Improvements in and connected with Staircases, Inclined Ways, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1899
re
2000
1 CALL
L
1000
Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1899 Acceptod, 20th Jan, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Staircases, Inclined Ways, and
the like.
I, JAMES BUCHANAN, of the Caledonia Engine Works, Brasenose Road, Liver-
pool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
or
My invention relates to certain improvements in and connected with staircases,
inclined ways, and the like, and consists in combining therewith movable
moving sides, surmounted by handrails, or to which handrails are attached in
suitable positions and moving therewith, or the said movable or moving sides may
be applied to staircases or inclined ways having fixed handrails and may be placed
beneath or behind same.
The objects of my said invention are (a) to afford assistance to persons ascend-
ing such staircase or inclined way, and (b) to adapt such moving sides for the
display of pictures or designs, or for advertising purposes.
In carrying my said invention into effect I construct the said moving sides in
the form of wide vertical endless bands which pass around drums at the upper and
lower ends of the staircase or inclined way, said drums being inclined in the
vertical plane to positions at right angles to the angle of inclination of the stair-
case or inclined way. The said moving sides and handrails are caused to travel at
about the rate at which persons ordinarily ascend staircases, so that, by grasping
the said moving handrails, persons are assisted in the ascent of staircases or in-
clined ways to which such moving sides are applied.
In cases where possible and desirable, the return or down-coming sides of the
said bands are arranged to be visible on the outside of the staircase or inclined
way, so that designs or advertisements thereon may be displayed upon the out-
sides as well as upon the insides of such staircases or inclined ways.
(
"
The said moving sides or bands are supported between the said drums by means
of permanent vertical sides or framing fixed to the stringers of the staircase or
inclined way between the up" and down sides of such bands and the said
bands are attached thereto at or near their upper edges by suitable sliding con-
nections for the purpose of stiffening the same and giving stability to the hand-
rails attached thereto, or the said bands may be stiffened and made self-supporting.
The drums at each end of the staircase or inclined way carrying and giving
motion to the said bands, or moving sides, are encased in suitable boxings to which
short lengths of fixed handrail may be attached. These fixed handrails are so
arranged and fitted to the moving handrails as to make both fixed and moving
parts appear as one continuous rail; the said moving rail sliding beneath the ends
of the fixed rail which are tapered and curved to fit same; or the said moving
handrails may be made separate from the said moving sides and may be carried
beyond the drums supporting the bands and be supported by separate pulleys or
drums.
My said moving sides and handrails are applicable to all forms of staircase

page_text: or inclined way and the form and construction may be modified in various ways
to adapt same to varying conditions and to existing staircases or moving ways.
I may adapt my said moving sides to two or more flights of stairs or lengths of
way and guide same in a zig zag, or other manner by means of suitable drums at
the turnings.
The said moving sides when applied to staircases or inclined ways having fixed
handrails may be adapted to fit in between the handrails and stringers of such
staircase or inclined way and fill the space usually occupied by balustrading,
or may be arranged to surround existing balustrading and handrailings.
I may apply my said moving or movable sides to horizontal and inclined moving
ways, ramps, conveyors, or the like.
The said moving sides and handrails are aactuated by the aforesaid drums or
pulleys, which may be rotated by electric motor, bands, gearing, or other means.
Dated this 31st day of January 1899,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Staircases, Inclined Ways, and
the like.
I, JAMES BUCHANAN, of the Caledonia Engine Works. Brasenose Road, Liver-
pool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare 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:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in and connected with staircases,
inclined ways, and the like, and consists in combining therewith movable, or
moving sides, surmounted by, or having, handrailings attached thereto in suitable
positions, and moving therewith, or the said moving, or movable, sides may be
applied to staircases, or inclined ways, having fixed handrails and may be placed
beneath or behind same.
The objects of my said invention are (a) to afford assistance to persons ascend-
ing such staircase or inclined way, and (b) to adapt such moving sides for the
display of pictures, or designs, or for advertising purposes.
My said moving, or movable sides, may be either plain, i.e., without openings,
or with openings, and made to resemble balustrading. In the former case I con-
struct the same in the form of wide vertical endless bands of rubber cloth, or
other suitable material, which pass around drums at the upper and lower
ends of the staircase, or inclined way, said drums being inclined in the vertical
plane to positions at right angles to the angle of inclination thereof. In the latter
case the said sides are formed of two, or more, narrow endless bands, superposed
at suitable distances apart, to which are attached the pillars, or profiles, forming
the balustrading. In either case the said bands are stiffened and strengthened by
thickening or turning over the upper edges and forming a swell or beading
thereon.
When the said moving sides are of the height of ordinary balustrading, the
thickened or beaded edges form the handrailing, but when the said sides are made
of a greater height, handrailing composed of flexible, or elastic bands or ropes are
attached thereto at the usual height.
The said moving sides and handrailings are caused to travel at about the rate
at which persons ordinarily ascend staircases, so that, by grasping the upper edges
of same, persons are assisted in the ascent of staircases, or inclined ways, to which
such moving sides are applied.

page_text: In cases where possible and desirable the return, or down-coming sides, of the
aid bands are arranged to be visible on the outside of the staircase, or inclined
vay, so that designs or advertisements thereon may be displayed upon the out-
sides, as well as upon the insides, of such staircases, or inclined ways.
The said moving sides, or bands, are supported between the said drums by
means of permanent vertical sides, or framing, fixed to the stringers of the stair-
case, or inclined way, between the "up" and "down" sides of such bands, and
the said bands are connected thereto by suitable sliding connections for the pur-
pose of giving lateral stability thereto.
The drums at each end of the staircase, or inclined way, carrying and giving,
motion to the said bands, or moving sides, are encased in suitable boxings to which
short lengths of fixed handrailing, may be attached. These fixed handrails may
be arranged and fitted to the moving handrails as to appear one continuous rail,
the ends of the fixed parts being hollowed and tapered to fit upon the moving part.
When the said moving, or movable sides, are of greater height than ordinary
balustrading the said handrails may be made separate therefrom and may be
continued beyond the drums supporting the bands and be carried by separate
pulleys or drums.
Figs. I and II upon the sheet of drawings, hereunto appended, represent, in
elevation and plan respectively, a stairway fitted with my said movable or moving
sides and Fig. III is a vertical section of one side drawn to a larger scale, in
which A, A, are the said bands, carried by the drums B B provided with thickened
or beaded edges C C. D D are the short lengths of fixed handrail fixed to the
boxes or casings E E surrounding the drums B B at the upper and lower ends
of the stairway. F F are the fixed vertical sides or framings for supporting and
steadying the said bands to which they are connected by a series of hooks H of
metal or other suitable material, which engage and slide upon the angle irons G.
Openings are provided in the surfaces of the drums B to enable the said hooks to
pass around the same.
The shafts J carrying the drums at the upper end of the stairway are connected
by bevel gearing to a horizontal cross-shaft K which may be actuated by an
electric motor M through the medium of suitable gearing Ĺ as shewn.
Fig. IV represents my said moving sides when made to resemble balustrading,
in which N N are two narrow endless bands carried by pulleys 00. Pillars
or profiles Pare attached by pin or hinged connections to the lower and upper
edges of the two bands as shewn, by, which means the said bands and pillars are
enabled to pass around the pulleys and the said pillars of profiles are maintained
in the vertical position on both the up-going and down-coming sides. The upper
band which has a thickened or beaded edge T is supported and steadied by a
fixed inner rail, or framing, to which it is connected by sliding hooks similar to
those shewn in Figs. II and III.
The pulleys carrying the two bands may be actuated separately or may be con-
nected or geared together by suitable and known means.
Fig. V represents my said movable or moving side when made of greater height
than ordinary balustrading, in which R is the said band to which is attached a
flexible handrailing $ fixed at the ordinary height. The said band is supported
and steadied by means of a fixed side or framing to which it is connected by hooks
in the same manner as shewn in Figs. II III.
My said moving, or movable, sides are applicable to all forms of staircase, or
0 inclined way, and the form and arrangement thereof may be modified in various
ways to adapt the same to varicus and varying conditions and to existing staircases
and inclined ways.
I may adapt my said moving sides to two or more flights of stairs, or lengths of
way, and guide same in a zig zag, or other manner by means of suitable drums
5 at the turnings.
The said moving sides, when applied to staircases, or inclined ways having fixed
handrails, may be adapted to fit in between the handrails and stringers of such stair-

page_text: case or inclined way, and fill the space usually occupied by balustrading, or they
may be arranged to surround existing balustrading and handrailing.
I may apply my said moving or movable sides, to horizontal and inclined
moving ways, conveyors, and the like.
The said moving sides and handrails are actuated by the aforesaid drums, which
may be rotated by electric motor, as indicated in the drawings or by bands, gear-
ing or other means.
Having now. particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination with a stairway, or staircase, of one, or more, movable, or
moving sides consisting of broad vertical endless bands, surmounted by, or having
attached thereto, flexible handrailings and adapted to the position, or positions,
usually occupied by stationary sides or balustradings, and handrailings, substan-
tially as and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination with a stairway, or staircase, of one or more movable, or
moving, sides, consisting of two or more endless bands, superposed at suitable dis-
tances apart and having attached thereto pillars, profiles, or their equivalent for
the purpose of forming balustrading, or the like, substantially as and for the
purpose stated.
3. The combination with a stationary, or movable, or moving inclined way, of
one or more moving, or movable, sides, surmounted by, or having, handrailings
attached thereto substantially as and for the purpose stated.
4. The combination with a stairway, or inclined way, of a movable or moving
side or sides, consisting of one, or more, broad vertical endless bands adapted to
fit beneath or behind ordinary fixed handrailings substantially as and for the
purpose stated.
5. The combination with a horizontal moving way or conveyor, of one or more
moying sides, substantially as described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 31st day of October 1899.