US876186A - Extension car-step. - Google Patents

Description

No. 876,186. PATENTBD JANS/11908.

P. E. HOPKINS. v EXTENSION CAR. STEP.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. l5, 1907.

(w r11 f fri? a p r @il inf?? UNITED fillilif" FFICE.

Specification of' Letters latent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed tObCY l5; 1907, lSerial No. 397.549.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Flnnncm'ck E. Hor- KIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sterling, in the county oli-Cayuga-and State ot New York, have invented a new and useful Extension (ar-qtep, of which thc fol-v lowing is a pecification.

The invention relates to .improvements in extension car steps.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of extension car steps, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient one of great strength and durability, adapted to be readily fixed to the steps of a railway passenger car or coach, and

capable of being easily lowered into position for use, and raised alter use by a single move ment of an operating level'.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompai'lying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto a pended; it being understood that various cfianges in the form, proportion, size and minor' details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the s'irit or sacrificing any of the advantages of tl ie invention.

i In the drawing Figure 41 is a perspective View of an extension car step, constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car, the car step being lowered to forni a continuation of the car steps. Fig. 2

,is a front elevation of the. same, the extension step being raised. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the extension step and the bottom port-ion of the slidable step carrying frame.

Like numerals ot' reference designate con responding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates an extension car step, designcd to be applied to a passenger car or coach and adapted to bc arranged below and in spaced relation to the lower car step 2, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing to forni a continuation of the car steps and enable passengers to readily enter and leave the car. rThe car step, which, when not in use, is arranged against the lower face of the bottom step 2, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawmg, is carried by a slidablc frame, composed of inclined sides 3 and a transverse bottom connecting portion 4, receiving the extension step l and provided with a central substantiallyv U-shaped bend 5, extending forwardly and secured tothe lower face of the extension step by means of a central fastening device 6. The transverse connecting portion is'secured to the extension step at opposite sides of the forward ly extending loop by means of fastening devices 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. These fastening devices may consist of staples, and any number may be'employcd to secure a rigid connection between the extension step and the slidable frame.

The sides S of the car steps are provided with alined guides 9, receiving the inclined sides of the slida'ole frame and consisting of c ves and attaching portions, secured to the sides b vsuitable fastening devices. VThe sides of the slidablc frame are adapted to move upward lv and downwardly in the alined eyes of the guides 9, and the downward movement of the frame is limited by collars S". semn'ed to the up er ends of the sides of the slidable frame an( arranged to engage the upper guides, The outer side of the. slidable frame is connected at its upper end by a link 1() with a short arm 11 of an operating lever 12, fulcrumedat its angle and secured tothe re'ar edge. of the platform of the car by means of a suitablepivot 13. rI`he o erating lever,y which swings transversely o the car, extends to the top of the railing, and is provided at its upper end with a grip or handle. The up er ends of the inner and outer sides of the sIfidable frame are -provided with eyes 14, and the link l() has a corresponding eye, which is linked into the eye 14 of the outer side of thc-slidable frame. Bv providing the eye 14 at both the inner and outer sides of the slidable frame, the extension step may be mounted et both the rightand left hand sides of a car. The up )er eind 15 of the link is bent :it an angle to form a pivot, which passes through an c vc or opening 16 of the short arm of the operating lever. The pivot 15' is secured in the eye or opening 16 by means of a nut 17, or other suitable fastening device.

The lever is oscillatcd to raiseand-lower the' extension step, and the latter is retained in its raised position by means of a suitable keeper 1S. consisting of 'a horizontally disposed substantially U-shapcd body portion, provided at one side with a vertical arm 19, which is equipped with an c ve 20. The eye 2() is'arranged on the railing of the platform,

. the front portion ofthe avales and is adjustably secured on the me by i erating mechanism for raising and lowering means of a set screw 21, W'hen the lever is i` the slidable frame. at the limit of its inward movement, it is enl 2. The combination with a ear, of an eX- gagedl with the keeper 18 and is held by the tension step arranged beneath the ear steps, same against outward movement. a frame slidable on the ear steps and extend- Having thiis fully described my invention, I ing beneath and sup orting the extension what I claim as new and desire to secure by step, a lever fulerumedpon the platform of the Letters Patent, is ear and having a'short arm7 a linK eonneetin 1. The combination with ear Isteps prol the short arm with the outer side of the slidable frame, and a substantially U-shaped vided at opposite sides with guides, of an extenslon step located beneath the ear step, a Keeper arranged to be engaged by the lever, i sii( keeper being provided with an arm havslidable frame composed of sides movable up- I C wardly and downward Iy' in the guides, and a mg an eye adjustably secured to the ralllng car.

transverse bottom connecting portion reeeivl of the ing the extension step and provided at a oint In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as between its ends with an approximate y U- l my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature shaped loop or bend extending forwardly to in the presence of two witnesses.

extension step, fas- FREDERICK E. HOPKINS. tening devices for securing the loop or bend Vitnesses:

and the side portions ofthe bottom of the A. JOHNSON,

slidable frame to the extension step, and opi GEO. MoFARLANn,

Images