US2258713A - Sliding door construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 14, 1941. R. .1 OLANDER SLIDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed MaIOh 2l, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 14, 1941. R, J OLANDER 2,258,713

SLIDING DOOR .CONSTRUCTION Filed March 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mil/1,.

Patented ct. 14, 194i SLIDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION Roland J. Olander, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Delaware Application March 21, 1938, Serial No. 197,143

(Cl. 16p-99) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sliding door constructions for railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide in an anti-friction roller supported sliding door for railway cars which cooperates with the usual track on the car, wherein the anti-friction rollers are arranged to be withdrawn from the track to permit the door to rest on the track and thus be frictionally held against accidental sliding movement, means through which the attendant applies the pulling or pushing force to the door and whereby the rollers are automatically projected to operative position to anti-frictionally support the door for sliding movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the pulling or pushing force applied by the attendant exerted to slide the door in either direction effects automatic projection of the anti-friction rollers.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a sliding door for railway cars having supporting anti-friction rollers for guiding the door for sliding movement along the usual track, means for projecting the rollers into engagement with the track, so arranged as to vbe actuated in one direction by the weight of the door to withdraw the rollers from operative rolling supporting relation with respect to the door to allow the door to drop on the track and rest on the same, thereby preventing accidental sliding movement thereof, and further so arranged that the same is actuated in a reverse direction to project said rollers to operative position through the pulling or pushing force applied by the attendant to slide the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with a sliding door for railway cars having supporting rollers for guiding the door for sliding movement along the usual track, means for projecting the rollers into engagement with the tracks to support the door, and also withdrawing the rollers from engagement with the tracks to permit the door to drop onto the track to frictionally engage the latter and thereby prevent sliding movement of the door, and means for projecting and withdrawing said rollers including an actuating element which also serves as a grip for pulling the door to elect sliding movement of the same, whereby the projection of said rollers is automatically accomplished when the attendant operates the door.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide in combination with a sliding door adapted to normally rest on a track to prevent 5.5

sliding thereof, anti-friction rollers for supporting the door for sliding movement and cam means for projecting said rollers beyond the bottom of the door to render said roller operative, including an upstanding actuating lever which may be swung in reverse directions to actuate said cam means, the actuating lever also serving as a hand grip for pulling the door forward or backward, whereby the pulling action on said hand grip serves to swing said lever to project said rollers to operative position and simultaneously lift the door oi of the track.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevational view of the side wall of a car provided with a door opening and a sliding door for closing said opening, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the side wall of the car and the door being shown broken away. Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, of the lower portion of the side wall of the car, the door, and the associated parts, but showing the mechanism involving my improvements in diiferent position. Figures 3, 4, and 5 are vertical sectional views, on an enlarged scale, corresponding respectively to the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 of Figure 1.

In said drawings, I 0 indicates the side wall member of a railway car, the wall being pro-vided with the usual door opening I I, which is adapted to be closed by a door I2 slidingly mounted on the usual top and bottom tracks I3 and I4. The door shown in this instance is of the metal type and has longitudinally extending reenforcing corrugations I5 I5. The bottom track I 4 is provided with a longitudinally extending, depending outer flange I6, for a purpose hereinafter described.

My improvements comprise broadly a pair o-f pivoted levers A and B mounted on the door; a cam C for actuating the levers A and B; an operating handle lever D for rotating the cam C; and door supporting rollers E E carried by the levers A and B.

. The levers A and B are mounted on the door I2 adjacent the bottom thereof and extend substantially horizontally in opposite directions. These levers A and B are of similar design, except as hereinafter pointed out. Each lever is in the form of an elongated bar pivoted between its ends, as indicated at I1. The outer end of each lever is oliset downwardly at an angle to its length, as indicated by I8. The olset portion I8 said arms flare outwardly and the ends of the shaft 20 are upset to fit said openings, thus `locking the shaft to said fork I9, The roller E is freely rotatable on the shaft 20 and serves as anti-friction means for supporting the door on the track I4.

The pivot I1 of each lever A and B is mounted in a supporting bracket 2I secured to the outer side of the door. The pivot I1 is so located that it is nearer the outer end than the inner end of the lever, thus providing short and long arms 22 and 23. The long arm 23 is tapered toward Vits end, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the arm 23 of the lever A being substantially straight. The arm 23 of the lever B has its extremity 24 upwardly offset or arched and overlapping Jthe inner end of the arm 23 of the lever A, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

The roller carrying end of each lever A and B is preferably protected by a cover 25 which has a flange 26 by which it is secured to the outer surface of the door I2. The cover 25 has a vertical front or outer wall 21 spaced from the door and parallel to the outer surface thereof. The wall 21 is connected to the flange 26 by a top wall 28 having a curved section 29 merging with the wall 21. This cover also has a vertical outer end wall 3D having suitably curved sectionsmerging with the top wall 28 and the front walls. The bottom of the cover 25 is flush with the lower edge of the door I2. As clearly shown in Figure 5, this bottom is open to permit projection of the roller below the plane of the lower edge of the door. Each cover 25 is also open at the inner side, thus accommodating the outer end of the corresponding levers A or B for .vertical movement.A

The supporting brackets 2I--2I for thelever arms A and B are of like design, each including a housing section 3I open at opposite sides and having front and rear spaced vertical walls and horizontal top and bottom walls. The rear wallextends above and laterally at opposite sides of the housing, said extended portion forming a flange 32 by which the bracket is secured to the outer side of the door. At `the lower end the rear wall of the housing section 3I is provided with a horizontal inwardly projecting rib 33 which bears on the surface of the door `I2. As shown in Figure 4, the ange 32 is inwardly offset with respect to the back wall of the housing section to correspond with the projection of the rib 33, thereby providing the space between said-rear wall and the door for a purpose hereinafter described. The pivoted section of the corresponding lever extends through the housing section 3| of the bracket 2l and sufficient clearance is provided to permit the required swinging movement of said lever. The pivot I1 of the lever is in the form of a pin headed at its inner end and extending through the lever and the front `and rear walls of the housing section 3I and having the head thereof accommodated in the space provided between the outer surface of the door and the rear wall of said housing section. Each bracket 2| is further provided with a` depending arm 34 hooked at its lower end to engage with the depending flange I6 of the rail I4. As shown in Figure 4, sufficient clearance is provided between said hooked lower end of the arm 34 and the lower edge of the flange I6 to permit the required lifting of the door to raise the same above and free of the track I4 and render the rollers E-E operative for rolling movement on said track. The arm 34 and the hooked portion thereof are preferably reenforced by outstanding webs along the vertical edges thereof, as clearly indicated in Figures l, 2, and 4.

yA housing is also preferably provided for the cam C. This housing is mounted adjacent the `lower edge of the door substantially centrally thereof and is indicated by 35. The housing 35 has a vertical front wall 36 spaced from and parallel 'to the plane of the door I 2, a horizontal bottom wall 31, vertical side walls 38-38, and an arched or curved top wall 39. The side walls 38-38 have rear right angular, laterally projecting securing flanges 40--40 parallel to the plane of the door and secured to the door by rivets or similar fastening devices. The front wall 36 has a reenforced bearing opening 4I near the bottom thereof, fora Apurpose hereinafter described. The inner ends of the levers A and B extend into 'the housing l35, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2,and 3, each side wall 38 being vertically slotted, yas indicated at 42 in Figure 3, to accommodate said ends of the levers for vertical movement. Projecting from said housing above the top wall and slightly outwardly offset with respect to 'the front wall is an arcuate vertical flange 43 having 'its upper edge -concentric with the axis of the bearing opening 4I.

The operating handle D Yis in the form of a bar -having a hand grip 'portion L44 at its upper end and an Ainwardly projecting cylindrical bearing projection, boss or trunnion 45 Yat its lower end. The boss 45 is -journaled in the bearing opening 4I of the front wall 36 of the housing 35 and is provided with an axial, inwardly opening angular'socket 46. At the inner end of the hand grip portion44 the operating handle is provided with Aan inwardly offset, relatively short depending -flange 41 offset from the body of the handle and hooked over the 'flange 43. This hooked portion 41 and the flange 43 cooperate to form retaining guide means for the handle D in its swinging movement about the axis of its bearing projection 45.

The cam `C is disposed within the housing V35 below the ends ofthe levers Aand vBand is fixed to the handle D. This cam is of substantially triangular outline having a flat top face 48 and upwardly diverging side faces 49-49, as seen in Figure 1. The corners `between'the top and side faces are preferably rounded, as shown. The cam C maybe secured'to the bearing-projection 45 of Athe handle D in any Vs'iutable manner and is preferably provided 'with va projecting boss of angular cross section seated within and closely fitting the socket 46. These parts are held assembled'by a'securing rivet 5D extending through the outer `wall of 4the-socket 46 of the Ahandle D, the body ofthe cam C andthe-bossof the latter.

To provide'amp'le Vbearing surface for the'lower edge of the door on the 'track I4, said lower edge is provided with angle bars 5I-5I having outstanding llanges disposed horizontally and flush with said lower edge. As shown, four such angle bars are preferably provided, two extending between thelhousing 35 and the covers 25-25, and

the remaining two extending from the covers 25-25 to the vertical end edges of the door.

In preparing the mechanism for application to the car door, the operating handle D and the cam C are assembled with the housing 35 by entering the bearing projection 45 at the lower end of the handle into the bearing opening 4I of the housing while the upper end of the handle is held to one sideof the housing so that the flange 41 thereof clears the ange 43, and after the projection has been seated in the bearing opening, fixing the cam C to the handle D by seating the boss of the latter in the socket 46 and securing the parts together by the rivet. The lever is then swung to position to interengage the flanges 4'I and 43. The bearing brackets 2 I-2I are assembled with the levers A and B before application to the car by slipping said brackets over the long arms of said levers and engaging the pivot pins I I--I 'I through the openings in the front and rear walls of the housing sections of said brackets and the levers A and B with the heads of the pivot pins disposed at the rear sides of said housing sections. The entire mechanism is then secured to the door by rst riveting the housing in place, then assembling the levers A and B with the housing 35 by inserting the inner ends of the long arms thereof into the housing through the slotted side walls, then securing the brackets 2I-2I with the levers A and B assembled therewith in place on the door by riveting, and iinally riveting the covers 25-25 in place over the outer ends of the short arms of said levers.

As will be evident, the door normally rests on the track I4 with the rollers retracted, as shown in Figure l. In this condition the friction between the lower edge of the door and the track is suflicient to positively hold the door against sliding movement alongthe track. To open the door, the attendant after unlatching the same in the usual well-known manner, grasps the handle D and pulls thereon in the direction in which he wishes to slide the door. The pulling force exerted on this handle initially causes the same to swing in the manner of a lever about the pivotal axis provided by the bearing 45, thereby rotating the cam C in a corresponding direction. The frictional resistance to movement of the door on the track, at this time, is sufficient to hold the same stationary until it is lifted from the track I4. This lifting action is effected by the cam C and the levers A and B, rotation of the cam acting to raise the long arms of the levers A and B, as shown in Figure 2, thereby rocking the levers on the pivots I'I-I'I, swinging the roller carrying ends thereof downwardly and projecting the rollers below the lower edge of the door. As soon as the door is raised clear of the track I4, the rollers are free to operate and through continued pulling action on the lever D the door is slid along the track I4, the rollers acting as antifriction means to promote easy sliding movement of the door. When the attendant releases his grip from the handle D or ceases to exert a pulling action thereon, the door will drop back onto the track due to its weight, thus forcing the rollers inwardly of the door in an upward direction, rocking the levers A and B back to the position shown in Figure 1, and returning the cam C and the handle D to their normal positions shown in Figure l. The door will thus seat on the track and be held against accidental movement in any position to which it is moved. To slide the door in a reverse direction, the operation is the same as hereinbefore described with the exception that the pulling force on the handle D is exerted in a reverse direction, thereby swinging the lever and rotating the cam in a direction reverse to the direction hereinbefore described to lift the door and project the rollers .E-E.

As will be evident from the preceding description taken in connection with the drawings, my improved mechanism provides for automatic projection of the rollers regardless of the direction in which the door is slid by the attendant, and its operation does not entail the use of both hands of the attendant, one hand only being required to grip the actuating handle lever and exert the required pull thereon to perform the dual function of lifting the door olf of and sliding the same along the track.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In means for actuating lifting levers for a door mounted for sliding movement along a track,

the combination with a housing for the inner ends of said levers iixed to the outer side of the door, said housing having an outer vertical wall provided with a bearing opening therethrough, said housing wall having an exterior, upstanding arcuate guide ange thereon; of an operating lever having a laterally projecting pivot element at its lower end journaled in said bearing opening of the housing for swinging movement about a horizontal axis concentric with the arc of said guide ange of the housing; a hooked guide portion on said operating lever engaged with said guide ange; and a rotary cam xed to the inner end of the pivot element of said operating lever,

said cam having shouldered engagement with the housing wall at the bearing opening to lock the pivot pin against endwise removal from the housing, said cam operating with the inner ends of said lifting levers to actuate the latter.

2. In a lifting means for a door mounted for sliding movement along a track, the combination with an operating lever on said door; of a housing fixed to the door in which said lever is journaled; roller supporting levers pivotally mounted on the door between their ends, said levers having forked outer ends; anti-friction rollers journaled in said forked ends, the inner ends of said levers overlapping in superimposed relation, with the inner end of one lever supporting the inner end of the other lever, said inner ends of the levers being accommodated between the operating lever and the outer side of the door; and a rotary cam fixed to said operating lever and rotatable therewith, said cam being in vertical alignment with said superimposed lever ends and engaging the lowermost of said levers to actuate the same.

ROLAND J. OLANDER.

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