USRE6918E - Improvement in street-car grab-handles - Google Patents

Description

J. STEPHENSON.

STREET-CAR GRAB-HANDLE.

Rei'ssu edfFeb: a, 1876 UNITED smrns PATENT orrioa.

JOHN STEPHEhTSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-CAR GRAB-HANDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 87,120, dated February 23, 1869; reissueNo. 6,918,6ated February 8, 1876 application filed August 20, 1875.

DIVISION H To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STEPHENSON, of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Street- Oar Handles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the lower portion of the front end of a street-car body, to which my improvement has been applied, there being a portion of the outer wall of the car-body broken out, in order to give a better illustration of the improvement. Fig.' 2 represents a vertical section through the line at a: of Fig. 1, looking toward the body of the car. i

This division of my invention relates to a new and-improved mode of attaching the grabhandles, which are intended to be taken hold of by the passengers, to steady themselves in entering or leaving the car. These handles are arranged at the entrance to the steps of the car, in an exposed place, that the passengers may readily seize hold of them. Itis allimportant they should be strong and well secured, that they may not be jerked from their fastenings, either by the passengers or contact with vehicles.

Heretofore the method of fastening these handles has been simply to pass an ordinary screw through each of their outer limbs or feet,

and into the panels and corner pillars.

Practice has shown that the fasteningscrews become loosened or broken ofl', thereby allowing water to enter around the screws,

My improvement consists in combining the grab-handle with the car-body throughtheinstrumentality of an interposed panel-plate, and then securing the whole together by passing screw-bolts of suitable size through the grab-handle, panel-plate, panel, and corner pillar of the car, and then firmly uniting them together by means of a screw-nut on the inner end of each of the bolts. The interposition of the panel-plate between the grab-handle and the outer panel of the car gives a firm support to the grab-handle, and efi'ectually prevents the entrance of water around the bolts, and the consequent rotting of the panel and pillar of the car, while the screw bolts and nuts pro vide a sure and safe support in the grab-handle to the passengers on entering and leaving the car.

To enable others skilled in the art to make, construct, and use my improvement, I will now proceed to describe the parts in detail.

The body of the car may be of the ordinary construction. In the drawing, A indicates the platform; 13, the step; (J, the car-body; D, one of the corner pillars of the car, exposed by breaking out a portion of the outside wall or side main panel, and then cutting out a piece of the pillar to show the passage of the screw-bolts that secure the; grab-handle. E represents one of the front panels, to theouter side of which, near its edge, is secured a .me-

tallic panel-plate, b, by means of screws. F

indicates one of the grab handles, each of which are provided with two feet, 0 c, of suitable size and shape, so constructed as to fit the panel-plate, the one above the other. Each of these feet is provided with a hole, which coincides with corresponding holes formed in the panel-plate. Through these holes in the feet and panel-plate b, and corresponding holes bored in the panel and corner pillar D, is passed a. screw-bolt, d, on the inner end of which is then placed a screw-nut, e, by means of which the whole are firmly and permanently united together. The metallic panel-plate consists of a strip of hoop'metal, and is put in place and secured by screws after the body and panel are in place. These screws are made to pass through the panel-plate and panel into the corner pillar, and serve to keep the panel firmly in place, and to exclude water, as the screw-bolts-d are made to fit snugly in the holes out in it.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the upper end of the grab-handle F is provided with an arm, f, which extends inwardly .as far as the door-jamb 9, where, making a bend, it is provided with a foot, by which it is attached by means of a screw or screw-bolt to the jamb.

This arm serves as a rail for the passengers, and as a stay to the grab-handle, which it helps to strengthen.

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

1. In combination with a street-car body, a grab-handle and panel-plate, secured in position by screw-bolts and nuts, the screw-bolts passing through the grab-handle, panel-plate, panel, and corner pillar, substantially as set fortb.

' 2'. A grab-handle for street-cars, provided with an arm. or rail, f, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of July, 1875. JOHN STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

AUGUST RIPPERG-ER, JOHN SMITH.

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