US2158336A - Locking opening, and closing device - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939.

G. MADLAND LOCKING, OPENINGVAND CLOSING DEVICE Filed July 1, 1937 2 Sheets-Shem; l

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. MADLAND LOCKING, OPENI NG, AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed July 1, 1957 May 16, 1939.

A III Patented May 16, 1939 i UNITED sTAr-ss PATENT OFFICE 'LOUKING, OPENING, AND CLOSING 'DE IGE Application 'July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,378

7 Claims.

This :invention relates to locking, opening and closing devices.

It is an object of this invention to provide a "device which shallcombine thefunctions of locking, closing and/or opening sliding doors.

.A'further object is to provide a device of this character which shall effect :a substantial savings in weight of approximately 35% over similar devices in which the locking device is separate 1'0 from the opening and closing device. I

A further object is to provide a combined locking and-closing device having 'separablemeans and designed "to secure fullclosing operationbefore the door is completely closed and automatic 1'5 closing movement .ofsaiddoor and separaticn'of said means when said device is in door locking position.

A further object is to provide 'a combined locking and closing device for sliding doors "in- .2 eluding separable means cooperable to secure door closing movement wherein said means are spaced apart in the fully closed and locked position of said device.

A further object is to provide a locking, opening and closing device for sliding doors-embodying lugs and cooperable abutmentsfor obtaining opening and closing door movements, saiddevice being designed to'relieve saidlugs of'strain when said door is locked.

.30 A further object is to provide a-combined looking and closing device having separable means and designed to secure 'fu'll closing operation before the "door is completely closed and separation of said means and transference of the lock- .35 ing function to other parts of said device when the door is thereafter moved in closing direction.

Other objects ofthe invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds;

In the drawings forming part "of this specifica- 40 'tion:

Figure v1 is a fragmentary elevation o'fthe'main and auxiliary doors of ara'ilway house car'showing a device of the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 45 22 of Figure 'l.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section corresponding to the plane indicated by line 3- 3 of Figure -1 but showing the relationship of the lugs on the lever with the cooperating bracket when the door .50 is fully closed.

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal section illustrating the engagement 'between'parts *of the device when the main door is to be 'movedito closed position, this door being shown in :itsmaximum :55 spaced position "from .the auxiliarydoor.

furniture and the like.

Figure his a partial horizontal section illustratingthe engagement between parts of the device embodying the invention in order to impart closing movement to the main door when said main door is separated from the auxiliary door less than themaximum distance.

Figure 6 is a partial horizontal section showing the disposing of the parts of the device of the invention when opening movement is to be imparted to the main door. 10

Referringto the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it will be seen that the device of the invention is shown applied to the double doors of a railway house car commonly employed to close a door opening of extraordinary width provided in the sides of such house cars where they 'are utilized for the shipment of bulky lading, such as automobiles, In such application of the device of the invention the lock plate '10 is '20 preferably secured to the left hand or auxiliary door I I. The hasp fastener l2,-hasp i3 and operating and locking lever I4 are then fastened as by means of rivets l5 to the right hand or main door Hi. The auxiliary and main doors which 2 areshown for purposes of illustration only are of well, known construction, the auxiliary door ll embodying a metallic panel I! provided with spaced horizontal corrugations l8 merging into vertical corrugations formed in the panel ad- .jacent the vertical edges thereof. The vertical corrugation adjacent the front edge of the auxiliary door is illustrated and is designated by the reference numeral I9. An auxiliary door post 20 b and a "front stop angle 2| are fastened to the front margin of the auxiliarydooras by means of rivets 22. The knee brace 23 secured to the panel l2 and to the auxiliary door post 20 serves to prevent rotation of said post under impact.

The main door I6 embodies a metallic panel '24 formed with aplurality of spacedcorrugations 2-5 which merge into vertical corrugations ad- 'jacent the vertical edges of the door. The front vertical corrugation of the main door is desig- 'nated by the reference numeral 26. The front margin of the main door I6 is reinforced by a channel member 21 which in the closed position of the doors is received by the auxiliary door post 20 and the front stop angle 2|. A nailing block .5 P is carried by the auxiliary door post 20.

The opening, closing and locking device illustrated may as readily be utilized with a single :sliding car door. In this case the lock plate 10 'willpreferably be fastened tothe-carside, whereas the hasp fastener, hasp and operating and locking lever will be secured to the door.

The lock plate II! which is preferably in the form of a casting is secured to its supporting member as by means of horizontal rivets 28 and vertical rivets 29 and 30. The lock plate I0 is provided with vertically spaced housing members 3I and 32 in which a locking pin 33 is received and retained. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the locking pin 33 is provided with a straight or vertical side 34 adapted to abut against the adjacent sides of the housing members 3I and 32 and an inclined side 35 adapted to cooperate with a similarly inclined shoulder provided on the operating and locking lever I4 as hereinafter explained. The lower portion of the pin 33 is formed with a slot 35 adapted to aline with a slot 31 formed in the lock plate I 0 for the purpose of receiving a seal.

Extending from the lock plate II] and preferably formed integral therewith are upper and lower bracket members 38 and 39 in the form of sockets. The bracket member 38 is provided with an opening 4|] while the bracket member 39 is formed with an opening 4| whereby entry into the sockets may be had and the side flanges 42 and 43 of the bracket 38 and the side flanges 44 and 45 of the bracket 39 may serve as abutments as will later more clearly appear.

The hasp fastener I2 is provided with a neck portion 46, the free end 41 of which extends through the vertical corrugation 26 and through an eye 48 formed in the hasp or link I3 for securing the link to the main door IS. The outer end of the hasp or link I3 is reduced in thickness as indicated at 49 and is received between the flanges 50 and 5| of the operating and locking lever I4, these flange being formed by bifurcating the end of the lever. The lever is pivotally secured upon the reduced end of the link by means of a rivet 52. A lug 53 extends upwarly from the lever flange 50 and a lug 54 extends downwardly from the lever flange 5 I. Intermediate its ends the operating and locking lever is provided with a shoulder 55 having an inclination similar to that of the inclined side 35 of the locking pin 33.

With particular reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the main door I6 has been moved relative to the auxiliary door which is shown in its closed position a suflicient distance to permit the entry of the lugs 53 and 54 on the lever into the socket brackets 38 and 39 so that the said lugs may engage the side flanges 43 and 45 of said brackets. With said flanges of the brackets serving as fulcrums, a force exerted upon the free end of the lever toward the left as viewed in Figure 4 will be transmitted to the hasp fastener I2 through the link I3 so as to impart closing movement to the main door. This force will be continued to be applied to the lever I4 until it assumes the position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings at which time the locking pin 33 will be lowered so that its vertical side 34 will engage the adjacent sides of the housing members 3| and 32 and the inclined side of the pin will engage the inclined shoulder 55 formed on the lever.

It will be observed from Figure 2 of the drawings that the main door is spaced somewhat from the front stop angle 2| thereby insuring the proper positioning of the operating and locking lever I4 and the engagement therewith of the locking pin 33. At this time the door is locked and the stress occasioned by the opening tendency of the door will be carried by the lugs 53 and 54 and by the locking pin 33.

It is desired, however, and the instant invention provides for the transference of the locking stress from the lugs 53 and 54 to the locking pin 33 and its associated elements. In other words, the operation of the device of the invention is such that when the door is fully closed, the lugs 53 and 54 will be separated from their abutments. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings and may be obtained in any one of a plurality of ways.

With the locking, opening and closing device associated as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be apparent that opening movement of the door cannot occur. However, should the door move in the closing direction, separation of the shoulder 55 on the lever I4 from the inclined side 35 of the locking pin 33 will permit said pin to lower automatically so as to take up the clearance thus provided. Therefore the device is capable of automatic operation to effect separation of the lugs 53 and 54 from the abutments and the transference of the locking stress to the locking pin 33 and the lock plate.

It will be clear, moreover, that where desired, separation of these lugs from their abutments may be obtained either by forcing the locking pin 33 downwardly or by moving the door to fully closed position by a force applied directly to the door.

With reference to Figure 5 of the drawings, the flexibility of the device is illustrated. It will be observed that the spacing of the main and auxiliary doors is less than the space shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. However, by a proper angular relationship between the link I3 and the door and between said link and the lever I4, engagement of the lugs 53 and 54 on the lever with the side flanges 43 and 45 can be obtained so that closing movement may be imparted to the main door.

The operation of the device of the invention in securing initial opening movement of the main door is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. However, the lever I4 has been disengaged from the locking pin 33 by raising the latter. The lever is swung toward the right as viewed in this figure until engagement between the lugs 53 and 54 and the side flanges 42 and 44 of the brackets 38 and 39 is had. Upon further swinging movement of the lever in the same direction, these side flanges will provide fulcrums for the lugs so that the force applied to the free end of the lever will be transmitted through the pivotal connection between the lever and the link to the hasp fastener thereby exerting a force upon the hasp fastener and upon the door to which it is fastened, which will move the door in opening direction. When the device has performed its function in this regard it is permitted to hang vertically from the neck of the hasp fastener.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway house car having a sliding door and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, the combination comprising a link carried by said door, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said link, lugs on one end of said lever, a member secured to said relatively stationary member having abutments, said lugs being releasably engageable with said abutments to effect movement of said door in closing direction upon swinging said lever in one direction, said lugs being spaced from said abutments in the closed position of said door and means on said relativeli stationary member associated with said lever for preventing opening movement of said door.

2. In a railway house car having a sliding door and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, the combination comprising means carried by said door, a lever pivotally secured to said means, an abutment on said member, said lever and said abutment being separably engageable to effect movement of said door in closing direction upon swinging of said lever in one direction, said door being partly open at the end of the operation of said lever and means on said member cooperable with said lever at the end of its operation to secure spacing of said lever from said abutment for the purpose set forth.

3. In a railway house car having a sliding door and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, the combination comprising means carried by said door, a lever pivotally secured to said means, an abutmenton said member, said lever and said abutment being separably engageable to effect movement of said door in closing direction upon swinging of said lever in one direction, said door being partly open at the end 01 the operation of said lever and means on said member cooperable with said lever at the end of its operation for preventing opening movement of said door, said door being movable in closing direction when said latter means and said lever are in cooperative relationship to eiiect separation of said lever from said abutment, said latter means being biased to engagement with said lever to maintain said separation for the purpose set forth.

4. In a railway house car having a sliding door and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, the combination comprising a link secured to said door for swinging movement in vertical and horizontal planes, a lever pivotally connected to said link, a lug on said lever, an abutment on said member, said lug being engageable with said abutment and said lever being swingable in a horizontal plane to move said door in closing direction and means carried by said member cooperable with said lever to relieve said lug and abutment of forces tending to open said door.

5. In a railway house car having a sliding door member and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, means on one of said members, a lever pivotally connected to said means for horizontal swinging movement, a lug on said lever, a bracket secured to the other of said members, an abutment on said bracket, said lug being engageable with said abutment and said lever being swingable to impart closing movement to said door, said bracket having means engageable with said lever to relieve said lug and abutment of forces tending to open said door.

6. In a railway house car having a sliding door member and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, a lever pivotally connected to one of said members for horizontal swinging movement, a lug on said lever, a bracket secured to the other of said members, an abutment on said bracket, said lug being separably engageable with said abutment and said lever being swingable to impart closing movement to said door member, said door member being partly open at the end of the swinging movement of said lever, a vertically movable pin carried by said bracket, said pin being engageable with said lever at the end of its swing and cooperating therewith to secure said lug in spaced relation to said abutment.

'7. In a railway house car having a sliding door member and a relatively stationary member associated therewith, a link fastened to one of said members for horizontal and vertical swinging movements, a lever connected to said link for horizontal swinging movement, said lever having an inclined shoulder, a lug on said lever, a bracket fastened to the other of said members, said bracket being formed with an abutment, said lug and said bracket being separably engageable and said lever being swingable to impart closing movement to said door member, said door member being partly open at the end of the swinging movement of said lever, a vertically movable pin having one side inclined correspondingly to said shoulder carried by said lever, said pin being engageable with said shoulder at the end of the swinging movement of said lever and cooperating automatically with said shoulder to secure said lug in spaced relation to said abutment.

GABRIEL MADLAND.

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