US1089852A - Center-entrance car. - Google Patents

Description

W. S. MENDEN.

CENTER ENTRANCE CAR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2, 191a.

Patented Mar. 10, 191 1 4 SHBETSSHEET 1.

W. S. MENDEN. CENTER ENTRANCE CAR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.2,1919- 1 ,089,852 Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

Wm w awue/wbo a mimg W. S. MENDEN.

CENTER ENTRANCE CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1013.

1,089,852. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS*SHEIJT 3.

W. S. MBNDEN.

CENTER ENTRANCE OAR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2.191S.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FKQE.

WILLIAM S. MENDEN, OF'BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CENTER-ENTRANCE GAR.

Application filed January 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MENDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Center-Entrance Cars, of which the following is a full and clear specification.

This invention relates to passenger cars in general, but more especially to rapid transit cars for service in congested districts and lines requiring frequent stops to take on and discharge passengers.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for cars of this character enabling the passengers to be handled more economically and without confusion.

Toward the attainment of this object my invention contemplates a platform for incoming and outgoing passengers disposed substantially midway of the length of the car and the arrangement on said platform of suitable mechanism for controlling circuits for running the motor, operating the doors, signaling the motorman, registering fares, etc.

Ancillary to the primary object of handling the passengers with the least possible confusion and with a maximum degree of despatch, one of the objects of the present invention is to arrange the platform with a view to economizing space and facilitat ing the ease with which passengers enter and leave the car. For this purpose, the centrally disposed platform is dropped considerably below the level of the floors or platforms at opposite ends of the car which must of necessity be retained at a certain height to permit the installation of the wheels or trucks beneath them. In the pres ent embodiment of my invention the central drop platform is therefore disposed within easy stepping distance of the street or roadway and extends across the entire width of the car. A single step at each the forward and rear edges of the drop platform, brings the passenger on the lower end of an incline which extends upwardly to the platform level adjacent either end of the car.

Among other objects my invention contemplates speeifically a turret revolubly mounted in the center of said platform, said turret being adapted to mount certain controlling elements for effecting various operations, such as opening and closing of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914;.

Serial No. 739,755.

doors, signaling the motorman, mainpulatmg fare register, applying brakes, etc, and for securing a safety control of the motor. Another important object is to provide nnproved means for preventing the doors being opened while the car is in motion.

Another object is to provide improved means for preventing the car being started when the doors are open.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rapid transit car constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being broken away, parts shown in section, and parts being removed from the car for the sake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, showing the floor plan of the car; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, of the car shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line IV-IV, Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section on an enlarged scale of the central portion of the car, showin the plan of the center platform, turret and railings; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sec tion showing the connection between a hand rail and a stanchion or upright, parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail in elevation; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the means for revolubly connecting one of the hand rails to an upright or stanchion, parts being broken away and parts shown in section.

In street car constructions of the present day to which the present invention more especially appertains, the size of the wheels and trucks have come to conform to certain well established standards and inasmuch as it is customary to have the floor of the car unbroken by reason of the car wheels projecting above the floor level, such floor level is usually disposed at considerable elevation above the street or track. In consequence, it has come to pass that considerable effort and discomfort involved in getting on and off of cars. To obviate these undesirable features, my invention contemplates a substantially centrally disposed platform which is depressed considerably below the level of the upper edges of the wheels to bring said platform within easy stepping distance of the street. Another easy step connects said platform with the lower end of an incline which extends upwardly toward either end of the car and terminates in a level portion above the wheels or truck at that end of the car.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the floor of the car 1, thus comprises level portions 2 adjacent the front and rear ends of said car, a cent-rally disposed platform 3 and inclines i extending from the platform 3 toward opposite ends of the car, the inclines 4i terminating adjacent the center platform 3 at the upper edges of risers 5. As shown in Fig. a, theplat-form 3 comprises a central table 3 and lateral inclines 6, extending from the table 3 to the doorways on opposite sides of said platform. Centrally disposed on the platform 3, is a turret or housing 7 for a pedestal 8 (see Fig. The pedestal 8 is provided with a base flange 9, which is suitably secured to the platform 3 and provided with an annular seat upon which revolves the annular base ring 10 of the turret or housing 7, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Referring now to Figs. 2 and l the doorways of the platform 3 are closed by sliding doors 11, which in open position are housed within recesses 12 formed in any suitable manner on either side of the platform 5. To the front and rear of the platform 3 and across the lower ends of the inclines d, are arranged a plurality of uprights or stanchions 13, which in the present embodiment divide the aisle into two passageways, one for incoming and the other for outgoing passengers. Adjacent the lateral edges of the platform 3 are arranged a pair of spaced uprights or stanchions 1 1 which divide the doorway into three parts, providing a central opening for incoming passengers and openings on either side thereof for outgoing passengers from either end of the car. For this purpose, the hand rails 15 are arranged on one side of the car to extend between the stanchions 13 and 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Said hand rails are preferably bent in some such form as shown in said figures to provide suitable aisles in conjunction with the turret 7 behind which the conductor stands to receive the fares as the passengers board the car. The hand rails 15 are adapted to be thrown to the other side of the car as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so as to provide similar aisles for incoming and outgoing passengers, when the car is going in the opposite direction. For this purpose, each of the center stanchions 13 is provided with a T-joint 16, having a threaded stem 17 into which projects one end 18 of th hand rail 15, as shown in Fig. 8. Secured to the end 18, is a collar 19 which is held in position by a grub screw 20. A coupling 21 is threaded to the exterior of the stem 17 and provided wit-h a flange 22, which retains the hand rail 15 against displacement while at the same time permitting said hand rail to be revolved about the axis of the with a reduced stem 27, which is recipro-' cably mounted in a collar 28, within the swinging ends of the hand rails 15. A pin 29 in the inner end of the stem 27 retains said stem from displacement. interposed between the enlargement 26 and the collar 28, is a s1 ring 30, which tends to retain the bolt 26 in outermost position.

What- I claim is: 1

1. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent the opposite ends thereof, platforms arranged above said wheels or trucks, a drop platform of relatively small extent disposed substantially central with respect to said end platforms and below the level thereof, said drop platform being provided with a doorway, and inclined floors connecting said central platform with said end platforms, said inclined floors being adapted to have seats arranged along them.

2. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent the opposite ends thereof, platforms arranged above said wheels or trucks, a drop platform disposed substantially central with respect to said end plat forms and below the level of said end platforms. said drop .platform being provided with a doorway, and inclines extending from said end floors or platforms to points adjacent the opposite sides of said doorway.

3. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent the opposite ends thereof, floors or platforms arranged above said wheels or trucks, a drop platform disposed substantially central with respect to said end floors or platforms and below the level of said end floors or platforms, said drop platform being provided with a doorway, and inclines extending from said end floors or platforms toward said drop platform, said drop platform being separated from said inclines by risers.

1. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent opposite ends of said car, level floors above said wheels or trucks, and

a platform disposed below the level of and tending laterally from said central portion.

5. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent opposite ends of said car,

level floors above said wheels or trucks, a platform disposed below the level of and substantially central with respect to said floors, said platform comprising a substantially level central portion, and inclines extending laterally from said central portion, and inclines extending from said level floors above the wheels or trucks toward said platform.

6. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent opposite ends of said ear, level floors above said wheels or trucks, a platform disposed below the level of and substantially central with respect to said floors, said platform comprising a substantially level central portion and inclines extending laterally from said central portion, and inclines extending from said level floors above the wheels or trucks toward said plat-- form, and connected to said platform by means of risers.

7. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adj acent opposite ends of said car, a drop platform provided with a doorway disposed substantially central with respect to the ends of said car, and inclined floors extending upwardly away from said doorway, and above said wheels or trucks.

8. A passenger car provided with wheels or trucks adjacent opposite ends of said car, a drop platform provided with a doorway disposed substantially central with respect to the ends of said car, and inclined scat bearing floors extending upwardly away from said doorway and above said wheels or trucks, said inclined floors terminating in platforms at opposite ends of the ear.

9. A passenger car provided with a floor connnisin spaced sections inclined upwardly toward the respective ends of said car, and a depressed platform interposed hetwecn said floor sections.

10. A passenger car provided with a central platform, a riser at the forward and rear edges of said platform, floors extending from the top edges of said risers respectively toward opposite ends of said car, said floors being inclined upwardly away from said platform, and wheels or trucks disposed under the upper ends of said floors.

11. A passenger car provided with a platform disposed substantially central with respect to the ends of said ear and with aisles leading from said platform toward opposite ends of said car, stanchions disposed adj-a cent the forward and rear edges of said plat-- form and substantially central with respect to said aisles to separate incoming and outgoing passengers, stanehions at the side of said platform to separate incoming and out going passengers, rails extending from each of the aisle stanchions to one of the side stanchions, said rails being adapted to form a central entrance leading to both of said aisles and separate exits leading respectively from said aisles, and a pedestal disposed substantially central with respect to said entrance, said pedestal being adapted to separate the incoming passengers into columns directed toward opposite ends of the car.

'19. A. passenger car provided with a central platform, a riser at the forward and rear edges of said platfm'm, floors extending;- from the top edges of said risers respectively toward opposite ends of said car, said floors being inclined upwardly away from said platform, and wheels or trucks disposed under the upper ends of said .iioors, .said upper ends of the floors having: horizontal portions over said wheels or trucks.

iii. A passenger car having: a central platform and floors extending forwardly and rearwardly from the forward and rearward edges of said platform, railings which form a central passagewvay for the entrance of passengers and side yalssane-ways for the exit of passengers, and a centrally disposed pedestal for mounting devices for operat inn various mechanisms about the ear, said pedestal being); dis 'iosod substantially central of said platform and adapted to di\'ide said entrance passage-way into channels leading respectively to opposite ends of said ear.

H. in a passenger ear, a central de iresstal platform provided with doorways on either side thereof, floors extending from said platform toward opposite ends of said car, uprights centrally disposed adjacent the forward and rear edges of said plat'fm'm, a hand rail pivotally connected to each of said uprights, and means for supporting said rails in positions to form entrance and exit passages across said platform.

15. In a passenger car, a depressed platform arranged interinediately of the ends of the ear, uprights adjacent the forward and rear edges of said plaiforn'i, pairs of spaced uprights adjacent the lateral edges of said [llzltftll'll], and hand rails jonrnaled respectividy in said uprights adjacent the forward and rea r edges of said platform and adapted to be releasably secured to the uprights adjacent the lateral edges of said platform.

16. In a passenger car, a depressed platform arranged intermtaliately of the ends of the car, uprights adjacent the forward and rear edges of said upright, pairs of spaced uprights adjacent the lateral edges of said platform, and hand rails jiournaled respectively in said uprights adjacent the forward and rear edges of said platform and adapted to be releasably secured to the uprights adjacent the lateral edges of said platform], said hand rails being); angularly bent at their inner ends to form an entrance passage widening inwardly and exit passages on either side of said Ol'lill'allCC.

17. In a passenger car, a platform, door ways in the sides of said car opening onto said platform, rails extending from one side of said platform to the forward and rear edges thereof to form a central entrance and separate exits, and a pedestal centrally disposed with respect to said rails to form passages in said entrance leading respectively toward opposite ends of the car.

18. In a passenger car, a platform, doorways in the sides of said car opening onto said platform, rails extending from one side of said platform. to the forward and rear edges thereof to form a central entrance and separate exits, and a pedestal centrally disposed with respect to said rails to form passages in said entrance leading respectively toward opposite ends of the car, said rails being revoluble about an axis intersecting said pedestal to adapt said rails to be disposed successively on opposite sides of said pedestal.

10. A passenger car without interior partitions, having a side entrance at the central portion thereof, a platform within the car and located approximately at the center thereof, a ramp extending transversely from the side entrance to the platform, and a second ramp extending longitudinally from the platform to the level of the floor of the car; substantially as described.

20. A car having level floor portions at each end, and acentral side entrance with inclines or ramps leading from the entrance to said end portions, said. ramps extending transversely and longitudinally of the car; substantially as described.

21. In a. railway car, a floor provided with a depressed platform for entrance and exit, midway of the length of the car, with raised end portions and with sloping floor portions connecting said middle and end portions.

22. In a railway car, a floor provided with a depressed platform for entrance and exit, midway of the length of the car. with raised end portions, and with longitudinally slop ing floor portions connecting said middle and end portions, said depressed platform sloping downwardly from the middle toward each side.

23. A. railway car, supporting trucks near its ends and having a floor provided with a depressed platfoiL-m for entrance and exit, midway of the length of the car, car walls and roof, inclosing portions of the car adjacent the depressed platform, said inclosed portion of the car being provided with seats arrange to leave passageway leading to the plat rm nidway of the width of the car, said platform sloping downwardly toward each side from its middle portion, and being provided with. entrance and exit pasat each side.

24. A railway car, supporting trucks near its ends and having a floor provided with a depressed platform for entrance and. exit,

midway of the length of the car, car wallsand roof, inclosing portions of the car adjacent the depressed platform, said inclosed portion of the car being provided with seats arranged. to leave a passageway leading to the platform midway of the width of the car, said platform sloping downwardly t0- ward each side fromits 11 iddle portion, and being provided with entrance and exit paseach side, the floor of said inclosed portion of the car being inclined upwardly toward the ends of the car.

A. car having a side entrance and an entrance platform connected therewith, barriers suitably arranged on said platform to form a central passageway extending transversely of said platform and passageways leading from said side entrance on either side of said central passageway and extend ing toward the front and rear respectively of said car, said central passageway being flared inwardly, and a conductors pedestal disposed centrally of said central passageway.

26. A. car having a side entrance and an entrance plat-form connected therewith, barriers suitably arranged on said platform to form central passageway extending transversely of said platform and passageways leading from said side entrance on either side of said central passageway and extending toward the front and rear respectively of said car, said central passageway being flared outwardly and a eonductors pedestal disposed centrally of said central passageway, which terminates adjacent the central longitudinal line of the car, said pedestal being arranged substantially on said central longitudinal line of the car.

2'7. 131 car having a side entrance and an entrance platform connected therewith, barriers suitably arranged on said platform to form a central passageway extending transvorsely of said platform and passageways leading from said side entrance on either side of said central passageway and extendtoward the front and rear respectively 01 said car, said central passageway being flared inwardly, and a conductors pedestal di nosed centrally of said central passage.

1 way, which terminates adjacent the central longitudinal line of the car, said pedestal bearranged substantially on said central longitudinal line of the car, said barriers be ing movable from one side of said platform to the other.

lVlLLlAM S. MENDEN. ll iti e es:

lVM. A. GoUnTLANn, Pnann M. KLING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, by addressing the tiommiasioner oi Eatents,

Washington, D. 0.

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