US1540972A - Combined elevator-door closure and switch - Google Patents

Description

w. w. WEEKS I COMBINED ELEVATOR DOOR CLOSURE AND SWITCH June 9, 1925.

Filed 00% 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR ATTORNEYS v W. W. WEEKS COMBINED ELEVATOR DOOR CLOSURE AND SWITCH June 9, 1925.

Filed Oct. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WM 4 4114 Va/ ATTORNEYS Patented June 9, 1925.

v UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WIIiLIAll/I WALLACE WEEKS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSICNOR TO ELEVATOR SUPPLIES COMPANY, INC, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED ELEVATOR-DOOR CLOSURE AND SWITCH.

application filed October 25, 1923. Serial No. 670,719.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIAM VVALLAGE VVEEKS, a citizen of the United States, residing; at 366 Fourth Street, Brooklyn, New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in ,Combined Elevator- Door Closures and Switches, of which the following is a clear, it'ull, and exact description.

The present invention relates to an ele.

vator door operating mechanism and a controller circuit switch combined in one unit in which the movement of a part of the mechanism serves to operate the switch to open and close the elevator controller circuit.

The invention comprises a door check and switch combined in a single unit, in which the switch is operated in air or other gaseous fluid. The device is particularly adapted for use in connection with elevator operation in that the movements of the elevator door may be controlled by the door check, or power operated mechanism, and the controller circuit of the elevator may be connected to the switch in such a manner that when the elevator door is operated the elevator controller circuit will be broken, and thereby prevent movement of the elevator when the door is in open position. While the device, which will be hereinafter more fully described, is particularly adapted in connection with elevator operation, it is useful also in connection with other mechanisms, and it is to be understood that it may be applied for the operation of any other mechanism for which it is suitable. r I he-primary object of the present invention is to provide a switch and elevator door operating mechanism combined in a single plece of apparatus in which the mechanism 1s power-operated and may be readily controlled, and in which the switch is so united therewith that it will 0 erate to automatically open and close the e evator controller circuit in predetermined positions of the elevator door so as to reventgoperation of the elevator when the door is open.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch operable in air which is disosed in the'apparatus so that it may not be readily disconnected or tampered with to modify the operation of the elevator.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a pneumatic operating cylinder and controller circuit switch combined in one apparatu's for opening and closing elevator the cylinder to open the elevator door is directed between the terminals and the con-v ducting member of the switch as the conducting member breaks contact with the terminals.

. With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the various features hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the claims.

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the lower end of a pneumatic operating cylinder in which a switch operating in air, is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2'2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is anelevational view in section of an elevatorv door operating cylinder having switch terminals at diametrically opposite points instead of at one side, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and Fig.'-6 'is a view showing the ordinary form of elevator doorsand showing toggle levers connected thereto in the ordinary manner and showing also the invention mounted in operative relation to the toggle levers.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,2 represents a cylinder casing having a piston 4 thereinwhich is operativelv vounected to a plunger rod 6 to which aplunger 8 operating in a plunger cylinder 10 is-cou nected. To the piston 4 is connected :1 siceva I2 extending upwardly through the ca 01' upper cylinder head 14 and is attache externallyto theplungerrod 6 by a suitable connection, suchas a lock nut 3. Attached to the piston 4 is a leather washer 5 which is held in position against the under surface of the piston by means of a follower and expander 7. By this means. the leather washer is pressed outwardly against the walls of the cylinder casing 2, attaining a close-fitting contact therewith.

By means of the plunger rod and sleeve connection above described, the piston and parts attached thereto may be readily withdrawn from the cylinder for adjustment or replacement of parts, by first disconnecting the plunger rod 6 from the toggle levers or other mechanism to which it is attached, and then disconnecting the sleeve 12 from the plunger rod 6 by unscrewing the lock nut 23. In the portion of the cylinder between the piston -l and the head 14: is placed a compression spring by means of which the piston may be returned after operation thereof and the mechanism to which it is connected has been operated,

A plunger cylinder is preferably connected to the cylinder casing 2 by means of a casing 16 which may be attached to the cylinder casing 2- by screw-threaded connections 18 or other suitable connecting means. The casing 16 is preferably connected to the mid-portion of the cylinder 10 so as to be integral therewith, and forming between the external wall of the cylinder 10 and the interior of the casing 16, a reservoir 20. In the walls of the cylinder casing 10, I provide oil passages 22. 2% by means of which the movements of the plunger in the cylinder and the parts attached thereto may be suitably regulated. In order to control the passage of oil through the passageways and the movements of the plunger, regulating screws in the passageways as 26 are provided, which are. adjusted so as to attain any desired amount of cushioning action.

In the mid-portion of the cylinder 10 is an enlarged portion 28 to enable oil to pass by the plunger in this portion of the cylinder during its upward or downward move- -ment. The lower port on of the reservoir communicates with the enlarged portion 28 by means of a passageway 30 so as to enable oil to pass from one chamber to the other, whereby the chamber 20 operates as a receiving and a supply reservoir for oil during the movements of the plunger in the plunger cylinder.

The upper portion of the reservoir 20 is closed by means of a perforated diaphragm 32 which serves to prevent oil from splashing upwardly from the reservoir into the cylinder casing 2. The diaphragm is held in position in a recess in the walls of the easing 16 by means of a stufiing box 3a which is screw-threaded or otherwise suitably held in position in the walls of the cylinder 10.

Above the diaphragm 32 and preferably passing through the walls of the casing 16, I provide two switch terminals 36, 38 which are suitably insulated from the walls by means of bakelite or other non-conducting material. To these terminals may be connected the lead wires i0, 42 of the elevator controller circuit. These are preferably attached by means of nuts or other suitable connections in a casing or box 46 attached or made integral with the casing 16, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2-. The leads 40, -12 may pass out of the terminal box through a suitable conduit 44, and a cover 48 is provided which may be screwed or locked into position so as to prevent tampering with or disconnecting the leads passing to the switch terminals.

In order to provide means for opening and closing a circuit through the terminals 36, 38, with the movements of the elevator door or other device to which the apparatus is connected, a conducting member 50 is provided which may be of copper or other suitable conducting material and adapted to be raised and lowered out of and into contact with the terminals to open and close the circuit therethrough. The conducting mem ber 50 is preferably attached to the piston t by a means which will maintain the conducting member in pressure contact with the terminals, and when raised out of position therewith will permit a limited movement of the piston without breaking the circuit through the terminals. For this purpose I preferably employ an insulating member such as an annular ring 52 of suitable nonconducting material, as. for instance, bakelite. In order to support the conducting member 50 thereby, I employ two set screws 54, 56 rigidly attached thereto and arranged to be held in recesses 58, 60 in the insulating member 52. The heads of the set screws 5&,

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56 are supported by means of projecting parts in the recesses 58, 60, and between the conducting member 50 and the projecting walls of the recesses, I provide suitable compression springs 62, 64 by means of which the conducting member 50 may be forced against the terminals 36. 38 when the switch is closed. By this means also the piston is enabled to move upwardly a predetermined distance, depending upon the length of the set screws 54, 56, so that the circuit through the switch is broken only after a predetermined movement of the elevator door. It is preferable in most cases to have the circuit through the switch broken only after the elevator door has opened to the extent of one-half inch or more, but obviously the point of opening may be adjusted or controlled by the means above described.

In order to operate the mechanism by means of air pressure or other pressure fluid,

a pipe 66 is provided which may be attached to the casing 16 by a suitable connection 68. The pipe 66 may pass through the reservoir 20 and through an opening in the diaphragm separate casings or other means may be em-.

32 and preferably extends upwardly between the terminals 36, 38 to a height substantially that of the conducting member 50. In the sides of the pipe I provide two openings 70, 72 which are substantially in line with the points of contact of the terminals with the conductingmember, 50. In the pipe 66, to admit air or other pressure fluid into the device to operate the piston and mechanism attached thereto, the piston moves upwardly bringing the conducting member 50 out of contact with the terminals 36, 38, and simultaneously the air under a high pressure of from 50 to lbs. per square inch is blown across the terminals and decreases the arcing during the opening of a' circuit.

Air may be admitted at one or more points in the apparatus, but I prefer to admit the operating fluid only at the points indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, whereby the air is completely utilized in decreasing the arcing or sparking at the switch terminals. In order that the conducting member 50 may rest upon three points so as to attain uniform seating, a support 74 of suitable insulating material may be employed, as shown in the drawings, which may be attached to the diaphragm 32 or other suitable support in the apparatus.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the preferred form of the' device in which the switch terminals are brought out of the casing at one point so that they may be enclosed in a suitable casing or other closure to prevent tampering with the elevator control circuit switch. In Fig. 4: I have shown a modification in which the terminals ass outwardly from the casing at diametrically opposite points thereof.

It is to be understood that in this form ployed for suitably preventing disconnecting or tampering with the leads passing to the switch terminals;

In Fig. 6, the invention is shown as applied in connection with IeVator door operation, the elevator doors 80 and 82 being shown mounted on an overhead track 84 and having connected therewith the toggle levers 86 which may have a handle 88 connected thereto so that it may be operated by hand, if desired. The operating device 90 embodying applicants invention may be mounted in any desired manner such as by connecting it to a bracket 92 attached to the door frame, for example, and by connecting the plunger rod 6 to a lug 94 integral with or attached to an arm of the toggleclevers. The device may be attached in any other desired manner, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art and maybe connected to any other mechanism or device to which it 18 to be applied by any suitable means or in a manner similar to that for connecting it to toggle levers, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the device which has been describedwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, a door check, means for operatively connecting said check to a door, and an electric switch within said door check operating in air and serving to open and close a circuit with the movements of said door.

2. In a device of the class described, a pneumatically-operated door check, means for operatively connecting said check to a door, and an electric switch within the said door check for opening and closing a circuit with the movements of said door.

3. Ina device of the class described, a pneumatically-operated door check, means for operatively connecting said check to a door, dampening means in said check, and an electric switch operating in air within the said door check for opening and closing a circuit with the movements of said door.

4. In a device of the class described, a door check, means for operatively connecting said check to an elevator door, means for admitting fluid pressure to said check to operate said door, an electric switch Within said check adapted to be connected in'the elevator controller circuit, and means for operatively connecting said switch to said door, to open and close the circuit through said switch with the opening and closing movements of said door.

5, In a device of the class described, a pneumatically-operated door check, means for operatively connecting said check to an elevator door. means in said check for cushioning the movements of said door, an electric switch in said door check, and means for directing a current of air across the switch terminals during breaking of the cir-' cuit .therethrough whereby arcing during the breaking of, a circuit will be minimized.

6. In a device of the class described; a door check, means for operatively connecting said check to an elevator door. means for admitting fluid pressure to said check to operate said door, an electric switch within said check adapted to be connected in the elevator controller circuit, and means for directing said fluid on to the said switch during the breaking of a circuit therethrough.

7. In a device of the class described, a door check, means for operatively connecting said check to .an elevator door,cushion ing means in said check adapted to cushion the movements of said elevator door, means for admitting air to said check to operate said elevator door, an electric switch within said check having stationary terminals and a movable conducting member, and means for operatively connecting said member to said elevator door whereby a circuit through said terminals, will be opened and closed with the opening and closing movements of said elevator door.

8. In a device of the class described, a door check, means for operatively connecting said check to an elevator door, cushioning means in said check adapted to cushion the movements of said elevator door. means for admitting air to said check to operate said elevator door. an electric switch within said check having stationary terminals and a movable conducting member. means for operatively connecting said member to said elevator door whereby a circuit through the said terminals will be opened and closed with the opening and closing movements of said elevator door. and means for directin said air during admission thereof across said terminals when the circuit through said terminals is opened.

9. In an elevator door operating mechanism adapted to be operatively connected to the toggle levers of an elevator door, a

- casing. a piston in said casing, a plunger cylinder connected to said casing. a plunger in said plunger cylinder, means for admitting pressure fluid to operate said piston. sprin means in said casing for returning said elevator door to its closed position after opening movement thereof, and an electric switch in said casing comprising switch terminals and a movable contact member. said contact member being adapted to operate with the movements of said elevator door to open and close a circuit through said switch.

10. In a power operated door opening and closing mechanism, a casing, cushioning means in the casing comprising a plunger and plunger cylinder, a passageway in the walls of said plunger cylinder. means for regulating the passage of oil through said passageway from one portion of said cylinder to another, whereby the movements of said plunger may be cushioned or checked during predetermined portions of the stroke of said plunger, an electric switch in said casing operating in air, the said switch being adapted to be connected to an elevator controller circuit, means for opening and closing the circuit through said switch with movements of a door, and means whereby the circuit through said switch will be opened after a predetermined limited movement of said door.

11. In a device of the class described. a casing, a piston in said casing, means for connecting one of said parts to a mechanism to be operated, a plunger cylinder connected to said casing, a plunger in said plunger cylinder, a plunger rod connected to said plunger and said piston, spring means in said casing for returning said plunger and piston after movement thereof whereby said mechanism is operated, an electric switch operating in air within said casing comprising switch terminals and a conducting member adapted to be moved in and out of contact with said terminals, whereby a circuit through said terminals may be opened and closed, means for admitting air into said casing to operate said piston and said mechanism, means for operatively connecting said conducting member to said piston whereby the opening and closing movements of said switch is made dependent upon the movement of said mechanism, and means for directing said air across said switch terminals during the opening movement of said switch.

12. In a device of the class described, a power operated door check, dampening means in said check, an electric switch operating in air within said check comprising switch terminals and a movable conducting member, means for operatively connecting said movable conducting member to said dampening means, whereby a limited movement of said dampening means may take place without opening the circuit through said switch.

13. In a device of the class described, a door check, means for operatively connectingsaid check to the toggle levers of an elevator door, cushioning means in said check comprising a plunger operating in a plunger cylinder, means for maintaining oil in said cylinder to cushion the movements of said plunger and said mechanism, a piston in said check, spring means connected to said piston for returning said door to closed position after said door is opened, switch terminals in said casing adapted to be operatively connected to the controller circuit of an elevator, a conducting member adapted to open and close a circuit through said terminals, means for yieldably supporting said conducting member, said means comprising an insulating member, and spring means for holding said conducting member in pressure contact with said terminals, when said elevator door is in closed position, a perforated diaphragm between said plunger cylinder and said switch to prevent passage of oil to said switch, and means for directing air under pressure across said switch terminals to cause operation of said piston and simultaneously to decrease the arcing during the opening movement of said switch.

14.-An elevator door operating mechanism comprising a power cylinder, means for operatively connecting said cylinder to an elevator door, means for cushioning the movements of said door, an electric switch.

in said cylinder adapted to be connected to an elevator controller circuit, said switch having stationary terminals and a movable conducting member, means for operatively 5 connecting said conducting member to said door whereby the circuit through said switch will be opened with a predetermined opening movement of said door, and means for protecting said terminals to prevent unauthorized interference with the operation of said switch.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 23rd day of October 1923.

WILLIAM WALLACE WEEKS.

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