GB1580382A - Door operating mechnaism - Google Patents

Description

(54) A DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM (71) We, BRITISH LEYLAND UK LIM ITED, a British Company of Leyland House, 174 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5AA, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a door operating mechanism.

Typically such a mechanism is used in a public service passenger vehicle to enable a pair of doors to be operated under the remote control of the vehicle driver.

The present invention provides a door operating mechanism which comprises: a tiller for attachment to the door, the tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the door being open and a second position corresponding to the door being closed; an operating arm; a link pivotally connected to the operating arm and to the tiller; a motor for rotating the operating arm between a first position in which the tiller is in the first position and a second position in which the tiller arm is in the second position; a latch for engaging the tiller in the second position; power operated means for moving the latch into engagement with the tiller in the second position; and resilient loading means for urging the latch out of engagement with the tiller in the second position with such a force that the latch remains in engagement with the tiller when the power operated means is operative but is urged clear of the tiller when the power operated means is not operative.

The door operating mechanism of the invention thus has a safety lock in that the resilient means ensures that the tiller will not be held by the latch in the event of power failure. The door can then be opened, for example, manually.

Advantageously, there is provided a further tiller for operating a further door the further tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the further door being open and a second position corresponding to the further door being closed; a further operating arm rotatable by the motor; a further link pivotally connected to the further operating arm and to the further tiller; the arrangement being such that the further tiller is in its first and second positions when the first-mentioned tiller is in its first and second positions, respectively.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a plan view from above of a coach door gear.

The coach has a door aperture 11 in which are mounted co-operating doors, 12, 13. The top of the aperture is closed by panel 10 on which the door gear is mounted.

Items in connection with door 12 will now be particularised. The corresponding items for door 13 are identified by reference numerals in parenthesis.

Door 12 (13) has a rotatable door post 14 (15) extending upwardly through panel 10. The door post 14 (15) is rotatable to move the door 12 (13) between open and closed positions. At the top of door post 14 (15) is a tiller 16 (17) whose end remote from the door post is pivotably coupled to one end of a link 18 (19). The other end of link 18 (19) is pivotably coupled to an operating arm 20 having a central pivot 20A. The arm 20 is rotatable by a motor 21. The arm 20 carries cams 22, 23 which act on one or other of switches 24, 25, 26.

The tiller 16 is capable of pivotal displacement to rotate the door 12 between a first position in which the door is open and a second position in which the door is closed. The tiller 16 in its second position (with the door 12 in the closed position) is engageable by a latch 27. This latch is attached by pivot 28 to anchorage 29. Solenoid 30 has a connecting rod 31 coupled to latch 27 by a pivot 32 to which is also attached one end of a tension spring 33.

The other end of spring 33 is mounted on anchorage 29.

When the doors 12 (13) are in the closed position the solenoid is energised and the connecting rod 31 is pulled in to draw the latch 27 into the engaged position which is held in that position as long as the solenoid remains energised. On opening the doors 12 (13) the solenoid becomes de-energised and the spring 33 exerts sufficient force to draw latch 27 into the released position W.

In the event of a power failure with the doors closed, the solenoid becomes deenergised and latch 27 will be drawn into the released position W by the spring 33 but the doors 12 (13) will continue to be held closed by the action of the operating arm 20 on the tiller 16 (17) by way of link 18 (19). In an emergency the doors 12 (13) could then be opened by manual effort.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A door operating mechanism which comprises: a tiller for attachment to the door, the tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the door being open and a second position corresponding to the door being closed; an operating arm; a link pivotally connected to the operating arm and to the tiller; a motor for rotating the operating arm between a first position in which the tiller is in the first position and a second position in which the tiller arm is in the second position; a latch for engaging the tiller in the second position; power operated means for moving the latch into engagement with the tiller in the second position; and resilient loading means for urging the latch out of engagement with the tiller in the second position with such a force that the latch remains in engagement with the tiller when the power operated means is operative but is urged clear of the tiller when the power operated means is not operative.

2. A door operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there is provided a further tiller for operating a further door, the further tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the further door being open and a second position corresponding to the further door being closed; a further operating arm rotatable by the motor; a further link pivotally connected to the further operating arm and to the further tiller; the arrangement being such that the further tiller is in its first and second positions when the first-mentioned tiller is in its first and second positions, respectively.

3. A door operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the power operated means is a solenoid.

4. A door operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.

5. A motor vehicle including a door operating mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. When the doors 12 (13) are in the closed position the solenoid is energised and the connecting rod 31 is pulled in to draw the latch 27 into the engaged position which is held in that position as long as the solenoid remains energised. On opening the doors 12 (13) the solenoid becomes de-energised and the spring 33 exerts sufficient force to draw latch 27 into the released position W. In the event of a power failure with the doors closed, the solenoid becomes deenergised and latch 27 will be drawn into the released position W by the spring 33 but the doors 12 (13) will continue to be held closed by the action of the operating arm 20 on the tiller 16 (17) by way of link 18 (19). In an emergency the doors 12 (13) could then be opened by manual effort. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A door operating mechanism which comprises: a tiller for attachment to the door, the tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the door being open and a second position corresponding to the door being closed; an operating arm; a link pivotally connected to the operating arm and to the tiller; a motor for rotating the operating arm between a first position in which the tiller is in the first position and a second position in which the tiller arm is in the second position; a latch for engaging the tiller in the second position; power operated means for moving the latch into engagement with the tiller in the second position; and resilient loading means for urging the latch out of engagement with the tiller in the second position with such a force that the latch remains in engagement with the tiller when the power operated means is operative but is urged clear of the tiller when the power operated means is not operative.

2. A door operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there is provided a further tiller for operating a further door, the further tiller being capable of pivotal displacement between a first position corresponding to the further door being open and a second position corresponding to the further door being closed; a further operating arm rotatable by the motor; a further link pivotally connected to the further operating arm and to the further tiller; the arrangement being such that the further tiller is in its first and second positions when the first-mentioned tiller is in its first and second positions, respectively.

3. A door operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the power operated means is a solenoid.

4. A door operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.

5. A motor vehicle including a door operating mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4.