US571497A

US571497A - Combined platform and gang-plank

Info

Publication number: US571497A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1913-11-17

Description

(No Model.) N Y J. A. POWELL.

` COMBINED PLATFORM AND GANG PLANK. 497

. Patented Nov. 17, 1896.

w llll!llulllllllull|Ilmmmmmmmmm me Nonms persas co, mman-mn.. wAsHmGroN, n. c.

Y to.

Nrrnn STATES JAMES ALVIN POVELL, OF ASHLAND, KENTCKY.

COMBINED PLATFORM AND GANG-PLANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,497, dated November 1'7, 1896.

Application filed July 16, 1896. Serial No. 599,443. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES ALVIN POWELL, residing at Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Combined Platform and Gang- Plank, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a combined gan g-plank and platform, which, While more especially adapted for use in connection with freight-cars,is also adapted for use at any place where gang-planks or skids are found necessary in the handling of heavy articles.

My invention seeks to provide a platform and plank for the purposes described of a very simple and inexpensive construction which can be readily put in position for use within a car-body Without requiring any change or alteration of such body. y

My invention also seeks to provide a platform or housing combined with a slidable gang-plank in such a manner that the said plank cannot readily become lost, and such plank is capable of being used at any place and at any angle desired.

Furthermore my invention also has for its object to provide a gang-plank and a platform or housing therefor constructed so the plank can be worked from either side of the car and such platform at all. times protected and held for a free movement.

/Vith other objects in view which will hereinafter appear my invention consists in a combined gang-plank and platform embodying the peculiar and novel arrangement and combination of parts, such as will be rst described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view illustrating my invention as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a portion of a car-body, illustrating the gang-plank slid back into the platform 0r housing out of use. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the platform and plank, taken on the line 4t 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the stop-catches and the stop-pawl devices hereinafter referred Fig. .6 is a detail view of one end of the platform or housing, and Fig. 7 isa view illusa trating but a part of the plank drawn out to form a skid.

In its practical construction my improvement embodies a platform or housing member A, the length of which is made to suit the width of the car-body or other body to which it is to be applied, ordinarily such platform being made seven feet long, six inches high, to width of the plank used in connection therewith, the ends and sides being sloped to car-Hoor, the entire platform being preferably six feet wide.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 4c it will be observed that the platform has a central longitudinal chamber B, the base of which at the sides has rabbets or guide-pieces C, which slope from the center outward and form inclined ways for the gang-plank D. The plank D, which, when of the ordinary dimensions, is eight feet long, two and one-half feet wide, and of suitable thickness, is also made in two sections joined by the knuckle-hinge F for a purpose presently explained.

The ends of the plank D are beveled or made sloping, as at d, and have secured to the under side at such ends gravity-dogs F, which are so hung that their ends f will engage the stops G, secured in the base of the chamber B at their outer ends, and thereby hold the plank D from being accidentally thrown outward by lateral movement of the car-body when the doors are open, such dogs also having catch portions f, which Will engage the said stops G when the plank is drawn out and prevent its falling off the car-body.

H indicates aprons or drop members which are hinged to the ends of the top or straight portion A2 of the platform and rest on the inclined end portions a of the platform, they being hinged in such a manner to admit of being turned back, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to provide for easy access to the chamber B.

rlhe drop members lil may be made heavy, so as to bear down on the plankD and keep it in such position as to bring the catch members at all times in a proper condition for engaging the stops for the purposes stated.

So far as described it will be manifestly clear that by slightly raising one end of the plank to disengage the stops G such plank can be pulled out to rest on a platform, as

IDO

shown in Fig. l, the inclined portion of the upper end providing for a smooth slope from the platform to the plank or skid, the lower end of the drop members being also beveled, as at 71to provide for such a connection of parts.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of my improvement it is thought will readily appear. It will be observed that as the entire structure is made complete it can be quickly fitted on the floor of the car or other body to which it is to be attached.

By forming the plank into two parts hinged together, as shown, and guiding the plank on inclined ways admits of all or a part of the plank being used (see Fig. 7) at any place and at any angle desired. Such. plank being worked from either side of the car on the in olined guides insures easy access and handlin g. Furthermore, as the platform or housing extends over the plank freight can be piled on top of the said platform to height of car and yet not interfere with the proper working of the plank, and as such platform is made sloping at the sides and ends it does not interfere with the handling of the freight when plank is and when not in use. Furthermore, by providing a car-body with my improvement much saving of time is effected in handling freight-cars, as the plank is of sufficient length to reach from car to depotplatform (when train is on main line) and thus avoid cutting train to place car on house-track.

In practice the side sloping portions of the platform may be made of a straight piece and boarded over similar in shape to hip7 roof of house, it being obvious that other slight changes or modifications in the detail construction of paris may also be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a platform or housing designed to be mounted upon the floor of a car and provided with a longitudinal chamber, the longitudinal guides mounted within the platform or housing and sloping from the center to the ends thereof, the gang-plank arranged upon the guides and composed of two sections hinged together at the center of the gang-plank, and locking devices for securing the gang-plank in operative position, said locking devices being also arranged to secure the gang-plank against movement when the same is housed within the platform substantially as described.

2. The combination of a platform or housing having a longitudinal chamber and designed to be mounted upon the floor of a ear, the drop members hinged to the top portion of the platform or housing, forming inclined end portions thereof and adapted to be raised to give access to the longitudinal chamber, the guides arranged within the platform or housing and sloping from the center to the ends thereof, and the gang-plank mounted upon the guides and composed of two sections hinged together at -the center of the gangplank substantially as described.

3. The combination of a platform or housing, stops mounted upon the bottom of same at the ends, a gang-plank arranged within the platform or housing, and dogs depending from the lower face of the gang-plank and arranged to engage the stops when the gangplank is in operative position and also when it is arranged Within the platform or housing, whereby the gankplank is locked in both positions substantially as described.

4l. The combination of the platform or housing having a longitudinal chamber, stops mounted upon the bottom thereof at the ends of the same, a gangplank arranged within the platform or housing, the gravity-dogs depending from the lower face of the gangplank and arranged to engage the stop when the gang-plank is in operative position and also when the same is housed within the platform, and the inclined drop members hinged to the top of the platform or housing and resting upon the ends of the gan g-plank when the latter is housed substantially as described.

JAMES ALVIN POVELL.

Titnesses A. S. FERGUSON, J. NV. BIvEN.