US379557A - Thomas behfield - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. BENPIELD.

BICYCLE STEP.

N 379,557 Patented Mar. 20, 1888.

INVENTOR,

WITNESSES. 2% I I I By w ATTORNEY PATENT Erica.

THOMAS BENFIELD, OF NEWARK, NEXV JERSEY.

BICYCLE-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,557, dated Itizuch 20,1888

Application lileil December 16, 1887. Serial No. 258,089. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS BENFIELD, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and aresident ofNewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycle-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in bicycle-steps, and more particularly to an improvement on the step patented to me on the 6th day ofDecember, 1887, No. 374,287, the object of this invention being to so construct the step that the internal working parts thereof will be completely protected from the entrance of any dirt or foreign substance thereto. I have found thatthc perfect working ofthe step when constructed as shown and'described in the Letters Patent above mentioned is liable to be hindered by the entrance of dirt and other foreign substances thereto, scraped from the sole of the shoe when applied to the step. This object-ion I overcome in my presentinvention by applying to the upper part of the step a plate which completely protects the operating parts thereof, and which plate is so arranged that it will move with the step when assuming its different adjustments.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved step, a portion of the protecting-plate being cut away to show the method of attachment thereof to the step proper. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, showing in full lines the step in its horizontal position and in dotted lines the step in its vertical position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line a: :0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aplan view ofthe step, showing the top plate removed.

A represents a collar encircling the backbone of the machine for the purpose of holding or securing the step in its proper position thereon, and between the ends of which is in serted the metal plug a, held in its proper position by the bolt 1), passing through the same and through the ends of the collar for holding the latter in position on the backbone of the machine.

Between the ends of the collar A and on the pintle or bolt Z) is pivoted or hinged the step proper, B, the rear end of which step, when in its horizontal posit-ion, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, rests flush against the metal plug a.

The step B is provided with an elongated opening, or is hollowed out for the reception of the lever G, pivoted to the step, and preferably of the shape as shown in Fig. 3.

Around the bolt or pintlebis coiled a spring, D, one end of which bears against the plug a, the opposite end passing under the lever O forward of the pivot c, the tendency of which spring is to raise the forward end of the lever G and depress the rear end thereof, which latter, when in its horizontal adjustment, engages with a shoulder formed in the pintle b, and thereby secures the lever in said horizontal adjustrnent. When the forward end of the lever O is depressed, raising the rear end of the lever out of engagement with said shoulderon the pintle, the spring D will immediately throw the step into its vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The rear end of the said lever rides on and around-the pintle b. When the step islowered to a horizontal position, the rear end of the lever G rides on and around the bolt b until the extreme rear end thereof registers with the shoulder H thereon, whereupon the spring D, acting on the forward portion of the lever,-lowers the rear end thereof into engagement with said shoulder and secures the step in its horizontal position. To the plug a is hinged the plate E, the rear end of which is somewhat widened, in order to fit over the ends of the collar A, the sides cl of said plate being bent downwardly in order to overlap the sides of the step B, which said sides of the step B are provided with an elongated groove, 6, into which loosely fit the ends of the small screws f, which pass through the overlapping sides (I of the plate E, for the purpose of preventing the plate from separating from the step. It will be seen that as the plate E is hinged back of the rear end of the step it will, when the latter is raised to its vertical position, slide forward on said step, the screw f traveling forward in the grooves e, as shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 20f the drawings. This plate E is made to rest upon the forward portion of the lever 0, so that when the foot is placed upon the plate it will raise the rear end of the lever out of engagement with the pintle b, and when the foot is removed from the step the latter is thrown into its vertical position.

The plate E is corrugated, for the purpose of preventing the foot from slipping when placed thereon, and by extending back over the spring and pintle affords a complete protection thereto from the entrance of any dirt or foreign substance scraped from the foot when placed on the step.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A folding bicycle-step having a plate extending over the top of the same, protecting the hinge of said step from the entrance of foreign substance, substantially as set forth.

2. A folding bicycle-step having a plate indirectly hinged to the backbone of the bicycle and extending over the top ofsaid step, for preventing the entrance of foreign substance to the hinge ofsaid step, substantially as set forth.

3. An automatically folding bicycle step hinged to a collar encircling the backbone of a bicycle, the hinge of said step being protected by a hinged plate fitting over the same and over the step, substantially as set forth.

4. A folding bicycle-step hinged indirectly to the backbone of a bicycle, a plate fitting over and upon said step; and also hinged indirectly to said backbone, said plate being movably connected to said step, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a bicycle-step, the combination of the step B, plate E, lever 0, spring D, and pintle b, the above parts being adapted to operate in the manner and for the purpose described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 13th day of December, A. D. 1887.

THOMAS BENFIELD.

Wit nesscs:

GEORGE (3001:, FRED. O. RiEoKnRs.

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