US427598A

US427598A - Samuel l

Info

Publication number: US427598A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1907-05-13

Description

(No Model.)

S. L. MOTT.

RUNNING BOARD FOR FREIGHT CARS.

No. 427,598. Patented May 13, 1890.

INVENTUR:

Samuel 032D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. MOTT, OF NEWARK, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-TIIIRDS TO CHARLES E. CAMPBELL AND CHARLES G.

SAME PLACE.

CAMPBELL, BOTH OF RUNNING-BOARD FO R FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,598, dated May 13, 1890.

Application filed April '7, 1890. Serial No. 846,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. MOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing atNewa-rk, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, 11 aveinventedcertai 11 new an d useful Improvements in Running-Boards for Freight-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention'relates to a combined safety and running board for freightcars, and has for its object to provide the terminating ends of the running-boards on such cars with pivoted or hinged boards or bridges, which are so constructed as to extend from one ear to another when coupled, and thereby form a continuous running-board from end to end of train.

A further object of the invention is to construct such connecting bridges in sections which are adapted to be folded one upon the other, whereby the bridge can be brought from its hanging position and'connected with the next car after the cars have been coupled.

Furthermore, the invention consists in providing the running-board of a car near its ends with a means for holding or locking the bridge or connectingboard of the rear or last car in a vertical position,which acts as a safetyboard and prevents the train-1nen from accidentally stepping off a car on a dark night.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which similar referenceletters are used to indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a. train of cars in side elevation provided with my improved running-boards. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 shows the ends of two adjoining cars,illustrating the positions of the diiferent parts of the jointed connecting-board while being raised from its vertical or hanging position onto the next car; and Fig. 4. represents a running-board provided with a means for holding or looking the connectingboard in a vertical position- 3, said bridges ct are constructed to be folded in the middle, and are made of two pieces a and a which are jointed or pivotallysecured together by means of hinges I). These boards or bridges a, when not in use, may be allowed to hang down the side of the cars, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, or the same can be thrown back upon its hinges b, so that it will lie on the running-board A, as shown to the rightof Fig. 2. hen in this position, the board a. can simply be thrown overonto the next car when they have been coupled; but when hanging in a vertical position between two coupled cars the bridges as heretofore made could not be raised so as to communicate with the next car. As clearly shown in Fi 3, this difficulty has been overcome by constructing the board of two pieces and connecting them by means of the hinges b, whereby the bridge can readily be raised and the part a thrown on the next car, as will be evident from said figure. The hinges b are of such a construction that when the board a connects two cars they will tend to hold the parts a and a in a straight line and stiffen the same, so that a train-hand can safely walk over the bridge. The end of the parts a? of the bridge may be chamfered, as at (L to cause the same to slide freely upon the running-board of the next car, which is of great advantage, espe cially when two cars of different heights are coupled together, as shown at the left of Fig. 1. In Fig. at is illustrated one means for holding or looking the connecting-bridge in position at a right angle to the running-board. By this means the board at the end of the last car of a train can be held in this position, and thereby acts as a guard and prevents the train-hand from accidentally jumping off the car.

The construct-ion shown in Fig. at consists of attaching to one or both sides of the running board on a car arod c, secured by means of a staple or pin 0', provided with a hook 0 which engages with an eye or staple a on the side of the connecting-board when the latter is raised in a vertical position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A freight-car provided on either or both ends with a bridge or platform consisting of two hinged portions adapted to be folded one upon the other, one of which is hinged to the extremity of the running-board on one car, while the other portion is caused to rest upon the top of the next car, upon which it may freely slide, said bridge being adapted by means of the hinged portions to be raised from its hanging position between two cars when coupled, as and for the purposes setforth.

2. The combination, with two coupled freight-cars, of a connecting board or bridge consisting of portions a and a secured by means of hinges b, one of said portions, as a, being attached by means of hinges b to one car, whereby said board may be raised from its hanging position between said cars and thrown over onto the next car without uncoupling said cars, as and for the purposes set forth.

3; In combination with the roof of a car,

the running-board provided with connecting boards or bridges made up of sections adapted to be folded one upon the other, for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with the roof of a car, the running-board provided with connecting boards or bridges made up of sections adapted to be folded one upon the other, and one of said sections being chainfered at its free end, which, when the cars are coupled, rests upon the top of the running-board of the next car and slides thereon, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A freight-car provided on either or both ends of the running-board with a hinged or pivoted connecting board or bridge and. means for holding or locking said board in a vertical position, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention as set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of April, 1890.

SAMUEL L. MO'IT.

WVitnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, CHAS. B. CAMPBELL.