other vehicles.
Year: 1886

page_text: other vehicles.
We, CHARLES BEVAN, HENRY HALLAM and CONWAY LOWE trading as Lowe,
Sleigh Bevan and Company of Clarence Works Charlotte Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, Manufacturers and ALFRED TONKS of Geach Street
Birmingham aforesaid Coach Smith do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
This invention relates to means or apparatus, for the automatic opening and
closing of folding carriage steps; whereby the said steps are folded or picked up
by the opening and closing of a carriage door, as heroinafter described.
To the lower portions of the sides of the back frame (which is fixed) the tread
or step plate is jointed at opposite sides so as to be able to turn upwards, and fold
itself upon the fixed back which is disposed in a nearly vertical direction, that is;
the step plate or tread is hung or pivoted at a short distance from its back end,
so as to be capable of turning or altering the plane or direction of the step, on
pressure being applied to the said back end, by means or appliances hereinafter
described.
The step plate carries at its back part an upright bracket, standing from the
upper side; and to this bracket, the lower end of a step operating rod is jointed,>
while the other end of the said rod, is attached or jointed to the long arm of a bent
or cranked lever, having a fulcrum or joint centre near the back or bent part,
which is carried by a hanging bracket supported from the underside of an attach-
ment bracket, extending and supported from, the top frame, which is at the summit
of the back frame. This attachment bracket is cranked or bent downwards about
its middle, so as to bring the joints, and other working parts below the top frame;
and upon the upper side of the cranked part of the said attachment bracket, a step
opening lever is jointed at its extreme front end, which end is forked with a
quadrant shaped slot, excentric to the radius of the joint or fulcrum upon which
the step opening lever turns. The slot of the forked end is made hook like, so as
to draw the cranked short arm of the bent lever forward, on the step opening lever
moving in a backward direction.
The cranked short arm, which is embraced by the excentric slot between the
forks, is provided with au anti-friction roller, which works within the said slot or
between the forks on the folding and unfolding of the step plate,

page_text: n
The other end of the step opening lever is bent, and is connected by a joint to
the back part of a door connecting rod, while the other end of the said rod is
attached to a swivelling bracket, for connecting the rod to a carriage door.
The parts are adjusted by means of the step operating rod. This rod consists
of two parts .connected together by a central screw box, which takes upon right
and left handed screws, wormed upon the ends of the parts constituting the
operating rod; so that when the step or other parts require to be adjusted on
the wearing of the said parts or joints, it is only necessary to rotate the screw box,
when the distance between the joint centres is reduced, thereby effecting the
necessary adjustment required.
When the step is closed the roller on the end of the crank short arm is at the
top of the slot of the opening lever with the bracket at the back end of the step, in
a hanging position, with respect to the frame; and when the step is closed or
folded up, the sides of the tread partially cover up or overlap the outer sides of
the frame.
The action of the parts for opening and closing the step is as follows.
On the first opening of the carriage door, the step is lowered or unfolded, by the
forward movement of the bent end of the step opening lever, occasioned by the
drawing in of the door connecting rod, with its bracket end attached to the door ;
so that the opening of the carriage door, pulls the connecting rod with it, and
turns the opening lever upon the fulcrum centre, situated on the attachment
bracket, which said bracket, passes from the back of the frame of the step. This
.turning of the lever upon its fulcrum, in an outward direction, or in a direction
towards the frame of the step, brings the near side of the slot situated between the
forked parts, to act upon the cranked short arm of the bent lever, so as to cause
the said arm to travel backwards. This travelling backwards, turns the said bent
lever upon its fulcrum centre, so as to depress the short arm, on one end, and raise
the long arm. at the other end; the raising of the long arm pulls upwards the step
operating rod attached to the bracket on the back part of the step, thereby
unfolding or turning the step upon its joints or centres, into a horizontal plane,
or into a position suitable for a person to tread upon, on entering or leaving a
⚫carriage.
The step is limited in its movement, by stops carried by the side flanges of the
step, and when the step is fully opened, these stops come against the back of the
fixed framing.
The further movement of the door, on being fully opened, does not influence the
step, as the said step is fully opened on the first opening of the door, and allowed
to remain so, until the door is again closed.
The closing or folding up of the step is effected as follows:-
On the door being fully closed, the step operating lever is pressed backwards, by
the door connecting rod, which backward movement brings the offside of the
excentric slot to act upon the short arm of the bent lever, so as to compel it to
travel forward. This movement of the short arm, turns the lever upon its centre,
so as to now depress the long arm, and step operating rod attached to it; so that
the downward movement of the operating rod presses upon the bracket at the back
end of the step, which back end is situated beyond the centres upon which the
step turns.
This downward movement of the operating parts consisting of rods, levers and
connecting links, depresses the back part and raises the front part; thereby folding
or picking up the tread of the step, which is effected automatically on the closing
of a carriage door.
The picking up of the step does not commence until just before the door is fully
closed; so that a limited swinging of the door upon its hinges does not influence
the step, as the parts are arranged that the step shall only be folded up or turned
down, on the first opening, or on fully closing the door.
By arranging and combining the parts centrally as described, no side arms or
links are liable to become entangled with ladies' dresses, as is common with folding

page_text: steps of the ordinary construction; and further, the central arrangement of the
acting parts, admits of the step being readily attached to a carriage or other
vehicle.
The carrying bracket upon which the operating lever is jointed, and through
which the short arm of the bent lever protrudes, may be attached to the back plate
of the frame, instead of to the top of the frame; as in some cases for certain kinds
of carriages, no top frame is used. Or the said bracket or other framing for
supporting or carrying the step operating expedients, may be secured or connected
to the body of the step in any convenient manner according to the kind of wheeled
vehicle to which the step is to be applied.
To prevent the tread or step plate when folded, from coming into direct contact
with the metal of the back frame, we arrange on the said frame, rubber washers or
rollers on the two opposite sides, and near the top part thereof. These buffer
expedients stand a little in advance of the front of the said frame, so that on the
tread or step, being folded up, it presses or comes into direct contact with the
yielding surfaces instead of the frame, and so preventing chattering or vibratory
movement to the parts when in use.

page_text: Improvements in Folding Steps for Carriages and
other Vehicles.
We CHARLES BEVAN, HENRY HALLAM and CONWAY LOWE trading as Lowe,
Sleigh Bevan and Company of Clarence Works Charlotte Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick Manufacturers and ALFRED TONKS of Geach Street
Birmingham aforesaid Coach Smith do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING STEPS FOR CARRIAGES AND OTHER
VEHICLES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to means or apparatus for the automatic opening and
closing of folding carriage steps; whereby the said steps are folded or picked up
by the opening and closing of a carriage door, as herein after described.
To the lower portions of the sides of the back frame (which is fixed) the tread
or step plate is jointed at opposite sides, so as to be able to turn upwards, and fold
itself upon the fixed back which is disposed in a nearly vertical direction; that is,
the step plate or tread is hung or pivoted at a short distance from its back end, so
as to be capable of turning or altering the plane or direction of the step, on
pressure being applied to the said back end, by means or appliances hereinafter
described.
The step plate carries at its back part an upright bracket, standing from the
upperside; and to this bracket the lower end of a step operating rod is jointed,
while the other end of the said rod is attached or jointed to the long arm of a bent
or cranked lever, having a fulcrum or joint centre near the back or bent part,
which is carried by a hanging bracket supported from the underside of an
attachment bracket, extending and supported from the top frame, which is at
the summit of the back frame-This attachment bracket is cranked or bent
downwards about its middle, so as to bring the joints and other working parts
below the top frame; and upon the upper side of the cranked part of the said
attachment bracket, a step opening lever is jointed at its extreme front end, which
end is forked with a quadrant shaped slot, excentric to the radius of the joint or
fulcrum upon which the step opening lever turns-The slot of the forked end is
made hook like, so as to draw the cranked short arm of the bent lever forward, on
the step opening lever moving in a back ward direction.
The cranked short arm which is embraced by the excentric slot between the
forks, is provided with an antifriction roller, which works within the said slot, or
between the forks, on the folding and unfolding of the step plate.
The other end of the step opening lever is bent, and is connected by a joint to
the back part of a door connecting rod, while the other end of the said rod is
attached to a swivelling bracket, for connecting the rod to a carriage door.
The parts are adjusted by means of the step operating rod-This rod consists of
two parts connected together by a central screw box, which takes upon right and
left handed screws, wormed upon the ends of the parts constituting the operating
rod; so that when the step or other parts require to be adjusted on the wearing of

page_text: the said parts or joints, it is only necessary to rotate the screw box, when the
distance between the joint centres is reduced, thereby effecting the necessary
adjustment required.
When the step is closed, the roller on the end of the crank short arm is at the
top of the slot of the opening lever, with the bracket at the back end of the step,
in a hanging position, with respect to the frame; and when the step is closed or
folded up, the sides of the tread partially cover up or overlap the outer sides of the
frame.
The action of the parts for opening and closing the step is as follows-
On the first opening of the carriage door, the step is lowered or unfolded, by the
forward movement of the bent end of the step opening lever, occasioned by the
drawing in of the door connecting rod, with its bracket end attached to the door;
so that the opening of the carriage door, pulls the connecting rod with it, and.
turns the opening lever upon the fulcrum centre, situated on the attachment
bracket, which said bracket passes from the back of the frame of the step-This
turning of the lever upon its fulcrum, in an outward direction or in a direction
towards the frame of the step, brings the near side of the slot situated between
the forked parts, to act upon the cranked short arm of the bent lever, so as to
cause the said arm to travel backwards. This travelling backwards turns the said
beut lever upon its fulcrum centre, so as to depress the short arm, on one end, and
raise the long arm at the other end; the raising of the long arm pulls upwards the
step operating rod attached to the bracket on the back part of the step, thereby
unfolding or turning the step upon its joints or centres, into a horizontal plane or
into a position suitable for a person to tread upon, on entering or leaving a
carriage.
The step is limited in its movement by stops carried by the side flanges of the
step, and when the step is fully opened, these stops come against the back of
the fixed framing.
The further movement of the door, on being fully opened, does not influence the
step, as the said step is fully opened on the first opening of the door, and allowed
to remain so, until the door is again closed.
The closing or folding up of the step is effected as follows-
On the door being fully closed, the step operating lever is pressed backwards, by
the door connecting rod, which backward movement brings the offside of the
excentric slot to act upon the short arm of the bent lever, so as to compel it to
travel forward. This movement of the short arm, turns the lever upon its centre,
so as to now depress the long arm, and step operating rod attached to it; so that
the downward movement of the operating rod presses upon the bracket at the back
end of the step, which back end is situated beyond the centres upon which the
step turns.
This downward movement of the operating parts consisting of rods, levers and
connecting links, depresses the back part and raises the front part; thereby folding
or picking up the tread of the step, which is effected automatically on the closing
of a carriage door.
The picking up of the step does not commence until just before the door is fully
closed; so that a limited swinging of the door upon its hinges does not influence
the step, as the parts are arranged that the step shall only be folded up or turned
down, on the first opening, or on fully closing the door.
By arranging and combining the parts centrally as described, no side arms or
links are liable to become entangled with ladies' dresses, as is common with
folding steps of the ordinary construction; and further, the central arrangement
of the acting parts, admits of the step being readily attached to a carriage or other
vehicle.
The carrying bracket upon which the operating lever is jointed, and through
which the short arm of the bent lever protrudes, may be attached to the back plate
of the frame, instead of to the top of the frame, as in some cases for certain kinds

page_text: of carriages, no top frame is used. Or the said bracket or other framing for
supporting or carrying the step operating expedients, may be secured or connected
to the body of the step in any convenient manner, according to the kind of
wheeled vehicle to which the step is to be applied.
To prevent the tread or step plate when folded, from coming into direct contact
with the metal of the back frame, we arrange on the said frame, rubber washers or
rollers on the two opposite sides, and near the top part thereof. These buffer.
expedients stand a little in advance of the front of the said frame, so that on the
tread or step being folded up, it presses or comes into direct contact with the
yielding surfaces instead of the frame, and so preventing chattering or vibratory
movement to the parts when in use.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which the same is to be performed.
.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section a carriage step constructed
according to our invention. Figure 2 represents the same with the step plate or
tread folded up. Figure 3 is a plan of figure 1, and figure 4 is a back view of
figure 2.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the Drawing.
a is the step plate or tread, jointed near its back end a² at two opposite sides, to
the lower portions of the sides b² of the fixed back frame b c c are the joints upon
which the said tread plate turns as fulcrum centres. d is a standing up bracket
secured to the top side of the back end a² of the step a, and to this bracket, the
lower end of a connecting or step plate operating rod e is connected by a joint d²
while the other end of the said rod is attached and jointed to the long arm of a
bent or cranked lever f, having a joint centre f³ near the back or bent part, which
joint centre is supported by a hanging bracket g carried upon the top part 63 of
the frame b. The lever f is provided with a short arm f³ surrounded by an
antifriction roller f, and it is by this short arm, that the step is opened and closed.
Situated upon and working in a horizontal plane, a lever h is jointed at h³ at its
extreme front end, as best seen in the plan figure 3; and which said front end is
forked with an excentric quadrant shaped slot h³, for the purpose of drawing in,
or letting go the cranked short arm f³ on the moving to and fro of the lever h―
i is a connecting rod secured to the door of a carriage, and which is connected to the
lever h through the intervention of a link j jointed in two directions at it and j².
The connecting rod e consists essentially of two parts, with right and left
handed screwed ends e² working within a central screw box e³; so that when the
step or other parts require to be adjusted on wear, it is only necessary to rotate
the screw box, when the parts are brought to their proper bearing.
To prevent the parts when folded, from what is known as chattering, that is,
the constant knocking together of the parts caused by the vibration of the vehicle,
we provide india-rubber or leather buffer pads kk, which are interposed between
the tread of the step, and the sides of the back plate, as best seen in figures 3
and 4.
The opening out of a folded carriage step (as in figure 2) is effected as follows.
The opening of a carriage door pulls the connecting rod i with it, and turns the'
lever h upon its joint centre h²; this turning of the lever in an outward direction
as indicated by the arrow, causes the near side h of the slot h³, to press back the
short arm f³, so as to give a reverse motion to the long arm of the lever f; this
raises or pulls upwards the rod e, and with it the end a³ of the step a, thereby
opening out the said step as represented at figure 1.
The tread of the step is limited in its outward movement by stops 11; so that
when the step is fully opened, the lower portions of the sides 6 abut against them.
The unfolding of the step as described, takes place only on the first opening of
the door of a carriage, while the further movement of the said door for fully
opening, has no effect upon the step, or the operating parts of the step; that is,

page_text: the door may swing upon its hinges at the middle and latter part of its opening
without either opening or closing the step.
The folding or picking up of the step is effected as follows.
On the door being fully closed, the lever h is pressed backwards or in a reverse
direction to the arrow. This brings the offside h of the excentric slot h³ up to the
short arun f³, thereby compelling it to travel forward which turns the lever f upon
its fulcrum centre in a downward direction, which presses upon the side a³ of the
step a, through the intervention of the connecting rod e; this turns the said step
upon its joint centre c and folds it up into the position as represented in figures 2
and 4.
As we have observed in the preceding part of the Specification that the picking
up only takes place just before the carriage door (to which our invention is
applied) is fully closed, this allows the said door to swing upon its hinges to a
considerable extent without influencing the step.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that wo
claim is-
First. The construction and combination of folding carriage steps, herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; whereby the acting parts
are centrally arranged without side irons; that is to say, jointing the tread of the
step near its back end to the lower parts of the sides of a fixed hanging frame,
and to which back end a bracket d, an adjustable or fixed rod e, and jointed lever f.
with short arm f' are connected, and which said short arm works within an
excentric gap or fork h³ near the end of operating lever h, whose outer end is
connected through the intervention of a link, to a connecting rod i attached to the
door, substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The construction and combination of folding carriage steps herein-
before described and set forth, in which the step is folded and unfolded only on
the final closing or first opening of a door to which the said step is connected,
substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. Operating the means whereby folding carriage steps are opened and
closed by a hooked or forked ended lever h, and a jointed lever f, f, f³,
substantially as described and set forth.