US1102221A - Trap-door-operating mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

H. L. WHITFORD & P. AHLSTROM.

TRAP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21,1914.

1, 1 02,221 Patented June 30,1914

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

Patsnted June 30, 191i APPLICATION FILED MAR-21, 1914.

TRAP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

H. L. WHITFORD 6L P. AHLSTROM.

COLUMBIA PLANoalzAr-ll Cu..wAaI||Nf|TDN. LLC.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. WI-IITIFORI) AND FREDERICK AHLSTROM. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS,

BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO METALS COMPANY,` OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A OOR- IPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRAP-DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

T all whom t may concern Be it known that we, HARRY L. Vi-irr- FORD, a citizen of the United States, and

Frnnniiioii AiiLsrRoM, a subject of the King ments in `Trap-Door-Operating Mechanisms,

of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a mechanism more particularly designed and adapted to effect and control the operation of trap doors used in conjunction with the vestibules of Pullman sleeping cars for the purpose of closing the stair openings in said, vestibules.

The objects of the present invention are to provide latch mechanism for normally holding the trap door in lowered or closed position; to provide auxiliary lifting mechanism to insure the opening of the door in case it should be bound by ice or other substance in a manner to prevent the opening thereof by the operation of the usual tension mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to form such auxiliary lifting mechanism in the shape of a swinging member which will operate against the door with a cam or wedging action to effect the initial opening movement of the same, and to arrange this auxiliary lifting mechanism so that it is normally in engagement with the door and remains in such engagement from the start to the finish of the initial opening movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a common operating member `for the latch and auxiliary lifting members and to provide a certain amount of lost motion between the operating member and the auxiliary lifting member; to arrange the acting surface of the auxiliary lifting member whereby it does not effect a lifting movement upon the initial movement thereof, whereby the latch member is placed in position to permit an opening of the door before the auxiliary lifting member acts to effect the initial openingoperation.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the major portion of the mechanism above the floor of the vestibule necessitating a relatively small cut in the underframing of the ear in order to install the mechanism.

The invention further consists in the features of construction and combinations, of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the mechanism of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the easing in section and showing the mechanism in normal or non-acting position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts of the mechanism in the position they assume when the latch member is withdrawn and just prior to the commencement of the auxiliary lifting operation; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts of the mechanism in the position they assume when the auxiliary lifting mechanism has acted to start the door toward open position; Fig. 5, is a plan View of the actuating member of the present invention; Fig. 6 is apeispective of the latch member; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the auxiliary lifting member.

The present invention relates, as stated, to a mechanism or device for controlling the raising of trap doors used in conjunction with the vestibule of Pullman sleeping cars. It is a well known fact that in the use of such devices dilliculty is some times experienced in effecting an opening of the door owing to the fact that it has become bound by sleet, ice, etc., and unless auxiliai'y means are provided for effecting the initial movement of the door difficulty is experienced in moving the door to open position.

Referring now to the drawings, the device as there illustrated, ismounted within a casing 8 which may be of any suitable formation. The casing is attached to the platform of the vestibule in anysuitable manner, and as shown, the front face 9 of the casing is open. The casing is positioned close to the edge of a trap door 10 which latter member may be of any suitable type and is adapted to swing up and down about a center of movement as is usual, such movement being aided usually by a spring. The construction and arrangement of the mounting for these doors as well as the spring above referred to, are all well known in the art and it is not thought necessary to describe or illustrate them in connection with the present application.

The door is held normally in closed or lowered position by means ofa latch niember 11 which, as shown, comprises an arm 12 terminating in an acting face 13 and an arm 14. The latch member is mounted to swing about a stud 15 as a pivot and maintained normally in the position shown in Fig. 2 by a spring 16. The act-ing face of the latch member, as shown in Fig. 2, overlies the edge of the door and serves to hold the same in downward or closed position, as is shown.

An auxiliary lifting member 17 is provided which is mounted upon a stud 18 about which it swings and said member embodies an acting face 19 consisting of a straight portion 2O and a curved or cam portion 21. The terminus of the curved or cam portion is slotted as at 22, see Fig. 7. lt is this last described member which starts the door toward the open position in case the same should become clogged by an accumulation of sleet, ice, etc.

, An operating member 2S is provided which terminates at one end in a foot piece 2, and this operating member is mounted upon and swings about a stud or pin 25 as a center and the operating member terminates at the opposite end from the end 24 in a finger 26 and a finger 27 which as shown diverge outwardly from one another. The finger 26 acts to move the latch member 11, and the finger 27 acts to move the auxiliary y lifting member 17 A spring 28 is provided for normally holding the operating member in the position shown in Fig. 2, this spring has one end bearing against the inner surface of the member 23 and its other end projecting through an opening 29 in the top face of the member 23 and resting against the inner surface of the casing 8. This will be clearly seen from a study of Figs. 2 and 5.

The normal position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2 and the position assumed at the completion of the initial operation is shown in Fig. 3 from which it will be observed that the finger 26 of the operating member has acted to move the latch member into a position whereby it is withdrawn from engagement with the top of the door and is out of alinement therewith leaving the door free to swing to open position. The auxiliary lifting member has at the same time been moved somewhat through the instrumentalities of the finger 27 of the operating member, but as will be seen by referring to Fig. 3 the'flat surface 20 of the lifting member is still in engagement with the under face of the door and hence the lifting member has not been moved sufficient to effect 'any lifting movement of the door up to that time.

By referring back to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the finger 27 is normally out of engagement wit-h the member 17 and that the finger 26 is normally in engagement with the latch member 11. Therefore, the latch member will move a predetermined distance before the finger 27 engages with the member 17 to move this latter member, and after this engagement is edected only the fiat surface 2() of the member 17 will be in engagement with the door during the first portion of the movement of the member 17. This flat surface will not act to move the door to open position, and before the cam surface 21, which performs the lifting operation, engages with the door the latch member will have been entirely withdrawn leaving the door free to open. This opening movement is illustrated in Fig. L and from a study of that figure it will be seen that the curved or cam surface 21 of the member-17 has been brought into engagement with the surface of the door and by a wedging or forcing action has started the door toward its open movement.

Of course all that is necessary is to give the door a start toward open position since such movement will break any accumulation of ice, etc., which may have formed, and after this has been broken the door will continue to its open position through the instrumentalities of the spring as is usual. Therefore, when the initial impetus has been given to the door, it will move the remainder of the distance or to full open position readily and easily. Or if it should fail to move after the initial, lifting movement has been given, then the edge could be easily gripped by the hand or a suitable tool in- Y combination of a latch member, a swinging auxiliary lifting member having an acting face serving as a wedge, operating means for the latch and auxiliary lifting members and said operating means acting to rst withdraw the latch member and then bring the acting face of the auxiliary lifting member into engagement with the door to exert a wedging action thereon, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivoted latch member, a pivoted wedge type auxiliary lifting member, a pivoted operating member for the latch and lifting members and said actuating member operating to first withdraw the latch member and then bring the auxiliary lifting member into wedging engagement with the door, substantially asl described. l

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch member, a swinging auxiliary lifting member, operating means for said latch and auxiliary lifting members, and said auxiliary lifting member being configured to have its acting face normally in engagement with the door and continuing in engagement with the door until the completion of the auxiliary lifting operation and said operating means acting to with draw the latch member from operative posi tion prior to the auxiliary lifting operation, substantially as described.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch member, an auxiliary lifting member, operating means for the. latch and auxiliary members, the acting face of the auxiliary lifting member consisting of a flat surface merging into a cam-shaped surface, said flat surface being first brought into engagement with the door and effecting no lifting movement thereof, said cam surface being subsequently brought into engage ment with the door and effect a lifting movement thereof by a Wedging action and said latch member being Withdrawn from acting position previous to the lifting action by the auxiliary lifting member, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch member, a swinging Wedge type auxiliary lifting member, one of said members being slotted to permit the other to pass through the body thereof during the movements thereof, operating means for the latch and auxiliary lifting members, said operating means acting to first withdraw the latch member `and then bring the auxiliary lifting member into Wedging engagement with the door, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a latch member, a swinging auxiliary lifting member, one of said members being cut away to permit the body of the other member to pass therethrough during the movements of said members, operating means for said latch and auxiliary lifting members, said auxiliary lifting member being configured and arranged to normally maintain its acting face in engagement with the door and continue in such engagement until the completion of the auxiliary lifting operation, said operating means acting to withdraw the latch member from acting position prior to the bringing of the auxiliary lifting member into acting position, substantially as described.

7 In a device of the class described, the combination of a latch member, a swinging auxiliary lifting member, and one of said members being cut away to permit the other to pass through the body thereof during the movements of the members, an acting face on the auxiliary lifting member consisting .of a fiat surface merging into a canrshaped surface, operating means for the latch and auxiliary lifting members, said operating means acting to bring said flat surface first into engagement with the door whereby no lifting movement is imparted to the door and to bring the cam surface subsequently into engagement With the door to effect a lifting movement by a ivedging action exerted on the door and said operating member acting to Withdraw the latch member from acting position prior to the lifting action by the auxiliary lifting member, substantially as described.

I-I, L. WHITFORI). F. AHLSTROM. Witnesses WVM. I. BOND, THOMAS A. BANNiNe.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Tatentl.

Washington, D. C.

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