US543999A - Combined mat and scraper - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. M. MORTON. COMBINED MAT AND SGRAPER. No. 543,999

Patented Aug. 6,1895.

.7, v /6/ TB WMM I combination, and arrangement of parts, as-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. MORTON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

COMBINED MAT AND SCRAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,999, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed May 27, 1895". Serial No. 550,886. (no model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. MORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Mat and Scraper for Cars, 850.; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing 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.

The object of this invention is to produce a combined scraper and mat specially adapted to railway-cars, hallways, and otherinteriors, the construction being such as to secure a proper cleaning of the feet on entering, the depositing of the dirt in a pan underneath, the easy removalthereof, and the entire closure of the hole in the floor which receives said device.

The invention consists in the construction,

hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section in vertical planes, the right half of the figure being central to Fig. 1 and the left half in the linear; 00.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the sill or floor-timber of a railway-coach or the floor-joists of a dwelling. B is the floor laid thereon, which is commonly double, as shown. In this is cut a hole to receive the lower portion of a tray 0, the flanges O of which rest on the adjoining floor, and in the case of a car should be secured thereto, as by screws a a. At a suitable distance from the top of this tray a shoulder O" is formed all around the inside to serve as a support for the grate D. This grate has a series of transverse bars 61 01 about half its length, the upper edges of which are practically flush with the upper surface of the tray-flanges, and serve as scrapers to remove dirt from the sole of the foot. The other half of the grate is in the nature of a tray with a perforated bottom, having a recess to receive the mat E, which should stand a little higher than the grate, as shown. This mat is fastened to the grate, as

pressed position.

by wires 1) b, so that when the grate is turned up on end to remove the dirt below the mat does not fall out of place. In the tray below the grate is placed a removable pan F to catch the dirt falling through the scraper part and sifting down through the mat. The tray has a closed bottom, as shown, to close the hole made in the floor and exclude cold air. This is especially essential in the case of railway-coaches, the floors of which are exposed directly to the outside air.

The grate has a hinged connection with the tray, by means of offset-lugs D D passing down through holes 0 0 formed in the flanges of the tray. These lugs prevent detachment of the grate at this end while the grate is in a horizontalposition, and when raised to an upright position, as indicated by the dotted lines, the lugs abut on the end of the tray and hold the grate slightly inclined backward, as shown. The other end of the grate is'provided with a combined handle and latch G, hinged between lugs 01' d formed at the'end of the grate. A downwardly-extending portion of this handle G has a hook g formed thereon to catch under the shoulder formed in the tray, and thus holdsthe grate down at this end while the handle isin its normal de- The other portion of the handle proper G fits normally in a recess or socket c in the flange of the tray, the upper portion of the handle being flush with the surface of said flange when in this position. The backward movement of the hook g is limited by a shoulder 0'', against which the 'handleabuts, as indicated by the dotted outline. The handle thus turns far enough to disengage the hook and give space for the fingers of the operator without unnecessarily increasing the size of the aperture through the flange of the tray and the floor.

The device is primarily adapted for use in railway-coaches, and is designed to be set in the aisle near the door, with thesscraper nearer the door than the mat. In the case of neat and careful persons the scraper will be used designedly, as well as the mat, while in the case of thoughtless passengers much of the dirt on their shoes will be scuffed 0E as they cross the grate and mat unconsciously.

The importance of fastening the grate down in-railway-coaches will be apparent from the fact that accidents are likely to occur, and the grate should not fall out of its place in the tipping or overturning of a car.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination with the floor of arailway coach or other apartment, of the tray C having marginal flanges and a closed bottom, and provided with supporting ledges or shoulders inside, the grate D having trans verse bars cl d about half its length and a reboss the other half to hold a mat, said grate being hinged to the tray, and provided with suitable means for holding it in normal position, and for lifting one end, a mat secured in said recess, and a pan set in said tray below the grate, to catch the dirt falling through.

2. The combination with the floor of a railway coach or other apartment, of the tray C", having marginal flanges G, shoulder 0, holes 0 c, and socket c, the grate D having transverse bars cl d occupying about half its length, a perforated recess formed in the remainder thereof, and provided Withlugs D Dand d d, the mat E secured in said recess, the handle G having latch g g hinged to lugs d d and havinga limited movement to engage and disengage With the tray, and a pan F set in the tray below said grate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN M. MORTON.

Witnesses: J. M. ST. JOHN, FRANK CHRISTLE.

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