An Improved Inclined Stepped Elevator or Moving Stairway.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Inclined Stepped Elevator or Moving Stairway.
We, JAMES BUCHANAN, of The Caledonia Engine Works, Brazenose Road,
Liverpool, Engineer, and GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON, of 20, Lombard
Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates to the construction of an improved inclined stepped
elevator or moving staircase for carrying persons and/or goods from a lower to a
higher level and vice versa, and the object of our said invention is to make such
moving stepped elevator resemble an ordinary staircase and be capable of being
used as such when moving and/or when stationary, and to cause the same to
pass through the floor or surface at the upper level without exposing a con-
tinuous opening or series of recurring openings or gaps therein; and further,
to combine therewith movable or moving sides which may be plain i.e. without
openings or made to resemble a balustrading such moving sides being surmounted
by, or having flexible hand-rails attached thereto in suitable positions and
travelling therewith.
Our said moving staircase is formed of a series of steps or treads of suitable
dimensions attached at the back edges thereof (by suitable hinged connections)
to the upper or outer sides of two endless chains, ropes or bands of metal, or
other material, passing around wheels or pulleys located at the upper and lower
ends of the said staircase. These steps or treads are composed of a number of
narrow slats or strips connected together by a surface covering of canvas, rubber
or other flexible material.
These treads are maintained in the horizontal position while being carried
up upon the ascending side, by means of studs or trunnions upon the ends
thereof which engage and travel in suitable grooves in or upon the inner sides
of the "stringers" of the staircase.
As each tread reaches the summit the grooves guide and cause it to gradually
fold down upon the chain, rope or band and, as each one passes around the
upper pulley, it is bent to the curvature thereof and passes beneath the lip or
tapered edge of an opening in the upper floor without exposing a gap of any
appreciable width.
The said treads, in passing down and around the lower pulleys or wheels, are
so guided as to be gradually brought into the horizontal position before they
again emerge through the floor or surface at the lower level.
The said movable sides when solid or without openings are made in the form
of wide vertical endless bands which pass around drums at the lower and upper
ends inclined in the vertical plane, to positions at right angles to the angle of.
inclination of the said staircase.
When the sides have openings therein or are made to resemble balustrading
they are formed of two narrow endless bands passing around separate pulleya

page_text: at each end of the staircase and the pillars or profiles forming the balustrading
are attached at their upper and lower ends to the said bands.
The movable sides, whether solid or in the form of balustrading, may be con-
nected by suitable gearing to the shafts carrying the pulleys at the upper or
lower, or both ends of the said staircase or may be driven independently thereof,
in either case the said sides are caused to move simultaneously therewith.
Motive power for actuating the said staircase may be applied at the upper or
lower ends and may be by electric motor gearing, bands or other means.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1899.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON.
An Improved Inclined Stepped Elevator or Moving Stairway.
We, JAMES BUCHANAN, of The Caledonia Engine Works, Brazenose Road,
Liverpool, Engineer, and GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON, of 20, Lombard
Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to the construction of an improved inclined stepped
elevator or moving stairway for carrying persons and/or goods from a lower to
a higher level and vice versa, and the object of our said invention is to make
such moving stepped elevator resemble an ordinary staircase and be capable of
being used as such when moving and/or when stationary, and to. pass through
the floor or surface at the upper level without exposing a continuous opening or
series of recurring openings or gaps therein and further to combine therewith
movable or moving sides (which may be plain, i.e. without openings or made to
resemble balustradings) for the purpose of avoiding obstruction to persons and/or
goods ascending such moving stairway as would be offered by stationary sides
or balustrading and for the further purpose of enabling persons, by grasping the
upper edges of, or suitable projections upon, the said bands, to steady them-
selves while upon the moving stairway.
Our said moving stairway is formed of a series of flaps or treads of suitable
dimensions attached at the back edges thereof-by hinged connections--to. the
upper or outer sides of two endless chains passing around wheels or pulleys
located at the upper and lower ends of the said stairway. These flaps or treads
are composed of a number of narrow strips connected together by a backing or
surface-covering of flexible material & rest upon transverse bars which form the
said hinged connections.
The treads are maintained in the horizontal position while being carried
up upon the ascending side, by means of studs or trunnions upon the ends
thereof which engage and travel in suitable grooves in or upon the inner sides
of the "stringers" of the staircase.
-
As each tread reaches the summit the grooves guide & cause it to gradually
fold down upon the chains & as each one passes around the upper pulley it is
bent to the curvature thereof & passes beneath the lip or tapered edge of an
opening in the upper floor without exposing a gap of any appreciable width.
The said treads in passing down and around the lower pulleys or wheels are
guided by grooves in the same way as on the ascending side and are gradually

page_text: brought into the horizontal position before they again emerge through the floor
or surface at the lower level.
The said movable sides when solid or without openings are composed of wide
vertical flexible endless bands of suitable material & construction, carried by
drums at the lower & upper ends, inclined in the vertical plane to positions, at
right angles to the angle of inclination of the said stairway.
1.
When the sides have openings therein or are made to resemble: balustradings
they are formed of two or more narrow endless bands passing around a pulley
or pulleys at each end of the stairway and the pillars or profiles forming the
balustrading are attached thereto.
:Y
The said bands may be stiffened and strengthened by thickening or turning
over one or both edges and including in or attaching thereto, fibrous, cords,
strips of leather or their equivalent, such strengthening being in some cases
necessary to give stability and vertical support thereto. In some cases we make
the said thickened edges of round or square section and provide suitable grooves
in the fixed sides of the staircase to engage one or both of such thickened edges
for the purpose of affording lateral rigidity to the said bands.
The moving sides may be arranged to be visible on the outer sides of the
staircasing and may be employed for the display of pictures, advertisements, etc.
The movable sides are actuated by gearing connecting the pulleys carrying
same with the shafts upon which the wheels at the upper, lower or both ends
are mounted, so arranged as to insure the said sides moving simultaneously
with the said stairway.
The several figures upon the sheet of drawings appended hereunto represent
our said movable or moving stairway, Fig. I being a sectional elevation, Fig. II
a plan on the line e, f, in Fig. I, and Figs. III and IV being vertical sections
on the lines c, d, and a, b, respectively in Fig. I, in which A are the treads
attached by the hinged connections B to the chains C passing around the
wheels D at the upper & lower ends of the stairway.
The treads are guided and maintained in the horizontal position while ascend-
ing by the trunnions E which engage and travel in the grooves or channels
formed by the flanges G upon the stringers H.
These channels curve and con-
verge at the upper end of the stairway and cause the treads to fold down upon
the chains and so be brought into line with one another before passing beneath
the tapered edge J of the opening in the upper floor K.
L, L, are said movable or moving sides consisting of wide vertical endless
bands passing around the drums M, M. These bands have thickened or beaded
edges N, and are further stiffened and supported by the fixed sides O to which
they are connected by a series of hooks P sliding upon the rails R of angle-
iron or other suitable material.
In Fig. V the said movable vertical sides have thickened edges of square sec-
tion which fit and slide in grooves T formed in the sides. S. In this case the
said bands have handrailing U formed of elastic or flexible material attached
thereto in suitable positions.
The drums M are carried by shafts V and are actuated by gearing W,X, by
which they are connected to the shaft Y.
Motive power may be communicated from an electric or other motor by means
of a chain passing around the wheel Z in Fig. III or by other means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention & in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. An inclined stepped elevator or moving stairway consisting of a series of
flaps or treads attached at one side by hinged connections to two endless chains
or their equivalent passing around wheels or pulleys at the upper & lower ends,
said hinged flaps or treads having at each end projections or trunnions to engage

page_text: grooves formed within or upon the sides or stringers of the staircase for the
purpose of guiding & maintaining the said treads in a horizontal position
during their upward movement and to cause the same to fold down upon the
chains and thereby be brought into line with one another before passing around
the wheels or pulleys at the upper end, substantially as herein described.
2. In inclined stepped elevators or moving stairways as described the forma-
tion of the flaps or treads of a number of strips attached to a flexible backing
or surface-covering substantially as and for the purpose stated.
3. In inclined stepped elevators or moving stairways the combination there-
with of a moving or movable side or sides consisting of one or more vertical
endless bands passing around pulleys located at the lower and upper ends
thereof, substantially as and for the purposes stated.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1800
JAMES BUCHANAN.
GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON.