US2127376A - Closure operator - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 16, M38.

F. A. PURDY CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed June 17, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l 49 151 HE E i j E E Aug, 16,, W38. F A, P DY 2,127,376

CLOSURE OPERATOR Filed June 17, 1935 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a general perspective view of a garage doorway, showing my invention as installed, including the overhead mechanism and connections to doors; the door-latches and con trol; the weight-bracket attached to wall supporting weights connected by cables to the overhead mechanism; and the contact-unit in the runway with a cable-connection extending through a pipe into the garage to the overhead mechanism;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the contactunit, showing the internal arrangement, the diaphragm top, and the water-proof design;

Figure 3 is a perspective view from above of the rear end ofthe overhead mechanism;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of the overhead mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a view of an air-cylinder piston.

Each character of reference represents the same part in all drawings in which it appears.

To indicate the similarity of functions in the widely different designs, the design in this appli- 40 cation, and that in my application filed December 14, 1928 above referred to, characters of reference have been used herein for certain significant parts as far as practical the same as in the preceding application referred to for parts 45 having substantially similar functions.

General outline superficially, the device consists of a contactunit i, set in concrete outside the garage in the path of the vehicle, including a depressible member I3, adapted, with transmitting parts to apply a pull on a cable I09 extending into the garage through a pipe or hose Ill]; two weights 9!] and 9| at the garage-wall suspended by cables on 55 sheave-wheels on bracket 49, these weights constituting energy-storing or inherently energized motive-means, one for door-opening and the other for door-closing; an overhead mechanism 2, set at right angles to the doorway, having a track longitudinally therein on which yoke and shuttle members, connected by cables to the weights, slide to move the doors, the doors being connected to the yoke by drive-arms 21; having two air-cushion dash-pots, one at each end of the track as cushioning means to yieldingly terminate the opening and closing movements of doors, the rearward air-cylinder constituting also a time-delay means to delay the start of doorclosing action; having a clutching member 44 for connecting the door-closing weight to the yoke, and means for disengaging same and for other control; having latches for the yoke and shuttle; and having springs, suitable sheaves for the cables, etc.; having also extending from its front end a door latch-keeper (acting with the door latches and control as an automatic lock) formed in a doubly displaceable crank 66 to which the cable I09 from the contact-unit is attached.

The terms energy storing motive-means or inherently energized motive-means are intended to define motive-means which by positioning are put into condition to deliver energy for motivation of the door; as by the deflection of a spring, the raising of a weight, or the positioning of the door itself to move by its own weight. A motive-means to which the motivating energy is delivered as consumed, such as an electric motor, is not regarded as energy storing motive-means or inherently energized motive-means in the sense in which used. here.

Contact-unit The box I is water-proof, sealed at the top by diaphragm l0, preferably of rubber, bound all around to the flanges i by bolts 120 the downward heads of which are imbedded in concrete set around the box, and the threaded upward ends of which take nuts set down on binding strips l2a and binding plates I212. The diaphragm Ill is raised on the middle longitudinal line to the same extent above the level of the side binding strips lZa as it becomes depressed below that level under the vehicle-wheel. Thus the diaphragm is not subject to stretching in operation. The binding plates I21) prevent depression and stretching of the diaphragm in the area that is close up to the binding ends.

Base-lugs 4 are fastened to the bottom of the box. Links I! are mounted pivotally, as at I 8, to respective base-lugs 4, and at Hi to connecting bar 5 and to links I, which links I are pivotally mounted at I4 to a bearing-bar I3. Bearing-bar I3 is confined to movement vertically by arms 9, pivoting in its ends, and pivotally mounted on the ends of the box I' at II.

A clevis 8 is attached pivotally to an extension of one of the links I, designated I, and to this clevis a fastening is made by cable I09, this cable I09 extending into the garage through the pipe or hose H0, where it extends upward and over a sheave I39 on wall-bracket 49 to the doubly displaceable crank 66 that extends from the front end of the overhead mechanism.

A packing-pipe I5 occupies a hole in box I,

end encloses a packing-gland through which cable I09 passes from the box to the pipe or hose IIO.

The packing-pipe, with the cable through it, is filled with packing-material, and plugs, drilled to fit the cable and slid onto the cable, are driven into both ends. A nut inside the box on the threaded outer end of the packing-pipe forms a flange which confines a gasket-ring I 9 against the wall of the box to make the exit-hole for the pipeconnection water-proof.

A pipe-coupling is run up tight on the thread of the packing-pipe that extends outside the box, so that, at the time of installing, the whole packing-gland turns frictionally on the box-wall with the turning of the coupling in threading it onto the pipe or hose H0.

The packing-gland keeps water out of the pipe or hose H in case of damage to the diaphragm I0.

Spring 0, attached between one of the base-lugs 4 and the connecting-bar 5, normally tends to bring one end of connecting-bar 5 against an endwall of the box 2, and the length of this end of connecting bar 5 determines the angular position taken by the supporting links I and I1 when bearing-bar I3 is in upward position, in which angular position of links I and I! the pivots I6 are cit-center from a straight line between respective pivots I4 and I8, so that a sufficient load on bearing-bar I3 will depress it vertically against the resistance of the spring 6.

The farther the pivots I6 are thus oif-center, the weaker is the resistance of spring 6 to the load, and the lighter is the load required to depress the bearing-bar I3.

To adjust this resistance, a bolt with washers 5 under its head is put through a hole in that part of the end of connecting-bar 5 which is formed at a right angle to its main length, so that the head of the bolt makes the contact with the inside end-Wall of the box, washers added under the bolt-head, or taken away, making the adjustment of the effective length of the connecting-bar 5.

The height of the base-lugs 4, the depth of section of connecting-bar 5, and the diameter of bearing-bar I3, are so related that when the required operable depression of the bearing-bar I3 occurs, the bar I3 comes to rest on the connecting-bar 5, at the same time as the latter comes to rest on the tops of the base-lugs 4, which have a solid rest on the floor of the box, supported in turn by the concrete foundation below.

The arrangement described provides a means of translating a downward movement of bearing-bar I3 under the weight; of a vehicle-wheel, into an endwise pull on cable I09, by the displacement of link I from a substantially vertical position to a slanting position in which its end to which clevis 8 is attached moves away from the point of entry of the cable at the packing-gland. This pull is uniform however far to one side or other of the exposed surface of the diaphragm the weight of the vehicle is applied.

Overhead mechanism The front end of the frame 40 of the overhead mechanism is fastened to the lintel of the doorway, and the rear end of the frame 40 is suspended from the ceiling of the garage by bracket 95 the length and angles of which are adjusted at time of installing.

A track 45 is held at its ends in respective sockets formed in air-cushion end-brackets I30 and I3I. This track, preferably rectangular to control the members thereon, carries a yoke 48 and a shuttle 50, each cored out to fit the track, and arranged to slide thereon.

Two eyes in the yoke receive pivotal ends of round door-drive rods 21, one rod extending to each door, where its pivotal end engages in the hole of an eye-bolt 28 put through the door.

Pivotal ends of the rods are made by turning the rod to a right angle.

The eye-bolts 28 in the doors have nuts 29 at both faces of the door, inside and outside, by which adjustment may be made to allow for warp in doors, or to bring a lap-strip of one door to slide over the other door in reaching closed position, or to bring the doors into the precisely required position when closed.

The distance at which the eye-bolt is located from the vertical edge of door determines the angle at which the door will be positioned when open.

The yoke 48 has an upwardly extending boss 41 which acts as a bumper against the end-caps of the pistons of air-cushions.

The yoke 48 has a lug 49 extending on one side, upon which the arrow-hook 44 catches as shown. The stem 44 of the arrow-hook is a tube, and through it cable I02 from the door-closing weight passes, this cable terminating at knob I03 beyond the head of the arrow-hook. The arrow-hook is at all times under the stress of the weight 9|.

The back of the head 44 of the arrow-hook is turned concave, and the concavity fits a boss 49' (Fig. 4) on the lug 49, which holds the arrowhook to the lug except when unclutched or disengaged as described under the heading Operation.

The use of this arrow-hook for clutching will be recognized as apiece of design which in mechanics is called daring, since there is no positive means of keeping it confined to the lug 49 other than gravity and friction applied by the bearing of the weight 9| through the cable I02.

But dependability, proven in use through the fact that gravity does not fail, warrants the use of this extremely simple invention for a clutch.

This arrow-hook has a tendency to revolve, a little at a time, so that it does not always come to rest (in the fulcrum-block 4I later described) with precisely the same point directly upward as when it left the fulcrum-block in being pulled away with th yoke. This may be due to twisting in the cable I02 in the freeing of stresses within the cable, or to a roll on the lug 49 if the engagement of the head of the arrow-hook 44 does not always occur directly on the center-line of the boss 49.

The arrow-hook therefore is circular in the design of its parts so that in any and all revolved positions it is effective in the same way.

The cable I00 from the other weight, for dooropening, is made fast to the shuttlebody belo the track.

A cross-ridge 50' extends downwardly from the shuttle body for engagement by the shuttlelatch 6,PiV0t6d on cross-rod 5'! and held nor mally upward by the spring 6| attached between the extension fill of the shuttle-latch and the adjacent air-cushion bracket I30.

A protective latch 43 also pivots on cross-rod 5'! and has a counterweighting tail 43' as a gravity means to hold the latching end normally upward to engage with the body of the shuttle in case the shuttle-latch 60 should have an inadequate hold and let go.

When the shuttle is held by the shuttle-latch Bl], the latching end of latch 43 is clear of the body of the shuttle, so that the latch 43 is normally free of stress other than the weight of its tail.

The end of the yoke-body that comes into contact with the shuttle extends downward at 43" to line up with the under face of the shuttle body. so that, when the shuttle is in contact with the yoke, the shuttle and yoke are mutually preventive of latching, the shuttle preventing the latch 24 (described in next paragraph) from engaging the yoke, and thus permitting of hand-operation in the re-setting work later described, and the yoke preventing the engagement of the protective I latch 43 and thus avoiding interference with the automatic opening operation later described.

Yoke-latch 24 pivots by the journals of its cross-body in the flanges of the channel-frame 40, and its latch end 24, which engages the yoke when the latter is drawn fully forward, and which thus holds the doors in open position, is held normally upward by the counterweight of the tail 24" extending from. the cross-body.

Cam-lever 25 pivots at 59 and is driven by pushrod I31, (preferably of aluminum since part of its weight is added to the weight of piston-rod I I8, later described as counterbalanced by the weight of the piston within the cylinder), this pushrod I31 being pivotally engaged in the upper end of the cam-lever 25.

. under friction due to the bearing of the closing weight, and a highly accentuated friction when the door is subject to wind pressure, offers a high resistance to actuation. The spring I I6 must be relatively weak, for it must contribute as little as possible to the resistances opposing the closing-weight in order that the mass of the closing weight and the effort required to re-set it may not be unduly increased.

Accordingly the upper position of the cam-lever 25 travels through a relatively long distance cor responding to the distance by which the push-rod I3! is moved by the relatively weak spring, and the cam-portion of the cam-lever 25 has a relatively short travel, and this drives the tail 24" of the yoke latch 24 a longer distance upward than the latch-end 24' travels downward to release the yoke, inproportion as these ends 24' and 24" of the yoke-latch extend from the yoke-latch pivot.

Thus there is obtained a relatively strong drive to actuate the releaseof the yoke-latch 24 taken from a relatively weak spring.

The rearward .end of push-rod I3! is turned to form a short length 31 at a right angle, and upon this the piston-rod latch 52 may engage, this short length 31 being introduced through a hole in the piston-rod H8, and its position held by cotter-pins either side of the piston-rod.

This short length 31 extends further beyond the piston-rod I I8 for the mounting of the spring I I6 noted below, interconnecting between the aircushion piston-rods.

The point at which the short right-angle end 3! of the push-rod I31 goes through the pistonrod II 8 is such as to give clearance of about an inch beyond the point at which latch 52 engages it, so that the engagement occurs even if doors do not reach fully closed position within the inch or so of tolerance.

The air-cushion dash-pot pistons are of conventional design, each having a leather I22 sealing compression and pressed against the interior of the cylinder by expansion spring I23 within the leather.

This pressure by the expansion spring serves the purpose of insuring compression in all temperatures that affect the pliability of the leather, and at all stages of wear, and in the case of the rearward air-cushion I20 serves the purpose of slowing down the movement of piston lengthwise of the cylinder against the pull of spring I I6.

The leather is kept live by a charge of neatsfoot oil contained in the cylinder.

The piston-rods are tubular, capped air-tight at the pistons, and of a light material, preferably aluminum, and with preferably an ironcap on each to take the bumping by the boss 41.

The design thus is made to provide that at the fully drawn out position of the piston-rod the outward extreme of the rod is counterbalanced by the weight of the piston within the cylinder and does not sag downward to bind and prevent a full outward pull by a spring of a strength that is desired at a minimum to allow of the lightest possible motive-weights 90 and 9| which must operate against it, as well as against friction, etc.

Such a spring is that designated I I6; which interconnects between the two piston-rods H8 and I I9,being fastened to each by a cotter-pin in small rods put through the piston-rods at right-angles,

one of these being the extension 31 of push-rod I3'I, already noted.

Each air-cushion dash-pot I20 and HI has in its bracket at, the end farther from that traversed by its piston-rod a hole I33 of predetermined size to allow escape of air under compression at a rate which permits of terminating the respective movements of doors at opening and at closing at a desired rate of speed.

A fulcrumblock 4| is fastened to thechannelframe 40, and it has a bel1-shaped or conical interior hole through it terminating at its rear side in a hole large enough to admit the stem 44' of arrow-hook 44. The rearward position of the arrow-hook is limited by the bearing of its knob 44" against the fulcrum-block at the larger end of the conical hole.

Rearward of the fulcrum-block, a dual cam or trigger 42 pivots at 56 in the flange of the channel-frame 49. The two fingers of this trigger are normally held in substantially horizontal relation by spring 64 attached between a crank-extension 42 of the trigger 42 and the flange of the channelframe. 1

In a hole in the extension 42 of trigger 42, the pivotal end (bent at a right angle) of a round pull-rod 65 is introduced, so that a forward pull by the pull-rod 65 brings the forward finger of the trigger 42 upward to lift the piston-latch 52, and brings the rearward finger downward to depress the stem 44' of the arrow-hook.

The stem 44 on being depressed assumes a downward slanting position behind the fulcrumblock, in which position it depresses the extension of shuttle-latch 60, this extension 60 being somewhat rearward of the trigger 42. The trigger 42 at its rearward finger is not brought far enough downward to depress the shuttlelatch 60, so that the shuttle-latch is depressed only when the stem 44 is present through the fulcrum-block. A tolerance of extra length is provided in the stem 44 so that if doors do not reach a fully closed position to bring the knob 44" into contact with the fulcrum-block, the depression of the shuttle-latch will still be obtained.

The forward end of pull-rod is formed into an eye engaging transmission-arm 62, which is pivoted at 63.

A doubly displaceable crank 66 pivots at 61, and has two extensions with lugs 66' and 66 unequally distant from its pivot, both normally in contact with transmission-arm 62, that lug 66 which is nearest the pivot 63 being the shorter distance from the pivot 61, and that lug 06 which is farther from the pivot 63 being the farther from the pivot 61, the arrangement being such that a uniform displacement sidewise of the doubly displaceable crank 66, whether to the left or right (according to which side of garage cable I09 comes from) will apply a uniform movement to the transmission-arm 62, the pull-rod 65, and the trigger 42.

To a pin 68 pivotal in the end of the doubly displaceable crank 66 that extends through a slot in the front end bracket of the frame 40, the cable I09 from the contact-unit in runway is attached, and, in installing, this cable I09 may be brought from the left wall or the right, whichever is found the more suitable according to conditions, whether or not the weights are placed at the same wall.

Cable I09, in the length extending at the wall upward from the pipe or hose III) to the sheave I39, has a hand-ring I33 tied to it, to afford the same effect in operation by a hand-pull as would be obtained by a wheel-depression at contactunit.

There is also a turn-buckle I34 set in the cable I09, to afford convenient means of taking up the cable to the length necessary to secure the desired effectiveness in pull from the contact-unit.

In the extreme frontal end of the doubly displaceable crank66 is formed a keeper-recess ID with slanting sides left and right of the interior. In the sill there is a keeper-notch 10. These keeper-recess and notch cavities I0 and I0 are engageable by the latches I5I pivotally attached to the door and arranged to hold the door locked when so engaged} The latches I 5| by gravity, normally take positions to engage the keeperrecess and keeper-notch I0 and 10f respectively, when door is brought to closed position. Rods I56 connect between latches I5I and a lifter I53, which is the indoors element of a door-lock of conventional type requiring a key for release from outside.

Cable I02, from door-closing weight 9|, passes over a sheave in a housing on weight-bracket 49, enters the channel-frame 40 through a slot in flange, and passes around a sheave wheel in housing BI, thence rearward to the sheave in housing 82, thence forward to its fastening i the knob I93 at the arrow-hook 44.

Cable I00 from door-opening weight 90, passes over a sheave in a housing on weight-bracket 49, enters the channel-frame 40 through a slot in flange, and passes around a sheave-wheel in housing 80, thence rearward to its fastening in the shuttle already noted.

These cables may enter the channel-frame from either side, according to the wall of garage selected for placementof the weights.

A beveled bottom 80 is put on doors to prevent snow from being raked in at closing after being swept outward by the doors in opening.

Operation The door-operator is designed to operate in the main from depression of mechanism within the contact-unit to close the doors when the user drives away from the garage, and to open the doors when he drives back.

It is designed to be re-set by the manual operation of the doors when the user, having alighted from the vehicle, closes the doors, and when, in going to get the vehicle out of the garage, he opens the doors.

The automatic service is had when the user is in the vehicle under movement outside the garage, and the manual operations occur when the user is on his feet to conveniently perform them.

Assuming that the position of the mechanism is that taken immediately after a door-opening movement under action of weight 90 has been had, the user having driven into the garage, the user alights from the vehicle and pulls one of the doors. closed by hand. The other door follows, through interconnection of drive-arms 21 at yoke 48.

In this hand-operation the yoke 48 is driven rearward on the track 45, and it drives shuttle 50 also rearward, so that the weight 90, connected to the shuttle by the cable I00 is brought into upward position. The shuttle becomes engaged by the shuttle-latch 60 when the doors are brought to fully closed position, thus holding the weight 90 with energy stored by its position.

At the same time as the shuttle-latch engages the shuttle, the yoke reaches a position in which it is engaged by the arrow-hook 44, the head of the arrow-hook being forced upward by the lug 49 on yoke 48 as it approaches, and the arrowhook snapping back to horizontal and bringing its concavity to engage on the boss 49 of lug 49-the horizontal position being automatically taken by the arrow-hook because the stress of weight 90 is applied horizontally at the arrowhook by the cable I02.

Thus the door-closing weight 9I becomes engaged on the yoke 48 through cable I02 and arrow-hook 44 at the termination of the hand-operation of closing the doors, and the weight 9I thus applies its bearing to hold the doors closed, continually, until the time when the arrow-hook is detached from the yoke at the moment of initiating an automatic opening later described.

The latches I5I engage with the keepers I0 and I0 when doors are thus pulled closed, and the doors are thus locked, although of course the doors may be additionally locked by bolts or otherwise if desired. It is sufficient that one of the doors only be locked as that bearing the latches I5I, and this is preferably the door that laps over the other on the outside. The locking of one door holds the other also, through the interconnection of drive-arms and yoke 48.

In the hand-operation of re-opening the doors, after disengaging the lock by key or otherwise in the conventional manner, one door is moved by hand to fully open position, the other following through interconnection of drive-arms 21 and yoke 48. This pulls the arrow-hook 44 forward with the yoke, and raises the weight 9| by cable I02, thus storing energy by the position of the weight. At this fully open position of doors the latch 24 engages the yoke, and holds the doors in open position against the normal closing tendency of the weight 9|.

At the beginning of the forward movement of yoke 48, in hand opening of doors, the protective latch 43 was cleared by the yoke, leaving its engaging end to move upward under gravity of its tail 43 to prevent any precipitate drop of the weight 90, in case of an inadequate hold by the shuttle-latch 60.

Upon the vehicle being driven out of the garage, its first wheel on one side depresses mechanism in contact-unit in runway effecting a pull on cable 500, and displacement of members 66, 62, and 85 to bring the trigger 42 into substantially vertical position in which the lower cam finger has no effect in the absence of arrow-hook stem 44', while the upper finger is eifective in lifting piston-rod latch 52. The piston-rod thus released moves slowly forward out of the cylinder at a speed determined by the pull of spring ||6 against friction of the leather I22 in the cylinder, set up by the expansion spring I23. The pushrod I31, moved forward by the piston-rod 8, drives cam-lever 25 to raise the tail 24 of the yoke-latch, and to disengage the latch-end 24' from the yoke, releasing the doors to close under the bearing of closing-weight 9| applied through cable I02, arrow-hook 44, yoke 48, and drivearms 21.

The period of time taken for the movement of piston-rod I I8 out of the cylinder I20 affords time for the vehicle in backing out through the doorway to get fully clear of door-range before the doors start to close. This is of value where the contact-unit must be set within a car's length of doors, as in the case of a curved approach, or an installation in a sidewalk.

This period of time is determined by the expansion strength of spring I23 inside the leather I22, against the strength of spring B which moves the piston.

The second wheel on the same side of vehicle upon passing over the contact-unit depresses the mechanism therein, resulting in a movement of parts up to the raising of the piston-latch 52, the same as when the first wheel passed over the contact-unit. But this movement of parts is without effect, since the parts designed to be set into action by such movement have already been set into action.

Thus the device operates whether one or both wheels of the car are so driven as to engage it, and there is time for the second wheel to pass ineffectively over the contact-unit, not only in the pe riod of drawing out of the air-cylinder piston, but in the time taken for doors to reach a substantially closed position, which time is extended by the checking effect of the air-compression when the boss 41 of yoke 48 comes into contact with the piston-rod H8, and retards the closing movement of doors to the speed allowed by the escape of air through the hole of predetermined size in the rearward bracket of air-cushion I20.

Upon the doors reaching fully closed position under pull of the weight 9|, the latches |5| engage keepers I0 and I0, and the doors become automatically locked.

At closed position of doors the stem 44' of arrow-hook is brought through the hole of the fulcrum-block 4| to a position in which its rear end is below the trigger 42.

A pull by cable I09 from the contact-unit or from hand-ring I33 will now be effective to bring the rearward finger of trigger 42 to depress the stem 44' of arrow-hook while the forward finger of trigger 42 effects a gesture of the latch 52, ineffective to release push-rod extension 31 and. piston-rod 8, since the section 31 is normally about an inch rearward of engagement by the latch 52 when doors are in fully closed position.

Even if this piston were released, as would occur if the vehicle were driven so slowly that the opening action of doors was under way before the second wheel of car passed over the contact-unit, it would have no essential effect, since the doors upon opening will be prevented from latching in that position due to the presence of shuttle 50 in contact with the yoke 48, so that any forward movement of piston H9 and push-rod I31 would have no essential (unlatching) value, and would be reversed upon hand-closing of doors in re-setting.

The pull of cable I09, occurring from depression of contact-unit upon the return of the vehicle to enter the garage, displaces doubly displaceable crank 86 sidewise, raising the upper latch |5| on a slanted side of the interior of keeper-recess I0, which raises also the lower latch |5| from the keeper-notch I0, thus unlocking the doors, while a wing to one side of the keeper-recess I0 holds the latches thus unlocked throughout the movement of the doubly displaceable crank 66 to the point of initiating the dooropening action.

The displacement of crank 68, moves transmission arm 62 and pull rod 65 to bring the rear finger of trigger 42 downward to depress the rear end of stem 44' of arrow-hook, which in turn depresses the extension 60' of shuttle-latch, releas ing the shuttle; and in the same movement of arrow-hook its head is levered upward through the fulcrum-block clear of its engagement with the yoke.

Shuttle 50, under pull of the door-opening weight 90 through cable I00 pushes yoke 48 forward to open the doors, and towards the termination of the opening movement, bumper 41 meets piston H9 of air-cushion |2| to check the speed r of the action. at termination.

The operation described, completed with the doors in open position after an automatic opening action, brings the mechanism back to the. position assumed at the commencement of this outline of operation.

Broadly applicable to door-types.

It is apparent that my invention may be applied to doors of types other than that illustrated, such as a single swing door, a door sliding horizontally, or a door having a part moving vertically, since the design is fundamentally one that functions with a sliding member connected to a door.

I claim:

1. In combination, a door and means for operating the door comprising a slide, a sliding member on the slide to operate the door in one direction, another sliding member on the slide to opcrate the door in the other direction, means for setting and holding the slidingmembers in operative positions,'and motive means connected to the sliding members to open and close the door respectively, and means for actuating the holding means to release the sliding members to operate. 2. In combination, a door and means for operating the door comprising a door closing motive means and a door opening motive means, a slide, a sliding member on the slide connected to the door and to the motive means for closing the door, another sliding member on the slide connected to the door opening motive means, means for setting and holding the sliding members and the respective motive means in operative position, and means for actuating the holding means to release first the sliding member connected to the door closing motive means, and afterward the sliding member connected to the door opening motive ,means to bear against the first named sliding member to open the door.

In combination, a door and means for operating the door comprising two door motive means one to move the door in a given direction and the other to move the door in the opposite direction, a slide, a sliding member on the slide connected to the door and to the first named motive means, another sliding member on the slide connected to the other motive means, means for setting and holding the sliding members and the respective motive means in operative positions, and means for actuating the holding means to release first the first named sliding member and its connected motive means to drive the door in one direction, and afterward the other sliding member and its connected motive means to bear against the first named sliding member and drive the door in the opposite direction.

A door driving mechanism comprising a member connected to a door, a clutching means engageable with the said member and connected to a door-closing motive means, a traveler connected to a door-opening motive means and arranged to come into contact with the said member to drive the door open, and holding means for the traveler, and a trigger to release the said holding means and to disengage the said clutching means. I

5. A door, a motive means to close the door, another motive means to open the door, a clutch, a

member connected to the door bearing one element of the clutch, a member connected to the door-closing motive means bearing the other element of the clutch, means for engaging the clutch to bring the door-closing motive means to bear on the door, and means for disengaging the clutch to remove the bearing of the door-closing motive means when the door-opening motive means is brought into action.

A door-operator, comprising a door, a door closing motive means, a door-opening motive means, a track, two members slidable on the track, one of said members connected to the door and being engageable with a clutching means connected to the door-closing motive means, the other of said members having the door-opening motive means fastened to it, latching means for the said members, means for unlatching the said members to set into action the motive means required for appropriate operation of the door.

'7. In a door-operator a traveler connected to a door and engageable by a door-closing motive means, another traveler connected to a dooropening motive means, means for associating the travelers into contact with each other, a latch for each traveler to prevent it and its engaged motive .means from operating the door, and means for preventing the engagement of either latch when the travelers are in contact.

8. In a door-operator, in combination, a door, an energy storing motive means, a movable element connected to the energy storing motive means, a traveler connected to the door and arranged to contact the movable element, a latch for the said movable element to hold the motive means in energy-stored position, and a protective latch for the same movable element adapted to engage the latter and to hold the motive means in energy-stored position, in case of failure of the first mentioned latch, the traveler connected to the door being arranged to prevent the engagement of the protective latch when said traveler is in contact with the movable element.

9. In a door-operator an energy-storing motive means connected to a door holding means for the motive means, and releasing means for the hoiding means, said releasing means comprising a relatively weak spring, and a transmitter in contact with the holding means, the spring being connected to the transmitter and arranged to apply a relatively long drive upon the latter, the transmitter being arranged to transmit to the holding means a relatively strong drive through a relatively short movement.

0. In a door-operator, a door, a mechanism for moving the door, a means for motivation of the door connected to the mechanism, actuating means for the inception of motivation of doormovement, and a control means combining in one element a time-device and a cushioning device arranged to postpone for a period of time the actuation for inception of door movement, and to cushion the termination of the movement so incepted.

A door, a door driving mechanism and motive means therefor, and a clutch between the motive means and the door comprising a latching element connected to the motive means and a member connected to the door upon which the latching element engages, the latching element comprising a stem with a circular latch head fixed on it having a dish-like area of which a central area is occupied by the stem, the dish-like area being adapted to contact and engage upon the door-connected member, this engagement being made by a sector comprising a part of the dishlike area, and by any sector thereof without determination of the sector at which the engagement may occur and Without resort to control means to hold the latching element to bring the said contact into any given sector of the dish-like area.

1 A door, a door driving mechanism and motive means therefor, and a clutch for engaging the motive means to the door comprising a stem with a clutch head thereon to engage a member connected to the door, a fulcrum member with a hole for the stem, a boss on the stem to contact the fulcrum member and limit the position of the clutch head, and a flexible member attached to the stem and connecting to the motive means arranged to so apply the bearing of the motive means upon the stem as to control the latter when in the fulcrum member to hold a position in which it will engage the clutch head onto the'member connected to the door when the latter is brought within effective clutching range of the clutch head.

. 13. In combination, a door, and means for operating the door comprising motive means for closing and opening the door, two engaging means, connecting means connecting the motive means to the respective engaging means, a traveler on a slide and connected to the door adapted to be engaged by the engaging means respectively, and means for bringing each engaging means separately into engagement with the traveler, one engaging means being on the same slide as the traveler, and the other engaging means being sitioned to engage the traveler when the latter is brought into appropriate range, this last named engaging means being held in position for such engagement by the stress of the motive means applied through the connecting means by which it is connected to the motive means.

14. In combination, a door and means for operating the door comprising motive means for closing and opening the door, two engaging means connected to the motive means, a traveler connected to the door adapted to be engaged by the engaging means respectively, and means for engaging each engaging means separately upon the traveler, one engaging means to drive the traveler in a given direction to close the door, and the other engaging means to drive the traveler in the opposite direction to open the door and a single vehicle-contact control means for the two engaging means, two cushioning means, one to yieldingly terminate the closing movement of the door, and the other to yieldingly terminate the opening movement of the door, and an interconnection between the two cushioning means arranged to set one of the cushioning means for cushioning door movement in one direction upon the other cushioning means acting to cushion movement of door in the other direction.

15. A door-operator comprising a door, a dooropening weight, and a door-closing weight, a sliding member on a track connected to the door, a clutch of two elements one on the said sliding member and the other connected to the doorclosing weight, a shuttle on the track connected to the door-opening weight, means to re-set the opening weight in upper position by manual closing of the door, and latching means for the shuttle to hold the opening weight when so reset, means to re-set the closing weight in upper position by manual opening of the door, and latching means for the sliding member to hold the closing weight when so re-set, and to hold the door open, latch releasing means for the last named latching means combined with a dash-pot having a latched piston-rod, means for moving the piston-rod outwardly to actuate the said latch releasing means, a bumper on the sliding member to engage the piston-rod and cushion the closing of the door, another dash-pot with piston arranged to engage the same bumper to cushion the opening of the door, and a releasing trigger to selectively unlatch the latched pistonrod when door is open, and to unclutch the clutch and unlatch the shuttle when door is closed.

16. A door-operator comprising a door, a dooroperating mechanism, motive means to close and open the door, and a box with a pliant cover containing a wheel-contact device located in the pathway of approach to the door, said wheel contact device comprising a depressible member under the pliant cover supported from the base of the box by a series of linkages each pivoting on the base and on the depressible member, and

pivotally jointed midway between the base and the depressible member, the midway joint pivots engaging in a connecting bar by which the corresponding parts of the several linkages of the series are held in uniformly parallel relation respectively and the depressible member is held parallel with the base of the box and with the connecting bar, an extension on the connecting bar in contact with one end of the box, a spring on the connecting bar adapted to keep the said extension normally in contact with the end of the box and to recover the connecting bar and its extension into such contact after depression of the contact member, the said extension being of such length that the midway pivots of the respective linkages are normally held away from a straight line between the respective pivots at the base below and at the depressible member above, adjustment means on the said extension to vary the degree by which the said midway pivots are held away from such a straight line relation with the respective pivots at the base and at the depressible member, and to bring the said linkages normally into almost vertical positions of support of the depressible member,

from which almost vertical positions of the links a a depression of the depressible member moves the links to progressively more acute angular relations with the connecting bar, driving the connecting bar and its extension against resistance by the spring away from the end of the box, the said spring being so designed that its increase in resistance under deflection as the depression of the depressible member progresses is more than offset by progressively stronger angles of attack against it assumed by the linkages so that resistance to depression at the depressible member falls off after the initial resistance has been overcome, a cable attached to one of the linkages and extending to the said door-operating mechanism arranged to communicate movement from the linkage, resulting from the depressive operation of the depressible member, to the said dooroperating mechanism to control the latter.

17. A door, an operator therefor, and a control means for the operator located in the path of a vehicle, said control means including a vehicle contact-member supported by linkages that assume varying angular relations to a spring connection throughout the operable movement of the contact-member, the angular relation when the contact-member is at a position corresponding to the beginning of operable movement affording a maximum of resistance by the spring, the spring resistance falling off after said maximum has been overcome, a cover of pliant material for the control-means arranged to form a yieldingly transmitting cover therefor and a gasket seal around its edges, the pliant cover being so mounted as to prevent stretching in its yielding movement.

FREDERICK A. PURDY.

Images