the character of construction usually found on railroad cars. This has side boards 10 which support the flights 11. On the flights, preferably on their outer sides, are placed a series of guides 3. These receiving bars 2 which extend in the general direction of the flights, that is, upwardly at the angle assumed by the steps in the flight.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 238, 1915. Serial No. 18,499.

To the lower ends of bars 52, which bars are placed at each side of the iiight, is con nected a supplemental tread 80, this normally lying close against the under surface of the lowermost of the fixed treads 11. The length of the bars 2 is such that they iay l e reciprocated in the direction of the flight of steps, so as to project or extend the tread 30, downwardly or into the position shown at the right hand side of Fig. l.

A rock shaft 4 is mounted in. suitable supports beneath the upper part of the flight of steps, this shaft extending transversely of the steps. Upon this shaft is secured an arm it) which is connected with the upper end of one of the bars 2 byalink ii. A similar arm 40 is provided at the other end of the shaft i which is similarly connected to the companion bar 2. Booking the shaft 4 will reciprocate the bars 2 and either project or withdraw the extension step 30.

The shaft 4 has secured thereto an arm 5 and this is connected with means which normally act to turn the shaft in such direction as will draw toe extension step S0 upwardly into its inoperative position, or the position shown at the left hand side in Fig. 1. Such means as herein shown employs a spring as the moving force, although it is evident that a weight suitably connected thereto, would be an equivalent means.

in theform of construction illustrated the spring is a helically coiled spring contained within a case 51 and acts upon a reciprocating rod which is connected with the arm 5. A single spring connection is sullicient for each extension step and such has been herein shown, the connection being with the central portion of the rock shaft 4.

In order to overcome the action of the spring and to project the extension step, I provide mechanism which is engageable at will. This mechanism should have a men1- her which projects above the platform adjacent the upper end of the flight of steps. The mechanism illustrated for this purpose is as follows. To one end of the rock shaft is secured the cranlt arm 6, to which is connected a bar which projects upwardly through the platform floor 9. The force of the springor whatever equivalent means is employed, is such as to withdraw the ex tension step and to raise the bar 60 to its uppermost position. This bar 60 is provided with a notch 61 located so as to be engaged by a catch 64 which catch should be provided with means for withdrawing it when desired. Such means are shown in Fig. -.t-. and consist of a bell crank lever 66 which is connected with the plunger 65. A. spring 67 surrounding the catch bolt 6 L holds the same projected so that it will automatically engage the notch 61 when the bar (S is depressed. Should it happen that the spring be broken or incapable of satisfactorily withdrawing or holding the extension step in inoperative position, the withdrawal may be done by engaging the bar and the parts may be held in this position by shifting; a supplemental catch 7 into position to engage the notch 62 in this bar.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. In an extension step for cars, in combination withthe fixed flight of steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof, said bars being adapted to extend upward along each side of the flight and the tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread of the fixed flight, guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight and permitting lengthwise reciprocation of the bars, means for automatically returning said extension tread to position beneath the lowermost of the fixed treads, means for optionally holding said extension tread in extended posi tion and auxiliary means for holding said tread in inoperative position.

2. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flight of steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof, said bars being adapted to extend upward along each side 01 the flight and the tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread of the fixed flight, guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight and permitting lengthwise reciprocation of the bars, levers connected with said tread supporting bars to reciprocate them, a spring acting to normally return said bars to their withdrawn position, means optionally engageable to throw the extension step into its extended position, a catch engageable to hold the step in said extended position and separate auxiliary means for holding said tread in inoperative position.

3. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flight of steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof, said bars being adapted to extend upward along each side the flight and the tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread or" the fixed flight, guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight and permitting lengthwise reciprocation of the bars, a shaft extending transversely of and beneath the flight, levers secured to said shaft and connected with the tread supporting bars to reciprocate them, a reciprccable member operatively connected with said shaft and engageable to reciprocate said tread supporting bars, and catches adapted for engagement with said member to positively hold it in either extreme position.

t. In an extension step for cars, in combination with the fixed flight of steps, of a tread member having a bar secured to each end thereof, said bars being adapted to ex tend upward along each side the flight and the tread to lie beneath the lowermost tread oi the fixed flight, guides for said bars carried by the fixed flight, and permitting lengthwise reciprocation of the bars, a shaft extending transversely of and beneath the flight, levers secured to said shaft and connected with the tread supporting bars to reciprocate them, a lever arm secured upon said shaft, a spring secured to the car by one end and to said lever arm by its other end, and acting upon said shaft to withdraw the tread supporting bars, an arm carried by the shaft, a bar connected with said arm and extending upwardly through the floor of the ear platform and operable to extend said tread, and a catch adapted for engagement with said operating bar to hold it in stepextended position.

Signed at'Mt. Vernon, Wash, this 20th dav of March, 1915. v

FREDERICK WEE-T (DRAM.

Witnesses FRANK C. PICKERING, J. W. Jonnson.

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

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