US2030240A - Car door locking means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1936; A. CAMPBELL CAR DOOR LOCKING MEANS 2 Sme ter-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1933 IINVENTOR. Al? YLE CQMPBELL BY jbw ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11, 1936. A. CAMPBELL CAR DOOR LOCKING MEANS Filed June 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. ll, l36

UNITED STATES Zillitt PATENT OFFICE CAR DOOR LOCKING MEANS Application June 23, 1933, Serial No. 677,230

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in car door locking means and more particularly to the type of door commonly used in connection with hopper cars.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved door latching means of the type shown in my prior United States Patent #1,885,181 of November 1, 1932, wherein a latching bar is pivotally mounted on the door, and to so adapt the parts as to permit of convenient operation from a location adjacent one side of the door. l I

Another object of my invention is to provide conveniently located fulcrum means on the door '1' and associated latch element, whereby a removable 'bar maybe inserted between the said fulcrum means and provide for safety and conv venience in operating the latch.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a door latching mechanism wherein a movable latch is mounted on a door, for cooperating engagement with a shouldered keeper at an intermediate portion of the door, and means adjacent a side edge of the door for retaining the latch in operative position.

Other objects and features of my invention will appear from the following description in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken through the lower portion of a car and showing in elevation the hopper door and adjacent related car construction;

Fig. 2 is a fractional View of Fig. 1 with the door removed for the purpose of better illustrating the shouldered keeper with which the-door is adapted to have cooperating relation;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of that part of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a substantially vertical elevatio'nal view taken through the lower portion of the car structure illustrated in Fig. l as viewed on a line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view as taken on a line 6-6 of Fig. 4. I

My invention is illustrated as applied to a hopper car of the so-called W-type, in which-the hoppers extend below the centersills of the car and are arranged in pairs aligned transversely with respect to the car, with a hopper on each side of the centersill. The drawings illustrate one of the related hoppers and the latching door mechanism therefor on one side of the centersill, but it is understood that the structure on the opposite side of the centersill is a duplicate and that the doors on each side of the centersill are intended to be individually operated independently of the corresponding doors of the hoppers on the opposite side of the centersill.

I The structure includes a centersill lli including a vertical web I l and an outstanding lower marginal flange l2. The hopper is defined by inner and outer substantial vertical walls [3 and M, respectively, cooperating with top and bottom longitudinal sloping walls-l 5 and l 6, respectively. The walls l3, l4, l5 and. I6 have their marginal edges spaced apart to provide an inclined opening which is disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the bottom wall It of the hopper. The side and bottom walls of the hopper, adjacent their marginal edges, are surrounded by a suitable frame member A in the form of a U or stirrup which is disposed around the outer face of the hopper sheets l3, M and i6 and secured thereto by rivets ll. The reinforcing member or frame A is preferably of a T-shaped section with walls l8 overlying the hopper sheets and having a stem I9 outstanding from said wall l8.

The inner vertical hopper wall it normally has its upper portion 28 parallel with and secured to the web ll of the centersill. The wall is provided with a downwardly extending inclined portion 2! which extends beyond the outstanding flange l2 of the centersill a sufficient distance to provide space for the upper portion of the frame member A.

The upper part of the door frame is completed by a hingebutt member B which is secured at its outer end 22 to the centersill web and is formed with a portion 23 which underlies and is secured to the upper sloping sheet l5. The hingebutt member has suitable hinge lugs 24 formed integrally therewith, and the latter provide bearings for the hinge pins 25, the latter supporting a discharge door C.

The door C is preferably pan-shaped to enclose one edge of the frame member A and comprises a body portion 26 preferably formed of a plate having integral side marginal flanges 2l-2l and a bottom flange 28, said flanges forming a continuous pan-shaped structure extending around the bottom and inner and outer edges of the door respectively. The side edge of the door adjacent the centersill is termed the inner edge of the door and the opposite edge of the door is termed the outer edge. The body of the door has a pair of hinge straps 30 which are riveted thereto and which extend upwardly and cooperate with the hinge pins for supporting the door for swinging provide an angularly related '4 the door.

movement.

The lower edge portion of the door is rigidifled and reinforced by means of a brace beam member D which extends for substantially the entire width of the door above the swinging edge of the door. This beam D is preferably formed of a casting having a body portion formed of angularly related flanges 3| and 32, flange 3| being disposed parallell and in overlying relation with the plate comprising the body 26 of the door, and the flan e 32 extends substantially at right angles to the flange 3| and to the main body portion of the door. The walls or flanges 3| and 32 are braced relatively to each other by integral corner ribs 83 and 34 disposed at the opposite ends of the beam.

Adjacent the inner end of the door the web 32 of the beam has an upstanding wall or lug 35 which is spaced from the flange 3| to provide a space adapted to accommodate therebetween one end of a pivoted latch E. The latch is pivotally mounted with respect to the walls 3| and 35 by means of a rivet or pin 36 which extends through both the said walls and through the'main body of The latch E extends longitudinally of the beam above the flange 32 and in the angle between the flanges BI and 32 towards the side of the car to a location adjacent the opposite end of the beam where its end extends upwardly to portion 31, said disposed substantially at right angles to the main portion of the latch and providing-in effect a bell crank lever. The latch E adjacent the upstanding portion 21 is guided between a pair of upstanding 39, spaced apart sufficiently to permit of free travel of the latch E therebetween and constituting guiding means to restrict undue sidewise movement of the latch.

The latch intermediate its ends engages with the shoulder of a keeper F for maintaining the door in closed position. The keeper is preferably in the form of a casting having a base portion 48 secured to the bottom sloping wail l8 of the hopper and to the wall |8 of the door frame A by means of rivets 4|. Upstanding from the base portion 48 is an integral triangular-shaped portion 42 which is arranged so as to shed lading portion 31 being from the hopper and prevent the material from This triangular pocketing around the keeper. portion has a front facing wall 43 which is disposed parallel to the face of the door when the latter is in closed position so that it forms an abutment for the face of the door.

outwardly of the face 43 the keeper is provided with a shouldered portion 44- spaced from the wall 43 for cooperating with the latch E when the door is in closed position, the upper edge of the shouldered portion 44 is beveled as indicated at 45, and leading to the shouldered par? of the keeper there is an inclined runway the latch is adapted to travel as the door is moved towards closed position for the purpose of displacing the latch from its normally operative latching position, it being understood that by reason of its weight, said latch member naturally gravitates to the latching position. The door and beam are provided with an opening 41 through which the hook portion of the keeper passes when the door is swung to closed or open position. The wall 43 has a face area larger than the opening 41, so that the portion of the door surrounding the opening will abut' against this wall and completely seal the opening against W around and beneath the lower wall sections 38 and 48 on which leakage of material when the door is in closed position.

The upper surface of the hook shaped portion of the member F lies substantially in the plane of the main portion of the outstanding wall 32. Said wall is enlarged adjacent the opening to permit the wall to conform to substantially the shape of the opening, said enlarged portion being disposed above and below the openings as indicated at 48 and riveted to the door plate by rivets 49. Above the opening 41 on the outer side of wall 3| there is provided a beading 58 around the edge of the opening which presents a surface against which the latch element E is adapted to bear.

Said surface 58 is extended by means of ribs 5| for an appreciable distance above the opening and said extensions present inclined runway portions 52 for the purpose of guiding the latch bar E to operating latching position.

' The outstanding wall 32 is deflected downwardportion of the opening as indicated at 53 and said deflected portion, below the opening, is braced relatively to the enlarged portion 48 of the beam by means of rib I53.

Pivotally mounted between the walls 38 and '38 is a locking dog 54. The dog is mounted on a rivet 55 which extends through the walls 38 and 39 and through the door plate 25. The locking dog 54, when swung to its locking position as shown in conventional dotted lines in Fig. 1, bears the latch E to presents an arcuate face 51 lying at such a distance from the pivot that when the dog is swung inwardly to inoperative position said face 51 is beyond the path of her. The locking dog 54 has a lug 58 at its upper end adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool for operating the dog.

The angular portion of the latching member,-

at its outer end, is provided with a lateral projection 59 extending substantially at right angles to the plane of movement of the latch, and disposed in the plane of said projection there is a projecting lug 80 formed integrally with the wall 39. The lugs. 59 and 60 are spaced from each other an appreciable distance and constitute prying lugs between which a prying lever G may be inserted either for prying the latch element to closed position or for initiating the opening move.- ment of said latch.

The latch E, being positioned between the walls 38 and 39, ismaintained thereb'y against lateral displacement as said walls'ser've to guide the latch in its movement on its pivotal axis. The outer wall 39 is reinforced against bending by a pair of ribs extend ng upwardly from the wall 32 of the beam and said ribs also serve beam adjacent the prying lugs 88.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the parts to be positioned as in Fig. 4 with the dog 54 disengaged with respect to the latch E. The operator inserts the bar G between the prying lugs 59 and 88 in the manner indicated by conventional dotted lines in Fig. 4 and by a lifting movement on the end of the car causes the bar to rotate around fulcrum 59 theremovement of the latch memto strengthen the (iii aosaaso by lifting the latch element E from engagement with respect to the keeper, thus permitting the door to swing to open position. The lifting of the outer end of the latch element E a suflicient distance to efiect disengagement between the latch and keeper also causes the angular portion 31 of the latch to move upwardly to such an extent as to bring the arm 31 alongside of the pivotal axis 55 of the dog. This arrangement permits the swinging end of the latch to have considerable movement while still maintaining a locking dog of comparatively small dimensions. The releasing of the door in the above manner assures the safety of the operator because as the door swings to open position the outer end of the bar G remains in the operator's hand and the inner end moves free of the lugs 59 and 60 due to the fact that the bar is free to move outwardly in the direction of movement of the door.

In order to further insure the safety of the operator when releasing the door, and guard against the insertion of the prying lever between the lower wall 32 and the lower portion oi the latch E which might result in the lever fouling or slipping between walls 38 and St of the doors, and thus locldng the bar relatively to the-door, which might result in danger to the operator due to the violent opening movement of the door, the lower end of the latch bar is formed with a depending portion 6| which extends downwardly in an opening 62 formed in the outstanding wall 32, thereby closing the opening which would normally exist between the bar and the lower flange.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I claim all constructions coming within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hopper door latching device, in combination with the car body and the door; keeper means carried by the car body; movable latching means carried by the door, having a portion adapted to engage with the keeper; a lateral extension formed on the latching means at an appreciable distance from the keeper; a guide wall overlying the latch adjacent said lateral extension; and a lateral extension on said guide wall disposed substantially in the plane of the extension on the latching means whereby a removable bar may be inserted between said respective extensions for moving the latch by a turning movement of the bar.

2. In a railway car, thecombination with a hopper having an opening, and a door adapted to close said opening; means for retaining said door in closed position with respect to the opening, said means including a keeper carried by the hopper and formed with a portion adapted to extend beyond, the outer side of the door; a latch member carried by the door and movably mounted thereon for cooperating engagement with the projecting portion of the keeper; a beam adjacent the free edge of the door, said beam adjacent one side edge of the door being provided with inner and outer guide walls leetween which the latch is adapted to have movement, the outer of said walls having a lateral projection comprising a prying off lug; and a lateral projection on the latch extending beyond the outer of said guide walls for cooperating engagement with the other projection whereby a prying lever may be inserted between said projections for moving the latch.

3. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper having a discharge opening, said hopper being defined in part by a sloping bottom wall and side Walls; a discharge door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper portion of the hopper; means for supporting the door intermediate the side walls, including a shouldered keeper carried by the lowerwall, said door having an opening disposed substantially in alignment with the keeper, said keeper having a shouldered portion extending through the opening in the door; a

latch movably mounted on the outer side of the door for cooperating engagement with the shouldered portion of the keeper for the purpose of supporting the door in closed position, said latch on one side of the keeper being pivotally mounted on the door and having its opposite end extended outwardly beyond the keeper and there formed with an angularly related extension; guiding means carried by the door for restraining the movement of the latch in a plane substantially parallel with the main plane of the door, said latch bar extension having a lateral projection extending outwardly beyond the guiding means; and a lateral projection carried by the door dis posed substantially in the plane of the lateral projection on the latch whereby a removable bar may be inserted between. said projections for prying the latch to either operative or inoperative position.

4. In a railway car, the combination with a hopper having an opening and a door adapted to close said opening; a beam carried by the door, said beam adjacent one side edge of the door being provided with spaced walls disposed substantially parallel with the main plane of the door and constituting inner and outer guide walls; a pivotally mounted latch extending between said guide walls and extended outwardly towards the opposite edge of the door; a keeper carried by the hopper for cooperation with the latch for supporting the door in closed position, said latch being extended lengthwise beyond the guide walls and there provided with a lateral extension; and a lateral extension disposed in the plane of the extension on the latch and formed integrally with the outer of the spaced walls of the beam, said respective extensions on the latch and beam being adapted to accommodate a prying bar inserted therebetween for moving the latch.

5. In a railway car, the combination of a hopper having a discharge opening, a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper edge of the door and adapted to close said opening, means for retaining the door in closed position with respect to the door opening, including a keeper carried by the hopper and a latch member carried by the door and movably mounted thereon i'or cooperating engagement with the keeper, a guide wall adjacent the side edge of the door overlying the latch and adapted to restrain the latch against outward movement, said guide wall having a lateral projectionextending outwardly therefrom and comprising a prying lug, and a lateral extension on the latch extending beyond the said guide wall for cooperating engagement with the lateral projection whereby a prying lever may be inserted between the projection and latch extension for moving the latch.

6. In a railway car of the type having a hopper including side walls spaced from each other and a bottom wall extending between said side walls, said hopper having a discharge opening, a pivotally mounted door adapted to be positioned in the discharge opening, means for latching said door in relation to the bottom wall of the hopper, said means including a keeper carried by the bottom wall of the hopper and disposed centrally of the discharge opening, a latch bar carried by the door and adapted for cooperating engagement with the keeper and movable in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the door, said latch bar extending outwardly from the keeper to a position immediately adjacent the side edge of the door, guiding walls at the outer end of the latch disposed adjacent said side edge of the door, locking means for the latch associated with said guiding means, and lateral pro- Jections extending outwardly from the guiding means and latch respectively, and accessible from a position at the side of the hopper, whereby a removable bar may be inserted between said respective lateral projections for moving the latch with respect to the keeper. Y

7. In a railway car, a hopper provided with a discharge opening, and defined in part by side walls spaced appreciably from each other and a bottom wall extending between said side walls, a discharge door hinged adjacent its upper edge adapted to be positioned in the discharge openin, a shouldered keeper carried by the bottom wall of the hopper and disposed intermediate the side walls thereof, a latch member pivotally mounted on the door on one side of the keeper and adapted to co-act with the keeper for maintaining the door in closed position, said latch member extending on the opposite side of the keeper to a point adjacent the side edge of the door, guiding means for the latch disposed immediately adjacent the said side edge of the door for restricting the latch to movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the door, locking means associated with said guiding means for locking the latch eral projections on the latch and guiding means adapted to accommodate a removable actuating bar for moving the latch, said guiding means, locking means and lateral projections being all disposed adjacent a side edge of the door whereby operation of the latch may be conveniently and safely effected from a position adjacent said edge 0! the hopper.

ARGYIE CAMPBM in operative position, latw Lana).

Images