Train car compensator for platform gap spacing

Abstract

Compensating landing plates automatically deploy from a subway or railroad car as its doors open in spanning any gap spacing between the car and a station platform where the car stops.

1 . In a railroad or subway transportation car having openable and closeable doors for passengers to board and alight, a floor for passengers to stand upon and top and side surfaces for enclosing the car, the combination comprising:
 a movable landing plate integral with said transportation car adjacent said openable and closeable doors and extendable outwardly of said side surfaces; and   means for automatically deploying said landing plate outwardly from said car in response to the opening of said doors and for retracting said landing plate to said car in response to the closing of said doors.   
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said movable landing plate is concealed beneath said transportation car floor to slide forwardly and rearwardly thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 2 , also including switch means for limiting the extent of forward sliding of said landing plate. 
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 3 , including an electric motor to slide said movable landing plate forwardly in response to the opening of said doors and for sliding said movable plate rearwardly in response to the closing of said doors. 
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 3 , including an air piston to slide said movable landing plate forwardly in response to the opening of said doors and for sliding said movable plate rearwardly in response to the closing of said doors. 
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein said movable landing plate is hinged to a side surface of said transportation car to drop downwardly therefrom and be lifted upwardly thereto. 
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 6 , also including cable means for limiting the extent of downward drop of said landing plate. 
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 6 , including an electric motor to drop said plate downwardly in response to the opening of said doors and for lifting said plate upwardly in response to the closing of said doors. 
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 6 , including an air piston to drop said plate downwardly in response to the opening of said doors and for lifting said plate upwardly in response to the closing of said doors.