US880914A - Guard-rail for passenger-cars. - Google Patents

Description

No. 880,914. PATENTED MAR. s, 1908.. J.J.PETERSON. GUARD RAIL FOR PASSENGER CARS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1907.

...'"-...,n ll i JOHN J. PETERSON, OF OHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GUARD-RAIL FOR PASSENGER-CARS.

Application filed August 19, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. PETERSON, a citizen ofjthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Guard-Rails for Passenger- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to guard rails for passenger cars and more particularly sleeping cars.

It is well known to those accustomed to travel in the type of sleeping cars usually employed in this country that an entire section, that is to say, an upper and lower berth, is frequently sold to a single person, and that merely the lower berth will be occupied. I11 such cases it is usual for the upper berth to be left up in its normal, day position, as this affords more space for the lower berth, and is consequently more convenient and gives a better opportunity for ventilation. The aisles of sleeping cars are necessarily somewhat narrow, and when a person is walking down the aisle of the car, he is apt to be thrown from one side to the other, especially when the car is rounding curves. At night when the berth curtains are down, the aisles seem especially narrow, but when the upper berths are lowered, a person is able to brace himself by leaning against the outer edge of the upper berths. This means of assistance, however, is lacking when the upper berths are up in day position, and consequently a person walking down the aisle is frequently unable to save himself from being more or less completely thrown into a berth, much to the embarrassment both of the occupant of the berth and the person passing.

The object of my invention is to provide practical means by which passengers may be saved from such predicament and be enabled to pass safely through the aisles of moving cars either at night or in the day time.

I attain my object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sleeping car showing the guard rail in acting position, and also in non-acting position. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing a preferred means (which is a sleeve) for holding the two sections of the guard rail in alinement when the rail is in set position, Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 except that the sleeve is shown in longitudinal section, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the guard rail Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. March 3, 1908.

Serial N0. 389,216.

and sleeve taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a device suitable for holding the lower extremity of the rail sections when not in use.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The seat ends a have attached thereto rods 1), c, which when in set position are adapted to constitute a guard rail. In the preferred construction shown in the drawings, the said sections of the rail are pivotally connected to the seat ends by means of knobs d. These knobs are rotatable about their horizontal axes to permit the rods to swing from a hori- Zontal to a vertical position, as indicated. By preference, also one or both of the rods 1), c, are rotatable in said knob about their own axes. The rod sections are of such length and'are so mounted upon the seat ends that when in acting position they may be joined together to form virtually a single continuous rod, but when dropped to a vertical position out of use they will clear the floor of the car.

The preferred means for holding the rod sections 1), c, horizontally in acting position is the sleeve 6, which is adapted to slip over the adjacent ends of the rod sections and thereby firmly hold. them in alinement with each other. It is desirable that the sleeve should be permanently held upon one of the rod sections to prevent its being lost or mislaid, and consequently a pin 0 is fastened into rod section 0 and adapted to project through the slot (2 in said sleeve. The preferred means for fastening the sleeve 0 in engagement with the rod section b is the pin 6, fastened in said section I) and adapted to en ter within the slot e in said sleeve. The construction. is such that when the sleeve is passed over the section b and the pin 6 is at the inner extremity of the slot e the rod sections will be rigidly and securely held in alinement. A catch f is located near the lower part of the seat end for holding the rod sections and preventing vibration when they are not in use.

In operation, when the upper berths are up and it is desired to employ the guard rail, the two rod sections 5 and c are brought to a horizontal position and the sleeve 6 slipped over the adjoining ends thereof, thereby holding them in alinement. A person may then move up and down the aisle without danger of being thrown into the section. When all the rods are up in acting position there is, practically speaking. a continuous hand-rail from one end of the car to the other, and yet any portion of this rail may be lowered at any time when any occupant desires to enter or leave his sect-ion. Although this is intended primarily .for sleeping cars, it is obvious that it may be employed in ordinary day coaches, or in any coaches having fixed seat ends.

The actual details of construction of this guard rail may, of course, be considerably varied Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A guard rail for passenger cars consisting of two rod sections articulately connected to the diiierent seat ends. and means for holding said sections in alinement.

2. A guard rail for passenger cars consisting of rod sections secured to the different seat ends, and a sleeve for holding said sections in alinement.

3. A two-part guard rail for passenger cars,

each part of the rail being adapted to be secured to a seat end, and adapted to swing to a horizontal position when in use and to a substantially vertical position when not in use, and a sleeve mounted upon one of said rail parts and adapted to disengagingly engage the other rail part for holding the same in alinement with each other.

4. In combination with the body of a passenger car, a seat end rigidly secured to said car body, rods articulately connected to the seat ends, and means for temporarily coupling two rods on different seat ends together, to thereby hold said rods in alinement in a direction parallel to the length of the car body.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. PETERSON.

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