GB438620A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for controlling and operating doors of passenger vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

438,620. Door-operating apparatus. PETERS & CO., Ltd., G. D., and ARTHURTON, R. I. D., Windsor Works, Slough, Buckinghamshire. Aug. 15, 1934, Nos. 23548/34 and 19447/35. [Class 65 (i)] In apparatus for controlling and operating a passenger vehicle door, comprising an electrically-controlled pneumatic engine for moving the door to, and holding it in, its open or closed position and switches in the control circuits, a switch is provided in operative association with the door handle and adapted, when the door is closed and the handle is moved in a direction to open the door, to cause power to be cut off from the engine to allow opening of the door by hand, the circuit arrangements being such that power remains cut off. even though the handle and the associated switch are returned to normal, until a door-closing switch is operated to cause the engine to close the door. In addition to causing the cutting-off of closing power, the handle-operated switch preferably also causes the engine to open the door. The control circuit is shown in its simplest form, the solenoids operating the valves for the two ends of the engine being indicated at 14, 15 and the valves being so arranged that when both solenoids are energized (as shown) the valve controlling the supply of power for closing the door is open while the other valve connects its end of the engine to the atmosphere. A relay 9, when energized through a door-closing switch 17, energizes the valve solenoids 14, 15 and completes a stick circuit for itself through the door-handle switch 24 and other door-opening switches in series ; when any of these opening switches is operated, the relay 9 is de-energized, to de-energize the valve solenoids 14, 15 to reverse the door engine, and remains de-energized until the closing switch 17 is closed. In a modification, in which both valves are open to power when their solenoids are energized, one of the solenoids is connected to back contacts of the relay 9 instead of in series or parallel with the other. In further modifications, the relay is replaced by a set of contacts actuated by the solenoid of one of the valves, and in an additional form both valves have two pairs of contacts, the stick circuit of each solenoid passing through contacts operated by the other. Modifications may be made to allow the opening switches to be arranged in parallel or to be normally open. The arrangement may be such that failure of the electrical supply will cause the doors to be freed for hand operation or will cause them to open. An engine operated by vacuum instead of compressed air may be employed, and a differential engine may be used, requiring only one valve as in the case of an ordinary engine used for closing only. Fig. 7 shows the upper part of a combined valve and relay, the valve being placed below the winding 50 and having its stem 54 extended through the winding to engage a pivoted armature 51. Two pairs of contacts such as 58 are carried by a bracket 55, the upper one of one pair and the lower of the other being rigid while the others are springy and tend to move upwards; a yoke 60 on the armature carries two screws such as 62 engaging the flexible contacts to press them down when the armature is energized, so that one pair of contacts is separated and the other engaged in either position of the armature. The handle-operated switch may be arranged in the door post, to be operated by a sliding bolt on the door.