Railway platform gap filler

An apparatus for dynamically filling a gap formed between an edge of a station platform and a side of a railway train car movable along a track into spaced apart adjacent proximity to the platform edge so as to prevent injury to passengers boarding and leaving the train car when the train car is positioned in spaced adjacent proximity to the platform edge, the station platform having a substantially horizontal platform top surface and a substantially vertical platform edge surface in spaced apart confronting opposition to the train car side when the train car is positioned in spaced adjacent proximity to the platform edge, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of substantially flexible sheet-like members each having a top edge extending between a proximal end for securement to the platform edge surface and a distal end for contact with the train car positioned in spaced apart adjacent proximity to the platform edge;
• and
• securing means disposable on at least one of said platform and said plural sheet-like members for securing said members at said proximal end to said platform so that said members are adapted to project outwardly from the platform edge surface with said plural members predeterminately spaced apart along said platform edge surface and so that top edges of said sheet-like members are substantially aligned with the platform top surface to define a substantial continuation of said platform top surface beyond said platform edge;
• said members being sized and configured and formed so that as the train car moves in a direction of travel into spaced apart adjacent proximity with the platform edge from which the members project, the member distal ends contact the train car side and the members are thereby resiliently deflected by the approaching train car from a first position in which the members project outwardly substantially transverse to the platform edge to a second position in which said members assume a generally bent contour in the direction of travel of the train car so that the bent top member surfaces collectively form a substantial continuation of the platform top surface from the platform edge to the train car side and thereby fill the gap between the platform edge and the train car side for preventing injury to passengers boarding and leaving the train car.