GB2134578A - Door support mechanisms for a container - Google Patents

Abstract

A door support mechanism for a top-loading railway wagon comprises two pairs of swinging arms 15 and 16, 20 and 21, connectors 13, 14 being attached to the door 12 of the container, and releasable detents securing a part of each arm of a pair to the associated connector. The detents automatically operate in such manner that disengagement of either one of the arms from the associated connector causes the detent associated with the other arm to operate to prevent disengagement of said other arm from the connector, so that one of said arms remains at all times in engagement with the connector. This permits the door to be displaced to either side, as required, of the opening in the upper part of the wagon, depending on which arms are engaged with the connectors. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door support mechanism for a container The invention relates to door support mechanisms for containers and particularly, but not exclusively, to mechanisms for the support of top-loading doors or removable roofs for closed railway wagons.

Top-loading doors for railway wagons are normally provided with a manually or power operated support mechanism whereby the door may be displaced laterally of the opening which it covers in the top of the wagon to provide access to the interior of the wagon. Normally, however, the mechanism is such that the door is displaceable in only one direction with respect to the opening, and this may cause difficulty with some types of equipment for loading the wagon if the door is displaced to the side of the wagon on which the loading equipment stands. It is often therefore necessary to ensure that wagons are so positioned that the door is displaced away from the loading equipment. This is inconvenient since it may be a time-consuming and troublesome business to turn a wagon round in relation to the loading equipment.

The present invention provides a door support mechanism which overcomes this problem by permitting the door to be selectively displaced to either side of the opening in the upper part of the wagon.

According to the invention a door support mechanism for a container comprises at least two swinging arms for mounting respectively on spaced pivotal axes fixed in relation to the container, a connector for attachment to the door of the container, and releasable detent means for securing a part of each arm to the connector, disengagement of either one of said arms from the connector being arranged to cause the detent means associated with the other arm to prevent disengagement of said other arm from the connector, whereby at least one of said arms remains at all times in engagement with the connector.

Thus if the arms supporting the door are swung in one direction this is permitted by one of the arms becoming disengaged from the connector, and the effect of this disengagement is to ensure that the other arm remains attached to the connector so as to support the door. On the other hand, if the arms are swung in the opposite direction to move the door laterally to the other side of the opening, the arm which previously remained attached to the connector becomes disengaged causing the other arm to remain attached to the door.

The connector may comprise two sockets disposed at an angle to one another and adapted to receive spigots provided on said arms respectively. Preferably the spigots are provided on the extremities of the arms.

Each releasable detent means may comprise elements movable into and out of retaining engagement with said spigots respectively, engagement of either spigot with its socket being arranged to move the element associated with the other spigot out of retaining engagement - therewith, and disengagement of either spigot from its socket being arranged to move the element associated with the other spigot into retaining engagement therewith.

Preferably each element is spring biased into retaining engagement with its associated spigot, and is moved out of engagement therewith, against the resistance of the spring, by engagement of the other spigot with the connector. The element may comprise a plunger engageable with a recess in its associated spigot.

Preferably there are provided two pairs of swinging arms and two connectors for attachment to the door at spaced locations thereon, the arms of each pair being substantially parallel and being pivotable about spaced parallel axes, the arms of each pair being arranged for engagement with said connectors respectively.

Preferably the arms of each pair are of the same length so as to provide a parallel motion linkage.

A link may be pivotally interconnected between the two arms of each pair farms to maintain them in parallel relation during pivotal movement thereof.

The door support mechanism may be duplicated at opposite ends of the container, the two mechanisms operating in synchronism.

Power means such as a fluid energised ram may be provided for effecting pivotal movement of the arms.

The following is a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end elevation of a container showing a door support mechanism in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevation of the container, Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing the door in the open position, Figure 4 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, showng the interconnection between two swinging arms and a connector mounted on the door, and Figure 5 is a view looking at the direction of the arrow A of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, a railway wagon container indicated diagrammatically at 10 has a top opening 11 covered by a removable door 12.

Connectors 13 and 14 are pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the door 12 for pivotal movement about parallel axes extending longitudinally of the door. A first pair of parallel swinging arms 15, 1 6 are pivotally mounted at 1 7 and 18 respectively on the end of the container and are interconnected by a link 1 9 which is pivotally connected to the arms so that they move with parallel motion. The upper ends of the arms 1 5 and 1 6 are formed with spigots which are received in sockets in the. connectors 1 3 and 14 respectively, as will be described in greater detail below.

A second pair of swinging arms 20 and 21 are pivotally mounted at 22 and 23 respectively on the end of the container, and are interconnected by a link 24 so that they also move with a parallel motion. The upper ends of the arms 20 and 21 are also formed with spigots received in further sockets in the connectors 1 3 and 14 respectively, these sockets being at right angles to the sockets receiving the spigots on the arms 1 5 and 1 6.

As best seen in Figure 2, the arms 1 5 and 1 6 are displaced from the arms 20 and 21 longitudinally of the container so that each pair of interconnected arms may swing relatively to the other.

As also best seen from Figure 2 the two pairs of arms are duplicated at the opposite end of the container 10 so that the door is supported by the arms at both ends of the container.

The arm 1 5 at one end of the container carries a bracket 25 to which is connected the piston rod 26 of a pneumatic ram 27, the cylinder 28 of which is pivotally connected at 29 to a bracket 30 mounted on the end of the container. A similar ram is connected in similar fashion to the arm 21 at the opposite end of the container.

Each arm 1 5, 16, 20 or 21 is formed with an apertured bracket 31 (see Figure 2) which engages a pin 32 mounted on a bracket 33 on the container in the rest position of the arm, as shown in Figure 1. In this rest position the door 12 closes the opening 11 in the upper part of the container.

When it is wished to open the container the appropriate ram 27 is energised depending on whether the door is to be displaced to the left or to the right as seen in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the displacement of the door 1 2 to the left by extension of the ram 27.

As the ram 27 is extended, as shown in Figure 3, the linked arms 1 5 and 16 are swung anticlockwise and this lifts the connectors 1 3 and 14 from the spigots 34, 35 respectively on the upper ends of the arms 20 and 21.The door 12 swings upwardly and downwardly, supported by the arms 1 5 and 16, to the position shown in Figure 3.

During this movement the arms 20 and 21 remain in their rest positions located by their associated pins 32.

When the door is to be closed again the ram 27 is retracted and the arms 1 5 and 1 6 swing clockwise until the door 1 2 is lowered once again to cover the opening 11, and the connectors 13 and 14 once more engage the spigots 34 and 35 on the ends of the arms 20 and 21.

If it is wished to displace the door to the right, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, the ram connected to the arm 21 at the opposite end of the container is energised and this swings the arms 20 and 21 clockwise. This lifts the connectors 1 3 and 14 from the spigots on the upper ends of the arms 1 5 and 1 6 respectively, these arms remaining in engagement with their associated pins 32 in the position shown in Figure 1.

When the door is in the closed position shown in Figure 1, it is held securely in position, being prevented from moving either laterally or vertically by engagement of the spigots on the arms with the two sockets at right angles provided in each connector 13 or 14. A lost-motion mechanism (not shown) is provided in the connection between the ram 27 and the bracket 25 to provide an automatic lock and prevent swinging movement of the arm to which the ram is connected.

When the connectors 13 and 14 are disengaged from the spigots on one pair of arms, for example as shown in Figure 3, a mechanism within each connector ensures that the connectors cannot become disengaged from the other arms to which they are for the time being connected and such mechanism will now be described in greater detail with respect to Figures 4 and 5.

The connector 14 is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 but it will be appreciated that the other connectors are of similar construction. Eachconnector comprises a main body 36 formed with stub shafts 37 by means of which the connector is pivotally mounted within the end portion of the door 12 as seen in Figure 2. In Figure 4 the cover plate over the socket 39, and the bearings for the connector 14, are omitted for clarity.

The main body 36 is formed with two sockets 38 and 39 disposed at right angles to one another.

The two arms 16 and 21 associated with the connector 14 are provided at their ends with spigots 40 and 35 respectively.

The spigot 40 on the arm 1 6 is engageable within the socket 39 and the spigot 35 on the arm 21 is engageable within the socket 38.

Each spigot 35 or 40 is formed on one side thereof with a semi-circular recess 41 with which cooperates a plunger 42 slideably mounted in the main body 36 of the connector. Figure 5 shows more clearly the plunger 43 which co-operates with a recess corresponding to the recess 41 in the spigot 40 on the end of the arm 1 6. The plunger 43 is spring biased into the position shown in Figure 5 where it engages the recess in the spigot 40 and thus prevents withdrawal of the spigot from its associated socket 39.

A part-annular limb 44 extends at right angles to the plunger 43 and projects into the socket 38 which receives the spigot 35 on the other arm 21.

The arrangement is such that as the spigot 35 on the arm 21 enters the socket 38 it engages the limb 44 and moves the plunger 43 to the right, as seen in Figure 5, against the action of the spring and withdrawing it from the recess in the spigot 40. The spigot 35 is free to enter the socket 38 since the corresponding plunger 42 is withdrawn from the socket by engagement of the spigot 40 with the limb 45, corresponding to the limb 44, which is coupled to the plunger 42.

In this position, which corresponds to the position shown in Figure 1, either spigot may be freely withdrawn from the connector 14. However, as the mechanism is moved from the position shown in Figure 1 to the positioin shown in Figure 3, the arm 1 6 swings anti-clockwise and the connector 14 is withdrawn from the spigot 35 as shown in Figure 4. As the spigot 35 leaves the socket 38 it moves out of engagement with the limb 44 and the plunger 43 is moved, under the action of its associated spring, into the position shown in Figure 5 where it engages the recess, corresponding to the recess 41, in the spigot 40.

This prevents the spigot 40 being withdrawn from the socket 39 so that the arm 1 6 must remain attached to the connector 14, and the door 12 is thus securely attached to the arms 1 5 and 1 6.

If the arms 20 and 21 are displaced clockwise the connector 14 is withdrawn from the spigot 40 and, in similar fashion, this causes the plunger 42 to be relased and enter the recess 41 in the spigot 35 thus preventing withdrawal of the spigot 35 from the connector.

It will thus be seen that at all times one or other of the arms 16 and 21 must be secured to the connector 14 and similarly one or other of the arms 1 5 and 20 must be secured to the connector 13. The door 12 is thus at all times positively connected to one of the two pairs of arms depending on the direction in which the door is being displaced.

The pivotal mountings of the arms 1 5 and 21 are provided by torque tubes, one of which is indicated at 50 in Figure 2, extending longitudinally of the container to ensure that the linkages at opposite ends of the container move in synchronism. This ensures that torque is not transmitted through the door itself.

Instead of the pneumatic cylinder operation described, it will be appreciated that any other power means, or a manually operated system, may be provided for operating the mechanism.

Claims (14)

1. A door support mechanism for a container comprising at least two swinging arms for mounting respectively on spaced pivotal axes fixed tn relation to the container, a connector for attachment to the door of the container, and releasable detent means for securing a part of each arm to the connector, disengagement of either one of said arms from the connector being arranged to cause the detent means associated with the other arm to prevent disengagement of said other arm from the connector, whereby at least one of said arms remains at all times in engagement with the connector.

2. A door support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises two sockets disposed at an angle to one another and adapted to receive spigots provided on said arms respectively.

3. A door support mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said spigots are provided on the extremities of the arms.

4. A door support mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein each releasable detent means comprise elements movable into and out of retaining engagement with said spigots respectively, engagement of either spigot with its socket being arranged to move the element associated with the other spigot out of retaining engagement therewith, and disengagement of either spigot from its socket being arranged to move the element associated with the other spigot into retaining engagement therewith.

5. A door support mechanism according to claim 4, wherein each element is spring biased into retaining engagement with its associated spigot, and is moved out of engagement therewith, against the resistance of the spring, by engagement of the other spigot with the connector.

6. A door support mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the element comprises a plunger engageable with a recess in its associated spigot.

7. A door support mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein there are provided two pairs of swinging arms and two connectors for attachment to the door at spaced locations thereon, the arms of each pair being substantially parallel and being pivotable about spaced parallel axes, the arms of each pair being arranged for engagement with said connectors respectively.

8. A door support mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the arms of each pair are of the same length so as to provide a parallel motion linkage.

9. A door support mechanism according to claim 8, wherein a link is pivotally interconnected between the two arms of each pair of arms to maintain them in parallel relation during pivotal movement thereof.

10. A door support mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the mechanism is duplicated at opposite ends of the container, the two mechanisms operating in synchronism.

11. A door support mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein power means are provided for effecting pivotal movement of the arms.

12. A door support mechanism according to claim 11, wherein said power means comprise a fluid energised ram.

13. A door support mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A railway wagon having a top-loading door carried by at least one door support mechanism according to any of the preceding claims.