US939970A - Folding car-step. - Google Patents

Description

. G. F. BRANDAU.

FOLDING GAR STEP. APPLIGATION FILED APR.26, 1909.

989,970. Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

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:UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

GEORGE F. BRANDAU, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CAR-STEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 26, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. BRANDAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Car-Steps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in folding car steps and it has for its object the provision of a folding lower car step adapted to be normally held in a folded position and to be automatically thrown into position for use upon the opening of the car door.

To this end and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists in the novel construction, peculiar arrangement, combination and adaptation of parts, all as will be more hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification and in which Figure l is a side view of one end of a vestibule passenger coach with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the vestibule of the car. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the inside of the car door and connections, the same being shown in closed position. Fig. el is a vertical section upon line -l of Fig. l, the parts being shown in full lines in the position they assume when the step is folded and in dotted lines in t-he position occupied by the parts when the step is in use, and Fig. 5 is a section upon line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a car body and B the vestibule provided with the door C and steps D.

E is a metallic plate or shutter hinged at one of its ends to the platform of the car in the rear of the door, as shown, said shutter being so positioned that, when lowered to the position shown in the drawings, covers the space immediately over the steps.

F is a folding step which, at its rear edge,

Serial No. 492,390.

is connected with the riser F, the step proper being made of heavier material than the riser, so as to cause the step to drop into position for use automatically when released. Said step F is pivotally connected at its rear edge to a shaft F 2 extending longiextended end is one end of the crank arm F4,

to the outer or free end of which crank arm is pivotally connected one end of a. curved rod F, which rod is extended upward through the car platform and is bent at rightangles to form the horizontal arm F 6, which arm, when the car step is in a folded position, rests within a groove in the platform provided for its reception. The shutter E, it will be noted, when in a closed position rests directly upon the arm F G and serves to hold the same in the position which it assumes when the step is in its folded position. In order to limit the downward or outer throw of the step, the ends of the back or riser portion F are adapted to contact with the rear edges of the bracket members F3.

G is a shutter vertically movable within a space or guideway provided upon the inner face of the car door. A knob or handle G connected with the shutter at a point adjacent to its upper edge is adapted, when moved vertically within a guideway G2 provided for its reception, to serve as a means for raising the slide, the slide being adapted to fall by gravity into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4L of the drawings and, when in this position, serves to close the opening occupied by the car steps.

H is an angle lever, consisting of the downwardly curved body portion H', the free end of which is positioned directly beneath the knob or handle G connected with the shutter G, the said lever being pivoted, at its angle near the upper end thereof, to a suitable pivot extending from the inner face of the door and the free end H2 of said lever is provided with a suitable operating handle H3.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the step will be at once under- Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

stood. YWhen it is desired to lower the step for use, it is done automatically by the rais-Y ing of the shutter E. This raising of the shutter E releases the upper end of the handle H3 upward, said shutter being raised,

thus permitting the door to be thrown inward to an open position.

It will be noted that, upon the closing of the door, the shutter G will pawl into position to close the opening to the steps and that the lowering of the shutter E upon the horizontal upper end of the curved krod F5 will force said rod downward and that in its downward movement will operate the crank arm F4 to automatically close the step into a folded position.

What I claim to be new is 1. In combination with a car, a pivotal angled gravity step pivoted to the platform, means for limiting the downward throw of said step, a rod pivoted to the step, and a pivotal trap door adapted to engage the end of said rod and hold the step folded.

2. In combination with a car, a step having pintles projecting therefrom, bracket arms secured to the platform and in which said pintles are pivotally mounted, a right angled projection for said step adapted to contact with the rear edges of said bracket arms to limit the outer throw of the step, a rod connected to one of said pintles, and a hinged trap door adapted to bear against the end of said rod to hold the step folded.

3. In combination with a car, a step having pintles projecting therefrom, bracket arms secured to the platform and in which said pintles are pivotally mounted, a right angled projection for said step adapted to contact with the rear 4edges of said bracket arms to limit the outer throw of the step, a crank arm fixed to one of said pintles, a rod pivoted to said crank arm and having a free angled end, a trap door hinged upon the platform and adapted to engage the freeV end of said rod to normally hold the step folded.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my Y

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