improvements in folding car-steps
Year: 1897

page_text: I, WILLIAM PINKNEY NYE, of Tazewell, in the County of Tazewell, and State
of Virginia, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
The invention relates to improvements in folding car-steps. The object of the
present invention is to improve the construction of folding car-steps and to provide
a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one, adapted to form an extension of the
ordinary stationary steps of a coach and capable of being compactly foldal and
locked in such position to prevent it from accidentally sliding outward when a
train is in motion.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims hereto
appended.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding car-step constructed
in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a similar view, the step being folded. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional
view of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted catch. Fig. 6
is a detail perspective view of one of the riser-bars.
Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of
the drawings.
1 designates a stationary step of a coach provided with depending side portions 2,
to the inner faces of which are secured cleats 3, forming depending ways 4 and the
said cleats 3 consist of horizontal portions and inner and outer arms extending
upward from the terminals of the horizontal portions. The depending ways of the
stationary step are engaged by the upper ends 5 of the riser-bars 6, which depend
from the front of the stationary step and support a folding step ĭ. The upper ends
of the riser-bars, which are connected by a transverse rod 8, are provided with eyes
having lateral extensions or bosses 9, which extend into the ways 4. The step ī
is provided at its rear edge with projecting ears 10, which are pivoted to the lower
ends of the riser-bars by a horizontal pintle 11, passing through perforations of
the ears and the riser-bars. The ears are provided with shoulders 12, which
D971

page_text: engage flanges 13 of the riser-bars, and the latter engage and are supported by
horizontal flanges 14 of the cleats 3. The flanges 13 and 14 which extend longi-
tudinally of the riser-bars and the cleats, form stops to limit the swing of the parts
and present a strong and durable construction.
The front arins 15 of the cleats 3 are curved and present inner concave edges to
conform to the configuration of the rounded bosses or extensions of the ends 5.
The step in folding is swung upward or inward against the flanges 13, and the
riser-bars are swung up to a horizontal position and are moved inward to carry the
folding step 7 beneath the stationary step 1, and the flanges 14 serve to support
the riser-bars and the folding step, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accom-
panying drawings.
The terminals of the cleats 3 extend inward over the horizontal bottom portions
thereof and are provided with vertical and horizontal perforations 3", and 3, for
the reception of bolts for securing the cleats to the car-step. The bolts are
arranged in the horizontal perforations when the car steps are provided with
depending side pieces, as illustrated in Figs. I to 4 inclusive, of the drawings, but
when the car-steps are not provided with these depending side portions the bolts
are arranged in the vertical perforations and pass through the lower stationary
step. The cleats are provided with vertical flanges 3", which form sides for the
ways, when the car-steps have no depending, side portions and these vertical flanges
prevent the folding step from slipping laterally. When the car-step is provided
with depending side portions, the vertical flanges 3, are unnecessary.
The transverse pintle is slightly offset from the adjacent edge of the folding step
to provide an intervening space which is engaged by a depending arm of a pivoted
catch 16, mounted in a slot 17 of the horizontal step 1. The catch 16 which is
substantially L-shaped, is pivoted at its angle, and one of its arms depends from the
stationary step for engaging the folding step, and the other arm of the catch is
received within the slot 17 and has its upper edge flush with the upper face of the
stationary step in order to present no obstruction. The outer end of the upper arm
of the pivoted catch is provided with a laterally-disposed lug 18, forming a finger-
piece. The lug is received within a recess which forms an arm of the slot, and the
said lug 18 also prevents the upper arm from swinging downward through the
horizontal slot 17.
It will be seen that the folding step is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in
construction, that it is strong and durable, and that it is applicable to the
stationary steps of the ordinary passenger-coaches and similar vehicles.
Changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be
resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advan-
tages of the invention, such as varying the construction of the depending ways to
secure the same to the stationary steps of cars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a stationary step of
a car or similar vehicle, of ways depending therefrom and located at opposite sides
thereof, riser-bars having their upper ends engaging and pivotally connected with
the said ways, a folding step provided at its inner edge with ears, a pintle pivoting
the said ears to the lower ends of the riser-bars and forming an intervening space
between it and the body portion of the step, the latter being adapted to be folded
against the riser-bars and arranged beneath the stationary step, suitable stops for
supporting the step and the riser-bars in their folded and operative positions, and
a catch mounted on the stationary step and adapted to extend into the space
between the pintle and the fold-step, whereby the latter is locked in its folded
position, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary step
provided with depending horizontal ways having a slot, a folding step, riser-bars

page_text: pivotally connected to the folding step and engaging the said ways and adapted to
carry the folding step beneath the stationary step, and a pivoted L-shaped catch
mounted in the said slot and arranged to engage the folding step to lock the same
in its folded position, substantially as described.
3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary step
provided at its outer edge with a slot, ways depending from the stationary step and
provided with longitudinal flanges forming stops and serving as supports, riser-
bars having longitudinal flanges forming stops and supports, provided at their
upper ends with bosses engaging the said ways, a folding step provided with ears
and adapted to engage the flanges of the riser-bars, a horizontal pintle passing
through the ears and the lower ends of the riser-bars and hinging the step to the
latter, and a pivoted L-shaped catch mounted in the slot of the stationary step and
engaging the folding step between the same and the pintle, substantially as
described.
4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a stationary step, ways
located beneath the step, riser-bars engaging said ways, a folding step carried by
the riser-bars and adapted to be arranged beneath the stationary step, and a
movable catch located beneath the upper face of the stationary step and depending
therefrom in position to engage the folding step, whereby the latter is locked
against outward movement in the said ways, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of June 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.