US1167893A - Compensating stairway. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

INVENTOR WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

r ors on.

PRESLY J. FICKINGER. or CONNEAUT, OHIO.

COMPENSATING 'STAIRWAY.

T0 all whom it may concern: I i

Be it known that I, PRESLY J. FICKINGER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Conneaut, in the county of 'Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compensating Stairways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of stairways for use in connecting separated points on a moving or swinging member such as the illustrated construction in which the invention is applied to the oscillating beam of unloading mechanisms used in unloading. ore and similar bulk cargoes from ore boats and similar vessels.

One object of my invention is to provide a stairway of improved construction having oscillatingtreads and having novel means whereby the treads are maintained in substantially horizontal planes while the stairway is being swung through the arc of a circle. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a movable stairway having pivoted treads adapted to swing when the stairway is moved and remain as substantially horizontal planes while the. stairway is being moved.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a stairway having the novel combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, to be more fully described hereinafter, and to be specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing part of the oscillating beam of an ore unloading mechanism with a stairway constructed and arranged and applied for use thereon in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing a detail of the construction of the movable treads and means employed in maintaining the flat top surface of the treads in horizontal planes. Fig. 3 is a similar detail showing a modification in the means employed in maintaining the stair treads in parallel planes and horizontal position on the swinging arm or other movable member to which the stairway is applied for use.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates the oscillating beam of an ore unloading apparatus which is pivoted on a shaft 3 so as to rock between the positions shown in full lines and in dotted lines Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11,1916.

Application filed September 25, 1915. Serial No. 52,564.

lating beam 2 which is of built up construction is a compensating stairway embodying my invention. This stairway comprises sides 4, which (as shown in Fig. l) are rigidly secured to extend in the-desired sition from one end ofa platform 5 to the platform formed by the top cover plates .6 of the beam 2. A hand rail 7 provided on oneor both sides of the stairway and platform is usually employed for the sake of safety. a i

Secured to the sides 4 of my improved stairway to extend between the opposite faces" thereof are shafts or pins forming trunnions- 8 and pivotally connected to each trunnion is a stair tread 9. Each of the treads 9 is provided on one end as shown with a downwardly extending arm forming a lever 10 by which the series of treads are pivotally connected to a link bar 11 which extendslengthwise parallel with the sides 4- of the stairway below the treads 9. Fastened to part of or when desired, to each of the treads 9 are the ends of a U-shaped strap 12 the strap being secured to the treads so as to depend therefrom andon the depending or lower end of the U-shaped straps are heavy balance weights 13, the weights and the strap forming a pendulum which acts to -maintain the upper surfaces of the treads 9 angular poin Fig. 1. Secured on the side of the oscilthus seen that a workman can ascend or descend between the platforms 5 and 6 without reference to Y the angular position of the stairway and at any point in the swinging movement as the treads 9 will always extend horizontally in all positions of the oscillating arm.

' In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, the treads 9 are provided with arms 10 by which they are connected to a link bar 11 in the same manner as has been described. In this construction the U-straps ing movement of the stairway. As will be 7 seen in Fig. 3, the trunnion 8 for one of the treads 9 is provided with a sprocket wheel 14 which is keyed or otherwise fixed to the trunnion 8 to rock the trunnion. The sprocket wheel 14 is connected to a second sprocket wheel 15 by the endless sprocket chain 16, and the sprocket wheel 15 is keyed or otherwise fiXed on the pivot pin 17 by which the upper ends of the sides 4 of the stairway turning on the pivot pin 17 so that when the sides move angularly or swing the sprocket chain 16, sprocket wheel 14 and link bar 11 causes the treads to move with respect to the sides 4 and the upper surfaces of the treads are thereby maintained in substantially horizontal planes.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. My invention provides a compensating stairway which is applicable for use on the swinging arms of ore unloaders and on the rocking members of various structures and by the use of my invention a stairway is provided in which the treads are always in the desired horizontal position irrespective of the swinging movement of the structure to which the stairway is fixed so that it is safe and easy to ascend or descend the steps even during the swinging movement of the stair way.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a stairway the combination with a swinging arm, of stair sides secured thereto,

2. A swinging stalrway comprising a series of treads, swinging means'to which the treads are pivoted, means for swinging said pivoted treads 1n unison, and'a swlngmg welght whereby said treads are mamtamed in parallel, horizontal planes in the swinging movement thereof.

3. A swinglng stairway comprising aseries of treads, swinging means to which the treads are pivoted, means for moving said pivoted treads in unison, and a depending weight whereby said treads'are maintained. 1.1.;

in parallel horizontal planes in the movement thereof;

4. A swinging stairway comprising a se: ries of treads, swinging means to which the treads are pivoted, means for moving said I pivoted treads in unison, means for moving said swinging means to which the treads are pivoted and a pendulum whereby said treads are maintained in parallel horizontal planes in the movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. V

PRESLY J .FlGKINGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commis'sioner'of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 1

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