US1705806A - Dump-car door-operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

l A. CAMPBELL 1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I l n I l |l|| l.

March 19, 1929.

Inf/@razor AFmLE CAMPBHL a l v Y@ Z W@ March 19, 1929. A. CAMPBELL DUMP GAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1927 '7 sheets-sheet March A19, 1929. A. CAMPBELL DUMP CAR DOOR. OPERATING MCHANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 ARGYLE CQMPELL March 19, 1929. A, CAMPBELL 1,705,806

` DUMP CAR DooR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 AGYLE CAMPBELL March 19, 1929.

A. CAMPBELL l1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 2, 1927 A Fruit-77107 ARGYLE CA MPELL 775662655 J March 19, 1929. A. CAMPBELL DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-sheet e //Ue ARG YLE QMPaELL Filed Sept. v2, 1927 March 419, 1929. v v A. CAMPBELL n 1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed SepLlZ, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ARG YLE CAM/w L.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITI-:D STATES A 1,705,806 PATENT OFFICE.

ARG-YLE CAMPBELL, OF. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS., A CORPORATION AOFl ILLINOIS.

DUMP-CAR DOOR-OPERATING IVIECHANISM.

- yApplication'filed September 2, 1927. Serial No. 217,224.

My `invention relates tol improvements in dump car door operating mechanisms and the like and especially` related :to vthat general type of a car having bodily lmovable and rotatable shaft adapted to travel from a position beyond vthe free edge ofthe door to a supporting position beneath the `free edge thereof. Y In cars ofthe identilied type, it has been customary yto provide a shaft mounted'for movement in elongated slots, saidshaft being connected tothe door by -a seriesiof :flexible connections adapted to wind around the shaft to raise lthe door, the shaft thereafter moving beneathwthe door by a combined sliding and rotary movement, serrated vinem-` side of the door inwardly beyond the rlimit of movement of the shaft whereby, as the` shaft comes into engagement with -the door, a continued winding action of Itheflexible element on the shaft will cause the latter to travel inwardly beneath 'the free edge-of` the door and thereby-exert a wedging action between the door andthe lower face of the elongatedslot in 'which the shaft travels, to force thedoor to a fully closed yposition by `said wedging action.` It is also vcustomary to provide a Aseriesof suchdoors, gen-l erally four doors vto :a section lof shaft, and two flexible `connections per door, 'thereby making eight connections to a \shaft,.and it has been found by experience that-as such connections do not falways windin the saine ratio and alsovary inv length* there ispresented an unequal door lifting action as the shaft `moved beneath the door, in ycertain instances the links `bindingandfouling between the door and the shaft.A i ,y

AItis an lobject of my invention 'topreinedy this` deficiency by incorporating with the flexible connection, a spacing element which will have its point of attachment with the door, inwardly of the shaft and rits point of attachment .with the flexible sections of the connection beyond the shaft whereby the' Another object of my inventionvisto provide an improved locking mechanism :for the shaft whereby reverse rotationvof the shaft will be prevented `as the door is raised and outward bodily movement of the kshaft in the slots guarded against.v y Y My invention also consists of certain other improvements as will .be more particularly pointed out hereinafter and claimed.

In the drawings foiming a :part of Vvthis specification, Fig. l is a plan view of a por? tion of a car showing my Vimprovements in connection therewith, said view including one-half the width of the car and showing one of the vdropdoors with the cross beams associated therewith. Figure 2 .is va transverse sectionalv View taken" on a line corresponding substantially to line 2-2 =of Figure 1, said view illustrating the door Ain closed position. Figure 3 a longitudinal elevational sectional view of' that portion of the car-shown in Figure 1 and taken on line 8 -3 of'Figure l, the lower chord ,of thev side frame being eliminated for the purpose of more clearly showing` the parts. vFigure L is a' view similar to Figure 2 except that the door isy illustrated in open instead of closed yposi-tion.v Figure 5 Yis an enlarged detail view of portion of the car showing the outer end of the crossbearer vas viewed yon line 5 5 of Figure 3, said view illustrat- Figure 7 is a vertical elevational vlongitudinal view of a portion of the car nearvthe end y v`thereof andfillustra'ting the -door ylocking and rotatiiigni'echanism.' 'Figure 8 isi-aver? tical end view of that portiony of car showing the construction illustrated in Figure 7 as viewed from right tof-left, the parts being i illustratedwith the door-in closedposition and the mechanism locked beneath the door. I Figure 9 is a view similar to Figurev 8. ex-

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cept that it shows the parts in unlocked pof f sition with the shaftmoved outwardly beyond the free edge of the door. And Figure l0 is a perspective view of the pawl retaining member.

rIn said drawings, l have shown my iiivention'as applied to a drop bottom carof a form well known in the art, cars of said type generally having al plurality of doorsk on. eachside of the center sill, lthe number CII of which may be varied as desired, said doors being generally operated from the end of the car in sets of several doors each. ln my drawings I have considered it necessary to indicate only one of such doors on one side of the center sill and the description is confined to the same, it being uilderstood that such description will also apply to the various doors of a series.

The car,as shown ,is j'irovided wi th a centen sill :indicated at 10, crossbeams of the underframe 11, crossbeam top cover plates l2, side stakes 13. car de bottom chord 14k and car side wall 15. rlhe floor of the car, or such portion of it as desired is formed by floor doors generally indicated by the reference character A, the latter being pivotally attached along their inner edges as indicated at 16 to suitable hinge butts 17 which in turn are suitably secured to the ccntersill 10. The crossbeam top cover plates 12 along each side edge of the door and the car side bottom chord 14 are each preferably er;- tended to overlap the said door A to provide an overhanging abutment for the side and front edges of the door when in closed position. As will be understood there will generally be one door A between each pair of the cross members of the imderframe on each side of the center-sill. Each door A is preferably reinforced with depending` flanges along its rear. side and free edges as respectively indicated at 18, 19 and 2O and also by transverse and longitudinal beams 21 and 22, the latter being preferably inthe form of a Z-bar brace spaced inwardly a short distance from the free edge of the door. The crossbeams 11 of the underframe are 'apertured at their outer ends so as to accommodate the longitudinally extending operating shaft 23. The latter extends through the apertures of the crossmernbers and through similarly elongated openings provided in bearing castings v2li which are riveted or otherwise secured to `the cross-y beams.

In the arrangement shown,each elongated bearing slot is formed with a substantially straight bearing portion 25 and a curved depressed portion 26, the latter being disposed in the outer end of the slot and beyond the free edge of the door. Intermediate the crossbeams, the shaft is provided with a plurality of Winding sheaves 27 fixed rigidlyv on the shaft. Each said Winding sheave is formed With spiral guideway 28 and includes at one end a serrated wheel 29 and at the opposite end an outstanding integral bracket 30 having a perforation 31. In alignment With each said serrated Wheel 29, there is disposed on the door a bracket 32 having a curved nose 33 projecting slightly beyond`the outer end of the door. Said bracket is formed on its underside` with serrated vsurface 34, the latter beingadapted to register with the serrated wheel 29 when the shaft is in contact with the door. Said bracket 32 is disposed intermediate thefront flange and the if-bar brace 22 of the door and secured to the door plate and to the VZ-bar brace. Adjacent the serrated surface 34 there is provided a recess 35 dened by side Walls 36 and 37, and an upper wall 38, said last named wall 3S being spaced ashort distance below the door plate.

Connections are connected to the door and shaft respectively for'the purpose of raising the door by a rotation of the shaft and thereafter bringing the shaft to a supporting position beneath the door, said connections including a iiexible section 39, such asv a chain, and a pivoted link member 40, the lformer being attached at one end to the bracket 30 of the sheave 27 by means of an adjustable eyebolt'tl, and, at its opposite end, to the pivoted link member 10, the connection betvvcen the sections 39 and l-O providing a pivotal connection around the end link of the `flexible section as indicated-at 4t2.

Said link 40, which is adapted to lie in the recess 35, is pivoted to the bracket 32 at 14.0 and is restrained against vsidewi'se movementv by theV Walls 36 and 37 but permitted to have j )ivotal'movement at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft about said pivot 1&0. Said link, on its upper surface, is formed of convex shape as indicated at 43 and of concave shape on its under surface as indicated at .44, said surfaces A3 and la being adapted to contact respectively with upper Wall 38 of bracket 32 and Winding sheave 27. p

As the {iexible connection 39 winds around 4the spiral guideway 28 during the lifting'of the doors and until such time as the serrated Wheel 29 on the shaft moves into contact with the serrated surfacey 34 on the curved nose33 in the manner indicated in Figure 5, the conveX surface 43 of link member t() is in contact With the upper Wall 38 of recess 35 and said link, in effect, provides anonserrated extension which projects beyond the serrated surface 3.4 on the door and beyond the sei-rations on the periphery of the Wheel 29 on the shaft. Y

'Theoperation' of the lifting and supporting mechanism is as follows, first assuming aclosing movement of the doorparticular reference being had to Figure 5 of the drawing. As the link chain section ofthe flexible connection is wound around the shaft While the latter is in the outermost portions of the slots in supporting brackets, the door Will be gradually elevated until the condition is reached shown in Figure 5, at which time the serrated nose on the door engages With the serrated Wheel 29. During this lifting operation of the door and at the condition shown in Figure 5, the-link 40 will bear against the Wall 3S of the bracket casting.

llU

NVhenthe parts have reached the condition shown in Figure 5, the shaft, as it continues its lbodily 'movement underneath the door will fulcrum for .a short distance about the pivotal point of connection 42 withthe effect Yof a. lever arm ofa length indicated by the line 45, this action being permitted by reason of `the :fact that the outer .end of the `link 40 is curved as indicated at 46 concentrica'lly with the pivotal point of connection 42. As further movement of the shaft takes place inwardly beneath the doei', the lfulcrum action referredto will elevate the door still further and the link 40 will accommodate itself relatively to the shaft byv pivoting about the pivotal center 140 until the condition is reached as shown in Figure 2, at which time the door is fully closed and the concave surface 44 of the link'40 will be supported upon the spiral guideway lon the shaft.

As will be understood from the previous description, the link 40cisrestrained against sidewise movement, that is, movement lengthwise of the operating shaft and is confined to movement in a vertical plane,

that is, in a plane perpendicular to the axis ofthe shaft, by reasonof the lin-k 40 being confined between the walls 36 and 37. This construction, coupled withl thevfact 'that the cannot be definitely controlled during any operation. `With my construction, the end link of the iiexible chain section can neither engage the free edge of the door,since it is connected to theheavy link '40 at point42,

nor canfit twist and hence the supporting point vof contact in raising the door and while the shaft first passes beneath the edge of the' door is between the link 40 vand the bracket to which it is attached. Further, since the link 40 is confined tomove'ment in the planeA perpendicular to the shaft, a straight line pull on theend link ofthe chain section is always assured at the critical 'time' when the serrated nose piece and serrated wheel come into engagement-.and 'the wedging or leve-rage action as -the shaft passes under the door, takes place. Further, due

to the fact that the heavy vlink40` has a v lsmooth surface engagement with the spiral drum when supported kon the latter a limited degree of sliding movementbetween said link 40 and `the shaft 23, is thereby provided so that vthe said two parts may relatively adjust themselves. While the description'of operation has been confined toone operating vlink-v age, itwill vbe :understood that it applies equally well to all sets and that, byreason of the heavy links 40,-/the end links @of `all chain sections will beheld in the same relative positions with respect to the edge of the door. I y

Referring now more particularly to :the shaft locking and rotating mechanism shown in 'Figures 7 to l0'. said mechanism is preferably located ontheend of the car, thc op,- erating shaft 23being extended beyond and through the end sill 47 where the yshaft is fitted witha ratchet wheel 48. with said' ratchet wheel 48 isa pivoted lever 49 mounted adjacent the ratchet wheel .and having Va'plurality of vpawls 50 and 5l pivotally mounted thereon, vsaid pawls being mounted for engagementwith the ratchet wheel mainly on the underside thereof .or that portion ofy the wheel lying belen `a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the shaft. Said lever is formed adjacent its lower end with a lever receiving socket 52 ofthe usual form, whereby the shaft may vbe rotated.

Secured to the end sill above the ratchet wheel is a bracket 58 having a plurality of fulcruin posts 54 and 55, adapted toy forni fulcrums for a pivoted pawl 56 and a pawl' retaining member 57. Said last :named members are retained onv their respective pivots by rivets 58andv washers 59. The pawl 56, which is pivoted above the ratchet wheel 48 and to one side of a vertical line passing through the axis of kthe shaftis formed on 4its vouterf side withA a cam-,shape contour 60. Cooperating with' said loamshape portion 60 to lock the' pawl 56 in position relatively to the ratchetw-heel 48, 'isthe pawl retaining member 57 `(ses Figure 10) said last named member being of substantially angle formation including a shank portion 61 and an inwardly extending end portion 62 yadaptedyto embrace the cam shape portion 6() when the shaft is in supporting position beneath the door.v The arrange? mentof locking means extending from vfixed points on' the car structure is kparticularly advantageous for use with'bodily 'movable shaftsy asjit compels the complete closing of the doors with the shaft brought to a definitev position before final locking of the shaft is effected. Furtheriiore, the shaft is not only 'effectively locked againstv rotation but itis also secured againstbodily movement. Assumingthe partsv in closed position and itis desired to open the'doors, fthe operation 1 is as follows: The p'awl retaining member 57 is rotated in a clockwise direction and, brought to an overebalanced position clear of the pawl 56, and the pawl 56 rotated clear of the ratchet wheel 48 and also brought to an over-balanced position, the position of these parts then .being as indicated in Fig- `ure 9. The operatorithen inserts Va bar in the socketv52 and positions vpawl() in engageinentjwith the ratchet wheel'l and rotates Coo oeratinof ico l l ic until the door is fully opened.

the shaft in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the same outwardly in the slots from supporting position beneath the door by reason of the inter-engagement between serrated wheels 29 on the shaft and serrated surfaces Sei on the doors. The outwart'i movement of the shaft is continued until arrested in the curved depressed port-ions 26 of the bearing castings 2d when the weight of the doors and lading will rotate the shaft 'lo close the door, the oiiierator positions locking pawl 56 into engagement with the ratchet wheel d8, inserts removable bar in the socket 52 of the lever, positions pawl l in engagement with the ratchet wheel li-8, and rotates the shaft in an anticlockwise direction as viewed. in Figure 8. lil/Then the shaft is thus rotated one step, it is evident that the locking pawl 56 will hold the shaft 2d by means of ratchet wheel i8 and retain it in whatever position it may have been adjusted while the operator moves the bar in the opposite direction to engage the pawl 5l with the next toothof tho operating ratchet. These oijierations are repeated until the doors have been moved to a fully closed position and the shaft moved to a supporting position under the door when the operator will. throw the pawl locking member 5G into locking position as shown in Figure 8.

`While l have herein. shown and described what I new consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claimtv l. In a railway car door mechanism, the combination with a door; of a lifting shaft, said shaft being movable into supporting position beneath the door when the latter' is closed; a connection from the shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid link pivotally,mounted beneath the door and extending outwardly towardsthe free edge of the saine and beyond the shaft when the latter is beneath the door; yand serrated engaging portions formed on the shaft and the door -:bespectively.

2. ln a railway car door operating mechanism, the combination with a car door; of a winding shaft adapted to lift said door, said shaft being movable to a supporting position beneath the door; a connection extending between the shaft and the door, said connection including a rigid link pivotally secured to the door and a series of flexible links secured to the opposite end of said link and also to the winding shaft; serrated bearine's on the door and on. the shaft; and limiting .means associated with the link and the door for the purposeof retaining the linkin fixed relation to the serrated bearingson the door,

'serrations of the door.

3. In a car door operating mechanism, the combination with a door; of a windingshaft, said shaft being adapted to raise the door, said shaft being movable to a supporting position beneath the door;` a connection from the shaft to the door, said connection embodying a rigid link and a iloxible section, said rigid link being mounted beneath the door and said flexible section outnfardly of the door.

t. In a car door operating` mechanism,

' l' ing and supthe combination of a di ir porting shaft, said shaft being movable into supporting position beneath the door when the latter is in closed position; and a connection from the shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid link pivotally mounted upon the door and a flexible link connection extending` between the shaft and the outer end of theA said link, the connection between the rigid link and the flexible link being at a poin outwardly of the shaft when the latter is in locked position beneath the door. l

5. ln a car door operating mechanism, the combiiiation with a, dumping door; of a windii'ig shaft adapted to raise the door, said shaft being .movable to a sui'iporting position beneath. the door; a bracket on the door, said bracket having a curved nose and serrations formed thereon; a roller on the shaft having serrations adapted to engage with the serrations on the nose of the door; and a flexible connection connecting said shaft and door, said flexible connection including a pivoted link having one endv piv` etally mounted on the door bracket and having its opposite end projecting beyond the the door when the latter is in closed pesi tion; of a connection from the shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid link section and a flexible link section; serrated surfaces respectivelyV formed on the door and shaft whereby a gripping engagement is provided between the shaft and door for the purpose of displacing the shaft from its supporting position beneath'thedoor.

7. ln a ear door operating mechanism, the combination. with a door; of awinding shaft, said shaft being bodily movable toda supporting position beneath the door when the latter is in closed position; a connection from the shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid link pivotally mounted upon the door and a flexible section pivotally con.

nected to the rigid link` said last named i' 1 i .L flexible section being adapted to havetransverse and longitudinal movement relatively to the shaft; and means associated withthe rigid link for restricting its movement lto a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the car. f

8. In a car door operating mechanism, the

' combination with a winding shaft, said shaft being adapted to have a bodily movement to a supporting position beneath the door when the latter is in closed position; of a bracket fixedly mounted upon the door, said bracket having a serrated rsurface formed integrally therewith; a serratedsurface fixedly mounted upon the shaft, said surface being adapted to registerwith the serrated' surface on the door; a rigid link pivotally mounted upon the door adjacent the serrated t surface on the door, said link having a portion thereof projecting outwardly beyond the door; and a flexible connection extending from the end ofsaid link to the shaft, said flexible connection being adapted to have transverse and longitudinal movement relatively to the shaft. i l

9. In a car door 'operating mechanism, the combination with a dumping door; of a winding shaft, said shaft having a bodily movement to a supporting position beneath the door; yconnections from the shaft to the door; means for imparting movement of rotation of the shaft; means for locking the shaft against unwinding movement; and means for locking the shaft against outward bodily movement. l

l0. In a car door operating` mechanism, the'combination with a dumping door; of a winding shaft, said shaft being adapted to be moved bodily to a supporting positionbeneath the door by a movement of rotation; moans for imparting a movement of rotation to the shaft; means for locking the shaft against an unwindingv movement, said last named means comprising: a ratchet` wheel fixed to the shaft, a pawl having a stationary pivot on the car structure and mounted above the shaft, said pawl being adapted to` engage'with the ratchet wheel throughout the entire movementl of the shaft; and means for locking fthe pawl in a fixed relation to the car structure and to an unwinding movement, said means includ,

ing a pawl pivotally mounted upon the car ing pawl in a fixed relation to the ratchet wheel, said last named means including an L-shaped locking member adapted to em brace the locking pawl and maintain the structure; and means for locking said lock- 'y lzutterl in a lixed relation to the ratchet wheel and to the car structure.

l2. Ina dump door'operating mechanism for vehiclessuch as railway cars, the combination with a pivoted door; Yof an ope-rating shaft positioned adjacent the free edge of the door, said shaft being supported by r the vehicle structure andV adapted kfor rotation and bodily translation to a door supporting `position beneaththe free edge of Y the door; and connecting means between said Vshaft and door, said means including anelement attached to the dooradjacent its free edge and movable relatively theretov only in a plane perpendicular to the axis ofthe shaft, and a flexible connector attached at one end tothe shaft adapted to wind thereon and,,at its other end, pivotally attached to saidy element at a pointto prevent contact lbetween the door and the end. unit of said flexibleiconnector which vis attached to said-f e'lement while the yshaft is moving under the door during a closing operation;

In witness that I claim the foregoingI have hereunto subscribed by name this 27th f day .of August, 1927.v

ARGYLE CAMPBELL y

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