US3238571A

US3238571A - Laterally movable door

Info

Publication number: US3238571A
Application number: US332735A
Authority: US
Inventors: John D Bailey; Robert R Bradham
Original assignee: Pullman Inc
Current assignee: Pullman Standard Inc; Pullman Inc
Priority date: 1963-12-23
Filing date: 1963-12-23
Publication date: 1966-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-08

Description

March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 23, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JOHN D BA/LEY ROBERT RBRA DHA M M EWWW ELL-.4.-

March 8, 1966 Filed Dec. 25, 1963 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN 0. BA lLEY ROBERT R BRA DHA M March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 23, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 E gTJ I INVENTORS JOH/VD. BAILEY ROBERT P. BRADHAM Q WM ,JZI WMW.

March 8, 1966 Filed Dec. 23, 1963 J. D. BAILEY ETAL LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR5 JOHN 0. BA lLE) ROBERT R. BRADHAM March 8, 1966 J. n. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 25, 1963 6 Sheet5-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. JOHN D. BA/LE) ROBERT R. BRA DHAM March 8, 1966 J. D. BAILEY ETAL 3,238,571

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed Dec. 25, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS ND. BAILEY OBERTR BRADHAM United States Patent 3,238,571 LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR John D. Bailey, Chicago, and Robert R. Bradham, Calumet City, Ill., assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,735 3 Claims. (CI. 20-23) The present invention relates to freight vehicle doors and more particularly to a new and improved lock and operating arrangement for freight vehicle doors of the type generally designated as plug doors which are laterally displaceable into and out of the vehicle door opening and movable longitudinally along the side wall of the freight vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a plug door with a new and improved latch arrangement for restraining the plug door against lateral displacement within the vehicle doorway.

It is a further object to provide a plug door having an operating means for laterally moving the door relative to the door opening with a slide bolt arrangement for locking the door within the doorway.

It is still a further object to provide a plug door having an operating means for laterally moving the door relative to the door opening with a slide bolt arrangement for locking the door within the door opening and with a latching arrangement which is common to both the lateral movement operating means and the slide bolt arrangement.

It is another object to provide a vehicle door with a slide bolt arrangement having a pair of horizontally disposed oppositely directed slide bolts, and having a common actuating mechanism for simultaneously actuating each of the pairs of the horizontally disposed slide bolts.

It is still another object to provide a vehicle door with a slide bolt arrangement having a pair of horizontally disposed slide bolts and a vertically disposed slide bolt and having a latching and actuating means common to said horizontal and vertical slide bolts for substantially simultaneous actuation thereby.

It is yet another object to provide a plug door embodying vertical rods which are eccentrically supported on the upper and lower ends and rotatably mounted on the car door with a slide bolt locking arrangement including a pair of horizontally disposed slide bolts and a vertically disposed slide bolt, and with a latching mechanism which is common to the rotatable rods and the slide bolt arrangement and which is operative to substantially simultaneously release the slide bolt arrangement and rota-table rods.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a side wall of a railway freight vehicle equipped with a plug door embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational View of the lower portion of the plug door showing in particular the slide bolt and operating mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the plug door showing in particular the latching and actuating mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the plug door taken generally along the lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the latching and actuating mechanism illustrated in FIG. 3 and showing some of the parts in cross section;

FIG.,6 is a side elevation view of the latching and actuating mechanism but showing the components thereof in the release position;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 2;

3,238,571 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional View taken generally along the lines 88 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portion of the plug door similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified structure attaching the horizontal slide bolts to the vertical slide bolt for simultaneous actuation therewith.

Referring now to the figures there is shown the side wall 10 of a railway box car of more or less standard construction including an angle section side sill 11, a channel section sub-side sill 12, a Z-section side plate 13, and outside sheathing 14. The side wall 10 includes a door opening 16 in which there is disposed a laterally displaceable and longitudinally movable door 17.

The door 17, as shown in particular in FIGS. 1 and 4, is of substantially rectangular contour sized to be disposed within the door opening 16 and may include top, bottom and side channel framing members 18. Fixed to the outer limbs 19 of the top, bottom and side channel members 18 is an outer metal facing plate 21. Along the top and bottom channel members 18 there is fixed to the respective inner limbs 22 thereof, Z-sectio-n channels 23. Sheathing 24 may be fixed to the inside of the door as by furring strips 26 which are suitably fixedly to the Z-frame members 23. A flexible sealing member 27 may be fixed along the inner limbs 28 of the Z-section channel members 23 to form a seal with the door framing.

The door framing may be formed by a Z-section header which is fixed t the side plate and extends between the side door posts (not shown) which may be similarly formed of a Z-section and secured at the top and bottom to the side sill 11 and the side plate 13. Extending between the door posts is fixed to the side sill a Z-member which is arranged to provide a threshold 31. The Z-section members forming the door posts, header 29 and threshold are each arranged to provide longitudinally extending vertical surfaces against which the flexible sealing member 27 is depressed in the closed and locked position of the door.

Extending longitudinally along the side wall 10 of the car over and to each side of the door opening 16 and fixed to the downwardly depending leg 32 of the side plate 13 is a door supporting track member 33. The door supporting track member 33 is of substantially C- shaped section including a lower horizontal limb 34 which serves as a track surface and a retainer lip 36 depending downwardly from the upper horizontal limb 37.

Extending longitudinally along the side sill 12 below the door opening 16 for substantially the same length as the upper track member is a lower trackway member 38. In the form shown the lower trackway member 38 includes a longitudinally extending bar 39 of substantially rectangular section which is fastened to the vertical leg of the side sill as by a plurality of lengthwise spaced brackets 41.

Turnably supported on the front face sheet 21 of the door 17 are lengthwise spaced vertical operating rods 42. The operating rods or shafts 42 are each turnably journaled in respective guide straps 43 fixed to the front of the door as shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 7. At the upper ends each of the operating shafts 42 has fixed thereto one end of a crankarm 44 of which the other end turnably receives a pivot pin 46. The pivot pin 46 is supported by the outwardly extending arm 47 of a door guide shoe 48 which is slidably supported within the upper track member 33.

The vertical operating shafts at the lower ends thereof each have fixed thereto a lower crank arm 49 of which the outer end is formed with an opening 51 which receives a pivot pin 52 fixed to an arm 53 projecting from the housing 54 of door guide roller assemblies 56.

The door guide roller assemblies each include the housing 54 which may be of substantially inverted U-shaped section. Rotatably supported within the housing 54 are a pair of wheels which ride on the upper surface of the rectangular bar 39. As shown, the vertical limbs of the housing depend below the periphery of the wheels and loosely embrace the sides of the rectangular guide bar 39 so that the wheel assemblies 56 are retained thereon.

Fixed-1y secured about each of the vertical operating rods 42, as shown, is a strap 59 between the clevis ends 61 of which there is fastened by means of a pivot pin 62 a vertically movable operating lever 63 for turning of the operating rods. Turning of the rods 42 causes the

crank arms

44 and 49 to be pivoted about the

pivot pins

46 and 52 carried by the slide head members 48 and the wheel assemblies 56 so that the door 17 is laterally displaced relative to the door opening 16 between a closed position and an open position. In this connection it is to be noted that the upper and

lower crank arms

44 and 49 are located so that the upper and lower edges of the door clear the same.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, and 6, in the locked and closed position of the door, the operating levers 63 are inclined slightly downwardly from the pivotal connection 59 on the operating rods 42 and the free ends thereof are retained captured within a latching and actuating mechanism 64. The latching and actuating mechanism 64 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6) includes generally a mounting member 66, an actuating member 67 and a gravity actuated latch 68.

The mounting member 66 includes a base portion 69 which is suitably fastened to the outer door facing as by bolts. Projecting outwardly from the base are laterally spaced vertical flanges 71-71 of which the upper ends of each are formed with open ended cut-outs or slots 72 which receive the respective free ends 73 of the operating levers 63. The upstanding or vertical flanges 71-71 are joined across their lower ends by a horizontal web 74 which defines with the flanges 71-71 and the base portion 69 an open end substantially rectangular guide 76.

Fixed between the flanges 71-71 is a pivot stud 77 which turn'ably supports the actuating member 67 for swinging movement in a plane normal to the side of the door 17. The member 67 includes a handle portion 78 and a bifurcated lower end 79-79 which is turnably supported on the pivot stud 77. The intermediate portion 81 of the actuating member 67 is flared outwardly along each side thereof so as to overlie the terminal or free ends 73 of the operating levers 63. Depending inwardly from the upper ends of the flared portion 81 so as to be spaced above the upper ends of the flanges 71-71 and overlying the operating lever receiving notches 72 in the latched position is a retaining flange 82 having an openend slot substantially in the center thereof and which is aligned with the rectangular guiding groove 76 formed in the lower end of the mounting member 66.

Projecting horizontally outwardly from the base 69 and through an opening 80 in the flared portion 81 of the member 67 is a latching ledge 83 which terminates at the outer edge in an upstanding lip 84. Coacting with the latching ledge 83 so as to prevent turning movement of member 67 about the pivot 77 is the gravity actuated latch 68 which may be generally triangularly shaped and which is pivotally attached at the apex thereof to the member 67 by a pin 86. In the latched position of the latch 68 the latch base 87, which may be formed with a horizontal web, overlies the ledge 83 with an opening 88 coaxially aligned with an opening 89 formed in the ledge 83. A suitable seal (not shown) may be inserted through the

openings

88 and 89 to hold the gravity latch 68 fixed over the ledge 83 and thereby prevent turning of the member 67.

To turn the member 67 and release the operating levers 63 the seal is broken and removed and the gravity latch 68 is then turned about the Pivot pin to an upwardly in- 4 clined position resting against a stop projection 91 formed on the handle 78. The member 67 is thus free to be turned about the pivot pin 77 The slide bolt arrangement 93 comprises generally a vertical slide bolt 94 and a pair of oppositely directed

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97. The vertical slide bolt may be made from a suitable bar stock and formed with an outwardly projecting lip 98 which is abuttable against a lower guiding strap 99 and serves as a stop. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the slide bolt 94 is guided for vertical movement into and out of a restraining strap or keeper 101 fixed to the side sill 12 by means of the guiding strap 99, an upper guiding strap 102 and the rectangular guide passage 76 of the mounting member 66.

The

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 may be similarly made from bar stock and each of the ends adjacent the door sides are provided with

heads

102 and 103 respectively which are movable into respective ones of restraining

straps

104 and 106 fixed along the sides of the door. Guide straps 107 fixed to the door 17 guide the

slide bolts

96 and 97.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 are connected at their respective inner ends by means of a pin 108 to an end of an arm 109 of an associated bell crank 110. Each of the bell cranks 110 is turnably supported on the side of the door 17 by a pivot pin 111. The other ends of the arms 112 of each of the bell cranks 110 overlap and are connected by a pivot pin common to both to the upper end of the vertical slide bolt 94. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the locked position of the vertical and

horizontal slide bolts

94, 96 and 97 the bell crank 110 is disposed such that arms 109 connected to the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 are slightly inclined toward the sides of the door and the arms 112 connected by the common pivot pin 113 to the vertical slide bolt 94 lie slightly inclined downwardly from the horizontal. Upon upward movement of the vertical slide bolt 94 to a release position free of the restraining strap or keeper 101, the bell cranks 110 are simultaneously rocked about the pivot pins 111 so that the arms 109 move inwardly toward each other. This inward movement of the bell crank arms causes a corresponding movement of the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 such that they are displaced from the associated restraining straps 104 and 106.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, simultaneous release and locking of the vertical and horizontal slide bolts is accomplished by a pin-slot arrangement. To this end the section 116 of the vertical slide bolt 94 between the upper guide strap 102 and the latch and actuating mechanism 64 may be formed with an enlarged section to provide projections 117-117 along the opposite sides thereof. Each of the projections are formed with camming slots 118-118 which receive pivot or cam follower pins 119-119 fixed to the respective inner ends of the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97. The camming slots 118-118 are constructed such that the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 are held in the locked position when the vertical slide bolt 94a is similarly positioned.

When the vertical slide bolt 94a is actuate-d upwardly the cam follower pins 119-119 on the respective ends of the

slide bolts

96 and 97 are moved inwardly from the upper vertical section of the slots 118-118 into the inwardly inclined section 121-121 causing a corresponding inward movement of the

slide bolts

96 and 97. Further upward movement of the vertical slide bolt 94a results in the cam pins seating within the lower vertical section 122 of the slot 118-118 in which position the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 are retained in the release position free of the restraining straps 104 and 106. Downward movement of the vertical slide bolt 9412 results in a reversal of the movement of the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97 to the door locked position shown.

In accordance with the present invention, the slide bolt arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 and FIG. 9 are each associated with the latching mechanism for actuation thereby. To this end, as shown particuarly in FIGS. 5 and 6, the length of the vertical slide bolt 94 which is encompassed within the guide passage 76 of the mounting member 66 is provided with a horizontal pin 124 which extends beyond the bifurcated legs 79 of the actuating member 67. The periphery of the bottom edge of each of the bifurcated legs 79 defines an idler surface 126. The idler surfaces 126 each terminate at one end in a shoulder 127 which serves to engage the pin 124 and move and retain the vertical slide bolt 94 downwardly into the restraining strap 101 when the handle 78 is turned upwardly to its latch position. The other ends of the idler surfaces are each formed with a second shoulder 128 which engages the pin 124 when the 'handle 78 is moved downwardly to lift the vertical slide bolt 94 out of the restraining strap 101.

As heretofore described, the movement of the vertical slide bolt 94 into and out of locking position also causes a corresponding movement of the

horizontal slide bolts

96 and 97. Hence, the movement of the latch handle 78 is employed to simultaneously release or latch each of the vertical and horizontal slide bolts.

When the actuating member 67 and the slide bolt 94 are in released position the operating levers 63 may be removed from the notches 72 and then turned outwardly from the door and toward the side edges thereof so as to rotate the turnable rods 42. Rotation of the turnable rods 42 causes the crank

arms

44 and 49 to be turned about the pivot pins 46 and 52 so that the door 17 is laterally displaced out of the door opening 16. The door 17 thus laterally displaced may be moved lengthwise along the

tracks

33 and 39 to one side of the door opening 16.

What is claimed is:

1. A door operating mechanism for a door movable outwardly to an open position from a closed position flush within a door opening and slidable lengthwise of said door opening when located outwardly of said door opening, said door operating mechanism comprising a rotatable upright shaft journal on said door, means on the ends of said upright shaft for moving said door outwardly of said opening upon rotation of said shaft, an operating lever connected at one end to said rotatable shaft for rotating said shaft, said operating lever being connected to said rotatable shaft about a pivot normal to the longitudinal axis of said rotatable shaft, a locking bolt, means guiding said locking bolt for movement in a vertical plane on said door between a locked and unlocked position with respect to a keeper means mounted adjacent said door opening, said guiding means including an open ended slot for receiving the other end of said operating lever when said door is in said closed position, an actuating member pivotally mounted on said guiding means for turning movement in a plane normal to said door from an upright position overlying said slot so as to retain said other end of said operating lever captured therein and to an unlatched position clear of said slot, said actuating member including shoulder means engageable with said locking bolt when said actuating member is turning from said upright position so as to move said locking bolt out of engagement with said keeper means to an unlocked position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said guiding means includes side flanges normal to said door and said open-ended slot is formed in said flanges, and wherein said actuating member includes a horizontal retaining flange which overlies said open end of said slot when said actuating member is in said upright position.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said guiding means includes a horizontal latching ledge projecting outwardly from said door, and wherein a gravity actuated latch is pivotally mounted on said actuating member for movement in a plane parallel to said door, said gravity actuated latch including a base overlying said horizontal ledge in the upright position of said actuating member to prevent turning of the latter in the upright position thereof.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1961 Beauchamp 20-23 6/ 1964 Soddy 20-23

Claims

1. A DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A DOOR MOVABLE OUTWARDLY TO AN OPEN POSITION FROM A CLOSED POSITION FLUSH WITHIN A DOOR OPENING AND SLIDABLE LENGTHWISE OF SAID DOOR OPENING WHEN LOCATED OUTWARDLY OF SAID DOOR OPENING, SAID DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM COMPRISING A ROTATABLE UPRIGTH SHAFT JOURNAL ON SAID DOOR, MEANS ON THE ENDS OF SAID UPRIGHT SHAFT FOR MOVING SAID DOOR OUTWARDLY OF SAID OPENING UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT, AN OPERATING LEVER CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, SAID OPERATING LEVER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID RORATABLE SHAFT ABOUT A PIVOT NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT, A LOCKING BOLT, MEANS GUIDING SAID LOCKING BOLT FOR MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE ON SAID DOOR BETWEEN A LOCKED AND UNCLOCKED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO A KEEPER MEANS MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID DOOR OPENING, SAID GUIDING MEANS INCLUDING AN OPEN ENDED SLOT FOR RECEIVING THE OTHER END OF SAID OPERATING LEVER WHEN SAID DOOR IS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION, AN ACTUATING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDING MEANS FOR TURNING MOVEMENT IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID DOOR FROM AN UPRIGHT POSITION OVERLYING SAID SLOT SO AS TO RETAIN SAID OTHER END OF SAID OPERATING LEVER CAPTURED THEREIN AND TO AN UNLATCHED POSITION CLEAR OF SAID SLOT, SAID ACTUATING MEMBER INCLUDING SHOULDER MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LOCKING BOLT WHEN SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IS TURNING FROM SAID UPRIGHT POSITION SO AS TO MOVE SAID LOCKING BOLT OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID KEEPER MEANS TO AN UNLOCKED POSITION.