US2219340A

US2219340A - Vehicle door control

Info

Publication number: US2219340A
Application number: US42384A
Authority: US
Inventors: Smith Harry Worcester; Alfred E Cave
Original assignee: SMITH
Current assignee: SMITH
Priority date: 1935-09-27
Filing date: 1935-09-27
Publication date: 1940-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 1957-10-29

Description

Oct. 29, 1940. H w. SMITH El AL VEHICLE DOOR CONTROL Filed Sept. 27, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l jiwa Oct. 29, 1940.

H w. SMITH ET AL VEHICLE DOOR CONTROL Filed Spt. 27, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIWWWW nm 1940- H. w. SMITH ET AL VEHICLE DOQR CONTROL Filed Sept. 27, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE DOOR CONTROL Harry Worcester Smith, North Grafton, and Al fred E. Cave, Barre, Mass; said Cave assignor to said Smith Application September 27, 1935, Serial No. 42,384

8 Claims. (01. 268-3) This invention relates to a door controlling dotted lines in Fig. 6. The lever is provided with device for vehicles, particularly adapted for cona collar I8 fixed to it by a pin and spring I9 trolling the rear doors of taxicabs but capable of below it, which rests on a collar 20 carried by a general use. cup I6 whichconstitutes the bottom of a cas- The principal objects of the invention are to ing I! in which some of these parts are located. provide means locatedat the top of the vehicle As appears better from Figures 4, 5 and 6, the where they are practically entirely out of sight spring I9 presses the collar 20- against the upfor manipiuating a lever in difierent directions per face of the cup I6, and thus yielding'ly-tends to unlatch and open or close either of the two to hold the lever II] in vertical position, while rear doors at will; to provide a construction by permitting tilting of the lever about the axis of 10 which the driver can so manipulatethe doors the pivot pin I3 as well as also about an axis without leaving his seat, and to provide a'contransverse thereto, due to the above-described struction in which the doors can be opened or relation between the pin I3 and the slots I5, one

closed without slamming. direction of this latter tilting being shown in v Other objects and advantages of the invendotted lines in; lFigure 6. The arrangement tion will appear hereinafter. however, is also such that the lever I0 may be Reference is to be had tothe accompanying swung,about the axis ofthe pin I3, throughout drawings, in which substantially 90- and hence from the full-line Fig. l is a plan of the roof of a taxicab proposition shown in Figure 4 to the dotted-line vided with a preferred embodiment of this inposition shown in that figure. The lever provention; jects upwardly past its pivot and has an operat- Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of ing end which enters a space 2| between two Fig. 1 looking forward; slides 22. The slides 22 are provided each with Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the parts shown two screws extending through a slot 24 in a at the extreme front of the vehicle in Fig. 1 but slide 23 to cause'the motion of the slide 23 after 25 with the covering parts removed and shown on the Slide 22 has moved'a short distance.

a larger scale; In the first place it will be obvious that by Fig. 4 is a side view of the same; swinging the lever first backwardly from the Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of position shown in Fig. '7 to a position in reg istra- Fig. 3; 7 tion with two notches 2E5 in the two slides 22 Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View on the and thenswinging it either to the right or left,

line 66 of Fig. 3; the end of the lever will be brought into one of Fig. 7 is another plan of parts shown in Fig. these notches. Then the lever can be swung 3 but with the covering parts removed to show forward from the position shown in Fig. 3. The

the path of the top of the operating lever; first. effect of this is to cause a cam 26 on the Fig. 8 is a view similar to the left hand part slide to engage a projection 21 on a pivoted lever of Fig. 2 on enlarged scale; 28 and force that lever outwardly about its pivot Fig. 9 is a sectional View on the line 9-9 'of 29. This action can take place on either side,

Fig. 8 showing the latch construction in plan; one side for opening one door and the other for Fig. 10 is a top View of part of the car door opening the other. The pivot 29 is on a proin closed position showing the connection of the jection 30 carried by the casing II. The momeans for operating it, and tion of this lever 28 will move an adjustable rod. Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation ofthe connect- 3| which will turn a link 32 fixed on a vertical ing parts shown in Fig. 10. pivot rod 33. The link 32 is pivoted to the rod The operating mechanism for unlatching and 3! by apivot 34 which is free to move. The pivopening the door as well as closing it is operated ot rod 33 extends downwardly and has on its by a lever I0 having a handle II located at about bottom a cam 35. This cam, therefore, is operthe center of the car and in the front where it ated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9 and, is convenient for the chauffeur to reach up and moving through a slot 36 in a striker 39, it en manipulate it. This lever I0 is provided with a gages the spring pressed tongue 31 on the door spherical enlargement I2 through which passes which, catches the door to the fixed striker 39. a horizontal pivot pin I3 supported in a pair of The striker 39 has a safety catch or tooth and a lugs M which are provided with vertical slots tightv catch to receive the tongue. The action, I5 for holding this pin. This pin can be tilted therefore, is to move the tongue 31 beyond these in its slots in either direction as indicated in teeth andunlock the door and then unlatch it by a single motion of the operating lever l0. Springs 40 tend to hold the two rods 3| in the position shown in Fig. 1 and return them to that position. When not in use the operating lever can be swung up parallel with the car roof, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Accordingly, referring to Figure 4, the swinging of the lever Ill into the dotted-line position moves the extreme operating end thereof downwardly and out from in between the two spaced slides 22, while the collar l8, spring 19, and collar 20 are moved out of the casing lT-IB, along respective arcs in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, and with the pin I3 as an axis; for these purposes the casing part [1 has a vertical slot Il as is better shown in Figure 5, and the bottom-forming cup I6 also has a slot lt both slots positionedto the left of the vertical plane through the axis pin l3 to permit the collar l8 and related parts that extend about the upper end of the lever 10 to pass out of the casing, while a hollow, half-spherical shell 55 (Figures 2 and 6) suitably secured to the lever, as shown in Figures 6 and 4, has a portion thereof cut away as at 55 (see Figures 4 and 2) so that it will not collide with the casing structure l't-il when the lever IE1 is swung into the dotted-line horizontal position of Figure 4. In this latter position, the collar 20, carried out of the cup-shaped bottom it with the movement of the lever is, is now no longer pressed by the spring l9 against the upper face of the cup it but is brought into position to bear against the left-handvertical edges of the lugs l4, as seen in Figure 4, thus yieldingly holding the lever it! in horizontal position. While the collar I8 is fixed to the lever as by a pin, collar 28 is loosely mounted on the lever, the spring l8 being between the two collars and the spring, as a result, pressing the loosely mounted collar 20 against whatever surface or surfaces it is brought into contact with according to whether the lever is in full-line position, as in Figures 4, 5 and 6, whence the collar is pressed by the spring to rest on the cup It, or is swung into the dotted-line position of Figure 4 to bring the loosely mounted collar 20 out through the slot I6 and to press it against the left-hand vertical edges of the lugs The slides 22 are, as stated, mounted to move on two other slides 23 and when the screws 25 are moved far enough they will transmit to the slides 23 their own sliding motion. This occurs after the door is unlatched. Now the further motion of one of either of these slides 23 operates to move a rod 42 having a turn buckle 43, or other adjustment means, and therefore swings a lever 44 in the direction of the arrow in Fig; 1. This lever, of course, is located in the roof of the car and ordinarily concealed like most of the mechanism described above. The lever 44 is pivotally connected with a link 45 which is pivoted to the door 46 at a point 41. The complete operation of the lever ID will first unlatch and then open the door, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

The connection of the pivot member 41 with the link 45 is made through a breaking pin 48 mounted on a screw 49 and entering a spool 55 which receives the pivot 41 passing through the link 45. Therefore, if the door is pushed accidentally the break will occur at the point 48 and can be repaired easily. Also a soft sponge rubber cushion 5| is shown mounted on the frame of the car in a casing 52 in the roof. Thislink 45 passes through an opening in the cushion which cushions it and also keeps the rain out.

It will be seen, therefore, that the parts are located above the passengers and in the roof where they are concealed by the usual lining in the roof. Also the driver has full control of both doors by one handle located conveniently Within his reach and he can open the doors individually, first unlatchin'g them, and close them gently but firmly without slamming them. This relieves him of the necessity of reaching through the window and opening the door if the space there is free and also relieves him of getting out and walking around the car to open the door. The passangers are released instantaneously which is a feature of importance in a crowded city. The construction is simple and comparatively inexpensive.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as setforth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. In a door operating device for a vehicle, the combination of a handle pivoted near the roof of the car and depending therefrom, said handle being capable of turning about a longitudinal and transverse horizontal axis, a slide on each side of the handle, means whereby the handle is adapted to move either slide, said slides having cam surfaces, a lever having a part engaging the cam surface of one slide, whereby the motion 'of the slide will turn the lever on its axis, a vertical rod connected with said lever to be turned by it when the lever is operated by the cam, and an arm on the rod located in position to engage a door latch and throw it out of operative position.

2. In a door opening device for a vehicle, the combination of a slide, means for moving said slide, said slide having a cam and connections between the latter and said door for unlatching the door and also having a pair of screws mounted thereon, a second slide having a slot for receiving said screws longer than the distance between them, whereby, after the slide is moved a predetermined distance, the second slide will be moved by one of the screws, and means connected with the second slide for opening the door.

3. A door and latch operating device for a vehicle body having a roof structure, a front operators seat, and two doors to the rear of the latter,

each of said doors having latch means and the vehicle body having keeper means with which said latch means respectively coact, said device comprising a frame structure underneath said roof structure having related to it operating mechanism comprising-two slides and which, with said frame, are of relatively small vertical dimension,

two vertical rods having means respectively related to said keepers and adapted upon actuation to disengage the latch bolt therefrom, means including cam means and lever means forming operative connections between said rods and the said slides of said operating mechanism, operating connections including lost-motion means, respectively, between said doors and said slides of said frame adapted upon actuation thereof to move the door to which it is connecteda lever depending from said frame at the forward portion of the latterand within reach of the operatorin said seat, said lever being capable of turning about longitudinal and transverse horizontal axes, and selective operating connections between said lever and said slides effective in accordance with the direction in which said lever is tilted about said longitudinal, whereby said lever may be made selectively to actuate either of said slides to effect actuation, through said cam means and lever means of the corresponding latch-disengaging means and then after said lost-motion means has acted, to efiect actuation of the corresponding door-moving operating connections, respectively to first unlatch and then open the door corresponding to the selected slide, in response to turning said lever about said transverse axis.

4. A construction as claimed in claim 3 in which said operating connections include means capable of giving way when said operating connections are stressed beyond a certain limit thereby to prevent breakage of said operating mechanism under abnormal conditions of operation.

5. A construction as claimed in claim 3 in which said selective operating connections between said lever and said slides include also a disconnectable connection between said selectively operable slides and said lever, whereby said lever may be disengaged therefrom and is made free to be swun about one of said axes and into a substantially horizontal position under and substantially parallel to said roof structure, and releasable means for holding said lever in horizontal position.

6. A door opening device for a vehicle having a door and a latch bolt and keeper therefor and means for releasing said bolt from said keeper, comprising a guideway having a slide member slidably guided therein, said slide member having operating connections with said latch bolt releasing means whereby the latter is actuated in one direction in response to a moving stroke of said slide member in one direction along said guideway and is actuated in the reversed direction when said slide member is given a retrograde stroke of movement along said guideway, and operating connections between said slide member and said door for moving the latter, said operating connections including means forming a lost-motion connection whereby said door-moving operating connections actuate the door only after a certain portion of either stroke of said slide member along its guideway has been completed, said striker having two catches, a safety catch and a locking catch with either of which the latch bolt on the door may engage, said bolt-releasing mechanism comprising a member having a range of actuation to include the regions of both of said catches for thereby disengaging the bolt from either of said catches during door-opening operation of the mechanism and for permitting the bolt to engage either of said catches during doorclosing operation.

7. A door and latch operating device for a vehicle having two doors, each having a latch bolt and keeper therefor, comprising a handle pivoted near the roof of the vehicle and depending therefrom, said handle having an operating end and being capable of turning about a longitudinal and transverse horizontal axis, two slides, means comprising a guideway slidably mounting said two slides in operative relation to said operating end, said slides having spaced means with either of which said operating end of said handle is engageable, according to the direction of tilting of said handle about one of said axes and thereby to permit the operating end of the handle to move the corresponding slide upon turning of the handle about the other of said axes, each latch bolt and keeper having means for releasing the bolt from the keeper and each bolt-releasing means having a vertical rod which, upon turning about its axis, actuates said releasing means, means including lever means, one for each bolt-releasing means, forming operating connections respectively between said vertical rods and said two slides for effecting turning movement of either of said rods according to which of said slides is engaged, and during an initial portion of its stroke, by said handle-operating end, and operating connections respectively between said slides and said two doors, each including a lost-motion connection, for communicating movement of the engaged slide to the corresponding door only after said initial portion of the stroke of the selected slide has been traversed.

8. A door and latch operating device for a vehicle having two side doors, each having a latch bolt, comprising a handle having means pivoting it near the roof of the car and in depending relation for turning about longitudinal and transverse horizontal axes, two slide bars respectively allocated to said two doors, means whereby the handle, according to the direction in which it is tilted about one of said axes and then turned about the other of said axes, is adapted to move either slide bar, said slide bars having cam surfaces, two vertical rods, one for each of said two doors, and each having an arm located in position to engage a latch bolt and, upon turning of its rod, to throw the latch bolt out of operative position, two lever means, each including a lostmotion connection, operatively connecting said two slide bars and said two doors, respectively, whereby motion of either slide bar, in response to turning of said handle, moves its allocated door in opening direction but only after the time interval interposed by said lost-motion connection, and two lever means respectively connected to said vertical rods and respectively engaging the cam surfaces on said slide bars, whereby the motion of the slide bar resulting from turning of said handle effects turning of its corresponding vertical rod to throw the latch bolt out of operative position during said time interval.

HARRY WORCESTER SMITH. ALFRED E. CAVE.