US1220087A - Car-step. - Google Patents

Description

wLI. GARRIGAN.

CAR STEP.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. 1916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3N iR\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ATTORNEY W. 1. GARRIGAN.

CAR STEP. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 28. ISIS.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY WALTER J'. GBRIGAN, OF BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

can-STEP.

. Speoication of Letters Patent.

Application mea mvember 2s, 191e. serial No. 133,920.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known thatI, WALTER J. GARRIGAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have. invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car steps and embodies certain improvementsover the structure disclosed in Patent 1,115,538 issued to H. C. Warner and myself as joint inventors March 31, 1916. 4In the above enumerated patent the auxiliary car step is extended for use beyond the lowermost step of the stairway with the opening of the trap door at the head of the stairway, and folded beneath said lower step with theclosing of said trap door.

In accordance with .the present invention thev trap door in addition to controlling the adjustment of the auxiliary step, is capable of being elevated to an opened position while the tram is in motion without effecting an adjustment of the auxiliary step, thus obviating all possibility of the auxiliary step being damaged by obstructions along the track, which would result if the step were extended while the train was in motion.

It is also the purpose of this invention to simplify the construction disclosed in the above' mentioned patent, and to further increase the strength and safety of the structure as a unit.

, The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following description is read in connection with the` accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a Hight of steps showing the auxiliary step in folded position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the Fig. 3 is a-view similarto Fig. 1 showing Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the steps showingthe trap elevated.

Referring tothe drawings in detail A in dicates'geneljally a railroad coach, and B a flight of steps of usual well known construc- Patented Mar. 20, 1917.`

tion, including the side rails or members C.

Hingedly mounted upon the upper edge of' one of the side rails C isa trap door D whlch when folded and arranged in a horizontal pos1t1on prohibits the use of the steps B, and forms a continuation of the platform y of the car indicated at E. v

An auxiliary step is arranged beneath the lowermost step of the Hight B, the auxiliary step being capable of being foldedl wholly beneath the lowermost step of the flight,y or extended to a position for .use when defl sired. The auxiliary step embodies a tread 10 -and a riser 11, the latter being pivotally mounted beneath the lower step of the flight' B, While the adjacent edges of the tread v10 and the riser 11 are also hingedly connected together. The component parts of the auxiliary step are further braced and held associated by means o f pivoted link sections 12 at the opposite sides of the step. ',lhe auxiliary step is operated simultaneously with the opening and closing movements of the tra door D, and in carrying this idea into e ect I preferably make use of a crank shaft`13 journaled between the side rails C of the steps beneath the latter, while a pair of spaced parallel arms 14, each having one end secured to the underside of the tread 10 of the auxiliary step, and its opposite end loosely embracing the crank portion of the shaft 13, provides a connection between these parts, whereby the auxiliary step is 'extended to a position for use upon rotation of the shaft 13 in one direc-` tion, and folded beneath the lowermost step of the flight B upon rotation of the shaft 13 in an opposite direction. The shaft 13 adjacent one extremity is provided with an extension 15 to which one end of a vertically disposed operating rod 16 is pivotally connected, the rod projecting through the flight of steps B and having its opposite extremity offset as at 18, the offset portion being received and retained Within an opening in a pivoted link 20 mounted upon the inner side of the trap door D.

Mounted for sliding adjustment transversely of the trap door isV a rod 21, :which asses through a pair of lapertured guide ugs 22, a coil spring 23 encirclingthe rod 21 and positioned between the lugs. The spring has one end bearing against the adjacent lug, while the opposite end of the spring Abears against a collar 24 on the rod, the spring exerting a pressure to normally maintain the innermost end ofthe rod in engagement with the pivoted link 20. The end of the link 2O adjacent the rod 21 is formed with a shoulder 25 adapted to be engaged by a shoulder 26 on the rod 21 in Athe normal position of parts,l so that when the trap door D is adjusted the link and rod 21 move as a/unit with saiddoor to effect an 'adjustment of the auxiliary step.

- However the opposite end of the rod 21 has ybeveled surfaces 29 and 30 respectively,

pivotally associated therewith a lever 27, which when the trap door is in kclosed position projects above the door through a slot 28, and through the instrumentality of the lever 27 it is manifest that the rod 21 can be moved out of engagement with the link 20 to permit the trap door D to be elevated without effecting an adjustment of the auxiliary step. It is obvious that when the rod 21 is free of'the link 20, the latter merely turns upon the offset extremity of the rod 16 asthe trap door is elevated without disturbing the auxiliary step. Again when the rod 21 is moved out of engagement with the link 20 "the spring 23 is placed under tension so that u on release ofthe lever 27 the spring expan s', thereby arranging the innermost end. of the rod 21 in the path of movemenaof the link 20 when the trap door D isv lowered.' This end of the rod 21 and the link 20,are provided with coperating which permit the rod 21 to pass beyond the adjacent extremity -of the link 20 during the closing movement of the door D, to engage beneath the' shoulder of said link. In this position of parts the auxiliary step is adjusted simultaneously with the movement of "the door B.

Depending from the lowermost step of the-Hight B is a curved resilient finger 31 which engages the auxiliary step when the latter is in folded position, and serves to hold the step in this position when the door D is adjusted independently of the auxiliary Step While it is believed that from the foregoing description th nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I ldesire to have it understood that what is herein shown and described is merely illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention to which I do not limit myself, and that such changes and alterations may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of'what is claimed.

1. In a device `of the olas described, a platform,- a Hight of fixed steps, a hinged trap door, a folding step hinged beneath one of said fixed steps, mechamsnnconnecting said door and folding step for simultaneous adjustment, said mechanism Y including. a yieldably supported rod capable of being .manually disengaged from said mechanism, to permit said door to be elevated independently of the step, and said rod automatically assuming its normal position with the closing of said door. j

2. In a device of the class described, a platform, a night of fixed ste s, a hinged J trap door, a folding step hin beneath one of said fixed ste a resilient finger dependin from said xed ystep and engaging the fo din'g step when the latter its in folded position, mechanism connecting said oor and folding step for simultaneous adjustment, and said mechanism includin a yieldably supported rod capable of being manually I platform, a fli ht of fixed steps, a hingedtrap door, a' olding. step hinged beneath said fixed steps, a cranks aft journaled beneath said fixed steps, avertically disposed rod ,having one end pivotally connected with the crankshaft, a hnk pivot'ally associated with said door and similarly connected with the opposite end of said rod, a manually controlled yieldably mounted element normally engaging said link and holding the latter xed relatively with said door, whereby said l foldin step is adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of said door, means for" disengaging the movable element from Asaid link to permit an adjustment of said door independently of said folding step.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a Hight of fixed steps, a folding step hinged beneath the fixed ste S, and a pivoted trap door, 0f mechanism gir effecting an adjustment of said hinged step simultaneously with the open'mg and closin of Asaid door, said means including a vertically disposed rod, a link pivotally mounted on said door and connected with said rod, a second yieldably mounted rod carried by the door for normally engaging the link to provide for the adjustment of the step upon opening of the door, manually operable means for disengaging the second mentioned rod from said link whereby'the door may be opened independently of an adjustment of said step, and said yieldable means operating to project the second mentioned rod in the path of said link whereby said yparts will be automatically engaged with the closing of said door.

5. In a device of thev class described, a

Hight of fixed steps, a hinged trap door, a folding step hinged beneath one of the fixed steps7 mechanism for adjusting said folding step, and including a vertically disposed rod having one end ,connected with Said door whereby the step is adjusted simultaneously with the .adjustment of said door, a yieldably mounted element forming part of the connection between said rod and door and capable of being manually released from the 10 rod to permit the door to be opened independently of an adjustment of the step, and said rod automatically assuming its normal position with the closing of said door.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 15

WALTER J. GARRIGAN.

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