US2069232A - Door construction for freight containers - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1937. B. F. FITCH DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Shea? l 1937. B. F. FITCH DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 19, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 2, 1937. B. F. FITCH DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 19, 1933 m 2 $2512 r /Zz MOI/MAM.

Patented Feb. 2, 1937 iJNi'iiI. STES 'i' FFICE DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CONTAINERS Application September 19, 1933, Serial No. 690,105

10 Claims.

A system of handling package freight by means of demountable bodies which may be carried on highway trucks or on vessels and lifted intact with their loads to a railway car for intermediate 5 rail transportation, and thereafter transferred 20 to the interior.

ily opened at will.

demountable body having side doors embodying at the distant end to a truck or vessel for ultimate delivery, has many advantages, reducing the cost of shipping from oonsignor to consignee, reducing the time involved, and reducing the loss due to pilferage or breakage.

In a system of this kind it is important that door openings to the containers, preferably on both the sides and the ends, be of wide extent, to enable ready loading or unloading, and at the same time that the doors which are preferably hinged to the body and act to close such openings should make tight connections with the door jambs when the doors are closed, but must be readily openable whenever desired to allow access Such doors must likewise be strong and firm to prevent warping or sagging of the door itself, and must be able to resist the internal impact liable to happen from the shifting of the load in transit.

The primary object. of the present invention is to provide a hinged door construction so arranged that when the door is closed it shall automatically form a weathertight connection at both the top and the bottom, though it may be read- I accomplish this by so hinging the door that it is capable of a limited vertical movement, and I arrange the upper and lower ends of the door and the corresponding portions of the door jamb to form seats which are engaged consequent upon such vertical movement of the door. My invention also provides spring means to lift the door automatically when closed to causev its engagement with the seats.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means for automatically holding the door open, when swung into that position, until it is desired to close it.

The invention is hereinafter more fully explained in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings, and the essential novel features are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a the invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of such body showing an end door also embodying the invention; Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are vertical sections on the lines S3 on Fig. 2, but intermediately broken away, Fig. 3 showing the door in its normal elevated or closed position; Fig. 4, in the lower position ready for opening; Fig. 5 in a position at right angles to the body wall during opening, and Fig. 6 in the completely opened position. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section, intermediately broken away, through the doors, as indicated by the line il on Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section illustrating the open position of an end door made of two hinged panels; Fig. 9 is a detail in elevation of the upper portion of one of the doors when completely closed; Fig. 10 is a similar elevation when the door is shut, but lowered for opening; Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the door fully open; Figs. 12 and 13 are details of the upper portion of the door, being vertical sections on the correspondingly numbered lines on Figs. 11 and 5, respectively; Figs. 14 and 15 are vergtical sections, intermediately broken away,

through the door and the adjacent portions of g the container, as indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 2; Fig. 16 is a detail in vertical section on the line 16-45 in Fig. 15.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a demountable body having a floor frame l0, side walls I l, narrow end walls l2, and a roof l3. Each side is provided with a pair of lift hooks 14, extending above the caves and suitably braced by extension straps and inclined braces secured to the body sides, as indicated at l5.

Each side of the body is provided with a central doorway between the region of the lift members, adapted to be closed by a pair of hinged doors 25. Likewise, each end is provided with a doorway which is only slightly smaller than the transverse internal dimension of the container. This doorway is preferably occupied by a pair of hinged doors, each comprising panels 2! and 22, hinged together at 23 so that when open the outer portion may swing onto the side of the body, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8.

The present invention, which is concerned with the means for effecting a tight seating of the door when closed, While allowing it to be readily opened, is equally applicable to the single panel door 20, shown at the side of the car, or to the double panel door 2|, 22, shown at the end. I will first describe the end door construction, which is shown in various detail views in the drawings.

Substantially the same description will apply to the side door, except as to the mutual hinging of the two panels 2i and 22 together, and as to the external bracing, neither of which features is necessary or desirable in the case of aside door.

The floor frame IU of the body comprises end and longitudinal sills and suitable internal bracing. An end sill is shown in Figs. 3 to 6 in the form of a channel 30. A lower layer of flooring 3| rests on this end sill. The bottom member of the door jamb in the form of a Z-bar Ml is secured to the channel 30 and extends across the edge of the planking layer 3!, and then inwardly at ll on top of that layer, then upwardly at 42 along the edge of a sunnounting layer of planking 32. The extreme edge of this door jamb member is bent downwardly as shown at 43, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Over the end doorway is a metal sheet it, which forms a portion of the end wall, lying in the same plane with the narrow vertical portions l2. This top end wall near its lower edge carries the upper door jamb, which is made of a bent piece of sheet metal embracing the lower edge of the sheet I6 and providing a downwardly facing door seat. This piece of sheet metal, as shown in Figs. 3 to 6, has a portion 50 on the outer side of the plate I 6 and is then doubled back on itself around the lower end of the plate E6 to provide a portion 5! bearing against'the inner face of the plate l6. Then there is a horizontally extending portion 52 and finally a downwardly ex tending flange 53. This inwardly extending portion of the jamb is braced by an angle bar 55, engaging'the inner surface of the sheet it and the top of the jamb portion 52. On the outer side of the body in this locality is a reinforcing member 51 in the form of a horizontal ZI-bar having a downward flange 58 and an upward flange 59. The parts described are all riveted together, the same rivets being shown as passing through the upper flange 59 of the Z-bar 5i, thence through the jamb portion 58, thence through the plate It, and finally through the angle bar 55. The construction described makes a very stiff brace for the lower end of the end wall l6, extending from side to side of the body above the wide door opening.

The end walls l2 of the body heretofore referred to comprise outer sheets which are connected to the sides H by vertical corner angle bars l8. The end sheets l2 are also braced by inner sheets Bil, Fig. 8, which are flanged at their outer ends 6| and secured to the body sides H and then near their inner ends bend inwardly at 62 and finally flanged at 63 into the plane of the sheet I2. Then I add a sheet 65, which is riveted to the outer side of the sheet 2 at its inner edge, passes over the flange 53, and then is doubled back onto the rear face of that flange and finally lies alongside of the portion 612 of the plate 60, as shown at 66. This additional plate 85 and plate 50 are preferably welded or otherwise secured together.

It will be seen that the construction just described makes a firm vertical end wall for the body at either side of the door opening, which, likewise, by reason of the flange 63 and the doubled over portion 65, provides a peculiar door jamb having a lip extending across the door opening, the door being arranged to seat in a recess behind this lip. It will be observed that the complete door jambprovides one form of seat at the two vertical sides of the doorway, a different form of seat at the bottom, and a still different form at the top. The door is so formed and mounted that it may coact with these special seats as about to be described.

As heretofore mentioned, I have shown at the end of the container articulated doors, each-of which comprises a narrow panel 2i, hinged to the body, and a wider panel 22, hinged at 23 to the narrower panel. The hinge comprises a member 78, secured to the end wall and havin a vertical socket ll and a member M secured to the door panel and having a downwardly extending pin 15 rigid with the strap 14 and 00- cupying the socket H. The pin l5, however, is slidable axially in the socket, as well as rotatable, and does not entirely fill the socket. The space beneath the pin is occupied by a compression spring l6, bearing upwardly against the lower face of the pin. The door is thus hingedly mounted on the body, but is capable of a slight upward or downward movement, and is normally retained in its upward position by the springs it. I have shown three hinges for each door, the construction of all of them being substantially identical. 7

The hinge axis is located in front of the projecting lip 63, 65, some distance back of the door panel 2 I ,when open, as shown in Fig. 8, with the result that when the door is closed, the extreme edge of it extends behind the lip 63, 65. As shown in Fig. 8, the door panel 2! is bounded at its extreme edge by a reinforcing member in the form of a channel embracing the edge of the door. This reinforcing member has a flange Bl projecting from it at right angles to the door. When the door is closed, the face 82 of the reinforcing member engages the inner face of the door jamlo member 65, while the projecting flange 8i comes into contact with the rounded portion of the member (55, where it is doubled on itself. I

This makes a very tight connection when the door is closed.

On the outer face of the door near the top is secured a horizontal rod 90, which forms a bead or molding on the outer face of the door near the top. Along the bottom of the door is a flat strip fil, which projects inwardly from the door and then is bent diagonally upwardly. When the door is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 3, the springs l6 press the door upwardly so that the bead 98 makes a snug engagement with the doubled over edge of the top reinforcing member 59,

while the inclined projection of the plate 9! makes a substantially close connection with the down-turned flange 43 of the base door jamb. Accordingly, access of water is prevented either at the top or bottom of the door. At the same time the side edges of the door are behind the vertical lips 65 with the Vertical flange 81 engaging the edge of such lip. The result is that a tight connection is made at the top and bottom and hinged edge of the door.

When the door is pulled down against the action of the springs E6 on the hinge pins the extreme top of the door, which preferably comprises a rounded rub strip 92 on top of the door boundary member, is lower than the top door jamb in front of the channel portion 52, 53. At the same time the bottom flange 9i is freed from the door jamb flange 43. This enables the door to be swung open, the rub strip sliding along the lowermost portion of the outer reinforcing memher 5%.

To enable the door to be readily lowered from its elevated or closed position shown in Fig. 3, I form the hinge straps "M with projecting portions 38, terminating in flanges 79. These flanges in case of the topmost hinges, form handholds, while at the bottom the flanges form foot-rests with the result that the attendant may readily put his whole weight on the door adjacent the hinge. This is amply sufficient to overcome the force of the springs I6, and thereby results in lowering the door so that its upper and lower edge will be free from the top and bottom door jamb, as described.

To hold the door in its open position, I provide a plate 95, secured to the outer face of the door, or to an upper extension of the hinge strap 14, this plate inclining outwardly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and also having an inclined top edge 96, downwardly from the hinge axis, as illustrated in Fig. 9 for instance. When the door is closed, the member 95 extends into the downwardly facing recess provided by the reinforcing Z-bar 51, shown in Fig. 3. When the door is lowered for purposes of opening, as shown in Fig. 4, the member 95 clears the Z-bar flange. Then as the door is being swung open the inclined edge 96 comes into engagement with the bottom of the flange 58 as shown in Fig. 5, and finally when the door becomes completely open, the higher portion of the inclined edge extends behind the flange 58, as shown in Fig. 6. This engagement is sufficient to hold the door open against inadvertent displacement; but at any time it is desired to close the door, a suitable force applied as a jerk to it will cause the inclined edge 96, reacting on a flange 58, to cam the door downwardly until the plate 95 has cleared the flange 58, thus enabling the closing of the door.

It will be apparent from the description before given that when the door is closed it makes a tight connection with the jamb at the top and bottom and hinged edge. To prevent access of moisture at the free meeting edges of the door, as well as to firmly lock them closed, I provide a locking post overlapping the two doors and engaging keepers at its upper and lower end. As shown in Figs. '7 and 14, this locking post is constructed according to my application No. 689,231, filed Sept. 13, 1933, to which reference is made for fuller description.

Briefly, the locking post is made of a pair of main angle bars I secured together back to back, and a pair of supplemental angle bars IBI secured to the outer faces of inwardly extending portions of the angle bars I00. Mounted in the recesses provided by the parallel freely projecting flanges of the angle bars I 00 and IOI are bolts I05, which are retained in place by vertical angle plates I06. The upper ends of the bolts are bent outwardly to form handles, as illustrated. Near its upper end, the locking post has a pair of projecting tongues I08. When the post is in place, these tongues project behind the body flange 58 and the bolts I may extend downwardly into a keeper I09, secured to the floor-frame.

The free edge of the door is embraced by a channel-shaped boundary member 84, similar to the member 80, heretofore described, and having a flange 85 projecting on the outer face of the door. When the doors are closed, as shown in Fig. '7, the inward flanges of the post I00 extend between the doors, while the lateral flanges IOI seat against the two boundary members 84 between the flanges 85 thereof, and thus a weathertight connection is made over the meeting edges of the doors.

The description above given of the hinge mounting of the door panels 2| and the locking post I00 for the free edges of the doors, applies equally well to the side doors 20. In fact, the only difference in the doors is in the matter of dimensions, and the fact that the end doors are articulated by the intermediate hinge 23. In the case of both the side doors and end doors, leakage to the interior of the body at any point in the boundary of the door is effectively prevented. The overhanging lips and door flanges at the hinged edges make a tight connection in that location whenever the door is closed, while the upward pressure of the door already described closes it at the top and bottom against the respective door jambs, and the locking post just described prevents any access of water at the meeting edges of the two doors.

The panel hinge 23 on the end door is shown as formed by alternately offset ears on boundary members 86 on the two panels, joined by a continuous pintle. When the doors are closed, the outer faces of such boundary members terminated by the flanges 81 thereof form seats for removable brace bars H0, Figs. 2, 7, l5 and 16. These brace bars at the upper end extend behind the flanges 58 and at their lower ends extend into keepers II2, secured to the base frame of the body. The keeper 1 I2 is shown in Figs. and 16 as having a front and top flange with a notch H9 therein, through which the lower end of the brace bar may enter, this keeper housing a sliding bolt I I5, which is adapted to be moved longitudinally over the face of the seated brace bar. The upper end of the brace bar is inserted behind the top flange 58, and the bar is then seated between the channels 81 and swung through the notch I I4 and the bolt H5 shoved across the face of the brace bar, after which the bar is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 16 Similar additional vertical braces may be employed to brace the wide panels 22, as shown in Fig. 6.

It will be seen that the vertical brace bars I I0, together with the keepers therefor and the seats on the door panels, not only firmly brace the doors, but provide weather-tight protection for the mutual hinge of the door panels. While this feature is shown and described herein, it is claimed in my copending application No. 689,230, flled September 13, 1933. That same application claims also the door made of hinged panels, as herein shown, and the weather-tight seating arrangement both at the mutual hinge between the panels, and also at the hinged edge of the door, that is to say, the body lip extending across the outer face of the closed door. The present invention is concerned with the raisable hinged door, which may be swung freely to open and close the door, and when closed will make tight connections with the door jamb, and when open will remain in that position as long as desired.

I claim:

1. The combination of a container having a door hinged to it on a vertical axis, a keeper on the container above the doorway, an upward projection on the door adapted to engage such keeper when the door is open and elevated, and a spring tending to maintain the door elevated.

2. The combination of a container having a doorway, a door hinged thereto in a manner to allow some vertical movement, a spring tending to raise the door, an inclined projection on the exterior of the door adjacent the top, a ledge on the container adapted to be engaged by said inclined projection when the door is open, the projection passing behind the ledge to maintain the door in open position until a requisite force is applied to the door, whereupon the inclined projection will cam the door downwardly and free it.

3. The combination of a container having a doorway, a Z-bar secured horizontally to the wall of the container above the doorway, said Z-bar having its free flange projecting downwardly, a

door hinged to the container on a vertical axis but in a manner to enable the door to have some vertical movement, a spring tending to raise the door into engagement with the container adjacent the top of the door when the door is closed, and a projection on the outer face of the door adapted to come behind the Z-bar when the door is open.

4. In a container having a floor and a door opening extending thereto, a door adapted tococupy the opening, and means for raising the door when closed, the combination of means including cooperating vertically abutting surfaces between the base of the door and the lower portion of the opening below the upper surface of the floor, the surfaces being brought into cooperative re.- lationship consequent upon raising the door in such closed position.

5. In a freight container, having a freight receiving opening, a frame therefor and a door hinged to the frame on a vertical axis and movable vertically in its own plane when in closed position, the combination of sealing means at the top and bottom of the frame and respectively cooperating sealing means on the door, the latter operating simultaneously consequent upon raising the door to effect weather-tight labyrinth joints above and below the opening.

6. In a freight container having a door frame, forming a freight-receiving opening, a door hinged to the container on a vertical axis in a manner to close the opening, said door being vertically shiftable in closed position and having a spring to shift it, the combination of a bead on the outer surface of the door and means on the container adapted to overlap the upper margin of the door and abut the bead when the door is raised in said closed position.

7. The combination of a container having a doorway, a door hinged to the container in a manner enabling it to swing into and out of the doorway and also have a certain vertical movement when in the doorway, means to raise the door, an inwardly projecting member on the door adjacent the bottom thereof, and an outwardly projecting member carried by the body adjacent the floor below the level of the floor surface and adapted to overlie such inwardly projecting member when the door is closed and be engaged by it when the door is raised.

8. In a portable freight container having an opening through which the container is loaded and unloaded, a door hinged at one side of the opening and swingable outwardly to open position on hinges permitting the door to be moved in a vertical plane when closed, means for raising the door in closed position, and cooperating means at the top of the opening behind which the upper marginal edge of the door is entirely concealed from outside the container in such raised and closed position of the door.

9. A container having a floor, and walls with a doorway, a door hinged to the container in a manner to enable it to have a certain vertical movement when closed, and means to raise the door while in closed position, said floor having two layers of planking, the upper layer set back from the lower, a plate overlying the projecting portion of the lower layer and extending vertically along the edge of the upper layer and at its top turned downward, and a projecting plate on the bottom of the door having an upwardly directed inner edge adapted to come behind the downwardly directed portion of the first mentioned plate and overlap the same when the door is raised.

10. In a container having a doorway the upper limit of which comprises a horizontal channel having downwardly projecting flanges, a door hinged to the container in such manner that when closed the upper edge of the door is in vertical alignment with the channel space between the flanges, means for raising the door when closed to cause the upper edge of the door to be embraced by the flanges, and vertically abutting means operated by the raising movement of the door to make a vertically tight connection at the bottom of the door.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH.

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