US1419357A - Operating mechanism for mine doors - Google Patents

Description

C. E. CARTER. y OPERATINGMECHANISM FOR MINE DOORS.

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APPLICATION FILED APR.2I. 1921.

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@FENCE CHARLES E, CAR-TER, OF GILL-ESFIE, ILLINOIS.

OPER'IING MECHANISll/L FOR MINT. DOORS.

Largest.

Application filed April 21, 1921.

To all whomz't may conce-m Be it known that I, CHARLEs E. CARTER, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of Gillespie, in the county of Macoupin, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanisms for Mine Doors, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference `being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in operating mechanisms for mine doors, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and inexpensive door operating device which is automatically actuated by a car or tram as it moves along the track upon which it is mounted.A

Another object is to provide a mine door which will open in a direct-ion away from the approaching` car or tram regardless of which direction said car or tram is traveling.

Still another object is to provide a mine door which, because it is capable of swinging in either direction, will not be shattered by the force of an explosion within the mine but will be swung on its hinge thereby.

One of the most important branches of coal mining is the management of the ventilation, involving as it does the supply of air to the men working in the pit, as well as the removal of the inflammable gases that may be given olf by the coal. This is effected by carrying' through the workings a large volume of air which is kept continually moving in the same direction, descending from the surface by a pit known as as intake or downcast pit, and leaving the mine by a return or upcast pit.

In laying out the mine it is customary to drive the levels or roads in pairs, communication being made between them at intervals by cutting through the intermediate pillar. The air then passes along one road and returns by the other. As the roads advance other pillars are driven through in the same i manner, the passage first made being closed by doors whereby the air is preventedfrom takin(T a short cut back to the u )cast while e l l preserving free access between the different districts without following the whole round of the air-ways.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une f3, i922,

Serial No. 463,241.

land illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. I is a horizontal section through a level or road showing my improved door operating mechanism in place therein.

Fig. II is a longitudinal section on line II-II of Fig. I.

Fig. III is a transverse section through a level or road showing my improved door operating mechanismin place therein.

Fig. IV is a section on line IV-IV of Fig. III.

Fig. V is a fragmentary section showing means for returning the mechanism to its normal position after its release.

In the drawings, A indicates a level or road of a mine, which is provided with the usual track B comprising rails C and ties D.

Supported in said level or road A is a door frame l, which is composed of timbers secured in any suitable manner to the side walls and ceiling of said level or road.

Hingedly supported within said door frame l is a pair of doors 2, each of which is secured to a vertical supporting shaft 3, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings 4f, one of which is fixed to the ceiling timber of the door frame 1, and the other to a concrete base 5 imbedded in the floor of the level or road A.

Located on the track B at points distant from the doors 2 are bearings 6, said bearings being secured in place by being fixed to convenient ties D. Mounted in each of said bearings is a short shaft 7 which supports at `its end adjacent the rail C an arm 8. Each of the arms 8 extend upwardly above the rails C and occupy a position in the path of the wheels of a trani mounted thereon.

It will be noted by referring to Fig. I of the drawing that each rail C of the track B is provided with a ypair of the arms l8, one of said arms being located adjacent said rail at a point distant from the doors 2. Bars 9 extending longitudinally of said rails have their opposite ends pivotally connected to said arms 8, whereby each pair of said arms 8 adjacent a rail C are operated simultaneously.

Secured to each of the short shafts 7 at its outer end a downwardly extending arm 10, the purpose of which will. be hereinafter stated.

Rotatably mounted in suitable bearings,

fixed to a tie D, and extending transversely of the track B is a shaft 11, which is provided at each of its ends with a bevel gear 12, said bevel gear 12 being adapted to mesh with a be'velgear 13 mounted on the shaft 3, whereby arotary movementof the shaft 11 will impart a like movement to the shaft 3. Fixed to the shaft 11 and extending downwardly therefrom is a pair of arms 14, one of which is located on said shaft 11 at a point adjacent each bevel gear 12. Links 15 pivotally connect the arms 14 to their associated arms 10, whereby a movement of the bar 9 will be transmitted to the shaft 11 and from the shaft 11y through the bevel gears 12 and 18 to the doors 2. 1n the operation of my improved door opening device the front wheels of a car or tram which is mounted on the track B, and which is approaching a pair of doors 2, will contact with arms 8 and then travel over the bars 9. This is made possible because said bars 9 are arranged close to the rails C and because the car wheels are sufficiently wide to contact with said bars 9. The arms 8, being capable of oscilla tion, will permit the bars 9 to move longitudinally and downwardly of the rails C under the pressure of said car wheels until they have reached a point where their top faces are flush with the top of the ball of the rails.

Because the arms 10 are secured to the short shafts 7 to which the arms 8 are secured and which short shafts 7 are rocked when the bar 9 is depressed, said arms 10 i will likewise be oscillated, which oscillation will be transmitted through the link 15 and varm 14 to the shaft 11, and through the bevel gears 12 and 18 to the door supporting shafts 3. 1t is apparent from the drawing that the doors willl remain in their open positions as long as the car wheels retain the bars 9 in their depressed positions.

To return the door operating mechanism vto its normal position after the car wheels have moved from the bars 9, 1 provide a weight 16 which is mounted on the shaft 11 and hangs in a vertical line therefrom. As said shaft 11 is rocked in either direction, said weight will be carried upwardly in an are of a circle, and when the pressure is removed from the bars 9, said weight will by gravityswing back to its position of rest and thereby return the operating mechanism to its normal position.

Depressione 9 are formed in the bars 9 to allow clearance for the doors 2 to swing when operated.

To prevent the passage of air through the space between the bottom of the doors and the surface of the road, I provide each of said doors with a section of canvas or similar material 17, which is attached to said doors and depends therefrom whereby said opening is closed and the air prevented from passing therethrough.

Although the doors are operated automatically, it will be observed that they can also be pushed open bya person walkin# through the doorway, and when release they will return to their closed positions.

1 claim:

1. An automatically operated mine door comprising a door secured to a vertically supported shaft and adapted to extend across a track, and car operated means cooperating with said door comprising pivoted arms, the upper ends of which are adapted to extend above said track and into the path of a car on the track, a bar extending longitudinally of said track and pivotally connected to said upper ends of the pivoted arms atits ends, a rockable shaft, an arm secured to said rockable shaft, links con necting said arm on the rockable shaft to said pivoted arms, a bevel gear. mounted on said rockable shaft, a second bevel gear mounted on the vertical door supporting shaft adapted to mesh with said first mentioned bevel gear, whereby the engagement of one of said pivoted arms by a car moving in either direction will actuate said car operated means to open the door in a direction away from said car and retain it in such position while such engagement continues, and means whereby said car operated y of a car on the track, bars extending longi-4 tudinally of said track, one of which is arranged adjacent each rail thereof, said bars being pivotally attached at their ends to said upper ends of the pivoted arms, a rockable shaft, arms secured to said rockable shaft, links connecting each of said arms on the rockable shaft to its associated pivoted arm, bevel gears mounted on said rockable shaft at the ends thereof, bevel gears mounted on the Vertical door supporting shafts, each ofvwhioh mesh with one of the first mentioned bevel gears, whereby the engagement of one of said pivoted arms by a ear moving in either direction will aetuate said car operated means to open the doors in a direction away from said car and retain it in such position sez and said oar operated means are disengaged.'

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto aiix my signature.

CHARLES E. CARTER.

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