US759485A - Safety-catch for elevator-doors. - Google Patents

Description

No. 759,485. PATBNTBD MAY 10,1904.

' G. F. STEVENS.

SAFETY CATCH FOR ELEVATOR DOORS;

APPLIUATION FILED AUG, 14, 1903. 4

N0 MODEL.

In vevzioen- C. Fifi'fe Mew-es v Patented May 10, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. STEVENS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-CATCH FOR ELEVATOR-DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,485, dated May 10, 1904:. Application filed August 14, 1903. :Serial No. 169,422. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. STEvnNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Safety-Catch for Elevator-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction for controlling the doors or gates which open into elevator-wells.

The especial object of this invention is to provide a strong, simple, and efliciont locking mechanism which will prevent an elevator door or gate from being opened or raised ex cept at a time when the elevator-car is opposite the landing.

To these ends this invention consists of the locking-catch and of the combinations of parts therewith, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, partly in scction,of suflicient parts of an elevator-car and an elevator-door to illus- ,trate the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the swinging latch forming part of the safety-catch constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof. Fig. 4; is a detail view illustrating the application of a safety-catch constructed according to this invention to an elevator-gate; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cam for operating the pivoted latch.

A large proportion of the accidents which happen in the use of passenger and freight elevators arise from persons attempting to entor the elevator-wells at times when the elevator-cars are not at the landing. Accidents of this kind are particularly liable to happen in the use of hotel or other elevators Where the elevator is permitted to be operated by a number of different people.

The especial object of my present invention is to prevent accidents of this class by providing simple and eflicient means for locking the elevator doors or gates, so that they cannot be opened except at such times as the elevator-car is standing directly or nearly opposite the door. To accomplish these objects, a

safety-catch for an elevator door or gate constructed according to this invention comprises a latch or swinging piece, which is pivotally mounted substantially at its lower inside cornor in such position that it will engage the door or gate and lock the same by gravity. Extending down from the swinging piece or latch is a spring-arm which is-preferably pro: vided with a small roller to be engaged by a cam or releasing plate which travels with the elevator-car. The lower end of the pivoted piece is preferably inclined or cut at an angle and is provided with a set-screw which acts as a stop to limit the swinging movement thereof. Extending from the latch or swinging piece is a guide strip or linger which is engaged by the leading edge of the door or gate to permit the same to close past the catch, so that the gate or door will not be locked in opened position.

Referring to the drawings for a detail description of an apparatus constructed according to my invention, A designates a portion of an ordinary elevator-car which may be operated by a plunger B or other connections. The elevator-car A, as herein illustrated, runs past a floor F, and the opening from the floor F into the elevator-well is normally closed by the door ID.

The safety catch or lock which I provide for cooperating with the door 1) comprises a hinge piece or casting 10, which may be fastened by screws to the floor F. Pivotally mounted on a pin 11 in cars extending up from the hinge-piece 10 is a swinging piece or latch 12. The pivot of the swinging piece or latch 12, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 3, is located substantially at the lower inner corner thereof, so that said latch or swinging piece will be turned by gravity to engage behind the door D, as illustrated in Fig. 1. A clearance permitting the latch or swinging piece 12 to turn is provided by beveling or cutting off the lower end thereof at an angle, illustrated in Fig. 3, and the motion of the swinging piece or latch 12 may be limited by a small set-screw 13. Fastened onto the swinging piece or latch 12 and extending down therefrom is a spring operating-arm 14., preferably having a roller 15 journalcd at its lower end. The elevator-car A is provided with an operating plate or cam 16, which may be fastened on a block 17 in position to cooperate with and turn the latch from its operative position when the elevator-car is opposite the landing.

In the use of an apparatus as thus constructed when the parts occupy their normal position as illustrated in Fig. 1, the swinging piece or latch 12 engages behind the edge of the door D and forms an efiicient lock for holding the door in its closed or normal position, except at a time when the car is opposite the landing, and by employing an operating-arm 1 1 of spring material the flexibility of said arm will permit a proper opera-- tion even when the operating plate or cam on the elevator-car is not set to an absolutely accurate position. In this construction also the operating-arm 14 will engage the hinge-piece 10 to limit the motion of the swinging piece or latch 12, so that the center of gravity thereof can never be thrown to the opposite side of its pivot.

In order to prevent the safety device from interfering with the shutting or closing of the elevator-door, even when the elevator-car is not at the landing, the swinging piece or latch 12 is provided with a curved releasingplate 18, which will permit the, leading edge of the door to turn the latch out of the way when the door is to be closed.

Whena safety-catch constructed according to this invention is to be employed for controlling an elevator-gate, the parts may be arranged as illustrated in Fig. 4:. As shown in this figure, the swinging piece 12 is provided with a detent or tooth 19, which will engage with and cooperate with an inwardlyprojecting tooth 21, carried by the gate G, and extending up from the pivoted piece 12 I may employ a curved plate 20 for permitting the gate to be closed.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made by those who are skilled in the art in applying my safety-catches to different elevator constructions. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the forms I have herein shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. As an article of manufacture, asafetycatch for elevator doors or gates comprising a hinge-piece located at the edge of a floor or landing with a catch-plate pivoted substantially at one corner thereof in the hinge-piece, the pivotal point of the catch-plate being located so that said catch-plate will normally turn by gravity to engage the elevator-door, and a light releasing-arm extending from the catch-plate to the other side of the pivot thereof in position to be engaged and operated by the elevator-car, and also serving by engagement with the hinge piece to limit the extent to which the catch-plate can be turned, said parts being combined to form a gravity-operated lock for an elevator-door, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a safetycatch for elevator doors or gates, comprising a hinge-piece, a swinging piece pivoted substantially at one of its corners in the hingepiece, a spring-releasing plate extending from the swinging piece, said parts being combined so that the center of gravity of the swinging piece will be kept at one side of its pivot.

3. As an article of manufacture, a safetycatch for elevator doors or gates, comprising a hinge-piece, a swinging plate pivoted substantially at one corner in the hinge-piece, a releasing-arm extending from the swinging plate in position to be engaged by an elevator door or gate to permit the same to be closed, a spring operating-arm extending down from the swinging plate and having a roller at its lower end and adapted to yield to permit the parts to operate when inaccurately adjusted and a set-screw for limiting the normal position of the swinging plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. STEVENS.

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