US2373447A

US2373447A - Door lift mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2373447A
Application number: US496752A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilfred A Beauchamp
Original assignee: Youngstown Steel Door Co
Current assignee: Youngstown Steel Door Co
Priority date: 1943-07-30
Filing date: 1943-07-30
Publication date: 1945-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1962-04-10

Description

April 10, 1945. A. BEAUCHAMP DOOR LIFT MECHANISM Filed July 30, 1943 U Q Q //v VENTOE W/LFFED A. DEfiI/CHHMP Patented Apr. 10, 1945 DOOR LIFT MECHANISM Wilfred A. Beauehamp, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July so, 1943, Serial No. 496,752

Claims.

This invention relates to door lift mechanisms. The objects of this invention are to provide lift mechanisms for sliding doors of railway house cars which shall embody relatively few, simple and inexpensive parts; reduce the number of] castings required; be easily operable in either direction in a plane parallel to the door; and so reduce the overall dimension between mechanisms on opposite sides of the car that a single standard is created applicable to cars of varying widths.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds. t In the drawing forming part of this specifica- 1on:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a sliding car door mounted on a railway house car and equipped with a lift mechanism embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away to more clearly show the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

F lFig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown applied to a sliding lift door ill of a railway house car. The door l0 may be of any desired construction. The one illustrated embodies a metallic panel H formed with a plurality of horizontal corrugations I2 and reinforced by means of front and rear vertical stiffeners l3 and I4. Adjacent its lower edge the panel H is offset outwardly, as indicated at IE, to form a depending flange 46 disposed substantially in the outer plane of the door. The flange IS in conjunction with a reinforcing plate H and a bottom reinforcing Z-bar l3 constitute a box section for the lower portion of the door, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The Z-bar I8 is so disposed that one flange 19 thereof to which the backing plate I! is secured lies behind a substantially channel-shaped door supporting track 20 which is secured in position by means of a plurality of track brackets 2| fastened as by means of rivets 22 to a channel-shaped reinforcing member 23 for an angle side sill 24. The car also embodies a threshold plate 25 supported outwardly of the side sill by means of an angle 26. The threshold plate is formed with a depending flange 21 bent outwardly to form a lip 28 lying below the flange IQ of the bottom reinforcing Z-bar I8 and cooperating therewith to exclude snow, dust and the like from the car.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing the door in its normal lowered position is adapted to be seated directly upon the track in friction-a1 engagement therewith. In order to open or close the door, the lift mechanism of the instant invention is provided. By means of this mechanism the door is first elevated above the track and supported upon rollers and then moved in opening or closing direction.

This lift mechanism comprises a plurality of and reflected light spaced roller and roller housing assemblies 29.

Each assembly is disposed within the box section at the lower .portion of the door and embodies a pair of plates 30 and 3|. A roller 32 having a roller bearing 33 is mounted between the plates in engagement with the track 20. A roller 34 disposed above the roller 32 is also mounted between the plates 3i] and 3i. Each of these plates beyond the rollers is offset as indicated at 35 topermit securement of the plates to a connecting bar 36, as more clearly shown in Fig. '1 of the drawing. The opposite end of each of the connecting bars 36 is disposed between and pivotally secured to a pair of ears 3'! and 38, or 39 and 40, formed on an actuating member 4!. The actuating member carries

trunnions

42 and 43 journalled in

bearing plates

44 and 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. The trunnion 43 of the actuating member is reduced in section as indicated at 46 and extended outward- 1y beyond the panel II so that an operating lever 4'! may be mounted thereon. It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing that a portion of the panel II is offset inwardly, as indicated at 48 so as to maintain the outer face of the lever within the outer plane of the door. To aid in maintaining the lever 41 on the trunnion 43 and to guide the lever in its movement the downwardly extending arcuate flange 49 of a member 50 fastened to a panel I l cooperates with an upstanding flange 5| of a Z-shaped clip 52 secured tothe inner face of the lever 41. It will be seen that the actuating member 4] lies within the box section at the bottom of the door and that the lever 41 is disposed outwardly of the door.

A plurality of members 53 are secured to the door within the box section. Each of these members is disposed above a roller and roller housing assembly 29. As more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, member 53 is substantially z-shaped in section and embodies an attaching flange 54, a web 55, which is inclined downwardthey are adapted to be engaged by the rollers 34 of the roller and roller housing assemblies. As indicated hereinabove, the rollers 32 are adapted to engage the door supporting track 20, openings 5'! and 58 being formed in the web of the Z- shaped bottom reinforcing member for this purpose.

- In order to move the door the operating lever 41 is pulled in the direction in which it is desired to move the door. Movement of the lever imparts corresponding rotation to the :actuatmg member and a pull upon the connecting bars 36. Such apull is exerted upon theconnecting bars irrespective of the direction in which the lever is moved. As a result of the movement of the connecting bars 36, the roller andn'nller housing assemblies 29 are moved toward each other. In this movement the rollers 32 move upon the track 20 :and the rollers 3'4 engage and .roll along-the underside of the webs 55 of the members 53. Due -to the inclination of these webs the rollers 04 exert an upward :force 'upon the members 53 causing, the door itQ be iii-ted :above'the track and to besupported upon therol-lerand roller-housing assemblies. ,The :door can then Joe moved .in the desired direction. when the lever ;-is released at the end of such movement, the doorwil-l automatically :lower and again :seat itself friction-ally upon the track. i

.It will :berapparent :from the foregoing description that the lift mechanism embodying the instant invention i veryeffectiize .for its intended purpose. The members an and 51 of the roller and roller homing assemblies may :readily be formed of plates, thereby reducing the number of castings heretofore -.required. 'Ilhe :lift mechais double-acting and since the operating lever ismintained substantially within the outer plane of the door; the overall dimension between mechanisms :on opposite sides of the roar ishel-d to a minimum :so that the described mechanism may b used :npon \cars of diflenent widths. .A single standardzil-ifztmech-anism isitlrerebyicneated.

it will :beapparent that-numerous changes and modifications inthe detailspf theinvention will be clear 'to thoserskilled in the amt. 1t isiintended, therefore, that ailmich modifications omdohanges be comprehended'iwhtlnin this invention, which is tobezlimited onry by the scope :of the claims appended hereto- 1 it claim? ll. Allftmechanism ior'slintogwcar doors comprising :a plurality of spaced roller and roller housing assemblrieseach of said assemblies embodying a pair of :p'late members, ,a main track engaging roller rotatably secured between said piatemembers and a second :roller rota-tably secured between :said' plate members above :said

1 main roller, oppositely inclined ,membersadapted to be fastenedto said door, said second rollers being engageable 'withsaid inclined members, an

actuating member adaptedto be journalled in said door between said assemblies, a bar connecting each assembly with said actuating member, and a lever mounted upon said actuating member.

2. A lift mechanism for sliding car doors comprising a plurality of spaced roller and roller housing assemblies, each of said assemblies embodying a pair of rollers rotatably secured to a roller housing, oppositely inclined members adapted to be secured 'to said door, an actuating member adapted to be journalled in said door, a connecting bar extending from said actuating member to each of said assemblies, and a lever mounted upon said actuating member, said lever being operable torotate said actuating member and impart Ebod'ily movement to said assemblies toward each other through said bars, one of said rollers .of each assembly being adapted to roll upon a door surrporting track and the other of said rollers to roll along under an inclined member to elevate :said door during said movement of :said assemblies.

3. In a sliding lift :door for railway house cars having a box section along the lower margin thereof, spaced substantial-1y Z-shaped members having oppositely inclined webs secured within said box section, a roller and roller housing assembly disposed below each of said Z-shaped members, each assembly embodying a pair of rollers rotatably secured to 'a roller housing, one of said rollers being engageable with a track for said door .and the other roller :being engageabie with said web, and means on said \door connected with .said assemblies 'for imparting movement thereto toward each other to lift said door.

4. In a sliding .liit .door for railway houseca'rs having a box section along .the lower margin thereof, spaced oppositely inclined members :secured within said box section, a roller and roller housing assembly (disposed below each member, v

each assembly embodying a pair of rollers rotatably secured to a roller housing, one of said rollers being engageable with .a track .for said door and the other roller being engageable with a said member, and meanson said door connected with said assemblies for imparting movement thereto toward each other to liftsaid door.

.5. A lift mechanism .for sliding car doors comprising a plurality of spaced roller and roller housing assemblies, each of said .assemblies .embodying a pair of rollers ,rotatably secured to a roller housing, an inclined member adapted to be secured to said door .above each assembly, one of said rollers of each assembly being adapted to roll upon :a door supporting track and the other of said rollers to roll along and under .an inclined member to elevate said door during movement of said assemblies, and means adapted to be mounted on said door and connected with said roller assemblies for imparting bodily movement thereto.

- WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP.