Year: 1888

page_text: | HEARY HARRIS LAKE of the film of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby doclare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement
1
This invention relates to an improved construction of steps and platforms specially
designed for carriages, omnibuses, railway cais and other vehicles My object is to
render the step cipible of acting as a foot scriper to a more efficient degree
than previous constructions, and at the same time to simplify and cheapen the
manufacture
The invention consists of a reticulated or open work step or platform consisting of
strips of thin metal placed edgewise, a surrounding frame of stiff material by
which the strips are held together, and a uanger or equivalent support attached to
the frame
In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming part thereof, Figure 1
18 a perspective of carriage step made according to my present invention, Fig 2
1s a plan of a step or platform, partly in section, and Fig 3 is a vertical section of
the same upon the line 3-3 of Fig 2
In said drawings A represents one of the series of strips composing the body of
my improved step or platform, and B the other series Both series consist of strips
formed of flat band metal or other description of narrow thin metal, and are slotted
from one edge preferably to their longitudinal centers as shown at a, so that when
put together edge uppermost, with the slots of one series down and the slots of
the other series up, and with one series crossing the other, they will halve together
at their intersections and form a reticulated even surfaced structure

page_text: The ends of the various strips are fashioned to fit into the groove c of the
surrounding frame C, which is made of channel or other suitable iron This
channel c forms guard against vertical movement of the strips, while the latter are
mutually self sust uning gunst lateral yielding Of course other shaped metal may
be employed for the frame, but the form shown is very simple and serves the purpose
well Its ends may be spliced by the use of the plate D and rivets d, or in any
other suitable way The strips A and B may be wavy or zigzag instead of straight
They should preferably however approach the frame at right angles to the latter,
because if they enter the channel in the latter obliquely they are apt to spring or bend
out of the channel
A step or platform made in this way forms a very efficient foot scraper, as the
edges of the strips are thin and sharp and well adapted to cut into and loosen mud
and snow adhering to the feet, while the meshes in the step permut the free escape of
all which may become detached Stiffening or strengthening ribs may be passed
through the structure from end to end or side to side, if found desirable
The device illustrated is a carriage step and is provided with the hanger customarily
used with such steps The form of the hanger or hangers and the size and shipe
of the step or platform are, however, immaterial matters in my invention
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed is communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
The reticulated or open work step or platform consisting of a support or hanger,
stiff frame secured to the support or hanger, and separate strips of sheet or like
thin sharp edged metal forming the tread and arr inged edgewise in and supported
by sud frame without being welded to or made integril therewith, substantially as
set forth
1
T
1000