US1627801A - Hopper-car door-operating device - Google Patents

Description

ay E. c. MITCHELL HOPPER CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1927. 1,627,801

E. C. MITCHELL HOPPER CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 r 4 5 7/ if v 5 20 HM -v :r

(5!; 66 gnwntoz in; 8 Z/w Patented May 10, 1927.

umrEosrArss EDWIN G. IITGHELL, Oil GBEENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOPPER-CAB DOOR-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application Med January 25, 1926. Serial No. 88,888.

The invention relates to railway cars and has particular reference to securing or looking means for the doors.

The primar object of the invention, gen erally stated, 1s to provide door securing or locking means embodying a link and lever mechanism for swinging the door into tightly closed position at a single operation.

Another object of the invention is to rovide mechanism of this character in w ich' a portion of the means or certain elements thereof may act to limit the opening movement of the door beyond the proper extent.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of door securing and locking means embodying a retaining hook and a link and lever arran ement, together with cam means operativeljy connected with the former, both means being capable of actuation by a manually operated and removably mounted lever or wrench, the parts bein so constructed and arranged that the wrenc or equivalent tool is employed to effect release 0 the hook to permit subsequent opening of the door as well as -to effect closing of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hopper door securing or locking means emb ying a pivotally mounted hook carried by-the car and cooperating with an arm member or its equivalent carried by the door, cam means being provided in engagement with the hook for moving it into and out of engagement with the door arm.

An additional object of the invention is to provide door opening, closing and locking mechanism embodying, in combination wit a door arm and a hook coacting therewith, link, lever and cam mechanism capable of manual operation, the link and lever movin simultaneously and the cam being movab e independently thereof and fulfilling the function of moving the hook to operative or inoperative position, depending upon the direction of movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide door operating and locking mechanism in which the parts are so mounted and arranged that actuation thereof by means of a wrench, lever or other tool may be easily accomplished even though the car be standing adjacent a platform or the like which would interfere with operation of ordinary types of operating means.

To the attainment of the fore oing and other objects and advantages- 8H5] as simplicityand cheapness in manufacture and installation, efliciency and durability in operation, together with the general improvement of the art, the invention referably consists in the arran ement an combination of parts and the etailed construction and mounting thereof to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car hopper and door, showing the invention in applied position, the door being represented closed and locked in full lines and open in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism taken at right-an les to Figure 1, the view looking toward t e outside of the door, showing the operating lever in one position,

Fi re 3 is a horizontal section through the opper and door and showing a plan view of the mechanism,

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the cam in the position assumed by it when the hook is in operative position,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the rotatable operating member carrying the cam,

Figure 6 is an end elevation thereof, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view of the wrench,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates, generally, a

' ortion of a car hopper having sides 2, an

inclined bottom 3 anddoor opening 4. The usual or any preferred reinforcements 5 are provided at the corners-or lower edges of the hopper, and an angle bar 6 is also provided at the edge of the door opening for stifl'ening purposes, this bar being located beneath the bottom of the hopper and bein preferably secured to angle plates 7 whie render the structure strong and rigid. The door opening 4 is normall closed by a door 8 equipped with any sultable stiffening bars 9 and car ing an arm 10 of angle bar formation suita ly secured thereto and projecting beyond the side of the hopper. Obviously, these details may be varled within wide limits within the scope of the invention which concerns itself primarily with means for opening or closing the door and forcin it closely to its seat while avoiding over-c osure.

bracket member being 'refera y riveted in place at the proper ocation.. 'Journaled through this bracket is thee lindrical portion 12 of a shaft or combine trunnion and cam member 13 formed near one end with a cam 14 having a radial shoulder 15. ,Be-

'yond the cam, the member 13 is provided with a reduced extension 16 freely rotatable within a seat 17 in the base or bottom 17" of the bracket so that there will be two bear- 1 ing points for the member 13. This member 13 pro'ects considerably beyond the bracket 11 an the outer end 18 1S squared or of other angular shape for a purpose to be described. The cam 14 is of course located bea tween the bracket 11 and the side of the and rotatably mounted upon the cam is the hub portion 19 of a door hook 20 ads ted to en age with the door arm 10 for he ding the cor closed. The inner periphery of the hub portion 19 is formed with a projection 21 having a radial shoulder 22'coactin with the radial shoulder 15 of the cam an also having an inclined face 23 which coacts with the periphery of the cam, it bein noted that the cam member 14 is refera 1y circular in cross section exce t or the cam surface 24 which coacts with the projection 21 in a manner to be explained.

The bracket 11 is shown as of such construction as to provide a ledge or shelf 25 which forms a stop for the hook 20 so as to .prevent the hook from dropping down when the door is in open position. There is also preferably pivoted between the bracket and the hopper a locking cam 26 engageable with the door hook for holding it in its locked position and preventing accidental displacement.

The numeral 27 designates a lever having a hub portion 28 rotatably en aged upon the cylindrical portion 12 of t e member 13, the outer surface of the hub 28 being squared or of other angular shape for engagement of a wrench or other tool therewith. While any suitable means may be provided for preventing displacement of the lever 27 with respect to the member 13, I have illustrated a cotter pin 29 or the like which passes through a suitable hole 30 in the member 13-immediately outwardly of the hub 28. The door mechanism further includes a link 31 which has one end pivotally connected with the free end of the lever 27. In thepresent instance this pivotal connection is shown as consisting of a hooked portion 32 on the end of the link passing through a suitable hole 33 in the lever though naturally there is no limitation desired in this respect. -Pivotally connected with the other end'of the link is a connecting element 34 movably connected with the arm resent instance e conneetionbetwee'n the n? 31'a nd 1pem?er 34 in represented as 00nd sis mg sunp y-o interengaging" eyes 35 an 36 and the member 34 isshownas assin through a hole 37 in the door arm, t is en the of the member 34 having a transverse head 38 so as to be incapable ofaccidental withdrawal; Clearly, the lever 27, link 31 and member 34 provide a flexible connection between the hopper and the door which will act to limit opening movementof the door as well as serving. as nieanswhereby the door may be closed.

In connection with the above described mechanism, use is' made of a wrench device illustrated in Figure'7, which wrench includes a handle or lever 39 terminating in a head 40 formed with two 0 nings 41 and 42, the former of which is o proper size to be engaged u n the. .hub 28 and the latter of wlnch is 0 such size as to be engageable upon the squared end 18 of the member 13.

The closed and locked position of the i door is illustrated in Figure '1 wherein it the book may be in engagement with the radial shoulderlfi of the cam. To open the door, it is first necessary to swing the locking cam 26 out of'the way of the hook and then to engage the opening 42 of the wrench or lever device 39 upon the squared projecting end 18 of the member 13, subsequently to which the lever 39 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction to efiect rotation of the member 13. When this is done the shoulder 15 coacting with the shoulder '22 will 0 erate to rotate the book 20 in a counter-c ockwise direction and withdraw it from engagement with the door arm 10. The weight of the load pressing against the door 8 W111 then force the door open into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, the lever 27 then extending downwardly in a substantiall vertical position. If, for any reason. t e weight of the door or of the load, it any, pressing thereagainst should be insuflieient to effect 0 ning movement, use may be made of the ever 39 by disengaging it from the squared end 18 of the member 13 and engaging the openin 41 upon the squared hub portion 28 of the iver 27, and swinging the lever'in a counterclockwise direction so as to move the lever or arm 27 and consequently the door, through the connecting means consisting of the elements 31 and 33 Hill When the door has been thus opened, it

is clear that the hook 20 may left in its upwardly position out of obstructin relation to the cor arm though it i8 pre erable that it be rmitted to dro engagement wit the shelf or edge so that it will be in such position that when the door is subsequently closed the en gement of the door arm a ainst the inc ined surface 20 of the hook Wlll result in lifting it until it may drop behind the door arm.

In case of any binding of the member 13 in its bearings, as the result of rust, freezing or an other contingency, gravity might not be su cient to restore the hook to said position, in which event the opening 42 of the wrench may be engaged upon the squared extension or end '18 of the member 13 and the member 13 rotated so that the came surface 24 thereon will crowd a ainst the surface 23 of the projection 21 in t 1e hub of the hook and consrgl uently positively force the hook downwa y into engagement with the shelf 25.

Assuming that the door has been opened and it is desired to reclose it, the opening 41 of the wrench or lever 39 is engaged upon the squared hub 28 of the arm or lever 27, subsequently to which the wrench is swung in a clockwise direction to swing the lever 27 u n the cylindrical portion 12 of the mem r 13 as a trunnion or pivot. Owing to the provision of the interconnected members 31 and 33 this movement of the lever or arm 27 will cause a all to be exerted upon the door 8 which will naturally result in swinging the door into closed position.

By ap ying considerable pressure to the wrench it is quite apparent that the door may be drawn closely to its seat. As the door swings shut, the door arm 10 will engage against aiid lift the hook 20 until the 00k may dro over and behind the door arm. The lockm cam 26 may be employed for forcing the 00k into place and will also act to prevent the hook from disengagement with respect to the door arm. The wrench is then removed from the hub 28.

A ho r car door operatin device co'nstructe will be ea to operate as the parts are readily accessi le and as the wrench is used in such a position that its movement, would not be interfered with even though the car might be standing beside a high loading platform or the like. Furthermore, 'werful leverage may be exerted for positively drawing the door to'its seat while at the same time there is practically no danger of over-closure which might result in distortion of the parts. Ample provision has been made t6 insure ease and certainty of operation under even the most adverse conditions. \Vhile I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that-the disclosure is merely illustrative as it is conceivable that down into in accordance with t is inventionv various and modifications may be made in the etails of construction as well as the a cut and location of parts provided suc variations constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Means for moving and locking the swingable door of a railway car, comprising a retainin member on the door, a hook p voted on t is our side and cooperating with said retaining member for normally holding the door closed, an arm pivoted on the car side and having a flexib e connection with said retaining member, means for swinging said arm to open and close the door, and cam means for moving said hook.

2. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combination with a railway car hopper and its swingably mounted door, of a supporting structure mounted on the hopper, a retaining member carried by the door, a hook pivoted within said supporting structure and cooperating with sai retaining member for normally holding said door closed, an arm pivoted on said supporting structure and operatively connected with said retaining member, and separate lever operated means for moving sald arm and said hook.

3. A mechanism of the character described com rising the combination with a railway car opper and its swingably mounted door, ofa supporting structure mounted on the hopper, a retaining member carried by the door, a hook pivoted within said supporting structure and cooperating with said retaining member, an arm pivoted on said supporting structure and operatively connected with said retaining member, and means for moving said arm, the arm and the hook having a'common pivot.

4. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combination with a railway car hopper'and its swingably mounted door, of an arm carried by the door, a sup orting bracket mounted on the hopper, a sha member rotatably supported by and within the bracketmember, a door hook pivoted on said shaft member and cooperating with said door arm for holding the door closed, and door closing means including an arm pivoted on said shaft member and flexibly connected with the door arm.

5. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combination with a railwaycar hopper and its swmgably mounted door,

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' on said shaftmembea and flexibly seamed with the door arm, said last' named arm 1 member having a hub portion adapted to be engaged by a wrench.

6. Y A mechanism of the character described comprising the combination-with a railway car hopper and its swingably mounted door, of an arm carried by the door, a supporting bracket mounted on the hopper, a shaft member rotatablyvsupported by and within the bracket member, afdoor hook pivoted on said shaft member and cooperating with saiddoor arm for holding the door closed, door closing means including an arm pivoted on said shaft member and flexibly conneoted with the door arm, said last named arm member having a hub portion adapted to be engaged by a' wrench, coacting elements carried by the shaft and hoolgand said shaft member bein engageable by a wrenchfor swinng the 00k.

7. n a railway car door operating and .locking means, a door arm carried by the door, a sup rting bracket carried bythe car, a shaft ournaled through the bracket: 1!. door hook pivoted on the shaft and cooperating. with the door arm, coacting means on the shaft and door hook for swinging the latter when the former is rotated, and an arm ivoted on said shaft-and connected-with the cor arm said second named armbeing' movable independently of said shaft,

In testimony whereofll have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN o. MITCHELL.

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