US3187685A - Hopper door locking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1965 w. L. FLOEHR 3,187,685

HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WAL TE]? L. FLOEHR BY 4; ATTORNEY J1me 1955 w. L. FLOEHR 3,187,685

HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR WALTER L. FLOEHR ,4,- ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,187,685 HQPPER D0012 LOCKZNG MECHANISM Walter L. Floehr, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Unitcast Corporation, Toledo, Uhio, a'corporation of Ohio Filed May 4, 1960, Ser. No. 26,747 6 Claims. (Cl. 105-253) This invention relates to mechanisms for locking doors of railway hopper cars.

Hopper door locking mechanisms are of two general types, one in which the operating parts are hopper mounted and the other in which those parts are mounted on the door. For mechanisms of the first type, the main problem is to ensure that they are contained within equipment limit lines. However, with the second type of mechanism there is the further problem that if the operator is careless he may well be speared by the bar or lever used to actuate the mechanism as the door swings open under the force of gravity. This force being considerable in any case due to the weight of the door, and much greater if the door is backed by lading, any spearing can be serious and even fatal. It is primarily to the solution of this problem in this second type of mechanism that the present invention is directed.

It therefore is the primary object of the present invention to provide a hopper door locking mechanism of the type having its operating parts door-mounted, wherein the operating head is of such arrangement and construction and so limited in its rotation as to inhibit injury to the operator by the actuating bar as the door swings to open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a door locking mechanism wherein the socket in the operating head receiving the actuating bar is so disposed as to permit ready insertion and manipulation of the bar without danger to the operator as the door swings open.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an operating head of the character described which serves, as well, as a journal for the operating shaft and handle for the door.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a hopper door to which has been applied a preferred embodiment of the mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 1, showing the latch of the mechanism in locking position;

FIGURE 4 is a view on the section of FIGURE 3,

showing the latch in releasing position;

' FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the operating head and attached portion of the operating shaft; and

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the operating head.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved door locking mechanism of the present invention is adapted to have its operating parts mounted on a hopper door or" a railway hopper car and, like the mechanism of my copending application Ser. No. 833,821, filed August 14, 1959, now Patent No. 3,139,042, dated June 30, 1964 is designed to have the associated actuating bar swung toward rather than away from the door in unlocking the latter.

Typically, the illustrated hopper door 1 is a drop-botnow Patent No. 3,127,853, dated April 7, 1964. It thus tom door, which is hinged at the top to a door frame 2 fixed to a hopper 3 and defining a hopper opening 4. Adapted to abut against the frame 2 and close the opening 4 in locked position, the door 1, on being unlocked, swings by gravity downwardly and outwardly about its hinge 5 to clear the opening 4 for discharge of lading. i

For locking the door 1 in closed position, there is here employed a locking mechanism 6, characterized by the door-mounting of its operating parts and the outward swinging of its actuating rod, bar or lever 7 on unlocking the door. Illustrated in detail in my Patent No. 3,139,042, the exemplary locking mechanism 6 has a housed keeper or catch 8 mounted on the floor sheet 9 of the hopper 3 and, as its operating parts, a latch 10 and associated structure mounted on the door 1.

The illustrated latch 10 projects through the door 1 and, exteriorly thereof, is swingably or pivotally mounted on a crank pin 11 of a crank 12, which may be either a single or a double crank depending on whetherthe locking mechanism 6 is to be adapted for operation from one or, as here, both sides of the door. Limited in swinging relative to the crank pin 11 by cooperating shoulders 13 and 14 on its hub 15 and the crank arm or arms 16, respectively, the latch 10 is adapted to pull the door 1 from a preliminary hold position to the closed position shown in FIG. 3 and, on rotation of the crank 12 clockwise as viewed in that figure, to move or swing to the'release position shown in FIG. 4 at which the door is free to swing open.

The latch 10 is substantially centered laterally on the door 1 to equalize the distribution of the locking force and the crank 12 by which the latch is swung is suitably journaled for rotation about an axis parallel to the hinging axis of the door in bearings 17 straddling the latch. Conveniently, the bearings 17 are fixed, as by welding, to an angle iron or bracket 18 extending along the outer face 19 of the door substantially parallel to the latters lower or bottom edge 29. The bracket 18 also serves to mount, adjacent the inclined outer edge 21 of the door, an outer bearing 22, which, with the adjacent bearing 17 of the pair straddling the latch 10, mounts or journals an operating shaft 23 for rotation about an axis concentric with the axis of the crank 12. Fixed or otherwise driva-bly connected at its inner end to the crank 12, the operating shaft 23 has its outer end fixed or secured to a preferred form of the operating head or capstan 24 of this invention.

Designed to be made as a casting, the preferred operating head 24 has as or on its inner end portion a cylindrical boss or trunnion 25 having an axial or central bore 26 in which is received, seated or socketed the outer end of the operating shaft 23. The head 24 is fixed to or made rigid with the shaft 23, conveniently by welds 27 laid in spaced recesses 28 in the inner end of the boss 25. The boss 25 on the head 24 not only seats the outer end of the operating shaft 23 but is itself rotatably seated in the outer bearing and so serves as the journal for the shaft in that hearing.

Releasably lockable by suitable means in the rotative position it occupies in the locked condition or position of the locking mechanism 6 so as to prevent accidental unlocking of the latter, the illustrated opera-ting head 24 is suited for the particular locking arrangement of my c0- pending application Ser. No. 853,871, filed Nov. 18, 1959,

has a slot or aperture 2%, intermediate its ends, extending radially or transversely through its central or body The operating head 24 is designed to removably receive,

seat or socket the actuating bar or lever 7 used to provide the leverage needed to facilitate operation of the locking mechanism. For this purpose,-the operating head 24 of this invention has as or on its outer end portion an integral sleeve, tube or tubular extension or projection 31, confining or having an. outwardly'openiug, preferably cylindrical socket or recess 32 for socketing, receiving or seating the actuating bar. Required in any case to be angularly related to the common rotative axis of the operating shaftg 23 and head 24, inorder for leverage to be applied through the actuating bar, the bar-receiving socket 32 and the sleeve 31 containing it are oblique to that axis.

The particular inclination and disposition of the socket 32 and its sleeve 51 are such that, in the release position of the latch shown in FIG. 4 and of the mechanism as a whole shown in FIG. 2, their axis lies in a plane substantially parallel to the outer face 19 of the door 1 with the socket opening upwardly. Swinging or rotating inwardly from that plane toward the keeper 8 in locking the latch 10 and, altogether, swinging or moving in an arc of less than 180 between the locked and release positions of the latch, the sleeve '31 not only need not swing outwardly beyond that plane but is positively prevented from so doing by stop means inithe mechanism, here the crank 12 and the confronting outer face 33 of the 7 bracket 18 which the crank is adapted to engage on further rotation immediately beyond the position shown in FIG. 4. With the sleeve 31 so limited in its outward swing, the actuating bar 7 will correspondingly be contained in its swing by a plane substantially paralleling the outer face 19 of the door 11 and passing through the rotative axis of the operating shaft 23 and head 24. Con sequently it is impossible for the actuating bar 7 to have any substantial outward inclination relative to the face. 19 of the door 1 and any chance that an operator will be speared by the'bar as thedoor swings open is effectively eliminated.

Although the extent of its projection is well within equipment limit lines imposed by the A.A.R., the preferred sleeve 31 does project beyond the outer edge 21 of the door 1. Thus, the sleeve serves not only to socket the actuating bar 7 but as a convenient handle for an operator to swing the door shut. Additionally, the included oblique angle between the axis of the sleeve 31 and rotative axis of the operating head 24 is sufficiently greater. than that between the outer and bot-tom edges 2-1 and 20 of the door to ensure adequate clearance for manipulation between the outer portion of the actuating bar and the adjoining side of the hopper 3, as well as the door and its frame 2 during actuation of the mechanism. From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved hopper door locking mechanism, which, among its other attributes, effectively prevents an operator from being injured by t e actuating bar as the door is swung open. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included'which do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

- Having described my invention, I claim: '1. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating'said latch, the combination of an operating head [fixed to said shaft and having an actuating bar-receiving socket oblique to the rotative axis thereof, said socket in a release position of said latch having its axis'in a plane substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane .toward said keeper in locking said mechanism, and means operative on unlocking of said mechanism for preventing said socket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond said plane. 2. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door i closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating said latch, the combination of an operating head fixed to said shaft and having an actuating bar-receiving socket oblique to the rotative axis thereof, said socket in a release position of said latch having its axis in a plane containing said rotative axis and substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in locking said mechanism, and means operative on unlocking of said mechanism for preventing said socket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond said plane while permitting inward swinging thereof.

3. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latchengageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating said latch, the combination of an operating head fixed to said shaft, a cylindrical boss on an inner end portion of said head and having an axial bore receiving an outer end portion of said shaft, bearing means on said door journaling said boss and therethrough said outer end portion of said shaft, a socket in an outer end portion and oblique to a rotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position of said latch opening upwardly with its axis in a plane substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in looking said mechanism, and means operative on unlockiing of said mechanism for preventing said socket from swinging outwardly substantially beyond said plane while permitting inward swinging thereof. 7 4. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating said latch, the combination of an operating head fixed to said shaft and projecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeve forming an outer end portion of said head and having an outwardly opening socket, said sleeve and socket having a common axis oblique to a rotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position ,of said mechanism having said common axis in a plane substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in locking said mechanism, and stop means for preventing outward swinging of said socket substantially beyond said plane, said sleeve projecting beyond an outer edge of said door and serving as a handle for swinging said door toward closed position.

5. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closed position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for operating said latch, the combination of an operating head fixed to said shaft and projecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeve forming an outer end portion of said head and having an outwardly opening socket, said sleeve and socket having a common axis oblique to a rotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position of said mechanism having said common axis in a plane containing said rotative axis and substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in locking said mechanism, and crank means interposed between said operating shaft and latch and engageable with means fixed to said door forpreventing outwardswinging of said socket substantially beyond said plane while permitting inward swinging thereof.

6. In a hopper door locking mechanism having a hopper-mounted keeper, a door-mounted latch engageable with the keeper for locking a hinged hopper door in closed,

position, and a shaft rotatably mounted on said door for head fixed to said shaft and projecting beyond a side of said door, a sleeve forming an outer end portion of said head and having an outwardly opening socket, said sleeve and socket having a common axis oblique to a rotative axis of said head, said socket in a release position of said mechanism opening upwardly and having said common axis in a plane containing said rota'tive axis and substantially parallel to an outer face of said door and being swingable inwardly from said plane toward said keeper in looking said mechanism, and crank means interposed between said operating shaft and latch and engageable With means fixed to said door for preventing outward swinging of said socket substantially beyond said plane while permitting inward swinging thereof, said sleeve projeoting beyond an outer edge of said door and serving as a handle for swinging said door toward closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,482,516 9/49 Sheesley 105-308 2,638,062 5/53 Zimmer 105308 2,915,022 12/59 Dorey -105 30s 2,962,982 12/60 Wine 105- 30s 10 2,962,983 12/60 Ingram 612 ai 105--308 LEO QUAOKENBUSH, Primary Examiner.

JAMES S. SHANK, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A HOPPER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM HAVING A HOPPER-MOUNTED KEEPER, A DOOR-MOUNTED LATCH ENGAGEABLE WITH THE KEEPER FOR LOCKING A HINGED HOPPER DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION, AND A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR FOR OPERATING SAID LATCH, THE COMBINATION OF AN OPERATING HEAD FIXED TO SAID SHAFT AND HAVING AN ACTUATING BAR-RECEIVING SOCKET OBLIQUE TO THE ROTATIVE AXIS THEREOF, SAID SOCKET IN A RELEASE POSITION OF SAID LATCH HAVING ITS AXIS IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AN OUTER FACE OF SAID DOOR AND BEING SWINGABLE INWARDLY FROM SAID PLANE TOWARD SAID KEEPER IN LOCKING SAID MECHANISM, AND MEANS OPERATIVE ON UNLOCKING OF SAID MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING SOCKET FROM SWINGING OUTWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND SAID PLANE.

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