US77321A - Amos bank - Google Patents

Description

A.RANK. PLATFORMBR IDGE FOR RAILROAD CARS.

or-77,321. Patented Apr. 28, 1868.

AMOS BANK, OF SALEM, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 77,821, dated April 28, 1868.

IMPROVED PLATFORE-BRIDGE FOR RAILROAD-CABS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be itknown that I, Amos RANK, of Salem, in the county of Columbiana, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Foot-Bridge for the Platforms of Railroad-Cars; and I do hcrebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereofgreference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the platforms of two cars coupled together, having the improved bridge applied to them. 1 I

Figure 2 is a top view of the bridge applied to the platforms of two cars.

Figure 3 is' a. perspective view of the improved bridge.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved construction of bridgeplates, which. are designed to afford a. -fcotwaybetwen the platforms of railway-cars, for the safety ofpersons passing and repassing from one car to another; v

The invention not only provides a substantial inflexible bridge bctween freight and passenger-cars coupled together, but it also provides for removing and replacing such abridge at pleasure, and for allowing it -to con form to" the lateral and longitudinal motions of the cars. A I

The nature of my inventionconsists in constructing a bridge-plate which is adapted to serve as a footway between railroad-cars that are coupled together, with hooked recesses in its sides; of such shape and size as will allow the plates to be safely attached, without other 'fastcnings, to the upright standards of the hand-rails on each side of the passage-way between cars, said recesses being so made as to allow the cars to have their natural lateral and longitudinal motions when under way, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation,

- In the accompanying.drawings, A A're'pres'ent the platforms of two cars or-coachcs, provided with handrails d a, which are applied upon standards 6 b, and arranged in the usual well-known manner common to railroad cars or coaches generally. o

B represents a bridge, which forms a footway between the two platforms A A, and which is so constructed as to adapt it'to' receivevthe four vertical standards 6, to which the hand-rails arc applied, and thus enable these standards to serve in part as the fastcnings for attaching the bridge to the platforms. 7

This bridge B may be constructed of: cast metal of one piece, or it may be made of wronght metnl bars properlyweldcd or riveted together. In order to secure lightness, the bridge may be-Inadc in the form ofan open grating, of strap iron, united to a frame of proper shape, or it may even be made of wood.

In each longitudinal edge of the bridge, recesses 0 euro made; which leave double hooks for embracing the standards 6 bon b'oth platfo rms, and preventing longitudinal as well as lateral displacement of the bridge when applied betweentbe saidstanddrds, as shown in fig. 2. Said recesses are made of such length as will allow the longitudinal motion of the cars incid cnt' to the stopping and starting of a train, without crowding the bridge between said standards. 1

The length of the bridge B should be such that, when applied in place,- its ends will extend ovcr'thc ends of the platforms A A suitable distances to afford safe bearings thereon for it.

It will be seen, by reference to fig. 2, that the bridge 3', as constructed, can neither work out ofplace laterally nor longitudinally; that it does not in any manner restrain the natural movements of the cars to whioh it is attached, as the recesses c, in the sides.of this bridge, are-of such length and shape as will prevent any accidental displacement of or injury to thebridge or the parts to which it is connected. It will also be seen that while this bridge cannot be moved out of position horizontally, it can be readily removed from theplatforms and detached from the standards I) b by lifting it as high as the hand-railsa a. In this way the bridge can be readily applied to and removed from the platforms of cars at pleasure ,'no other fastenings being required than those afl'onled by the reeesses c c and the standards of the hand-rails. If the recesses e e are made long cnough,'the bridge can be detached by lifting one end or side.

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

A bridge or footing, B, constructedwvith recesses 0 0, or their equivalent, in ite side edges, end adapt-ed to be applied between railway-cars which are conpledtogether, substantially :is described.

' 4 AMOS RANK.

Witnesses:

Tnos. S. BAIRD, J. H. Cox, 0. W. CADWALLADEB-

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