US3045746A - Method and means for mounting and operating hingedly interconnected panel elements for closing hatchways, railway cars and like open spaces - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1962 H. KUMMERMAN 3,045,746

METHOD AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND OPERATING HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED PANEL ELEMENTS FOR CLOSING HATCHWAYS, RAILWAY CARS AND LIKE OPEN SPACES Filed March 5, 1959 ,guideway which lies within the stowage place.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,a45,746 Patented July 24, 1962 METHOD AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND OPERATING HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED PANEL ELEMENTS FOR CLOSING HA'IQH- WAYS, RAILWAY CARS AND LIKE OPEN SPACES Henri Kummerman, Paris, France, assignor to Mac- Gregor-Comarain, Paris, France, a French body corporate Filed Mar. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 796,787 Claims priority, application France Mar. 25, 1958 5 Claims. (Cl. 160-206) It is the essential object of this invention to provide a method of operating panels for closing open-air spaces such as ships hatchways, railway cars and the like. This method is of the type wherein two or more panels hingedly connected to one another and in certain cases to the edge of the space to be closed are used, said panels, when they are stowed away or folded up and when said space is open, occupying a substantially vertical position and being moved to their horizontal or closing position by their weight alone.

As a rule, panels of this general type are operated by means of a cable or a fluid-actuated cylinder so as to lift them when it is desired to open the hatchway or like space. When it is desired to close the hatchway, the cable is simply slackened and in this case the panels slide along their guideways by their own weight and are progressively separated from one another or divaricated until they cover the space to be closed. Generally, these panels are provided with rollers to facilitate their movements along the edges of the hatchway or like space.

Now the case is frequently observed of a kind of jamming or interference caused by the vertical propping of the panel remotest from the stowage space, this inconvenience occurring more particularly when two panels hingedly connected to each other and to the edge of the hatchway or like space are used. This jamming effect is such that when the operating cable is slackened the panels remain stationary and it is necessary to pull the lower end of the first panel in order to cause the first or single pair of panels to open like the legs of a compass.

It is the main object of this invention to avoid the inconveniences characterizing the operation of panels of this general type. The method of operation according to this invention is remarkable notably in that it consists in creating or developing a substantially lateral thrust applied to at least one of the aforesaid panels at the time when it is about to start the movement to close said space, the consequence of this lateral thrust being to prevent the panel or panels from jamming and to promote their movement away from each other.

According to another feature of this invention, the aforesaid lateral thrust is obtained by using the weight of at least one of said panels.

The lateral thrust mentioned hereinabove may be .ob-

'tained for example by suspending the end panel or the panel subject to the aforesaid jamming efiect above its guideway or at least above that portion of the relevant This suspension may be obtained by either making this panel smaller than the adjacent panel, or by increasing the space between the guideway and the panel concerned at the proper location.

Also in accordance with the features of this invention,

the means used for exerting a lateral thrust during the initial phase of the closing movement may consist of a link rod or like member adapted to receive from the suspended panel a thrust or traction due to the weight of the panel. If desired and according to a specific form of embodiment of this invention the suspended panel may be connected to a fixed point or to an adjacent panel by means of said link rod, provided that the pivot axes are properly positioned. In all cases, the axis of the pivotal connection between the link rod and the suspended panel must be located beneath the axis of the hinged connection between this panel and the adjacent panel.

According to a further feature of this invention, the link rod or like member is provided with a slot or like oblong hole or device whereby the suspended panel may move freely during its closing movement.

According to another feature characterizing this invention, when two hingedly interconnected panels are used, one of these panels being hingedly connected, in addition, to the edge of the hatchway or like aperture to be closed, the pivot axis of the aforesaid link member overlies for example the axis of the hinged connection between the panel and the space to be closed.

From the foregoing it is evident that With the means contemplated according to this invention when the operating cable is slackened and the panel assembly tends to become jammed, the weight of the suspended panel bears on the link rod end to produce a torque resulting in a lateral thrust exerted on the panel concerned, immediately as the closing movement begins. When the panel descends it engages the guideway and at this moment the gravity eifect ceases and the opening movement of the compass legs, i.e. the closing of the hatchway may take place under absolutely normal conditions.

Other features of the invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the single FlGURE of the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a typical form of embodiment of a hinged panel assembly constructed according to the teachings of this invention.

In this example, the shiphold is designated generally by the reference numeral 1 and the hatchway by the reference numeral 2. Along each longitudinal edge of the hatchway 2 is a guideway 3 adapted to be engaged by a roller 4 mounted on a panel 5 hingedly connected to an adjacent panel 6 by a pivot pin 7. The opposite end'of this other panel is .hingedly connected by a pivot pin .8 to the end of the hatchway. In the example illustrated, it is assumed that the aperture to be closed is a ships hatchway, but it will be readily understood that the same arrangement may be used in connection with any other construction of same character which necessitates the rapid and easy opening and closing of an open air (or open top) space.

According to this invention, the length or, width of the panel 5 is inferior to that of ,panel 6, so that in the vertical folded position (as shown in chain-dotted lines at 5 and 6' in the figure) the roller 4 lies outside the guideway 3. The two panels may be interconnected by means of arms 9, 10 pivoted about the pin 7.

Also in accordance with the teachings of this invention a link rod 11 pivoted 0n the hatchway coaming by means of a pin 12 is provided. Of course, this pivot pinmay be positionedabove or below this point, or for example on the adjacent panelfi. When both panels 5, 6 are stowed vertically this link rod must be slightly inclined so as to have the tendency to tilt downwards, as shown in dotted lines at 11 in the figure.

At its opposite end this link rod 11 is pivoted on a pin 13 rigid with the panel 5. This pivotal connection may take place through the medium of an elongated hole or slot 14, or any other means permitting a variation in the distance between the axes of pins 12 and 13.

As the panel or rather the pivot pin 7 interconnecting the two panels describes a circular are about the pivot pin 8 by which the panel 6 is pivoted on the hatch-coaming (this are being designated by the letter A), and as on the other hand the link rod itself describes a circular are about its pivot pin 12 (this are being designated by the reference letter B), it is evident that some clearance or a certain degree of elongation must be provided for the link rod 11. This elongation is actually ensured by the slot 14, although any other adequate means may be contemplated to this end.

The dotted lines in the lower portion of the figure show the position of the panels 5, 6 when they close the hatchway. In this portion of the figure all similar parts are designated by the same reference numbers to which an index is added.

It is quite clear that the operation of the device described hereinabove is extremely simple. In fact, at the beginning, when the panels are in their open position 5, 6, that is, in the vertical position shown in dotted lines on the right-hand side of the figure, by simply slackening the control cable (not shown) which holds the panels in this position, the weight of the panel 5 will cause same to bear on the end 14' of link rod 11 and rotate in the direction of the arrow F. This rotation creates a lateral thrust promoting the opening of the compass legs consisting of the two panels 5', 6' and therefore permits the opening movement to take place under perfectly adequate conditions, without any jamming of the parts concerned.

The drawing shows in thick lines the relative position of the parts when the panel 5 or rather the roller 4 mounted thereon contacts the guideway 3. Of course, from this moment on no weight is supported by the link rod 11 and the movement continues under perfectly normal conditions until the panels attain their hatchway closing position at 5" and 6".

Although the example illustrated and described herein comprises two panel hingedly connected to each other and to the edge of the hatchway, the same arrangement may be used for operating panels of any other description and for any similar use, provided that a hinged connection is provided between a pair of adjacent panels and that the panels are to be stowed vertically.

Of course, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the single example shown and described herein, as many modifications may be brought thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a horizontal deck having an aperture, a closure assembly comprising first and second panels each having opposed edges, a stowage space for substantially vertically locating said panels when they are folded and occupy the aperture opening position, said first panel being hingedly secured at the first of its opposed edges to the edge of said stowage space adjacent said aperture, said second panel being hingedly secured at the first of its opposed edges to the said first panel at its second opposed edge and folding on the side of said first panel remote from said stowage space when in the vertical position, an elongated generally straight link bar positioned between said panels, means pivotally mounting one end of said link bar on said deck adjacent said first edge of said first panel, a lost motion connection consisting of interengaging slot and pin means pivotally connecting the opposite end of said link bar with said second panel in the vicinity of said first edge thereof, said second edge of said second panel being spaced above said deck to permit said panel to hang freely from said lost motion connecting means when the panels occupy the aperture opening position, said link means exerting a thrust upon said second panel in the direction away from said first panel during initial movement of said first panel from opening toward closing position thereof.

2. In a horizontal deck and the like having an aperture, a closure assembly, comprising first and second panels each having opposed edges, a stowage space for substantially vertically locating said panels when they are folded and occupy the aperture opening position, said first panel being hingedly secured at a first of its opposed edges to the edge of said stowage space adjacent said aperture, said second panel being hingedly secured at a first of its opposed edges to said first panel at its second opposed edge and folding on the side of said first panel remote from said stowage space when in the vertical position, an elongated, generally straight link bar positioned between said panels, means pivotally mounting one end of said link bar on said deck adjacent said first edge of said first panel, a pin fixed to said second panel and extending laterally therefrom adjacent its first edge, said link bar having a slot therein adjacent the upper end thereof which is elongated in the direction of its length, said pin extending into said slot and being slidable in the direction of length of said slot, said second end of said second panel being spaced above said deck when said panels are in their aperture opening position, said pin resting on the lower end of said slot and said link bar exerting a thrust upon said second panel in the direction away from said first panel during initial movement of said first panel from opening toward closing position thereof, said pin sliding in said slot from the lower end thereof when said panels are moved to their closing position.

3. Closure assembly according to claim 2, said deck having longitudinal guide means thereon, said second panel having roller means which engage said guide means operatively during movement of said panels between their opening and closing positions, said roller means being out of engagement with said guide means in the opening position of said panels and during initial movement thereof toward their closing position.

4. Closure assembly according to claim 3, said second panel being shorter than said first panel.

5. In a horizontal deck and the like having an aperture, a closure assembly comprising first and second panels each having opposed edges, a stowage space for substantially vertically locating said panels when they are folded and occupy the aperture opening position, said first panel being hingedly secured at a first of its opposed edges to the edge of said stowage space adjacent said aperture, said second panel being hingedly secured at a first of its opposed edges to said first panel at its second opposed edge and folding on the side of said first panel remote from said stowage space when in the vertical positlon, said second panel being shorter than said first panel, roller means mounted on the lower end of said second panel, longitudinal guide means on said deck, an elongated link bar positioned between said panels in the opening position thereof, means pivotally mounting one end of said link means on said deck forwardly of said first edge of said first panel, a pin fixed to said second panel adjacent its first edge and extending laterally, said link bar having a slot therein adjacent its upper end which is elongated in the direction of its length, said pin extending through said slot and being slidable therein, said second edge of said second panel being spaced above said deck and said roller means clearing said guide means when said panels are in their aperture opening position, said pin resting on the lower end of said slot and said link bar exerting a thrust upon said second panel in the direction away from said first panel during initial movement of said first panel from opening towards closing 3,045,746 5 6 position thereof, said roller means engaging said guide References Cited in the file of this patent means operatively during movement of said panels between their opening and closing positions, the distance UNITED STATES PATENTS between the lower pivot of said link bar and the lower 916,045 Skov et a1. Mar. 13, 1909 end of said slot being almost the same as the distance be- 5 2,484,286 Groppebl Oct. 11, 1949 tween the pivots of the respective hinges so as to permit ,573,181 Burr Oct. 30, 1951 movement of said panels to their closing position with 2,590,985 MacGregor Apr. 1, 1952 minimum play of said pin within said slot. 2,664,947 Aarvold J an. 5, 1954

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