US3816965A

US3816965A - Door actuating mechanism for laterally movable and slidable door

Info

Publication number: US3816965A
Application number: US00389931A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Nagy
Original assignee: Pullman Inc
Current assignee: Pullman Standard Inc; Pullman Inc
Priority date: 1973-08-20
Filing date: 1973-08-20
Publication date: 1974-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-18

Abstract

A laterally movable and slidable door is provided with an actuating mechanism for sequentially unlocking the door with respect to a door opening and then moving the door laterally outwardly whereupon it may be moved in slidable fashion to one side of the door opening. The mechanism includes an improved clutch arrangement which upon selection by the operator will engage a power assist device including a cable and pulley arrangement anchored to the door frame which will upon the actuation of the mechanism move the door sideways in sliding relation with respect to the door opening.

Description

United States Patent [191 [111 3,816,965 Nagy [4 June 18, 1974 DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR 3,714,735 2/1973 Owen 49/280 x LATERALLY MOVABLE AND SLIDABLE 3,750,335 8/1973 Marsh 49/220 DOOR Inventor: Ernest J. Nagy, Munster, Ind.

Assigneez Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 111. Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 Appl. No: 389,931

US. Cl 49/220, 49/281 Int. Cl E05d 15/10 Field of Search 49/220, 2162l9,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hilmond O. Vogel ABSTRACT A laterally movable and slidable door is provided with an actuating mechanism for sequentially unlocking the door with respect to a door opening and then moving the door laterally outwardly whereupon it may be moved in slidable fashion to one side of the door opening. The mechanism includes an improved clutch arrangement which upon selection by the operator will engage a power assist device including a cable and pulley arrangement anchored to the door frame which will upon the actuation of the mechanism move the door sideways in sliding relation with respect to the door opening.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJun 1 a 1914 SHEU 2 BF 4 IOI F IG.3

DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LATERALLY MOVABLE AND SLIDABLE DOOR The present application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,335 issued Aug. 7, 1973, Ser. No. 389,932 filed Aug. 20, 1973, and Ser. No. 389,933 filed Aug. 20, 1973, all assigned to the same assignee.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to railway car doors of the plug and sliding type which are usually utilized in connection with railway box cars.

2. Description of the Prior Art The type of plug sliding door to which the present invention pertains is similar to the structure shown in Nagy U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,153 patented Apr. 4, 1972. Patents disclosing power assist devices for moving doors between positions to one side of a railway box car door opening are as follows:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an improved actuating mechanism for a plug sliding door which permits the door to be either locked or unlocked with respect to a door opening and then moved laterally relative to said door opening. Further, the invention pertains to the improvement of a cone type clutching arrangement which is manually operable and shiftable into engagement with a force multiplying power assist device adapted with the actuating mechanism to be moved so that the door is easily moved between positions to one side of the door opening and into the said door opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a box car side showing a plug type sliding door disposed in a door opening;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of an actuating mechanism and power assist mechanism for a plug door;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 disclosing another operating position of the mechanism.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, a railway car side 10 includes a side wall 11 provided with a rectangular door opening 12. The door opening 12 is provided with a frame comprising vertical door posts 13 connected at their upper ends to a conventional top plate structure 14. The top plate structure 14 includes a top wall 15 and a downwardly extending wall portion 16. The lower portion of the door opening is provided with a lower side wall and frame structure 17 which supports a track 18 immediately above a side sill 19.

A railway car door of the plug and sliding type is designated at 20 and includes door sheathing 21. The door further is formed of upper frame members 22 connectedto side frame members 23 and a lower horizontal frame member 25. The door 20 is suitably supported on

lower roller brackets

26 and 27 which are of conventional construction and are slidingly supported on the track 18. An adjustable swivel structure 28 is sup ported on the roller 26 and is suitably connected to the lower left end of the door 20 as best shown in FIG. 1. The upper left end of the door 20 is provided with an upper swivel bracket 29 which supports a roller 30 ml lable within the top plate structure 14. As best shown in FIG. 1, the right hand side of the door is provided with a rotatable pipe 31 which is conventional in doors of this type. The pipe 3] is provided at its lower end with a rod extension 32 to which a conventional crank arm 33 is supported and which is suitably connected to the roller bracket 27. An upper rod extension 34 connected to the rotatable pipe 31 is also provided as in conventional fashion with a crank arm 35 in turn having connected thereto a roller 36 also rollable within the top plate structure 14. One or more pivot brackets 37 suitably connect the pipe 31 to the door 20.

The door 20 is also provided with a horizontal locking bolt 38 which may be engageable with the frame structure of one of the vertical door posts 13 to securely lock the door in closed position. A vertical locking bolt 39 also is provided and is adapted to engage the lower side wall and frame structure 17 to further positively secure the door 20 in closed position relative to the door opening.

A door actuating mechanism is generally designated by the reference character 40 and includes a cylindrical sheet metal housing 41. The housing 41 comprises a front plate 42, a rear plate 43, suitably interconnected by a circular wall 44. As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the housing structure 40 encloses

cams

45 and 46. The

cams

45 and 46 and the mechanism disclosed therein are further more specifically described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,335. The cam 45 is rotatably supported by means of a pivot pin 47 on

bearings

48 and 49 respectively positioned on the

plates

42 and 43 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A pivot screw 50 connects one side of the cam 45 to the vertical locking bolt 39. Similarly, a pivot screw 51 connects another portion of the cam 45 to the horizontal locking bolt 38. The cam 45 is further provided with a cam slot 52. The cam 46 is pivoted on a pivot pin 53, as best shown in FIG. 5, which is supported in

bearings

54 and 55 provided in the

plates

42 and 43. A pivot 56 is connected to one portion of the cam 46 and to a link 57 forming part of an adjustable linkage assembly generally designated at 58. The linkage assembly 58 is connected to a clevis bracket 59 by means of a pivot pin 60, the said bracket 59 being secured to the rotatable pipe 31 whereupon linear movement of the linkage assembly 58 the said pipe is rotated, in turn pivoting the

crank arms

33 and 35. The cam 46 is also provided with a cam slot 61. A shaft 62 is rotatably supported on the

plates

42 and 43, as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The

shaft 62 is supported on a bearing 63 which is provided with a cylindrical projection 64. The projection 64, in turn, is supported on a bearing 65 in turn, secured in an opening 66 in plate 42. The shaft 62 is also provided with a transverse bore 67 through which a pin 68 extends. A spacer 69 which is mounted on a cylindrical projection 64 also includes openings 70 through which the pin 68 extends. The shaft further is provided with a threaded extension 71 which is threaded into a threaded collar 72. A hand wheel 73 includes a hub 74 which also has vertically aligned bores 75 within which the ends of the pin 68 are disposed. The hub 74 is also provided with a circumferential flange 76 which engages and confines a circumferential flange 77 of the collar 72. A shifting lever 78 is rigidly connected to the collar 72 for rotating the same independently and relative to the pin 68 and associated structure.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a camming member 79 includes a hub 80 which has an internal frustoconical clutching surface 81. The hub 80 is connected to an arm 82 having a cam element 83 positioned thereon. The cam element 83 is adapted to sequentially engage the

slots

52 and 61 for sequentially

operating cams

45 and 46. The hub 80 is free to rotate independently of the bearing 63 which in turn is connected to the shaft 62 by means of the hub 74, spacer 69 and pin 68. The shaft 62 is provided with enlarged frustoconical clutching faces 84 and 85. The face 84 is adapted to be engaged with the conical clutching surface 81 and the face 85 is adapted to engage the internal frusto-conical clutching surface 86. The frustoconical clutching surface 86 is provided within a hub 87. The hub 87 also includes a cylindrical flange portion 89 within which a shaft section 88 of the shaft 62 is journaled. A bearing flange 89 is in turn journaled on a bearing 90 suitably supported on the plate 43. The hub 87 comprises a part of a sprocket 91 to which a chain 92 is attached.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the chain 92 extends about a sprocket 93 which is connected to rotate a drum 99 suitably rotated on a shaft 100 provided on a bracket structure 101 suitably supported on the sheathing 21. The drum 99 and associated structure is enclosed within a housing 102 as indicated in FIG. 1. A cable 103 is wound about the drum and in turn extends around a pair of pulleys 104 suitably supported on a bracket structure 105 for rotating movement by means of a shaft 106 supported on the bracket structure 105. The cable 103 is provided with ends sections 107 the same as indicated in FIG. 1 leading to the left and being suitably connected to an adjustable spring loaded anchoring member 109 suitably supported on a bracket 110 mounted on the top plate structure 14. The cable 103 is also provided with another end 108 which as shown in FIG. 1 extends from the pulleys 104 to the right, in turn also being connected to an adjustable spring loaded anchoring member 109, in turn supported on a bracket 110 of the top plate structure 14.

THE OPERATION The door in FIG. 1 is shown in the closed position in the opening of a railway car wherein the

bolts

38 and 39 are in locking engagement with the foor frame. The position of the actuating mechanisms, as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5, also shows the mechanism wherein the locking bolts are in the closed position. Assuming now that the operator wishes to open the door, he rotates the hand wheel 73 in a counter-clockwise direction. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the camming element 83 is disposed within the slot 52 of the cam 45. Also, as particularly shown in FIG. 5, the cone faced clutching face 84 is in engagement with the conical clutching surface 81 of the hub 80 so that upon counterclockwise rotation of the hand wheel 73 the camming element 83 is moved downwardly in the slot 52 whereupon the cam 45 is pivoted about the pivot 47 in a clockwise direction which moves the locking bolt 39 vertically upwardly and the locking bolt 38 horizontally to the left as shown in FIG. 4 thereby withdrawing the locking bolts from the door frame. Continued movement of the cam element 83 in a counterclockwise direction provides for engagement of the same within the slot 61 of the cam 46. The cam 46 is thereupon moved in a clockwise direction moving the link 57 and linkage mechanism 58 to rotate the pipe 31 in turn moving the crank arms 35 thereby in conventional fashion moving the right hand side of the door outwardly of the door frame. The door is now in position to be moved along the track to the right to one side of the door opening in conventional fashion.

Because of the weight of the door, the power assist mechanism is provided so that the operator can move the door very easily to one side of the door opening. In order to achieve this function, the operator now moves the shifting lever 78, from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6. By rotating the collar 72 with respect to the threaded extension 71, the shaft 62 is moved axially to the position shown in FIG. 6 wherein the clutching face 84 is no longer in clutching engagement with the clutching surface 81, but instead, the clutching face 85 now is in clutching engagement with the clutching surface 86, as shown in FIG. 6. The shaft 62 is movable axially by virtue of the clearance provided between the transverse bore 67 and the pin 68. The operator now simply moves the hand wheel 73 in a clockwise direction whereupon the cable 103 by virtue of the winding action of the drum 99 causes the door to be moved to the right shortening the section of the cable 108. The drum and cable arrangement, of course, provides the force multiplying function so that the door may be easily moved to the desired position.

To again place the door in a closing position, the hand wheel is moved in aa counter-clockwise direction thereby moving the door again to the left adjacent to the door opening. When it is in the proper position, the lever 78 is again moved to the position shown in FIG. 5 wherein the shaft 62 is again moved to the position indicated in FIG. 5 and the reverse operation of the pipe and crank arrangement is effective to place the door in closed position and the locking bolts then are moved sequentially into locking engagement with the door frame.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle door movable laterally from a door frame and door opening and slidable to an open position to one side of said opening, a pipe rotatably connected to said door, crank arms on said pipe connected to said door frame to provide for said lateral movement, locking bolt means slidably connected to said door and movable into and out of locking relation relative to said door frame, the improvement comprising;

a door operating means including a shaft rotatably supported on said door,

hand operable means on said shaft for rotating the same,

rotatable actuating means associated with said shaft movably mounted on said door,

first linkage means connected to said actuating means and to said pipe for rotating the same in response to said actuating means,

second linkage means connected to said bolt means and to said actuating means for sliding said bolt means,

a mechanism for moving said door to one side of said opening including a tension member anchored on said frame on opposite sides of said opening,

a rotatable member connected to said tension member and said door whereupon rotation of said rotatable member said door is moved between open and closed positions,

first clutch engeable means on said rotatable memher,

second clutch engageable means on said actuating means,

a clutch element on said shaft, said shaft being shiftable axially,

and second hand operable means connected to said shaft,

said second hand operable means being rotatable independently of said shaft whereby said clutch element is moved axially and sequentially between engaging positions relative to said first and second clutch engageable means thus sequentially provid ing for rotation of said rotatable member and said rotatable actuating means.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

wherein said second hand operable means includes a second rotatable member pivotally connected to said shaft.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2,

said second rotatable member being movable in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions to provide for sequential engagement of said clutch element.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3,

said clutch element having axially spaced cone shaped engaging surfaces,

and said first and second clutch engageable means each including an engageable surface complemental to said cone shaped engaging surfaces.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4,

said second rotatable member having a threaded bore,

and said shaft including a threaded follower engaged in said threaded bore.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5,

said follower being fixed against rotation relative to said first hand operable means.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said rotatable actuating means comprising a first rotatable cam,

a second rotatable cam,

camming means sequentially engageable with said first and second rotatable cams for rotating the same,

said camming means having said second clutch engageable means provided thereon.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7,

said first linkage means being connected to one of said cams, and

said second linkage means being connected to the other of said cams.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8,

said first and second cams being laterally spaced relative to one another,

each cam having a camming notch,

and said camming means including a cam element movable into said notches in sequence during rotation.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 9,

said camming means on said shaft being disposed between said cam elements.

Claims

1. A vehicle door movable laterally from a door frame and door opening and slidable to an open position to one side of said opening, a pipe rotatably connected to said door, crank arms on said pipe connected to said door frame to provide for said lateral movement, locking bolt means slidably connected to said door and movable into and out of locking relation relative to said door frame, the improvement comprising; a door operating means including a shaft rotatably supported on said door, hand operable means on said shaft for rotating the same, rotatable actuating means associated with said shaft movably mounted on said door, first linkage means connected to said actuating means and to said pipe for rotating the same in response to said actuating means, second linkage means connected to said bolt means and to said actuating means for sliding said bolt means, a mechanism for moving said door to one side of said opening including a tension member anchored on said frame on opposite sides of said opening, a rotatable member connected to said tension member and said door whereupon rotation of said rotatable member said door is moved between open and closed positions, first clutch engeable means on said rotatable member, second clutch engageable means on said actuating means, a clutch element on said shaft, said shaft being shiftable axially, and second hand operable means connected to said shaft, said second hand operable means being rotatable independently of said shaft whereby said clutch element is moved axially and sequentially between engaging positions relative to said first and second clutch engageable means thus sequentially providing for rotation of said rotatable member and said rotatable actuating means.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second hand operable means includes a second rotatable member pivotally connected to said shaft.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said second rotatable member being movable in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions to provide for sequential engagement of said clutch element.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3, said clutch element having axially spaced cone shaped engaging surfaces, and said first and second clutch engageable means each including an engageable surface complementAl to said cone shaped engaging surfaces.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said second rotatable member having a threaded bore, and said shaft including a threaded follower engaged in said threaded bore.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5, said follower being fixed against rotation relative to said first hand operable means.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said rotatable actuating means comprising a first rotatable cam, a second rotatable cam, camming means sequentially engageable with said first and second rotatable cams for rotating the same, said camming means having said second clutch engageable means provided thereon.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said first linkage means being connected to one of said cams, and said second linkage means being connected to the other of said cams.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said first and second cams being laterally spaced relative to one another, each cam having a camming notch, and said camming means including a cam element movable into said notches in sequence during rotation.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 9, said camming means on said shaft being disposed between said cam elements.