US2195620A - Lock - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. DITCHFIELD LOCK I'ilad April 16, 1938' April 2, 1940. F. DITCHFIELD LOCK Filed April 16. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jiimmr E Grim- Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOOK Frank Ditchfield, Cleveland,

Youngstown Steel Door Company,

Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to looks and more particularly to looks for sliding car doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide locks for sliding doors so designed that they may be mounted in their entirety upon the walls or auxiliary doors of railway freight cars and be adapted for locking engagement with doors slidably related to said walls or auxiliary doors while obviating the attachment of any portion of the locks to said slidably related doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors in which the stresses imposed thereon shall be distributed over a substantially greater area than is possible with present locks for sliding doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors capable of distributing stresses imposed thereon over a large area and of absorbing automatically all clearance between the doors and their stops when the locks are in operative position.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors mounted for swinging movement in a horizontal plane and capable in looking position of automatically absorbing slack of the doors.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors embodying means for automatically taking up slack of the doors and capable of being sealed independently of such means.

A further object is to provide swingably mounted locks for sliding doors embodying tapered pins operable to take up slack of the doors wherein the locks may be swung to inoperative position without raising the pins.

A further object is to provide locks for sliding doors adapted to be fabricated as complete units embodying locking members swingable in a horizontal plane and carrying means cooperable with the locking members to secure automatic take-up 40 of slack of the doors and other means for fastening said members in locking position.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specifica- 45 tion Figure 1 is a partial elevation showing a lock embodying the instant invention applied to the double doors of an automobile car.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 50 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontalsection taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a lock base. Figure 5 is a plan view of a locking member of 66 the lock.

Figure 6 is a view Qmllar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure '7 is a vertical section taken on line 1-I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 I 8-8 of Figure 6.

In the drawings the locks embodying the instant invention are illustrated in connection with the double doors of an automobile car. In this application of the locks they are shown fastened to the auxiliary door of the double door construction. The locks are to be understood to be applicable to freight cars utilizing a single door in each wall in which case the locks will be fastened to the car side wall. In this event, only such changes in the mode of attachment of the lock which are clear to those skilled in the art will be required. The structure of the locks, however, their function and association with the slid ing doors with which they are related are unaflcected. I

The numeral I0 designates the auxiliary door of a double door construction utilized in cars wherein bulky lading such as automobiles, furniture and the like are shipped. The main door of this double door construction is designated by the reference numeral II.

Insofar as pertinent to the instant invention the auxiliary door I0 embodies a metallic panel I2 providedwith a plurality of spaced horizontal corrugations I3 which merge into the plane of the panel inwardly of the vertical edges thereof as indicated at I4. Secured to the inner face of the auxiliary door III at its forward margin is a post I5 substantially Z-shaped in section. The post I5 is riveted to this edge of the door as by rivets I6 so as to be movable with the door. The rivets I6 are utilized additionally to fasten to said edge of the door a substantially Z-shaped member I! which provides astop and in conjunction with the deformed flange I8 01 the post I5 provides a recess I9 for the reception of the forward margin of the main door II.

The main door II like the auxiliary door I0 embodies a metallic panel I2 having the spaced horizontal corrugations I3 formed therein which terminate short of the vertical edges of the doors as'indicated at l4. The forward margin of the main door II is reinforced by means of a vertical stiffener 20 secured to said edge of the door as by rivets 2|. The stifiening member 20 is provided with spaced vertical flanges 22 and 23, the former of which is adapted to engage the stop member H to limit closing movement of the main door and seal the meeting edges of the doors. The 65 flange 23 cooperates with the flange 24 of the door stop I! which lies in overlapping relationship with the front margin of the main door to further aid in sealing the meeting edges of the main and auxiliary doors.

In the double door construction illustrated, the novel lock is applied in its entirety to the auxiliary door l0 thus obviating the need for attachment of any of the lock parts to the main door The lock embodies a base plate 25 secured to the auxiliarydoor as by rivets 26. The base plate embodies spaced front and rear walls 21 and 28 connected by the vertical wall 29 which as more clearly appears from Figure 3 of the drawings abuts the main door stop At its upper and lower ends the rear wall 28 merges into the plate attaching flanges 38 and 3| through which the rivets 26 extend. Hinge ears-32 and 33 project outwardly from the attaching flanges and 3|, these ears being connected with the upper and lower portions of the front wall 21 by means of the upper and lower portions 33 and 34 into which the said front wall merges. Openings 35 and 36 are formed in the hinge cars 32 and 33 and a hinge pin 3'! is adapted to extend through these openings. The walls 21, 28 and 29 of the base plate 25 provide a housing for the reception of a vertically movable tapered pin 38. The base plate 25 is formed additionally with an outwardly projecting staple 39 having an opening 48 extending therethrough.

The base plate 25 carries a locking member designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 4|. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, the locking member'4l comprises a rolled channel shaped member 42 having a web 43 and vertically disposed inwardly extending flanges 44 and 45. An angle member 46 preferably in the form of a casting having flanges 4! and 48 is secured to the channel shaped member 42 as by means of rivets 49 extending through the web 43 of the channel member and the flange 41 of the cast angle member. member and cast angle member, respectively, are secured together as by means of rivets 50. The angle member 46 is formed with integral hinge ears 5| and 52 provided with elongated openings 53 and 54. The angle member 46 is shaped to provide an upwardly opening channel recess defined by the spaced vertical flanges 55 and 56 and the horizontal connecting flange 51. Aligned seal receiving openings 58 and 59 are formed in the verticalflanges 55 and 56.

The cast angle member 46 carries the outwardly projecting vertically spaced flanges 60 and 6|. These flanges are formed with openings and in conjunction with the vertical flanges 55 and 56 and the connecting horizontal flange 51 provide means for the reception of a locking pin 62 carried by the locking member.

When assembled the tapered pin 38 is disposed between the front and rear walls of the base plate and the locking member is connected to the base plate by means of the hinge pin 31 which extends through the aligned openings formed in the ears provided respectively on the base plate and on the locking member.

The operation of the lock will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description.

Assuming that the front edge of the main door II has been brought sufficiently close to the door stop I! so as to permit the engagement of the said door by the locking member, the vertical flange 45 of the locking member will be brought into en- The flanges 44 and 48 of the channel gagement with the bearing plate 63 secured to the flange 22 on the vertical stiflener, preferably by means of welding. Inasmuch as the plate 83 and the flange 22 lie behind the overlapping flange 24 of the door stop II, this flange is provided with a recess 64 through which the flange 45 of the locking member extends for engagement with the bearing plate 63. ing member is engaged with one side of the tapered pin 38, the other side of which bears against the flange 29 of the base plate. In this position of the locking member the staple 39 carried by the base plate extends through an opening 65 formed in the locking member and lies between. the spaced flanges 68 and 6| provided on the cast angle member 46. The locking pin 62 extends through an opening formed in the flange 51 and through the openings provided in the flanges 60 and 6| and in the staple 39. A seal may then be passed through the openings 58 and 59 formed in the vertical flanges 55 and 56 and through an aligned opening 66 formed in the pin 62 thus sealing the lock. Attention is invited to the fact that the opening 65 formed in the locking member is substantially longer than the staple 39 formed on the base plate.

In the drawings the main door II is illustratedin engagement with the front stop I! whereby the main door is fully closed. In view of the construction of the lock, however, it will be readily apparent that secure locking of the main and auxiliary doors may be had when the main door is not fully closed. This is accomplished by reason of the elongated openings 53 and 54 formed in the ears 5| and 52 carried by the angle member 46 of the locking member 4| and by the opening 65 formed in the locking member through which the staple 39 projects. With reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the locking member may be moved laterally until the clearance between the hinge pin 31 and the elongated openings 53 and 54 is taken up and yet secure locking engagement between the locking member and the main door. The clearance between the staple 39 and the opening 65 formed in the locking member also permits this lateral movement of the locking member with respect to the doors. The main door can, therefore, be locked prior to assuming its full closed position. In this position of the main door the tapered pin 38 abuts against the flange 29 of the base plate and the vertical flange 44 of the channel locking member. Movement of the main door in opening direction is thereby prevented. The main door, however, may move in closing direction whereupon the tapered pin 38 by the action of gravity will be lowered thereby moving the locking member toward the left as viewed in Figure 3 of the drawings and causing the slack created by the closing movement of the door to be taken up. When the main door assumes its fully closed position illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, all movement either in closing or in opening direction is prevented.

In order to unlock the main door II the seal which has been passed through the aligned openings 58, 59 and 66 is removed and the locking pin 62 is raised until it is disengaged from the staple 39. The tapered pin 38 is raised so as to be disengaged from the vertical flange 44 of the locking member. The tapered pin 38 is limited in its elevation by means of a stop member 61 secured to the auxiliary door by means of a rivet 68. After the pins 38 and 62 are thus raised the locking member 4| is swung outwardly so as to be The flange 44 of the lockdisengaged from the plate 63 and the flange 24 of the front stop II. Outward swinging movement of the locking member is limited by the engagement between the angular portions 69 of the hinge ears 5| and 52 with the auxiliary door I8, thereby insuring that the locking member will not project outwardly beyond the tunnel clearance line.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that the lock is a self-contained unit capable of being pre-assembled and furnished as a unit to the railroads. It obviates the application of any lock parts to the main door of an automobile car or to the single door of a box car. It provides, by reason of the continuity of the vertical flanges 44 and 45 of the channel locking member, bearing surfaces far in excess of bearing surfaces heretofore attainable in looks for sliding car doors. Moreover, the seal does not engage the tapered pin so that danger of broken seals as a result of possible jumping of the pin is eliminated.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. The base plate I8. of the modified form of the invention embodies front and rear walls II and I2 spaced transversely relative to the doors and connected by a vertical web I3. The side wall I4 of the base plate abuts the front stop I1 and is connected with the web I3 by means of the spaced ribs I5 and I6. At its upper end the rear wall 12 merges into the attaching flange 11 while at its lower end the rear wall I2 merges into an attaching flange I8. Rivets I9 passing through the attaching flanges I1 and I8 are used to fasten the base plate to the auxiliary door I8.

The front wall II merges at its upper and lower ends, respectively into flanges 88 and BI which are extended laterally in order to provide hinge ears 82 and 83. There is thus provided a housing for the reception of a tapered pin 84 substantially the same as the tapered pin 38 with the exception that one side of the pin is formed so as to lie at an obtuse angle relative to the front face of the pin as indicated at 85.

In the considered embodiment of the invention the locking member 86 is a cast member. This member is formed adjacent its upper and lower ends with reinforcing ribs 81 and 88 which as more clearly appears from Figure 6 of the drawings are extended laterally to provide hinge ears 89 and 98. The ears 89 and 98 are extended as indicated at 9| and 92 and the rear edges of these extensions are disposed at an angle to the auxiliary door as indicated at 93. In addition the hinge ears 89 and 98 are provided with elongated openings 94 and 95.

The locking member 86 is further reinforced by means of the spaced ribs 96 and 91 between which an opening 98 is formed in the web 99 of the locking member. Through this opening a staple I88 formed integral with the base plate I8 is adapted to extend. Flanges IM and I82 extend inwardly from the web 99 of the locking member, the flange I8I being adapted for engagement with the bearing plate 63 secured to the flange 22 of the door stiffener 28 and the flange I82 being adapted for engagement with the inclined side of the tapered pin 84. It will be observed that the flange I82 is therefore correspondingly inclined with regard to the inclined side of the tapered pin. The reinforcing ribs 81, 96 and 91 are provided with vertically aligned openings as clearly indicated in Figure 6 of the drawings, whereby the locking member 86 is adapted to carry a locking and sealing pin I83.

Spaced vertical flanges I84 and I86 extend upwardly from the reinforcing rib 81. These flanges together with the upper end of the locking pin I83 are provided with horizontally aligned openings I86, I81 and I88 for the reception of a seal.

A hinge pin I89 passing through the aligned openings in the ears provided on the base plate and on the locking member is utilized to swin ably secure the locking member upon the base plate.

With particular reference to Figure 7 of the drawings, it will be observed that the rivet 19 which lies in the path of movement of the tapered pin 84 has its head adjacent to the pin flattened somewhat as indicated at II8. Also the rear face of the tapered pin is recessed as indicated at I II so as to provide a groove within which the flattened head II8 of the rivet I9 is received. The groove III terminates in a shoulder II2 whereby the rivet head H8 is utilized in conjunction with the groove II I and the shoulder I I2 to limit the vertical lifting movement of the tapered pin.

It will be apparent without further description that the lock of the considered embodiment of the invention possesses all of the attributes of the first described embodiment of the invention. It has the ability to absorb automatically any slack which might be introduced when the main door is not fully closed. It provides at least the same desirable bearing area secured from the lock shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings. In addition, by reason of the inclination of the side of the tapered pin and the conforming flange I 82 which abuts said side, the locking member 86 may be swung to inoperative position without the necessity of first raising the tapered pin. This will. become apparent from a consideration of Figure 8 of the drawings. The swinging movement of the locking member to its inoperative position is limited by the rear edge 93 of the ears formed on the locking member so that said member will not project beyond the tunnel clearance line.

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 he comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple on said plate, a channel shaped locking member, means mounting said lock member upon said base plate for swinging movement in a horizontal plane and for translatory movement. said locking member having a web and inwardly extending vertical flanges, one of said flanges engaging a side of said tapered pin in the operative position of said locking member and a locking pin carried by said locking member adapted to engage said staple to releasably fasten said locking member to said base plate.

2. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from said plate, a channel shaped locking member having hinge ears provided with laterally elongated openings, a hinge pin extending through said ears on said base plate and said elongated cooperable with said staple carried by said locking member.

3. A lock for sliding car doors comprising abase plate, a tapered pin carried bysaid base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from said plate, a channel shaped locking member having hinge ears provided with laterally elongated openings, a hinge pin extending through said ears on said base plate and said elongated openings in said hinge ears of said locking member, said locking member engaging said tapered pin when in operative position and a locking pin cooperable with said staple carried by said locking member, the rear edges of said hinge ears on said locking member having portions which are angularly related to limit swinging movement of said locking member in one direction.

4. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member having spaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, said flanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

5. A lock for slidin car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from said plate, a locking member having hinge ears, a hinge pin extending through aligned openings in said ears, the openings in the ears on said locking member being larger than said hinge pin, spaced vertical flanges on said locking member adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fastening said member to said base plate.

6. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin having a side inclined at an obtuse angle to the front face of said pin carried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member having spaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, said flanges being adapted to engage said side of said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, said flange engaging said side of said pin being similarly inclined, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

7. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member having spaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, said flanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, means for limiting swinging movement of said locking member, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

8. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking mem- Wage 9 pin when in operative position and a meniig jber having spaced vertical flanges extending in the same direction and toward said tapered pin and a member on said door, said vertical flanges being engageable with'said tapered pin and said member and means for. releasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement.

9. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, hinge ears projecting from said plate, a locking member having hinge ears, a hinge pin extending through aligned openings in said ears, the openings in the ears on said locking member being larger than said hinge pin, spaced vertical flanges on said locking member adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, and means for releasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement.

10. A look for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a'tapred pin carried by said base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for horizontal swinging and translatory movements relative to said plate, said locking member having spaced vertical flanges extending toward said tapered pin and door, said flanges being adapted to engage said tapered pin and a vertical member on said door, and means cooperable with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

11. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a tapered pin carried by said base plate, a staple on said plate, a channel shaped locking member, means mounting said lock member upon said base plate for swinging movement in a horizontal plane and for translatory movement, said locking member having a web and inwardly extending vertical flanges, one of said flanges engaging a side of said tapered pin in the operative position of said locking member, an aperture in said web through which said staple is adapted to project and a locking pin carried by said locking member for association with said staple to fasten said locking member to said base plate.

12. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a staple projecting from said plate, gravity actuated take-up means carried by said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for translatory and swinging movements relative to said plate, said locking member having spaced inwardly directed vertical flanges engageable with a vertical member on said door and said gravity actuated take-up means, and a locking pin carried by said locking member adapted to be associated with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

13. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, a staple and hinge ears projecting from said plate, gravity actuated take-up means carried by said plate, a locking member having hinge ears, a hinge pin extending through aligned openings in said ears, the openings in the ears of said locking member being larger than said hinge pin, spaced inwardly directed vertical flanges on said locking member engageable with a vertical member on said door and said gravity actuated take-up means for absorbing-slack of said door, and means carried by said locking member engageable with said staple for releasably fastening said locking member to said base plate.

14. A lock for sliding car doors comprising a base plate, gravity actuated take-up means carried by said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member for swinging and translatory movements relative to said base plate, said locking member having spaced vertical flanges extending in the same direction and engageable with said gravity actuated take-up means and a vertical member on said door, and means for releasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement.

15. In a railway house car having a sliding door embodying a member, and a relatively stationary member carrying a door stop provided with a flange overlapping said door, a base plate secured to said relatively stationary member, a staple on said plate, a locking member, means mounting said lock member on said plate for horizontal swinging and translatory movements, a tapered pin carried by said plate, spaced vertical flanges on said looking member, said flanges engaging said tapered pin and said member on said door, said door stop flange being coped to permit said engagement with said member on said door, and a locking pin carried by said looking member engageable with said staple to releasably fasten said locking member to said base plate. 7

16. In a railway house car having a sliding door embodying a vertical member, and a relatively stationary member carrying a door stop having a slotted flange overlapping said door, a base plate secured to said relatively stationary member, take-up means carried by said base plate, a locking member, means ,mounting said lock member on said base plate for swinging and translatory movements, spaced vertical flanges on said locking member engaging said take-up means and said vertical member on said door,

said vertical flange which engages said vertical member on said door extending through said slot for the purpose of said engagement, and means releasably fastening said locking member against swinging movement,

FRANK DITCHFIEID.

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