IMPROVEMENTS IN STEPS FOR CARRIAGES AND. OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED WHORWOOD AUSTER of Crown Works 11 and 12 Barford Street
Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN STEPS FOR CARRIAGES AND.
OTHER PURPOSES " and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement as follows
that is to say:-
This invention has for its object improvements in steps for carriages and other
purposes, where softness and security of tread are important in combination with
a free exit for any dust or dirt. The second point is of special importance, in the
case of carriages where a slip of the foot may be accompanied with dangers not
met with in less exposed positions. These special advantages are secured by this
invention with great durability and facility for renewal at any time.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily
carried into practice I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which
I have, illustrated a step suitable for carriages and other vehicles but it will also
serve to show how a compound step may be formed under similar though somewhat
different conditions for other purposes.
Figure. 1. is a side elevation of a carriage step.
Figure. 2. is a plan of the same step.
Figure 3. is a cross section on line. A. B.
On reference to the drawings it will be seen that C. C. C. C³. is a frame which
may be made from any metal or suitable substance and that it is connected to the
vehicle by the rod or bar D. Inside this or similar frames I mount fluted or other
cushions E. E. E. E the number being regulated according to the size of step and
the purpose for which the step may be used. In some cases the bar C³ may be
constructed with a rubber tread in a similar manner to the other sections. The
rollers E may also be made in shorter lengths with washers between each length
or section. These cushions are shown circular with the fluted grooves, k. k. k.
running in the surface so as to increase the security of the tread as well as the
cleansing effect upon the tread of the boot.
It will be seen that the cushions E in this case are secured in their respective
positions by the screw rods M which pass through the cushions horizontally and
are tapped into the metal on the opposite side of the step frame C. It will be
evident that when these cushions are worn on the upper side that they may be turned

page_text: round to another part thus renewing the tread from time to time. It will be
obvious that variations in the details may be made such for instance as the mode
of mounting the cushions or in manufacturing two or more of the cushions
together with suitable perforations through them only in this case the tread could
only be renewed once by turning the cushion or cushions bottom side upwards.
A similar arrangement might be used for ordinary folding steps made partly of
wood, iron and rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The improvements in steps for carriages and other purposes of a tread composed
of an outer frame of metal or other suitable material with cushions E mounted in
connection therewith substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.