US760916A - Running-board for railway-cars. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD MAY 24,"19 o4.

M. s. NoLAN.

RUNNING BOARD POR RAILWAY GARS.

APPILIOATION FILED 00121. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I' No MODEL.

@ 1/wanton No. 760,916. 2 I PATENTLD 'MAY 24,' 1904.

' M. s. NoLAN.

RUNNINGIBOARD POR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 21, 190s. ,A No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

THIRD TO HORACE B. FROST, OF WESTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUNNING-BOARD Fon RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,916, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed October 21, 1903. Serial No. 177.897. (Ncmoclel.)

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, lMARTIN S. NoLAN, a citiin the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Running-Boards for Railway- Cars, of which the followlng is a specltication. This Invention relates to running-boards or steps for railway cars, particularly open street-cars having a footboard running the length of the car on each side thereof. It is desirable in cars of this kind that folding footboards be used, so that the board on the side next the adjoining track may be folded to prevent ingress or egress of passengers on that side, and such folding boards are particularly necessary with high cars having two or more steps, one at least of which must be folded to permit the passage of cars on adjoining tracks. Some cars have footboards which fold up against the foot-guard. These are objectionable because they project more or less and also because they are unsightly.

The object of this invention is to provide a footboard which will not when folded project beyond the line of the foot-guard.

A further object is to produce a footboard which lowers to form a wheel-guard.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means for supporting the footboard when it is used as a step.

With these and other objects in view the invention is hereinafter described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an outer side view showing two steps, -one of which is foldable. Fig. 2 is an inner side view thereof, and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views with the folding step in different positions. l

Referring to the drawings 6 indicates the side beam or body of the car, faced by the upper foot-guard 7, to which is bolted the footboard brackets or hangers 8 at suitable distances apart. The upper step 9 is xed upon the brackets, the ends of which dependV below the same to receive a backing timber or board 10 for the lower foot-guard 11. Bolts 12 extend guard 11 and there held by the bolts 12. This construction is convenient and 'serves to conceal the Shanks of the hangers.

The hingeV members 16, to which the footboard 13 is bolted, have at the inner edge of said board eyes 16, through which the rod 14 passes loosely, and these members are placed between and at a distance' from the hangers 15,4 permitting limited lengthwise movement of the footboard for a purpose to be hereinafter stated. Theinner ends of the members 16 are extended inwardly or upwardly, as at 16h, and the backing l() is recessed, as at 10, behind the guard 11 to receive these extensions when the board is dropped, as in Fig. 3. Beside these recesses blocks 17 are bolted to the backing, on theinner side thereof, and terminate in heads 17 t, against which the extensions 16b are in contact when the footboard is raised to support the same, as shown in Fig. 4', and to hold the board against lengthwise movement. When so supported, depending -stops 18 are ixed to and project from the lower edge of the backing.

In -use when the footboard is lowered it hangs within the lines of the foot-guard, and the extensions 16" fit in the recesses 10, Endwise movement is thus prevented and the board acts as a wheel-guard. To support the footboard for use as such, it is first swung up on its hinge until the extensions 16'D willpass under the stops 18 and then moved lengthwise on the rod until said extensions are opposite the bloc is 17, and when lowered to horizontal position the extensions 16b abut the heads of the blocks and support the footboard as a step, and the overhanging stops 18 then serve to prevent the board slipping back and dropping.

It will be seen that the supporting devices are all on the inner and lower sides, giving a clear step, free from objectionable projections or outside supports liable to trip or injure passengers. rIhe loose and simple hangings permit easy and quick manipulation, and the parts are capable of inexpensive manufacture and application.

Obviously the invention is capable of application when only one step is used, and although it has greatest utility-with the long footboards of open cars it may be used on the platform-steps of closed cars.

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

1. A longitudinally-shiftable car-step having hinge connections with the car-body and constructed to lift to horizontal and lower to vertical position, and means to support the same in horizontal position.

2. A longitudinally-shiftable hinged carstep having supporting connections with the car-body, in horizontal position, disengageable topermit the step to swing down.

3. The combination with a car, of al footboard hinged thereto, a support on the ear for the board when in horizontal position, and means to disengage the board from the support, to permit the board to swing down.

4. The combination with a car, of a footboard hinged thereto, a support on the car for the board to hold the Same in horizontal position, the board being shiftable lengthwise to disengage the same from the support.

5. The combination with a car, `of a footboard hingedthereto, a support on the car inside the hinge, and a projection on the footboard extending inwardly beyond the hinge, engageable with the support to hold the footboard horizontally and disengageable therewith to lower the same.

6. The combination With a car, of a rod supported along the side thereof, a footboard hinged on the rod and slidable lengthwise along-the same and having projections extending inwardly beyond the same, and supports on the car with which the projections are engaged or disengaged according to the position of the footboard.

7. The combination with a car-body and footboard, of a hinge connection between them constructed to permit relative lengthwise movement, projections extending inwardly from the footboard, supports on the body against which the projections abut when the footboard is horizontal, and stops preventing casual disengagement of the projections and supports.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN S. NOLAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. BAILEY, Jr., HORACE BIRD FRos'r.

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