US717690A - Coach platform-gear. - Google Patents

Description

Hm-717,690. V PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

1 J. KNAPP.

COACH PLATFORM GEAR. APPLICATION run 1&4, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

6 3 f B o 1 l7 d 0 (A L G d a E" G? G r K! e q 2 o e H r Wzfngasea In 06R fiv V UNITED STATES JACOB KNAPP, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SEOHLER PATENT OFFICE.

& COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

COACH PLATFO RM-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 717,690, dated January 6, 1903. Application filed August 4, 1902. Serial No. 118,298. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAGOBKNAEP, a citizen of the United States, residing in Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ooach Platform-Gears, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to platform-gears for coaches; and it consists of certain improvements in the construction of such platformgears, to be hereinafter particularly pointed out and claimed, whereby an exceedingly durable and rigid structure can be obtained capable of withstanding the strains to which it must be subjected and which at the same time shall possess the necessary qualities of lightness and neatnessof appearance. It has been customary heretofore to construct such coach-platforms by providinga truss of two bow-shaped metal braces supported at the ends on the coach-springs and carrying at the middle portion the lower or fixed fifth-wheel plate riveted thereto. The method of securing these braces to the springs, however, has

been to weld T arms or plates to the braces.

and by clips to secure the T- plates to the springs.

My improvement in this particular relates to the means devised for securing the braces to the springs, whereby the necessity of any welding is dispensed with and the braces are readily and easily secured to the springs by bolts or clips.

A second feature of my improvements consists in adding strength and rigidity to the structure by means of a cross-brace connecting together the outer ends of the draw-bars and which cross-brace also prevents the breaking of the draw-bars under the strains to which they are subjected.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the platform-gear Fig. 2 is a front view of same, and Fig. 3 is a side view.

Ais the front airle,and B B the front springs, for the vehicle.

0 C are a pair of bowed metal braces, at the middle portion of which is securely riveted the lower fifth-wheel plate D.

E is the central brace for the fifth-wheel plate, provided with an opening F at the center for the king-bolt. This brace E is preferably made up of an upper plate 0:, riveted at the ends to the bow-shaped braces, and a bottom plate 1), extending across from one side and which carry integral therewith the forwardly-extending arms or draw-bars H H. These caps fit over and entirely inclose and hold securely the outer ends of the braces C O, and the caps and braces are rigidly secured to the springs B B by bolts 61 d, which pass down through openings drilled in the springs and by theclips e e, or bolts may be substituted for the clips or clips for the bolts.

L is the step-bracket, carrying at its outer end the step f, and this step-bracket is secured to the under surface of the spring by the same bolts cl d used-for the cap G. The entire body of the step-bracket, it will be seen, is placed outside the springs, so that it will not be in the way when the springs are compressed, and two legs are provided on the step-bracket to receive the bolts.

M is a cross-brace, preferably of wood, extending across between the outer ends of the arms H H and secured thereto by the clips g, which also serve as the shaft-shackles for the shafts of the vehicle. This cross-brace M gives the necessary strength and rigidity to the entire platform structure and prevents the breaking off of the arms H H under.the strains to which they are subjected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p In a coach platform-gear, the combination with the springs of a pair of bow-shaped braces, with lower fifth-Wheel plate riveted to the middle portion thereof, caps to fit over and entirely inclose the outer ends of said braces, means for securing said caps and braces rigidly to the upper middle portion of the springs, draw-bars integral with said caps, and a cross-brace connecting the outer ends of said arms to brace and give rigidity to the entire platform, substantially as shown and described.

JACOB KNAPP.

Witnesses:

ELSIE G. SEAMER, W. S. KYLE.

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