US1491618A - Elevator door - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1924. 1,491,618

R. s. PEELLE ELEVATOR DOOR Filed Dec. 13, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Illl llll WIN 11 n: 1 t

April 22, 1924.

1,491,618 R.S.PEELLE' ELEVATOR DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 13 L922 m uawfo a Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

ATENT pm? v ROBERT S. PEEL-LE, OF HOLLIS, NEW YORK, N. Y., AS SIGNOB TO THE PEELLE COM- ?AI\TY, OF BROOKLYN, HEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YCRK.

ELEVATOR DOOR.

Application filed December 13, 1922., Serial No. 606,721.-

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be. it known that I, ROBERT S. PEELLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hollis, in the borough of Queens, city of New York, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator Doors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to elevator doors, and more particularly to doors of the pass type wherein a door, or door section, closing a shaft opening at one floor will, when closed, occupy a position close to the wall of the shaft about the opening, and in its vertical opening :or closing movement will be so guided as to have a horizontal component of movement away from or towards the shaft, so that during its opening movement it may, in part, pass or lap a portion of a closed door at the opening ofthe next floor of the building.

Heretofcre there has been devised and extensively used. a door of .this type embodying therein a single rail structure extending continuously through a' shaft, which structure carries an automatically acting switch mechanism for imparting the den sired movements to a door, or to a door section, and while such doors have operated satisfactorily, the opening and closing of the doors has been attended with considerable noise as a result of the engagement of a rapidly moving door with the automatically acting switch mechanisms. thermore. such switch mechanisms require considerable attention to keep them properly oiled, and in some instances such mechanisms have broken while in use, thus interfering with the operation ofthe doors until the broken parts have been replaced.

With the above conditions in mind, I have devised an elevator door of the pass type, wherein neither the rail structure, nor the guides co-operating therewith, require any movement aside from movement of a door or door section, to impart the desired horizontal component of movement to the door or door section, thus eliminating all noise of moving parts when actuating a door. and obviating the necessity for any attention to an elevator door installation other than that required by ordinary doors of the vertically sliding type.

Fur-

short length above referred to, but spaced therefrom within the shaft, said short and said long rail lengths being connected by obliquely extending rail lengths. The long rail lengths have gaps therein adjacent the lintel and the sill of each door opening to permit guide shoes which are normally disengaged from this portion of the guide rail, to pass into and from. engagement there with, this gap being occupied by a switch mechanism composed solely of immovable parts, co-operating with the guide shoes above referred to, for imparting the desired movement to said shoes and to the portion 7 of the door adjacent same, into and out'of engagement. with said long lengths of guide rai V Associated with eachsaid switch mecha nism is a short supplemental guide rail adjacent the sill or the lintel of each door, or both, which is adapted tobe engaged by the guide shoe co-operating with the switch mechanism when the door is approaching or is in the closed position, the part of this rail section engaged by the shoe when the door is closed being in substantially the same vertical plane" as the short length of the main guide rail. Said supplemental guide rail has an inwardly inclined section extending substantially parallel with the oblique section of the main guide rail for giving the desired horizontal component of movement to the portion of the door adjacent the sill or lintel, This short guide rail length will also serve to help hold the door close to the wall of the shaft when in the closed position, and the inclined section thereof will direct the movement of the door inwardly of the shaft and towards the switch mechanism immediately following the initial opening movement thereof.

.One of the guide shoes of each door or door section must be so constructed as to cooperate with the main rail structure, the

supplemental guide rail structure, and the switch mechanism, so as to ensure the automatic engagement and disengagement of installation, but may be conveniently modified while being installed, or while being assembled in the shop, to compensate for the variance in the distances between floors of different buildings or in the same building. Furthermore, the switch mechanism r normal functioning of the door.

may be made of cast metal, thus ensuring accuracy in the guide flanges thereon, and uniformity in all such switch mechanisms so as to permit the standardization of the structure, and thus simplify both the production and the installation of the elevator door equipment.

The rail structure as installed will have the various guide rails thereon accurately positioned and immovable in relation to each other, thus presenting a single continuous unitary construction, the various parts of which are subject to but slight wear, and cannot become disarranged or broken in lt ge e switch mechanism and the guide shoes cooperating therewith are so formed as to ensure merely a sliding impact between these shoes and the co-operating parts of the guide rail structure and switch mechanism,

thus contributing toward a substantially noiseless operation of the door, as well as materially reducing wear, and avoiding likelihood of breakage of parts.

The main guide, and the supplemental guide rails and the co-operating guide shoes upon the door are so formed as to hold the door in close proximity to the wall of the shaft when in the closed position, thus reducing fire hazard.

The trucking feature and the overhanging astragal, while desirable in a door embodying my invention, were not per se invented by me, merely forming parts of the combination hereinafter described.

In a structure embodying my invention, both of the shoes upon each door, or sec tion, are continuously engaged with some portion of the guide rail structure, thus ensuring absolute control of the door, or each of its sections, at all times during either its opening, or closing, movement.

The invention consists primarily in an elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of a shaft,

' a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged on the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantiallyparallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of said door at each side thereof, one of said guide shoes co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap only, and the other of said guide shoes on the same side of the door co-operating with the adjacent main guide rail only; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts asare hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed vout in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a condensed view in elevation from within an elevator shaft, showing an elevator door structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the rail structure at one side of the door opening, with a door structure consisting of two oppositely movable sectionsshown therein in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a casting forming a part of the rail structure and switch mechanism;

Fig. 4: is a side view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the guide shoe carried by a door section and co-operating with the switch mechanism, the supplemental guide rail and a portion of the main guide rail;

Fig. 6 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the guide shoe co-operating with the main guide rail only; and

Fig. 8 is a side view thereof.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, A indicates that wall of an elevator shaft towards the floors of a building, it being a practice in such shafts to have a series of vertically alined door openings therein, one at each floor. At B I have indicated the sill of one such door opening, at C the lintel of said opening and at D one jamb thereof.

In the drawings, I have shown a portion of the rail structure adjacent one door opening only, it being understood that this structure extends vertically throughout the shaft, the part thereof adjacent each opening being the same as that adjacent every other opening, so as to provide a continuous rail structure throughout the shaft.

It is also apparent that if desired a pass type door need not be used to close every door opening, this type of door being necessary only where the space between floors is insutficient to receive the door or door section closing the openings at an adjacent floor.

Fireproof freight elevator doors are usually formed of two sections indicated at E and F in the drawings, so connected as to cause said sections to move vertically in opposite directions when openingor closing the door, the connection between the door sections, shown at G in the drawings, passing over a pulley or sheave H, the axis of which is parallel to the wall of the shaft having the door opening therein.

This connection is made upon each side of a door, one end of each connection being secured to a bracket I- adjacent the bottom bar of the frame of the lower door section, the other end of said connection being secured to a hanger bar J connected to the lower door section adjacent the top bar or its frame.

This construction of door is old and well known in this art.

The lower section F is provided with a projecting plate, indicated in dotted lines at K in Fig. 2 01 the drawings, which forms a part of the trucking feature of the door, and the section E is provided with a projecting angular astragal L adapted to co-operate with said bar K in closing any gap along the meeting line of the two door sections.

Since the means embodying the rail struc ture carried by the two door sections is the same upon opposite sides of each door opening, in my further description of the in vention I will limit myself to an explanation of the details as they exist upon one side of the door openings only, it being understood that this mechanism is duplicated upon the other side. In the drawings, duplicate reference letters are applied to corresponding parts upon opposite sides of the door, it being understood that, particularly as to the guide shoes and switch mechanism, the corresponding parts upon one side of the door are reversed upon the opposite side, these parts being made right and left by reason of their difierent relations to the guide rail structures upon opposite sides or" the door.

The guide rail structure is composed of a wall angle consisting of abutting sections of angle iron, one flange a of which is se- 0 .red to the wall of the shaft closely adjacent the line of the janib or" the door openings, and the other flange a or" which projects within the shaft. arried by this wall angle (zcz is a main guide rail structure, which extends throughout substantially the entire height of all the door openings in the shaft, and a supplemental guide rail structure and suitable switches adjacent the sill and the lintel of each door opening, the construction adjacent each'door opening being the same as that adjacent every other door opening.

I have in the drawings shown merely that portion of the structure adjacent one door opening, it-being understood that the main guide rail adjacent one doorextends into, and forms a part of, the main guide rail structure adjacent the adjoining door opening, the portion of this rail co-operating with the upper section of the door at one opening also co-operating with the lower door section at the door opening immediately above, and the rail co-operating with the otherand lower door section also co-operating with the upper door section at the door opening immediately below.

The main guide rail consists of a short rail length 6 extending parallel with the wall of a shaft at substantially the meeting point of the door sections E and F, and above and below this meeting point for a short distance, a long rail'length 0 parallel with said short raillength, but spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating above said short rail length, and an oblique connecting rail length (i, said rail lengths 0 and 62 being located between the length 6 and the lintel of the door opening. A corresponding long, rail length 6 and a corresponding oblique connecting'rail length are located below said rail length I) and toward the sill of the door opening. The rail length 0 is in substantial alinement with the rail len th 6 adjacent the door opening above that shown, while the rail length 6 is in substantial alinement with the rail length 0 at the opening immediately below that shown, so as to form" a substantially continuous main guide rail structure throughout the shaft. The long lengths of said main guide rail adjacent the sill and adjacent the lintel of each door opening, are spacedapart to form a gap 9 to receive the switch mechanism adjacent the sill and the lintel of each door opening, which mechanism will be more fully described hereinafter.

The flange a of the wall angle is cut away at a so that the inner edge thereof follows the line of the short rail length I) and the oblique rail lengths d and 7 so as to permit the necessary movement of the brackets I and the hanger bar J, which parts extend across the edgeof the wall angle, but must have a horizontal component of movement with the door sections during the opening and closing movement thereof.

Adjacent the lintel of each door opening is a supplemental rail structure consisting of a short rail length happroximating one-half the length of the short rail length I) and arranged in the same vertical plane therewith, and an oblique section 2' extending substantially parallel with the oblique section d and substantially co-terminous with the long rail length 6.

A similar supplemental rail section consisting of a rail length corresponding in construction and arrangement with the rail length 72., but adjacent the sill of a door opening, and an oblique section similar to the section 71, substantially parallel with the oblique rail length f and co-terminous with the rail length 6 is also employed. One of said supplemental rail sections co-operates with the lower door section, and the other with the upper door section.

The switch mechanism for an upwardly movable door, or section, consists of short rail length m positioned beyond the end of the rail length 0 and extendin in substantial alinement with the section a of the supplemental guide rail structure. The switch referred to is that located above and adjacent the lintel C or" the door. The switch. for a downwardly movable door. or section. is located below and adjacent the sill B and consists of a short rail length n positioned below the end of the long rail length 6 and extending in substantial alinement with the section 70 of the lower supplemental guide rail structure. The rail length m at one door opening is associated with a rail length n at the opening immediately above, it being possible to bring these two lengths together, although for convenience they are spaced apart and a connecting short rail length 0 is employed, the length of which may be varied according to the distance between the lintel of the door opening at one floor and the sill of the opening at the floor immediately above. The short length 0 is connected directly to the flange 0; of the wall angle.

The construction or" switch described is employed because in the opening and 010s ing or" doors at adjacent floor levels, the upper section of one door crosses the plane of movement of the lower section of the door immediately above, and the lower section of one door crosses the plane of movement of the upper door section at the opening immediately below, thus necessitating a detached switch member co-operating with the supplemental rail section, but spaced away therefrom sufiiciently to permit the passage of the shoes of a section of one door when thus crossing the plane of movement of a section of another door.

Preferably the supplemental rail structure and the end portion of the long rail length adjacent thereto, as well as the short rail length m, are formed of a single casting, thus ensuring the proper relation of these parts and avoiding the necessity for special and accurate workmanship and fitting of parts in forming these various parts for different door openings.

l en each side bar or each door section are two guide shoes, one of which, p, is adapted to co-operate with the supplemental guide rail structure, the switch mechanism and a portion of the long rail length of the main guide rail associated with an adjacent door opening, and the other of which, q, is adapted to co-operate with a portion of the short rail length Z), one oblique portion d or f and the long rail length 0 or 6 adjacent the opening closed by the door carrying said shoe. The guide shoe 2) on the door section E is therefore located adjacent the top bar of the frame of this section, while the guide shoe is adjacent the bottom bar of the frame thereof, this positioning of the guide shoes being reversed as to the door section F.

The shoe 7) has two oppositely disposed flanges 79 and p thereon spaced apart to receive the guide rail between same. The faces of these flanges presented towards each other, are so shaped as to reduce the contact area to a minimum, and at the same time provide oppositely flared openings in the shoe as shown, to ensure the engagement and disengagement of the shoe when passing to and from the supplemental guide rail structure to the main guide rail structure through the medium of the switch mechanism.

The flange p is extended in the direction of movement of the shoe toward the switch mechanism, while the flange p is extended beyond the flange p in the direction of movement of the shoe from the main guide rail to the supplemental guide rail through the medium of such switch mechanism. The top and bottom of each flange is brought to an edge as shown, the ends of the oblique section 2', the short rail lengths m and n, and the ends of the long rail lengths c and e also being reduced to an edge so as to avoid an end impact of the guide shoes and the rail lengths during the movement of the shoe in either direction.

The flange p is so positioned that when closing the door it will pass between the supplemental guide rail and the wall of the shaft, while the flange 79 is so positioned as to pass between the main guide rail and the supplemental guide rail under like conditions. Both flanges are inclined in the same direction, obliquely to the path of vertical movement. of the door, and project from the door to an extent to ensure the engagement of one of these flanges with some portion of the guide rail structure, either main or supplemental, or switch, prior to the disengagement of the other flange with some other portion of said guide rail or switch.

Since the shoe co-operates solely with the main guide rail, it is merely necessary to provide similar flanges q and 9 upon opposite sides of this shoe, and to so form the walls of said flanges presented toward each other that they are adapted to engage both the vertical sections of the main guide rail and the oblique section connecting said vertical sections. Preferably, I provide said flanges g and g with surfaces 9 and 9 parallel with each other, and with opposite surfaces leading therefrom indicated at g and 9 the former of which surfaces will engage the vertical sections b and 0 or b' and e, and the latter of which will engage the oblique sections d or f.

The ends of the guide rail lengths c or e adjacent each gap in the main guide rail are bowed slightly as shown in Fig. 4, to accommodate the flange p which may have a slight movement toward said rail length after its initial engagement with the sup; plemental rail length i or k.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown what is known as a flame angle r along opposite sides of each door section, which flanges when the door is in the closed position, will fit close to the wall of the shaft or to the flange a of the wall angle, but are of a depth to pass the edges of the guide rails with the movement of the door toward or from the wall of the shaft.

Secured to the wall flange a of each guide rail structure are stops 8 adapted to be engaged by the hanger bar J when the door is in the fully open position, so as to hold the reinforced top of this section substantially flush with the sill B.

The lower section F is provided with a flame angle and toe guard t of the usual construction.

The guide rail structure and co-operating guide shoes upon the door sections may be used in connection with full counterbalanced, semi-automatic, or full automatic doors, the manner of actuating the doors having no modifying effect in the functioning of said guide rails and said shoes.

The operation of the herein described mechanism is substantially as follows:

WVhen a door is in the closed position, as shown more particularly in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shoe 9 of the upper section will be engaged with a portion of the short rail length I), and the shoe p will be engaged with the short length it of the supplemental guide rail structure, thus holding the door section close to the wall of the elevator shaft. With the initial opening movement of the door, the upper section will, for a short distance, move in a vertical plane only, until the flanges p and g of the guide shoes of said section ride upon the oblique rail lengths (Z and 2' respectively, whereupon the vertical movement will receive a horizontal component until the shoe 9 passes onto the rail length a, and the shoe ;0 has passed the switch members m n/0 and engaged the rail section 6 adjacent the door upon the adjoining floor. In passing from the'rail length It to the length i, the flange 19* will act upon said rail length i, the flange p merely following the opposite surface of said raillength.

By reason of the fact that the flange p projects beyond the flange p and is laterally deflected with relation to the vertical center line of the door, or to the wall of a shaft, the forwardly projecting end of said flange 10 will engage the short rail length m of the switch while the oppositely projecting end of the flange p is still in engagement with the rail length 2', thus en-' suring the engagement of one flange-of the shoe with the length m before the other flange has been disengaged from the supplemental guide rail. Before the flange p has passed out of engagement with the switch on or -0, the flange p of that shoe movement of the door inwardly of the shaft.

will have engaged the part m, thus limiting Furthermore, the flange p will simultaneously engage the rail lengths z and m and the rail lengths 'n and c with the same lim-' iting effect. After the flange 19 has passed from the rail length m and the short rail length 0, when such is used, it may have a shghtreturn movement as a result of the engagement of the flange p with the short rail length 11., but this return movement will be checked as a result of the engagement of the flange p with the'end of the long rail length e immediately above.

This movement of the upper door section will be the same with every door in a shaft, the switch-mechanism, however, acting not only with relation to the upper door section of one door, but with relation to the lower door section of the door next above, each of these doorswhen operated crossing the plane of movement of the other door when it is operating.

The lower door section will have exactly the same movements as the upper door section, except that it will move downwardly instead of upwardly, the shoe 9 upon this section passing from the short rail length I) along the oblique rail length f onto the vertically extending rail length 6. The shoe p will pass along the short rail length jof the supplemental rail structure and the oblique portion is thereof until the projectingend of the flange p engages the short rail length n, thus causing the shoe 9 to pass over the switch mechanism until said flange p thereof engages theend of the rail length 0 at the floor next below. During the closing movement of the door the operation will be the reverse of that described. In fact the movement of the shoes 79 upon each door section will be exactly the same as that upon the other, since the parts are reversed, the

reversal of parts, however, being compensated for by the fact that the doors themselves move in opposite directions.

It will be observed that while each door section is guided in its opening and closing movements by a structure composed of stationary guide rails spaced apart as to some portions thereof to form gaps, that the different portions of said rails and the switch mechanism are so positioned with relation to each other as to permit a free sliding movement of the guide shoes of the door from one of the portions thereof to the other without impact or jar, thus ensuring not only perfect ease in the operation of the door, but avoiding the noise of moving parts and likelihood of breakage of any of the parts irrespective of the speed at which the door sections are moved.

It will also be observed that while the shoe in its movements must pass the gaps in the guide rail and switch mechanism with which it co-operates, that the construct-ion of theshoe is such that the effect secured is, nevertheless, that of a continuous ide rail, notwithstanding the presence of these gaps, the purpose of which is to permit different door sections to cross the plane of movement of another door section, such movement, however, being of necessity at different intervals. Hence, while the short rail length and the oblique sections of the main guide rail co-operate only with the doors at one opening in a shaft, the long rail lengths, more remote from the wall of the shaft, may and do serve to guide sections of doors at different openings.

The arrangement of the pulley or sheave with its axis parallel to the wall of the shaft permits the horizontal component of movement in each of the door sections without limiting the vertical movement thereof.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of' a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and. spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of said door at each side thereof, one of said guide shoes cooperating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap only, and the other of said guide shoes on the same side of the door co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

2. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and soaccd therefrom within the shaft and tern'iinating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of thedoor openin each consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the .t

main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the lon rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gaps respectively, and fir-:ed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rails, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sec tions at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one of said sections and the lower guide. shoe of the other of said sections, cooperating only with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and a long length of guide rail at an adjacent door opening beyond said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of each of said door sections co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

3. An elevator door embody 3g therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail,

and oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism including therein a short rail length in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of the oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and between same and the end of said long rail length of the main guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of said door at each side thereof, one of said guide shoes co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap only, and the other of said guide shoes on the same side of the door co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

4. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supple.- mental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism including therein two short rail lengths in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of said oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of a supplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and between said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of said door at each side thereof, one of said guide shoes co-operating with the adj acent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap only, and the other of said guide shoes on the same side of the door co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

5. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in a shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connect ing rail lengths, supplemental guide rails door openings, and switch mechanisms including therein respectively two short ra l lengths in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of sa-id'oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of a supplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and be tween said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sections at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one or" said sections and the lower guide shoe of the other of said sections, cooperating only with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and a long lengthof guide rail at anoadjacent door opening beyond said and the other guide shoe on the same side of each of said door sections co-operating only with the ad acent main guide rail.

6. An elevator door embodying therein a V vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of" the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall ofthe shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length o-f the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplementalguide rail, and a switch mechanism including therein two short rail lengths in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of said oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of arsupplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and between said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, and a short rail length parallel with said long rail lengths respectively,positioned between the oblique rail lengths of said switch tions, guide rail structures extending vertic-ally of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening, each consisting of a short rail length arranged on the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms including therein respectively two short rail lengths in said gap, extending in substantial alinement with the end of said oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of a supplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and between said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, and a short rail length parallel with said long rail lengths respectively, positioned between the oblique rail lengths of said switch mechanism, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sections at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one of said sections and the lower guide shoe of the other of said sections co-operating only with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and a long length of guide rail at an adjacent door opening beyond 7 said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of each of said door sections co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

8. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along oposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of a shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and parallel with said stantially parallel with the spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged on the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent saidsupplcmental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, guide shoe a each side of said door section co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long len th of guide rail beyond said gap only, and a second guide shoe cc-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail, consisting of oppositely disposed spaced guide flanges having surfaces thereon short and said long rail surfaces thereon suboblique sections connecting said long and said short rail engths.

9. an elevator door embodying therein a Ylically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along lengths, and spaced vop csite sides of the door opening, each conwh of a main guide rail having a short 1 ugth parallel with the wall of a shaft, a lon grail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged on the sane vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, a guide shoe at each side of said door section co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplemental guide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thereof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyond the end of the other flange to a position to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail. according to the direction of movement of the door, and second guide shoe on each side of the door section eo-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

10. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of ashaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in rela tion to said main and said supplemental guide rail, a guide shoe at each side of said door section co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplemental guide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thereof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyond the end of the other flange to a position to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail, according to the direction of movement of the door, and a second guide shoe on each side of the door section consisting of oppositely disposed spaced guide ranges having surfaces thereon parallel with said short and said long rail lengths, and spaced surfaces thereon substantially parallel with the oblique sections connecting said long and said short rail lengths.

11. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail havin a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail lengtharranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the main rail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism arranged in said gap and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental uide rail, a guide shoe at each side of said door section co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplemental guide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thereof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyond the end of the other flange to a position to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail, according to the direction of movement of the door, and a second guide shoe on each side of the door section co-operating only with the adj acent main guide rail, the ends of the flanges upon said first named guide shoes, and the co-operating ends of said main and said supplemental guide rails, being reduced in thickness.

12. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connect ing rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening, each consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gap's respectively, and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rails, a guide shoe at each side of each of said door sections co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplemental guide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thereof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyondthe end of the other flange to a vposition to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail, according to the direction of movement of the door, and a second. guide slice on each side of each of said door sections, consisting of oppositely disposed spaced guide flanges having surfaces there on parallel with said short and said long rail lengths, and spaced surfaces thereon substantially parallel with the oblique sections connecting said long and said short rail lengths.

13. An elevator door embodying therein? a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides, of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel there with and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the oblique length of the main rail, said long rail length of the mainrail having a gap formed therein adjacent said supplemental guide rail, and a switch mechanism including therein two short rail lengths in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of said oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of a supplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and between said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, a guide shoe at each side of said door sec tion co-operating with the adjacent supplemental guide rail. switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplementalguide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thereof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyond the end of the other flange to a position to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail, according to the direction of movement of the door, and a second guide shoe on each side of the door section consisting of oppositely disposed spaced guide flanges having surfaces thereon parallel with said short and said long rail lengths, and spaced surfaces thereon substantially parallel with the oblique sections connecting said long and said short rail lengths.

14. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft upon opposite sidesof each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a wall angle extending vertically of the shaft and having secured thereto a main guide rail having a short rail length. parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adj acent the sill and the lintel. of the door opening respectively. and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental. guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening, each consisting of. a short rail length armovement of ranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gaps respectively, and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, means carried by each of said dOOr sections, projecting across the edges of said wall angle and said rail lengths respectively, said wall angle adjacent said short rail length and said oblique sections being cut away to permit movement of said means adjacent said rail lengths. and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sections at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one of said sections and the lower guide shoe of the other of said sections, cooperating only with the adjacent supplemental. guide rail, switch mechanism and a long length of guide rail at an adjacent door opening beyond said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of said door sections cooperating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

15. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sec tions, guide rail structures extending ver tically of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a wall angle extending vertically of the shaft and having secured thereto a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths par- 1 allel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths,

supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill 1 and the lintel of the door opening, each consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the ad jacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below. to form gap in said. main rail ietween adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gaps respect tively. and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, means carried by each of said door sections, projecting across the edges of said wall angle and said rail. lengths respectively, said wall angle adjacent said short rail length and said oblique sections being cut away to permit said means adjacent said rail lengths, stops carried by said wall angle in the path of movement of the means carried by the lower door section, and a truck bar supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism:

and a long length of guide rail at an adjacent door opening beyond said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of said door sections co-operating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

16. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, flexible connections between said sections, and sheaves about which said flexible connections pass, said sheaves having their axes extending parallel with the wall of the shaft adjacent the door opening, guide rail structures extending vertically of the shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening, each con sisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section ex tending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gaps respectively, and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rails, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sections at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one of said sections and the lower guide shoe of the other of said sections, cooperating only with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and a long length of guide rail at an adjacent door opening beyond said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of each of said door sections cooperating only with the adjacent main guide rail.

17. An elevator door embodying therein two oppositely and vertically movable sections, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft upon opposite sides of each door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a wall angle extending vertically of the shaft and having secured thereto a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening, each consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel with the adjacent oblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms arranged in said gaps respectively, and fixed in relation to said main and said supplemental guide rail, means carried by each of said door sections, projecting across the edges of said wall angle and said rail lengths respectively, flexible connections between said means respectively, sheaves about which said flexible connections pass, the axes of said sheaves being parallel with. the wall of the shaft adjacent the door opening, said wall angle adjacent said short rail length and said oblique sections being cut away to permit movement of said means adj acent said rail lengths, and guide shoes adjacent the top and bottom of each of said door sections at each side thereof, the upper guide shoe of one of said sections and the lower guide shoe of the other of said sections, co-operating only with the adjacent supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and a long length of guideirail at an adjacent door opening beyond said gap, and the other guide shoe on the same side of said door section co-operating only with the adj acent main guide rail.

18. An elevator door embodying therein a vertically movable section, guide rail structures extending vertically of a shaft along opposite sides of the door opening, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, a long rail length parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft, and an oblique connecting rail length, a supplemental guide rail consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending sub- 'door co-operating only with the section of said supplemental guide rail, and between same and the end of said long rail length of the main guide rail at an adjacent door opening, said short rail length and the adjacent ends of said long rail length of the door opening in the shaft, each consisting of a main guide rail having a short rail length parallel with the wall of the shaft, long rail lengths parallel therewith and spaced therefrom within the shaft and terminating adjacent the sill and the lintel of the door opening respectively, and oblique connecting rail lengths, supplemental guide rails adjacent the sill and the lintel of the dooropening, eacli consisting of a short rail length arranged in the same vertical plane as the short rail length of said main rail, and an oblique section extending substantially parallel withrthe adjacent bblique rail length of the main rail, the long rail lengths of the main rail at each door opening being spaced away from the long rail lengths at adjacent openings above and below, to form a gap in said main rail between adjacent door openings, and switch mechanisms including therein respectively two short ra il lengths in said gap extending in substantial alinement with the end of said oblique section of said supplemental guide rail, and the oblique section of a supplemental guide rail at an adjacent door opening, and between said oblique sections respectively, and the adjacent ends of said long rail lengths of the main guide rail at said adjacent door openings respectively, guide shoes at each side of each of said door sections cooperating with the adjacent'supplemental guide rail, switch mechanism and long length of guide rail beyond said gap, each of said shoes consisting of oppositely disposed flanges spaced apart to receive said supplemental guide rail, said flanges being respectively inclined obliquely to the vertical with the opposite ends thercof projecting in opposite directions and extended beyond the end of the other flange to a position to ensure the engagement of one of said flanges with said switch mechanism and the main or the supplemental guide rail, according to the direction of movement of the sec tion, and a second guide shoe on each side of each door section consisting of oppositely disposed spaced guide flanges having surfacesthereon parallel with said short and said long rail lengths, and spaced surfaces thereon substantially parallel with the oblique sections connecting said long and said short rail lengthsi' In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed 7 my signature, the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 6th day of December, 1922.

RoBERT s. PEELLE.

lVitnesses: 7

F. T. Wnn'rwon'rrr. FRIEDA KonHLnn.

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