US2641200A - Dump door operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1953 G. a. DOREY DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 29,, 1950 a a ca 6) IN V EN TOR.

I Ur I I I I l June- 9, 1953 G. B. DOREY DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Fil ed Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jne 1953 G. B. DOREY DUMP DQOR OPERATING MEcHANisM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 29, 1950 INVENTGR. 660/ @5110) BY 9 (2y I I I r I June 9 1953 G. B. DOREY 2,641,200

DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MINVENTOR.

sumed bythe mechanism;

Patented June 9, 1953 DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM GeorgeB. Dorey, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as Signor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 29, 1950, Serial-No. 203,407

10 Claims. (01. 105-9309) 1 Thi invention relates to a, dump door mechanism for supporting the swinging edge of a pivotally mounted door of the type which is adapted to be lifted from its open position to a partially closed position and automatically latched in such partially closed position with provision for raising the door from said partially closed to a fully closed position by operation of the mechanism. The objects of the invention among others are: To provide a latch mechanism which when in released position is biased to lie in the path of movement of the door with provision for outward displacement of the mechanism by movement of the door together with provision for the subsequent return of the latch to supporting. position beneath the door; to provide a mechanism which in release position is freely swingable toward and away from the swinging edge of the door to engage with and support the door in partially closed position and which mechanism is movable to force the door to fully closed position and in which position it is maintained against swinging movement; and more specifically to provide a jack-knife folding type of linkage mechanism which in its folded position operates as a closed toggle mechanism and when in open position operates as a freely swinging latch member.

The invention also resides in the details of construction concerned with the mechanism supporting bracket and related structure employed to carry out the objects of the invention.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a portion of a dump car showing as much of the car as necessary to illustrate a discharge opening with one door and the improved mechanism applied thereto, the door being shown in closed position;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing the door in closed position with the mechanism in supporting position beneath the door and the door shown in openposition by conventional dot and dash lines; I i V Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 except that the mechanism is shown in fully released position with the door in open position. D

Figure 4 is a view showing the outer portion of the structure of Figure 2 except that the door is shown in the position where contact is established between the inclined striker surface of the door and latching mechanism, the latter being shown in the pendanttreleased position normally as- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 except that the lifting movement of the door has advanced to show the mechanism as displaced outwardly beyond the path of movement of the door;

' Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 exceptthat the door lifting movement has progressed to the stage where the supporting shaft has moved to a supporting position beneath the door;

Figure 7 is a vertical elevational view on an enlarged scale of the mechanism during the lifting operation as the shaft enters the retaining slot;

Figure 8 is a detailed longitudinal side View of the shaft assembly;

Figure 9 is an end View of the structure shown in Figure 8 as viewed from left to right;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the supporting bracket on an enlarged scale;

Figure 11 is a vertical end view of the bracket shown in Figure lOas viewed from left to right;

Figure 12 is a detailed elevational view of one of the swinging links;

Figure 13 is a vertical end View of the link shown in Figure 12 as viewed from left to right;

7 Figure 14 is a vertical section taken through the outer end of the door and mechanism as seen on a line l4-|4 of Figure 2 and illustrating the operating handle. I

, In said drawings the improved structure is shown as applied to the door of a fiat bottom gondola car and the drawings illustrate so much of the car as necessary to show one door and its associated car structure. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the car construction includes a longitudinally extending center sill I0 of box girder construction including a vertical web I I, having top and bottom angles as indicated at [2 and 13 respectively and a top cover plate M. Extending laterally from the center sill in spaced relation are crossbeams, one being shown at [5, each formed with a diaphragm l6 and a top and a bottom cover plate indicated at I! and I8 respectively. Rising vertically from each end of the. crossbeam is a' side stake l9 which'connects with the sidewall designated'in this instance by a lower angle 2! and a side sheet 2|. The angle 20 includes a horizontally extending flange 22 and a vertically extending flange 23, the former being overlappingly related with the crossbeam top plate H. The edge of the bottom flange 22 of the side angle 20 in combination with the inner edges of the crossbeam top plates l1 and the edge of the center sill top plate l4 defines a discharge opening 24. t

Positioned in the discharge opening 2 4 is a dump door which is extended to underlie the plates defining the discharge opening. Said door 25 includes a fiat plate 26 having its margins reinforced by flanges as indicated at the sides at 21--2'| and at the rear and front edges as indicated at 28 and 29 respectively. The underside of the door is further reinforced by Z-shaped hinge beams30 extending from thehinge edge to the swinging edge of the door and having one flange 3| riveted to the door with the web 32 outstanding from the door plate and the opposite flange 33 spaced from the (1001311318138. The door is further reinforced lengthwise of the hinge axis adjacent the hinged edge of the -door by a Z- shaped beam 34 and the front edgeof the door is reinforced by an angle member "35 having one flange 36 riveted to the front iflange29 of the door and the adjacent flange 31 of said angle is spaced from the door plate 26 and substantiallyin alignment with the flange 33 of the hinge beams 30.

-A pair of door extension brackets 38-i38 is disposed in spaced relation on the door '25 to provide brackets for -cooper-ation with door operating and supportingmechanisms onthe car structure as will be described. Each bracket 38 is of 'an'gles'haped "formation with walls '39 and '49 secured to the front vertical reinforcement of the door and to the horizontal flanges "33 and 3"! of the door'beams byri-vets as-indicated at 4| and 4'2 respectively. Beyond the door proper thebracket is f0rmed=with a'projecting nose portion including an upper inclined striker .surface 4'3 and a lower seat -14 for cooperation with door supporting means. Inwardly of the-seat44 there 'is provided a downwardly extending :abutment which constitutes a positioning stop to limit 'inward "movement 'o'f 'the door supporting means and-said abutment is braced relatively to thebody-of the said-bracket 38 by ribs 4B.

The door 25 is adapted to be manually lifted to =closed'position "and to facilitate this operation a socket 41 is secured to the underside'of the door for receiving'the "end of a removable lifting bar asindicated at in Figure '3. The -door 25 in its open position 'issupported'by a suitable door stop as indicated 'at 49.

The door supporting mechanism includes a bracket 50, Figures 3, l0 and 11,hav'ing an upper 'section including angularly related Walls 5| and 52 secured to the car "side bottom angle-20 by rivets 53 and extending from said -a-ngularly related "walls is a "wall 54 extending transversely of the car in a direction normal to the hinge 'axis of the'door 25. The wall 54 is provided-with an offset portion as at 55 and is suitably "braced to' the uppersectionby a rib 56. The offset por- 'tion'-55 isformed with "an open ended slot 51 "of "inverted "Ushape to provide inner and outer walls indicated'atSB'a-nd 59 respectively and'sa'id walls :at the outer ends 'of the slot are flared outwardly as'shown at 60 and 16l respectively.

'5; Extending laterally from the wall 54 are lugs :52 and T53 for pivotally supporting a swinging "link .64, Figures 12 and 13, 'on pivot '62 and a "locking 'cam on lug 53. Over'lying the 'said link 64 and cam 65 is a tie strap 'plate 66 "which riveted in place by rivets El extending through the' lugs. The swinginglink 6B is of hook shaped formation with an indented central portion 58 and at the lower portion thereof -'it is-apertured at -=69 for receiving a pivot 10 whereby a door seating lement-TL'Figures 1, 8'and 9, is hinged- "-ly mounted thereon.

The seating element "H preferably includes a 'round shaft 12 having arms 13 disposedin spaced relation on the shaft and fixedly mounted thereon to make a rigid structure. At one end of said structure there is an operating handle 14 having a hub portion 55 secured to the shaft and an open sided socket portion having walls 78 and '11 for receiving an operating bar I8 therebetween, Figure 14, whereby the mechanism is op- 'era'ted.

'Each pair of arms T3 includes a hub section 19 encircling the shaft 12 and secured to the latter by a rivet as indicated at 80 and extending therefrom are the arms '13 disposed in spaced relation to provide a pair of jaws which straddle the lower portion of the hook-shaped hanger link 64 and through which the securing pivot 10 extends. The structure of the shaft 12 and arms 731311118 constitutes a hinged door supporting element H which is eccentrically mounted on its associated hanger links 54 and is swingable about its pivotal axis to function as one of the arms of 'a'ja'ckaknife typeof toggle mechanism as will be explained. The hub portion 19 of one of the arms is preferably integrally formed :with the hub portion '15 of the operating :handle '14.

The element H in :its swinging movement'is movablefrom a closed'toggle position as shown -in Figure 2 to an opened position :as shown in Figure 3 in which latter position ;it is supported by a lug :82 which forms a limiting 1 stop for engagement with the hub portion 19 of the arm and when in such fully opened position the shaft 12 swings in unison with the hanger links -64,-:the weight of the shaft 12 operating to bias the swinging link structure to the position shown in Figure 3.

The operation of the mechanism may "be best understood by "following out the sequence :of 'operations involved in the door :closing and opening cycle as follows:

Assuming the door 25 to be in open position-as in Figure -3 with the locking :cam 65 in riverbalanced released position, and the door seating element H gravitated to an open extended position, the operator inserts the lifting bar '48 inthe socket I! .of the door to lift the latter.

As the door '25 is "lifted toward closed position, the inclined striker surface 133 contacts the-shaft "12, as shown in Figure 4, swinging the shaft outwardly to clear the door, as'shown in'Figure 5, and, "upon continued lifting movement of the door 25, the latch mechanism swings beneath it supporting the'latter in partially closed position "as shown in Figure '6. In said partially closed position the shaft '32 is limited in its inward movement with respect to'the door by reason of "the abutment 45 engaging the shaft T2.

'Shifting of the door 25 from partially closed to fully closed position is readily effected by a fknuckling movement of the door supporting 'element "H in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure '7, said knuckling movement of the shaft "12 being effected by means of the bar T8 being positioned between the walls 16 and '11 ofthe handle T4 as will be understood. Continued movement of the mechanism in the indicated direction moves the circularly shaped shaft [2 in "the open ended slot '51 therebypreventingfurther swinging -movement of the lin'kage and changing the characteristics of the mechanism from a freely swinging linkage to a toggle Ifolding mechanism.

It will be observed that the shaft 12, by reason of the limiting abutment 45 on 'the door, is 'maintained'in position to enter between the walls 58 and 59 of the slot "51 and the entrance of the shaft in said slot is facilitated by the flared entrance as provided by the flared surfaces and 6|.

The folding movement of the toggle mechanism is completed when the axis 83, Figure '7, of the shaft 12 extends slightly beyond a dead center locking position as indicated by a line 84, Figure 2, joining the pivotal axes of the link 'in the closed position. The door 25 isthus forced to tightly closed position by a comparatively limited turning effort of the seating element "H and the cam is then swung in the path of swinging movement of the link 64. The door 25 thus is doubly locked in a securely closed position. The opening of the door 25 is a reversal of the door closing operation. The operator after first swinging the cams 65 to released-position, inserts the operating bar 18, as shown in Figure 14 between the walls 16 and 17 of the handle 14 and by anti-clockwise movement of the bar swings the door seating element H so as to open the toggle mechanism and move the shaft 12 clear of the slotted opening 5'l to engage with the lugs 82. The shaft 12 and links 64 then move in unison thereby allowing the withdrawal of the former from beneath the door 25 by continued anticlockwise movement of the operating bar 18. The releasing of the door 25 is thus accomplished with safety and convenience from a position away from the discharging load.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a dump car having a pivotally mounted door and door supporting mechanism adjacent the swinging edge of said door, said mechanism including a pair of swinging links pivotally mounted to swing on axes parallel with the axis of the door and a shaft eccentrically mounted on said links to have swinging bodily movement about its axis and assume either a folded toggle locked position with respect to the swinging links to support the door in fully closed position or move to an open extended position to support the door in partially closed position, said shaft being supported wholly by said links and when in extended position being freely swingable in unison with the supporting linkage; and means on the car-structure engaging the shaft for holding the linkage against swinging consequent upon movement of the shaft toward final locking position.

' 2. In a dump car, the combination with a pivotally mounted dump door of mechanism for supporting the swinging edge of the door; a bracket on the car and a two-part folding toggle mechanism including a link pivotally mounted on the bracket and an arm pivotally mounted on the link, said arm having a shaft rigidly connected thereto, said shaft being supported wholly by said folding toggle mechanism with the toggle in open extended position lying below the bracket and swingable therewith to automatically engage with the door to support the latter in partially closed position, said shaft upon folding movement of the toggle to closed position operating to raise the door from partially closed to fully closed position; and an open ended slot in the bracket for receiving the sh-art upon closure of the toggle and thereby preventing swinging movement of the toggle mechanism.

3, In a load containing structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted at one side of the opening and door supporting mechanism adjacent the swinging edge of the door, said mechanism including a bracket secured to the car structure and having a wall in angular relation to the pivotal axis of the door, toggle acting mechanism pivotally mounted on the wall of the bracket and including a link hanger having a section forming a hook-shaped hanger, said hanger being pivoted at its upper end to the wall and having an arm pivoted at one end to the lower portion of the link, said arm at the end opposite to its pivotal axis having a door seat supported wholly thereby and by said link hanger and ar ranged to assume a toggle closed position in the indented portion of the hanger to support the door in closed position, and an open ended slot in the wall arranged to receive the door seat upon closure of the toggle and prevent swinging movement of the link.

4. In a load containing structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted at one side of the opening and door supporting mechanism adjacent the swinging edge of the door, said mechanism including a bracket carried by the supporting structure and having a wall disposed at an angle to the pivotal axis of the: door; said wall having an'inverted U-shaped open-ended slot: folding toggle link mechanism pivotally carried by said wall and including a hook-shaped link pivotally mounted at one end to the bracket wall above the slot and an arm pivotally mounted at one end to the opposite end of the link and having a shaft fixedly mounted to the opposite end of the arm and supported wholly thereby and by said link, said arm being arranged to knuckle about its pivotal axis'with the link and move to a folded position in a toggle closed position in the U-shaped slot and in supporting position beneath the door, said arm being movable to open position to a levelbelow the transverse wall and free of the U-shaped slot; a projecting abutment on the link engaging with the shaft forming a carrying means for the latter to support the shaft below the level of the bracket wall and allow the shaft and its associated link mechanism to swing freely toward and away from the'door.

5. In a dump car, in'combination with a pivotally mounted dump door, the. herein described mechanism for supporting the swinging edge of the door including abracket mounted adjacent the swinging edge of the door; folding jack-knife toggle link means pivotally mounted on the bracket to swing toward and away from the door, said link means including a swinging link pivotally mounted at its upper end to the bracket and an arm having one end pivotally mounted to the lower portion'of the swinging link and a shaft fixedly mounted with respect to the arm and located at the end of the arm remote from its piv-'- otal axis and supported wholly thereby and by said link means, said shaft with the toggle in full open position lying below the bracket and sup ported by the link and movable in unison there! with, said shaft with the toggle arm in open position being biased to assume a latching position in the path of the door; an inclined striker on the door engaging with the shaft to displace the latter outwardly fro-m its biased position by movement of the door to bring the-shaft into en gagement with the door for supporting the latter in partially closed position, said shaft upon folding movement of the toggle operating to raise the door from partially closed to: fully closed position; and guiding means on the bracket for receiving the shaft and restricting its closing movement to a rectilinear path.

6. In a load containing structure having a discharge opening and a door pivotally mounted at one side of the opening for closing the latter; door mechanism for supporting the door in part- 1y aolosed iand irullyi closedposition and moving the door fromssa-id :partly closed to fully closed :position .by operation lQf the mechanism, said supporting mechanism including a bracket carried by .the structure and formed with a depending wall extending in a direction normal to the gpivotaliaxis of the vdoor, said wall having an open ended slot; a :link pivotally mounted at :one end tothe wall .of the bracket above :the .slot, and :an arm :having one end thereof pivotally mounted on :the pppositeend of the link, said arm at the end opposite zits :pivotal axis having a shaft fixedly mounted thereon and supported wholly thereby and by said link, said arm .being'arranged to knuckle about its pivotal axis and assume a closed toggle position intermediate the axes of the link for supporting the door in closedposition with the shaft received and held in theslot, said shaft .upon opening movement of the toggle being bodily movable to a position below theilevel of the bracket; and a stop on the link engaging the shaft to limit opening movement of the toggle mechanism and'form a supporting means for the :shaft, said shaft in its lowermost position being :freely'swingable with the link and biased to liein the path of movement of the door; an inclinedistrikerfaceon the door disposed to contactlthe shaft .upon lifting movement 'of the former and displace :the latter outwardly to clear the door and allow said shaft to gravitate into sup- 1 portingpositionbeneath the door to support the same .in ipartly closed position, said mechanism upon 'sfolding of the toggle from open to closed position operatingto move the door from partial- 1y closed to fully closed position.

1'7. .zlnfazdump car having an opening and a pivotally tmoun'ted discharge door for closing the opening; door supporting and operating mechani'smaadj-acentthe swinging edge of the door, including swinging linkage pivoted adjacent its upper end to the car and having a bodily movable-doorsupporting element hinged to the lower portion-of the link andsupported wholl-y thereby, said element being arranged .to knuckle about its rhinge :axis :to assume either a toggle locked position for supporting the door in .fully closed position or retained in an open position to swing .with the linkage and form therewith a swinging latch biased :to automatically engage with .the dooriand'support the latter in preliminary partly rclosed position; a seat on the doorengaging with theilatch'element; and an abutment-on the door'adjacentthe seat for limitinginward swing-- ing'movementzof the latching mechanism.

58. :In asdump car having adischarge opening and 1a pivotally'mounteddischarge door fore'losing the opening; door supporting and operating mechanism adjacent the swinging edge of the .door including-swinging linkage pivoted adjacent its :upper :end to the .car structure .and having a movable door supporting element hinged tod-heflower portion of the linkage and supported wholly fthereby, isaid element being arranged to knuckle about its hinge axis .to assume either a ill) togglerclosedgposition for supporting the :door in fully closed position or gravitatejto an opengposition to swing freely with the linkage upon melease-of the-togglezclosureand operate as alatch to automatically engage with the door upon closing movement of the latter; means :having an opening :on the car forireceiving the. latch elementzupon closure of the'toggle and restraining movement of said element to a substantially rectilinear path; and an abutment on the'door arranged to.limit:inwardmovementzof the swinging latch element and position the latterin line with the openingon the car.

9. Ina 'dump icar having a discharge opening and a .door for closing the opening ,pivotally mounted adj aoent one edge .of the opening; means for supporting thezswinging edge of the doorineluding a. bracket on the car structure having a wall extending .in a plane normal to the 'hinge axis of the door and linkage mounted adjacent its upperend on said wall to swing towardand away from the door and a door supportelement hinged to the lower portion of the linkage :and supported whollythereby and movable to a togglo closed position for supporting the door .in closed position; means providing an open ended opening in the wall for receiving thedoorelement when in toggle closed position and preventing swinging movement .of the linkage; and additional locking means pivotally mounted -.on the bracket wall to swing .in the path of movement of :the linkage and thereby lock the entiremechanism.

l0. Ina car doormechanism for supporting the swinging edge'of .a pivotally mounted discharge door and includingiaibracket beyond the swinging edge of the door and having .a wall extending in a plane normal'to the hinge axis of the door, 'said wall havingan inverted lJ-shaped opening and a hook-shaped link pivotally mounted above the opening and formed with an intermediate indented portion positioned toalign with the'opening in the wall; a door seating element hinged to the lower portion of the link and supported wholly thereby and arranged to knuckle about its pivotalaxis and enter the U-shaped opening and the indented portion of the linklin toggle locked relation withsaidlink; said door seating element being movable to open position beyond the openingand swing with the link in 'themanner of a latch; an abutment on the link for holding thelatch element at .a given degree of opening; and supplementary means for locking the mechanism in toggle locked relation including a latching dog rpivotally mounted on the wall to move in the path of swinging movement of the link.

GEORGE E. DOREY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .S'I'ATES PATENTS Number Name Date 13535111 'Dorey .Apr. 28, .1925 2,502,833 Dorey Apr. 1950

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