US1652623A - Emergency door-operating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,623

F. HEDLEY ET AL EMERGENCY DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug.- 1 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MA TTORNEY Dec. 13, 1927.

1,652,623 F. HEDLEY ET AL EMERGENCY DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed A112. 15 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,623

. F. HEDLEY ET AL EMERGENCY DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,623

F. HEDLEY ET AL EMERGENCY DOOR OPERATING APPARATUS File A1 2. 1 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE Yd Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,652,623 Parent orrics.

FRANK KEELEY, OF YGNKERTS, AND JAMES SDGYLE, F MOUNT VERNON, NEl/V YORK.

EMERGENCY DOOR-OPERATING APPARATUS.

Application filed. August 15, 1923.

This invention relates to door operating apparatus, and particularly to apparatus "for controlling the operation of the doors in subway, elevated and other cars in case of emergency.

The object of the invention is to provide manually operated devices to control the opening operation of motor operated. doors such as are employed in subway, ele vated, and other railway'cais, in case of accident or other emergency which destroys or puts out of commission the devices tor normally controlling the door operating motor.

A further object is to provide an emergency door operating apparatus of the nature and for the purpose referred to, which is simple in structure and ellicient in operation, and wherein the desired control isottected by devices which are easily accessible either inside or out-side the car.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all will be nore fully hereinafter set torth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view somewhat diagrammatic, parts in elevation, showing a door and motor and operating connections therehetween;

Fig. 1 is a view in transverse section of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

l 2 is a view in elevation, parts in vertical transverse section showing; an apparatus "for controlling the operations of a car door in case of emergency and constructed in accordance with. the principles of our invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation ol: the emergency apparatus taken from a point inside the car.

Fig. 4: is a view in side elevation showing a portion of the upper part of the cinegency door control ap iiaratus taken from the outside of the car.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig 2 on a somewhat larger scale, showing the upper part of the emergency door controlling ap' paratus. I Fig. 6 is a View in side elevation taken from the inside of the car, of that part of the construction shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing the Serial No. 657,563.

lower part of the emergency door operating and controlling apparatus, not shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 8 is a viewiin diagram showing a circuit arrangement employed in connection with our invention.

The same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

It is a common practice to employ motors to open and close the sliding and other doors used in subway, elevated and other pas-v senger carrying cars, and to control the door operating motor electrically through magnets or magnet valves where the motors are operated by a pressure medium, the control oi the motor either for opening; or for closing operation, being effected from a convenient point, by a conductor or other employee in charge out the car. i here pneumatic motors are employed, it is customary to provide a magnet valve to ell ect the control of the motor for the opening movement of the door, and another magnet valve for ellecting the control or the motor to close the door. In practice the door operating motor is connected to the door by means of an operating arm or lever in such manner that as the motor is operated in one direction or the other, the door is shifted from one position to another, thatis from closed to open position, or from open to closed position, as the case may be.

It is also a common practice in door operating; systems of the nature referred to, to provide the door retaining device, or lock arranged to engage the door and hold it in its closed position so as to prevent accidental opening thereof.

In such. door operating systems and installations, of the nature above referred to, it is the common practice, in order to conserve space, to mount the door operating motor in the space beneath a car seat where, not only is the motor concealed from view, but the door operating arm and the motor control valves as well, are also concealed by being located in the space beneath the car seat.

It is among the special purposes of our present invention, to provide an arrangement which will enable any passenger inside the car, or anyone outside the car, to effect the opening of the car door for emergency operation in case of an accident occuring, which would derange or put out of commission, the electric circuits employed to control the door operating motor in normal operation, or in case of such accident, putting out of commission the supply of power medium to the motor for operating the same, and in carrying out our invention we propose to provide means which are simple and ellicient, and which, in case of any such emergency, a passenger or other person without knowledge of the place or location of the motor or of its control magnets, may be enabled to effect the opening ofthe car door to per- I mit the release or the passengers or others Cir who might become trapped inside the car by the accident, which necessitates the emergency operation ot the door.

Such an emergency door operating apparatus is especially desirable on cars on. which, according to modern practice, a conductor or other attendant is not stationed. For example, in the operation of the suljnvay sys tem in various cities, it is new a common practice to place under the control 01'? a single conductor or attendant, at a control station, the control of the operation oi? the doors of several cars of the train. Thisleaves one or more cars without a conductor or other attendant, and in case of serious accident resulting from collisions or otherwise, the danger is incurred or the passengers becoming trapped within the car, and either through lack of knowledge as to the location ol the door operating members, or oi their control valves or method of control or operation, of becoming panic stricken. And, in case such an accident should result in destroying the electrical control of the door operating motors or cutting oil the supply of operating medium for such motors, then the occupants of the car would be without means to e'l'lect an opening of the car door to release the trapped passengers. It is, therefore, within the special purposes of our present invention, and in order to avert the possibility of panic conditions, and to conserve the safety ot the street car travelling public, to provide emergency means to enable the passengers to be released easily and quickly.

Referring to the drawing, reference numoral 1O designates a door. This may he the usual sliding door, such as is employed in subway, elevated or other passenger carrying cars. 11 is the motor, which ac cording to common practice is located heneath a seat 12 inside the car, see 1 A magnet valve inoicated at i l, serves to control the opening movement of the motor, and a similar valve 13 serves to control the door closing movements of the motor. An arm 15 actuated by the motor, is connected to the door, whereby the door is actuated to opened or to closed position, according as the operating motor is operated. i

In the particular arrangement shown in Fig. 1, compressed air is employed as the motor operating medium. The supply of pressure medium to the motor, and to exh aust, being controlled by the magnet valves 13, i l, such supply being obtained from the reservoir 16, to which delivers a compres or 17. The parts so far described. may he or. the usual, or hand construction and arrangement now well understood in the art, and therefore requires no :lfurther description oi the structure nor of the mode oi opertion thereof.

In a door operating installation, such as above described, it is also a common practice to employ rocl-z shaft 18 which is rocked by a n'iagnet 13), which is conunonly known as a door lock magnet, such rock shaft 18 having an arm 20 which is con ncctod to be operated when the door loclt magnet is energized so as to rock the shaft 18. An arm 21 also comiected to shatt 15, operates a lock stop 127, arranged to engage behind the rear edge oi. the door it), when the latter is in closed position, to prevent the opening of the door. This locl; device arrangement is also an expedient which is "frequently employed as a satiety device in door operating systems of the nature referred to, the arrangement being such that when the door is closed the shaft 18 is rocked into position for the stop dog 127 to form a lock to retain the door in its closed position, it being necessary to retract the stop dog before the door can be opened, such retraction being eitl ected by the energization of the magnet 19, manually, or otherwise may be convenient.

We will now describe the applicat ion. of an emergency door opening mechanism cmhcdving the principles of our invention, to a door operating system oi the nature at ove referred to.

An auxiliary source o'l control. current, such tor instance, as a battery 23 or other source oi? current, independent of the usual and ordinary circuit arrangement (llllpltll't 'l in the door motor control svstem, is supplied, the circuit oft which conr lied by a switch device indicated generally at A, see Fig. El, and in accordance with our invention, we yn'tmoso to provide manuallvopcratcd means to control the operaticm ol switch device and "we propose to so locate the manual control means {or said switch device readily acc ll lie and available to an vone eithe within the car or outside ot the car. tor etl'ectlng the operation ol the switch dc- Various manually operated switch this vice A. control devices may be employed 'i'or purpose.

As illustrative we have shown a sliding wright within a casing to slide guides formed in said casing. with its sliding weight Q-lcated on the wall of the ot' a practical a 'ticall in casino is prererabl v lo car near the upper edge of such wall, and on the inside of the ar. il eight 24 may be guided in its vertical movements by a guide rod 26 mounted upon the inner wall of the car. The weight Ell is connected by a cable or other flexible connection .27 arranged to operate over suitable guide sheave 28 to the switch device A for operating the le"er. instead 01'? the connection 27 being directly connected to the switch device A, said connection is attached to the upper end of a rod 29, which is provided at its lower end with a hook member 30 disposed beneath the door operating lever l to engage the latter when the weight is pulled downwardly so as to rock the door ru crating lever and to thereby effect main ually, when occasion requires, the operation of the door into open position.

in order to permit a like manual control and operation of the auxiliary switch device A, and of the door lever 15 from the outside of the car, a sin'iilar g'ht indicated at 31 is arranged within a casing 32 and guided by a guide rod 33, is disposed on the outer surface of the wall of the car near the upper edge thereof as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The weight 31 likewise is connected to the rod 29 through a cable or other connection 34: operating over suitable guide sheaves The actuation of the switch device A by the n'iovements inuparted to red 29 when either of the weights 2%, Si is pulled down from normal or retracted position may octed in various ways.

Vi e have shown a simple arrangement wherein a lug or arm 36 is carried bythe rod 29, and arranged when said rod is raised to engage the nose or end portion 37 of a pawl 38 pivotally mounted as at 39 in a bracket carried by the inner panel e'O of the wall so as to rocl-z said pawl 38. Said pawl is provided with a projection or pin ll arranged to extend through. a curved slot 42 in the wall panel, and which pin or stud is cng: d by a linl: 43 connected to a pivot arm of the switch device A. A rod 4-5 connected to the rock arm 44; carries contact plates illi, ii", and 48. These contact plates rcspec cly cooperate with pairs of circuit terminals 4%, 50, and 51, for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter.

As above explained, the rod 29 is provided with a hook portion 30, to engage beneath the door operating arm or lever 15 when the rod :29 is moved upwardly by pulling down either of the weights 2%, 31. The arrang rent is such, however, that as the rod 29 is lifted, the dog 36 carried thereby engages and rocks the arm 38 from the position shown in Fig. 3 into the position shown in Fig. before the hook end portion 4 of said rod 29 engages the lever 15, thereby elfecting the operation of the switch dcvice A. The result of this operation of the switch device A, as will presently be more fully explained, is to close an auxiliary electric circuit through the door opening magnet 14:, which controls the door opening movement of the motor 11, thereby effecting the power operation of the motor to open the door. 111 this event, of course, the hook portion 30 of rod 29 will not perform any li'unction. If, however, the accident or other eu'iero'enc which re uires the ODGIZltlOll of O the switch device A, or the opening of the door, should result in rupture of the pressure supply to the motor 11, then, of course, the operation above described of the switch device A, would be without result. In that event the hook portion ill) of rod 29 becomes effective to engage and lift or rock the door operating lever 15, thereby openiugthe door by manual power applied by pulling down one or the other of the weights 24-, Si, thus :ii'l'ordin g a manually operated means for use in case of emergency, such as would render inoperative not only the electrical circuits employed in the normal control of the motor, but also the supply, of pressure medium to the motor. I

l i henthe rock arm 38 has been shifted from its normal or retracted position as shown in Fig. 3 into its raised position shown in Fig. 7, by the engagement of the lug 36 therewith, thereby operating the anailiary switch device A, any suitable meaiu; ma be employed for retaining said arm in its raised position.

A simple arrangement for this purpose is shown wherein a spring 53 is connected at one end to the stud 41 at the upper end of link 48, and at the other end as at 54 to a suitable convenient fixed part 55 at a point such that the line of tension of said spring as the arm 38, is rocked by the pivot 39 of arm 38, as said arm is rocked into its raised position, thereby enabling said spring to retain the arm in its raised position.

in order to restore automatically the au.\:- iliary switch device A to its normal position when the door lever 15 is again operated to close the door, and to permit said door operating lever to rock door opening opera tion under normal conditions, without effecting the auxiliary switch A, we pivotally mount a dog 56 on the side of the door operating lever 15, said dog being provided with a lip or extension 57 which extends.

over the upper edge of said lover, a spring 59 serving to hold the dog 56 with the projection 57 resting against the upper on e of the door operating lever. T he nose portion 60 of this dog is curved on its upper edge and is flat at its lower edge. This nose portion of the lever during the upward swing of the door operating lever 15 to open the door wipes by the stud 41 carried by pawl 38 without raising said pawl and hence without operating the switch A.

In the downwardswing of the door opcrating lever 15 in closing the door, the fiat lower surface oi nose of dog 56, engages the stud ll, in case said stud has been raised in emergency operation of the apparatus as above explained, thereby depr 'ng said stud s1, and overcoming the tension of spring and causing the lever 38 to be forced downwarcly and to snap into its retracted lower normal position.

In practi e, and in order to prevent unneces ry or other tampering with the weight devices 241-, 31, said weights are retained within the casing; 25, and facilitate the engageu'ient ot the weights by the lingers of an operator, to ailord a grasp thereon for pulling the weights down in emergency oporation, said weights are torn'lcd with openings ii'idicated at (31'. 'lilhcsc cases are preterahly protected by glass or other frangible plates ('32, which in case of an emergency requiring emergency operation ot the doors, may be readily broken, and tor this purpose we provide a han'uner device (33 with chain attachment (54-, and whic i r ay be sustained in a suitable bracket in convenient position on th wall of the car. In the case of the casing 31 on the outer si le wall, a hool: device (36, see Fig. l, may be employed to engage the weight 31. Withii'i the ca ing to haul it down.

In practice, and in order to aiiord still further protection against derangement or unauthorized operation. of the emergency apparatus, we prefer to lead the flexible connections 27, 3%, intermediate weights 2%, 31, and the lifting rod 29, through an enclosing pipe (57.

in order to return the rod 29 after being raised in emergency operation as the weights ill, Eli are restored into their casings 25, 32, we provide a spring 6:) which is connected at its upper end to a lug on the upper end ot rod 29, and at its lower end at 71, to a convenient 'lixed part or side wall panel.

Referring particularly to the diagram, Fig. 8, we have shown the circuit arrangement employed in the control oi? the motor in normal operation ot the ooor, butsince our iirri-rni flftiitlz'ili has to do with the 'cziiz'w i 5 wt tl gemcnt for normal opi-ra uunc, and we will, there (onlinc our de ption oi. the operation to the operation of the emergency apparatus.

As above explained. in the normal opera tion of the doors, switch device A occupies the position shown in 3 and S. In this position the bridging contact niembeii's 46, 47 life out of bridging relation with respect to circuit terminals 41-9, 50, while the bridging contact 4-8 is closed upon the terminal coutacts 51. These contacts 51 are included in a circuit connection 72 in the circuit of the door lock magnet 1.9 and are used in the normal operation of the motor control system.

circuit or" tron r:

lVh en, however, the weight 24 or 31 is pulled down, thereby actuating the switch device A, the bridging member d8 is displaced from bridging relation with respect to tcrn'iinals 51 of circuit 72, thereby opening the circuit of the door lock magnet and wholly CliSCO11- necting the emergency apparatus from the apparatus employed in the normal operation of the door motor control system. The uame operation of switch A closes the bridging members i6, i7 upon their cooperating contacts i9, 50. The bridging of contacts 49 clos a circuit from the emergency battery orother current source 2:), through conductor 7 across contacts ill, through conductor 72, and the door lock magnet 19. The cnergizatimi o't this magnetresults in the rock arm 33) being actuated lhereb" rocking the shaft 18 and hence withdrawi11gthe door h or loch 1: this leaves the door tree to be opened. .hc same movement of rock shaft 18, through the arm 7 closes a contact member 75 across terminals 7 (5. These 4"" itacts are contained in series with conduc- 77, 7 When, however, switch A is 0peratc'd, a circuit is completed from emergency battery 23 through conductor 73, across contacts 50, through conductor 77, across contact 76, through conductor 78, and door opening magnet let to ground at 79, thereby causing the motor to be perated and the door to be opened. The closing of this circuit tin-(nigh the door opening magnet l-ft would be without result, of course, in case the accidentor other cause requiring emer- {jency operation of the door should shut oti the supply of operating medium to the mo tor. in that event, oi course, the door will he opened as above explained manually by the hook portion 30 of rod engaging be neath the door operating arm or lever From the foregoing description, it will be seen tl at we provide an exceedingly simple and eilicicnt apparatus tor the emergency opening of the door in case oi accident, thereby increasing the safety oi operation of street railivay, subway, elevated and other cars or systems.

Many variations and changes in the details, construction. and arrangement would readily occur to persons skilled in the art, without de iarturc from the spirit and scope of our invci'ition. \Ve, thcreiii'ore, do not dcsire to be limited or restricted to the e:- ict details of the structure and arrangement shown.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of our invention, and a structure illustrative oi the principles involved, what we claim as new and useful, and of our joint invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, and means to control the same in fill Hill

n Lil III noeaeaa normal operation, of auxiliary manually operated devices including a switch device said devices arranged to operate the normal motor controlling means independently of the normal operation of said control means or to operate the door indepenident of the motor.

2. In an en'iergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, the control magnet therefor, and means to control the circuit of said magnet in normal operation, of an auxiliary manually operated switch device to control said magnet independently of the normal control thereof, said auxiliary switch device being normally in inoperative position, and means to automatically retain the same in operative position. I V

3. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, the control magnet therefor, and means to control the circuit of said magnet in normal operation, of an auxiliary manually operated switch device to control said magnet independently of the normal control thereof, said auxiliary switch being normally in inoperative position, means to actuate the same into operative position for emergency operation of the motor, and releasable means arranged to retain the same in its operative position.

4. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating' motor, a magnet to control the same to open the door, and means to control the circuit of said magnet in normal operation, of an auxiliary device independent of said door to control the circuit of said magnet independently of the normal control thereof, and manually actuated means to operate said device.

5. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating; motor, magnet to control the same to open the door, and means to control the circuit of said magnet in normal operation, of an auxiliary device to control said magnet independently of the normal control thereof, and manually actuated means to operate said device, said manually actuated means also arranged to open the door independently of said motor.

6. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, means actuated thereby to move the door including a lever, a'pivoted dog carried by said lever and means to control said motor in normal operation, of auxiliary manually operated devices to control said motor independently of the normal control means to open the door, said dog operating when the door is again closed to restore said auxiliary device to normal condition.

7. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a door operating lever actuated thereby and connected to the door to move the same to open and closed position, and means to control said motor in normal operation, and a switch device to control said motor in emergency operation indeimmlontly of the normal motor control means, a movable rod having; a lug, means arranged to be engaged by said lug to actuate said switch device into operative position, means to retain said switch device in operative position, and manually actuated means to move said rod.

8. In an en'iergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a door operating lever actuated thereby and connected to the door to move the same to open and closed position, and means to control said motor in normal operation, and a switch device to control said motor in emergency operation independently of the normal control means, a movable rod having a lug, a pivoted leverarranged to be engaged by said lug, said lever connected to aid switch device to operate the same, and manually actuated device to shift said rod.

9. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a door operating lever actuated there by and connected to the door to move the same to open and closed position, and means to control said motor in normal operation, and a switch device to control said motor in emergenoy operation independently of the normal control means, a movable rod having a. lug, a pivoted lever arranged to be engaged by said lug, said lever connected to said switch device to operate the same, a spring connected to said lever to arrange to pass central relation with respect thereto when said lever is rocked into operating position, to retain said lever in its operated position when manually actuating the de vice, for shifting said rod, and means to restore said'lever and switch device to their normal position.

10. In an emergency door operating apparat-us, the combination with a door operating motor, a door operating lever actuated thereby and connected to the door to move the same to open and closed position, and means to control said motor in normal operation, and a switch device to control said motor in emergency operation independently of the normal control means, a movable rod having a lug, a pivoted lever arranged to be engaged by said lug, said lever connected to said switch device to operate the same, and manually actuated device to shift said rod, and means actuated by said rod to open the door independently of the motor.

11. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a lever actuated thereby and connected to the door, and means to control said motor in normal operation, of an auxiliary switch device, a, link connected thereto, a

shi'ltable rod for actuating said link, a normally retained weight having connection with said rod for manual operation of the lever, said switch device operated to control the motor independently of the normal control thereof to open the door, said rod having means to engage the motor to open the door independently ot the motor.

12. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a magnet to control the door opening movement of the motor, a norn' al circuit for said magnet for normal operation thereof, and an auxiliary circuit for said magnet, and an ind i icudcnt current supply for said independent circuit, of an auxiliary switch for controlling said auxiliary circuit, and manually actuated device for operating raid switch.

13. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a lever actna ted thereby and connected to the door, and means to control said motor in normal operation, of a shiftable rod having means to engage said lever to operate the same in door opening direction independently of the motor, and manually actuated device connected to said rod to operate the same, and means also operated by the shifting of said rod to control the operation of the motor in door opening direction.

1a. In an emergency door operating apparatus, the combination with a door operating motor, a lever actuated thereby and connected to the door, and means to control said motor in normal operation, of a sliitttable rod having means to engage said lever to operate the same in door opening direction independently of the motor, and manually actuated device connected to said rod to operate the smile, and means also operated by the shifting of said rod to control the operation of the motor in door opening direc tion, and a dog pivotally mounted on said lever arranged to restore said switch device to normal position when the door is again closed.

In testimony whereoi we have hereunto setour hands on this 9th day of August A. 1)., 1923.

FRANK HEDLEY. JAMES S. DOYLF.

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