Improvements in Moving Stairways or Elevators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Moving Stairways or Elevators.
I, LEAMON GRIFFITHI SOUDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 4106, Powelton Avenue, in the City of Philadelphia, in the County of
Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has relation to a traveling stairway or elevator in which the
risers and treads are so arranged as that at landings or horizontal planes of the
staircase they assume substantially a horizontal position.
The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide a traveling stairway
or elevator in which the steps consist of risers and treads so connected that in
ascending or descending the inclined portions of the stairway they are forced to
assume the position of steps, while when turning curves or traveling over hori-
zontal portions of the stairway, the risers and treads spread out into a horizontal
plane; second, to provide in such a stairway or elevator an ascending and
descending flight of steps so connected at landings and at the top and bottom that
the steps will spread out into a horizontal plane, thus making a single and con-
tinuous ascending and descending stairway without having a return portion
beneath the steps in use; and third, to so construct and arrange a stairway that
the same may be safe, convenient and simple.
My invention stated in general terms, consists of a traveling stairway or ele-
vator constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described
and claimed.
The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,
forming part hereof, in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view illustrating one flight of steps embodying
main features of my invention one guide rail being removed to more clearly
illustrate the construction and arrangement of the steps.
Fig. 2, is a top or plan view enlarged of the tread portion of a step with its
top plate or tread proper, removed.
Fig. 3, is a side elevational view of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5, are respectively a top or plan view and a side elevational view
enlarged of the riser.
Fig. 6, is a top or plan view of the stairway with the top plates of the steps
removed at the upper or right hand end of the stairway.
Fig. 7, is a side elevational view of the right hand end of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8, is an enlarged detail perspective view of that portion of the stairway
at which the risers are flexed into the same plane as the treads, the upper edge
or flange of the guide rail being cut away to more clearly illustrate the wedge
and groove in said rail; and
Fig. 9, is a cross sectional view on the line 9-9, of Fig. 8.
Referring to the drawings a, a, represent the side or guide rails of the stair-
way, consisting as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, of inclined portions a², and hori-

page_text: zontal portions a³, arranged respectively along the ascending and landing
portions of the stairway. In the guide rails a, is formed a groove or channel a³,
in which is adapted to slide suitable rolls carried by the treads and risers of the
stairway as hereinafter described.
The steps of the stairway consist essentially of the following parts: the tread
consists of a top plate 6, beneath which is located a base b, to which the plate b,
is secured in any suitable manner. The base 1, has at its sides the rolls 62, which
travel in and are guided by the grooves a³, of the rails a. The face of the base 6¹,
adjacent to the plate b, is cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive and permit
of the oscillation of two wings or arms d, on said base beneath the top plate b
These wings, are pivoted intermediate of the sides as at , to the base and have
projections d², by means of which the wings are pivotally connected to the risers.
The projections 2, and pivot or fulcrum d', are all in the same line. The riser
consists of a transverse piece e, having two side plates e¹, adapted to be connected
at their ends to the projections d², of adjacent wings and carrying rolls e², which
project laterally a slightly less distance further than the rolls 62, of the base b¹,
project. The rolls 2, of the risers, when the steps ascend or descend and the
risers are in vertical position, travel in the main inclined grooves a³, of the
inclined portion a', of the rail, but when the steps approach a landing and begin
to flatten out as hereinafter explained, the rolls e, switch into an auxiliary
groove a, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, which groove a', is above the angle
formed by the grooves a³, in the inclined portions, and their continuation in
the horizontal portions a², of the rails. The manner in which the risers are
flexed to assume a position in the same horizontal plane as the treads is more
clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. It is to be understood that the rolls 2
and, of the treads and risers upon the inclined portion of the staircase travei
downward in the main grooves a³, and rest against the upper edge of each
groove. At the points slightly in advance of the points where the bend from an
incline to a horizontal position of the staircase takes place, the upper edge of
the inclined groove a³, is widened and enlarged to form a wedge-shaped pro-
jection a, which is thick enough to only permit the rolls 2, to pass and rest
against its upper edge or auxiliary groove at, but too wide to let the rolls 62,
pass, which rolls are confined in the main groove a³. The risers are thus per-
mitted to swing upward with respect to the treads and assume a horizontal
position when the platform or horizontal part of the staircase is reached.
În traveling upward from the horizontal to the inclined portion of
the staircase, the rollers 1P, ot the tread follow the groove cris
and as each roller leaves the horizontal and enters the inclined portion of said
groove the respective treads are litted upward. Inasmuch as all the treads and
risers are pivotally connected together as at d, they form a continuous chain and
hence the upward movement of each tread will cause the contiguous edge of a
next succeeding riser to be pulled upward from a horizontal position until the
riser assumes an angular position in which its rollers e², are elevated to rest under
the edge of the auxiliary groove a'. The riser will then assume various positions
of angularity as its rollers, travel over the wedge a³, until it finally assumes a
position at right angles to the tread at the point where the upward incline of the
staircase begins. The risers are the only parts of the chain of sections which can
be flexed and the necessary movement of the risers is obtained in ascending, by
reason of the fact that the tread sections between which a riser is located will
respectively throw the contiguous edges of the risers so that the riser will assume
succeeding positions of angularity until it is finally forced to operative position
at right angles to the treads. These movements of the riser with the respect to the
guide rails of the staircase is permitted by reason of the fact that its rollers e²,
can slide upward on the wedge a¹³, whereas the rollers d³, of the treads are con-
fined to the main groove 3. When the treads and risers are flexed into hori-
zontal position, as at the platforms, any tendency to tilt downward or upward
upon their rollers 63 or ea, is prevented by projecting the side rails of the stair-

page_text: case at the under edge of the groove a³, so as to form supports a", on which the
bottom of each tread or riser can rest, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, of
the drawings.
Between the inner edge d, of the wings d, and the outer edge 4, of the uncut
portion of the base b, is interposed springs d, of metal or other suitable flexible
material which permits of a yielding of the wings inward towards the uncut
portion of the base b', which would be necessary should the ascending and de-
scending flights travel in slightly diverging or converging directions, instead
of as illustrated, in parallel directions. To the underneath portion of each
base b', and preferably midway between its ends is secured in any suitable manner
a depending plate y, having two curved legs gl and g². When the steps are
ascending the curved leg g¹, is adapted to enter one of a series of complementally
formed projections m, carried by an endless band or chain m' as shown in full
lines in Fig. 7, and in dotted lines in Fig. 6. When the steps are descending
the other leg g³, enters one of the projections m. It is to be understood that the
distance between the legs and g', is so proportioned to the distance between
the projections m, of the chain m³, that they will enter said projections at the
proper times.
The chain m¹, is likewise caused to travel on its sprockets m² and m",
with sufficient speed to bring its projections m, into position to properly register
with the required legs g² or gl. This being merely a matter of mechanical cal-
culation forms no part of my present invention and hence further explanation
is not thought to be necessary. The steps are thus caused to travel in ascending
and descending by the chain m', which is operated preferably by two
sprockets m² and m³, rotating in an inclined plane at or near each landing, to
which sprockets motion is conveyed in any suitable manner, not shown. In
turning the curves at the top and bottom of the stairway the rolls and e², will
of course leave the grooves a³, of the guide rails. They are, however, guided
into suitable sockets or recesses p, formed in the periphery of the two wheels p¹,
as shown in Fig. 7, of the drawings.
The operation of the stairway herein before explained is as follows: In ascend-
ing or descending the inclines, the rolls and e², are guided in an inclined
channel, and the treads and risers assume and maintain a position at right
angles to each other, thus forming steps. When, however, a landing is reached
as at the lower right hand end of Fig. 1 or Fig. 8, and no turn is to be made,
the rolls, first enter the auxiliary groove a', of the guide rails and the risers
are caused to gradually flatten out until they are in the same horizontal plane
as the treads of the steps. This movement of the risers is possible by reason
of the pivotal connection of their side plates with the projections d, of the wings.
In turning curves, as, for instance, at the ends of the stairway, the risers and
the adjacent wings to which they are connected remain fixed, but the bases and
their tread plates swing upon the fulcral points d', as illustrated in Figs. 6
and 7. The space between succeeding treads is thereby filled out by a riser and
its two adjacent wings.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the treads of the
steps always travel in a horizontal plane whether the steps are ascending or
descending or whether they are turning at the ends of the staircase or traveling
over the landings. It will also be understood that the treads are never reversed,
but remain always with the plate b, uppermost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is:-
1. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising a continuous set of treads and
risers adapted to travel upwards and downwards in an inclined direction at right
angles to each other, said treads and risers being pivotally connected to each other
in such manner that they may both assume a position in the same horizontal
plane when a landing is reached, substantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: 2. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising a continuous set of treads and
risers adapted to travel upwards and downwards in an inclined way at right
angles to each other, said treads and risers being so pivotally connected together
that they may both assume a position in the same horizontal plane when a land-
ing is reached and said risers being so arranged that they may oscillate upon said
treads when the treads and risers are turned in a horizontal plane, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
3. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising a step consisting of a tread
plate, a base secured to said plate, two wings pivotally secured to said base below
the tread plate and adapted to oscillate on said base, and a riser pivotally secured
at one edge to one of said wings and at its other edge to a similar wing of an
adjacent step, substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. A moving stairway or elevator, having horizontal and inclined portions, a
band constructed at all points throughout its length for the support of a load,
and combined with means for causing flexure of the band at predetermined
intervals throughout the length of the inclined portion to form carrying sections
for the load, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising an endless belt conveying
mechanism having horizontal and inclined ways, a series of sections hinged one
to another, means on the horizontal ways for keeping the surfaces of all the
sections in alignment, and means on the inclined ways for keeping alternate
sections horizontal, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising a chain of successive links
pivoted together and forming a continuous surface and means for changing the
angle of certain of the links in respect to alternate links, whereby the chain can
form either a traveling horizontal platform or steps, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
7. A moving stairway or elevator having horizontal and inclined portions, a
band constructed at all points throughout its length for the support of a load
combined with means for causing flexure of the band to form carrying sections
for the load throughout the length of the inclined portions, with means for
causing flexure of the band into substantially horizontal sections at the horizontal
portions and with means for causing the sections to oscillate upon each other
when flexed into horizontal form, substantially as and for the purposes described.
S. A moving stairway or elevator, comprising an endless belt conveying
mechanism having horizontal and inclined ways, a series of sections hinged one
to the other, means on the inclined ways for keeping alternate sections hori-
zontal, means on the horizontal ways for keeping the surfaces of all the sections
in alignment, and means on the horizontal ways for causing the alined sections
to oscillate upon each other in a horizontal plane, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
DL11:
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vania, this highth day of May A.D. 1899.
LEAMON GRIFFITH SOUDER.
Per J. G. Lorrain, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent.