US1086602A - Car-door. - Google Patents

Description

P. GVMERKBR.

CAR DOOR.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1911. 15086602. Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

Patented Feb. 10,1914.

2 s'xnn'rs-snsnr 2.

P. O. MERKER.

GAR DOOR.

w APPLICATION rum) may. 22,1911.

. Z;U 5444mm,

R W W H i :73 M w .u. .u -H-.

.R A Q Q n a w v w Q v? Q U improve the constructionof car doors, and

PHI-LIEC- EBKEQR OE CED-AR.RAPID$,; QWA-.-

CAR-DOOR,

Application filed November 22, 19m,

Specification of Letterslfatent.

PatentedFeb. 10, 1914.

Serial No 561740, f.

To all whom it may concern Beuit .knownthat =1, PHILLP O. MERKER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar-.ltapids, in the county of Linn and Stateof Iowa, have invented a new and useful Car-Door, of which the following is a specifications The invention relates to improvements in.

car doors.

The object of the present invention is to to provide a simple, efiicient and comparzv tively inexpensive car don, designed for use on grain cars and various other freight cars for carryingdifierent kinds of merchandise, and-adapted when-closed to fitsnugly the interior of the car to formastorm-proof and grain tight closure, and capable of opening exteriorly of the car, without the contents of .the car interfering with such movement.

The invention also has. for its: object to provide a door .of this character, adapted With these and other objects in view, the.

invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sac rificing any of the advantages of the invention.

1n the drawings :-Figure 1 is--a front elevation-of a car door, constructed in ac.- cordance with this invention, and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of the lower hasp and bracket for locking the pivoted door engaging bar. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the upper hasp member and the seal receiving pin.

Like numerals of reference designate cordrawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the car. door comprises in its constnuction anupper door l and a main or lower doorromposedof four .vertical doorhsections 2, '3, .4 and 5, but the number ofvertical sections of thealower -or main door may be increasedto provide a door of the desired size, or the verticalsections may be variedtin size to secure the same. result. Theu-doornsectionsl 2 and 3 are hingedtogether :andnthe door sections 4: and 5 are likewisehinged together, forming two sec- -tionaldoors, which extend from the bottom of the doorvopening of the side or wall 6 of .the.car intdthe upper half of'the door opening, the upper door 1 being in the naturel-of an. auxiliary door, adapted to. be.-opened ;forloading grain and designed to remainclosedwhen the merchan- (llSe.COIltfllPBClJVlthlIl the car is of a size to pass through. the door opening when the lower .or main door only is opened.

TheseotionsZ and 5 of the sectional doors are slidahly connected-with vertical pintle rods 7 by hinge elements composed-of two leaves 8 and 9, hinged together by a verticalpintle 10 and adapted to permit the sectional doors to swing through the dooropening of the car-from the interior to the exterior of the same and vice versa. The leaves8 are riveted or otherwise secured to theouter faces of the. door sections 2 and 5 at points intermediate of the vertical side edges-of the same, and the leaves 9, which constitute intermediate leaves, are provided witheyes 11, slidably arranged on the vertical pint-1e rods 7 and supported by the contiguous hinge elements or brackets 12.

The vertical-pintle rods 7, which are located at opposite sides of the door opening of the car, ar supported at intervals by the fixed hinge elements or brackets 12, provided with vertically alined eyes to receive the pintle rods and having slots 13 through which pass bolts 14, orother suitable fastening devices for securing the hinge elements or brackets 12 in fixed adjustment. The bolts have their heads arranged at the inner faces of the car so as to present smooth surfaces to the contents of the same. The hinges 15, which connect the upper door 1 with the car at the top of the door opening, are also provided with slots 16 for the reception ofsuitable 'respondingparts in all=the figures of the fastening devices 17 for adjustably securing the upper door 1 to the car. As the upper door and the lower or main door fit against the interior of the car when closed, they are capable of adjustment through the said slots and fastening devices to enable the door to be arranged to fit various door openings whether in or out of plumb, and it obviatesv the necessity of trimming'the doors or the frame-work of the car for this purpose. As the sectional doors swing on the vertical pintle rods? and also on the pintles 10, they are adapted to be readily moved through the car door opening to and from their closed position. The hinge elements or brackets 12 are preferably four in number and spaced apart to provide upper and lower intermediate spaces for the eyes 11 of the leaves 9, and three sets of leaves 8 and '9 are employed, as shown, but the number of brackets or fixed hinge elements and the leaves 8 and 9, which constitute movable hinge elements, may be, of course, varied, as desired. The vertical sliding of the sectional doors enables the sections when folded to be lifted over supporting brackets 18.

The sections of the lower or main door and the upper door are preferably constructed of heavy sheet metal, such as boiler iron, but any other suitable material, either wood or metal, may be employed in the construction of the doors. The hinges 19 and 20, which connect the sections 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 together in pairs, are preferably arranged at the top, bottom and center of the said sections 2, 3, 4 and 5, and the hinges 19 of the sections 2 and 3 are arranged at the inner faces of the same, while the hinges 20 of thesections 4 and 5 are located at the outer faces of those sections. This permits the sections 2 and 3 to break outwardly and the sections 4 and 5 to break inwardly. The hinges 19 and 20 each consists of two channeled iron bars, extending entirely across the sections, as shown, and provided at their adjacent ends with eyes for the reception of a suitable pintle. The hinges of the vertical sections of the lower door may be constructed and arranged in any other preferred manner, The vertical sections are bent outwardly at the bottom to form horizontal' bottom flanges 22, and the contiguous vertical edges of the sections 2,and 3 are bent outwardly to form abutting flanges 23 and 24, the flange 24 being L-sh aped to cover the joint between the sections 2 and 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The contiguous vertical edges of the sections 4 and 5 are bent outwardly to form vertical abutting flanges 25, and the section 5 is provided at its inner face with a vertical strip 26, riveted or otherwise secured to the said section 5 and spannin and covering the joint between the sections 4 and 5. The adjacent edges of the sections 3 and 4 are bent outwardly to form flanges 27 and 28, the flange 23 being L-shaped in cross section and overlapping the flange 27 to cover the joint.

The lower edge of the upper door extends below the upper edges of the vertical sections of the lower door, and the said upper door is equipped atfits outer face adjacent to its lower edge with a horizontal flanged bar 29, having one of its flanges fitted against the upper door and suitably secured to the same, while the other flange projects horizontally from the upper door over the upper edge of the main door and against the meeting portions of the doors to provide a tight joint at the top of the lower or main door. The horizontal projecting flange is provided at intervals with slots 30, adapted to be engaged by a pointed bar, or other tool to enable the vertical sections of the lower door to be forced inwardly into' position and permitting the bills of hooks 31 to project through the horizontal flange for engaging the upper ends of the vertical sections of the lower door for securing the same in tight engagement with the lower edge of the upper door and for securing the latter in its closed position. The hooks are pivoted by rivets 32, or other suitable fastening means, to the vertical flange of the horizontal bar 29, and their bills may be equipped with slots 33 for the reception of fastening means for lochng the hooks in engagement with the upper end of the vertical sections of the lower door.

The car is equipped with a transversely curved sill plate 34, extending entirely across the door opening and arranged upon a wooden filler strip or bar 35,. and secured to the floor. of the car by wood screws, or other suitable fastening devices. The bottom flanges of the vertical sections of the lower door are arranged upon the sill plate at the center thereof, and any water is directed upon the outer slope of the sill plate and caused to flow from the door. The lower or main door is equipped wit a pivoted door engaging bar 36, constructed preferably of channel-ed metal and mounted on the lower portion of the vertical section 3 on a bolt 37, a washer 38 being interposed between the door engaging bar and the sec-' tion 3. The bolt 37 similar to the other bolts of the door, has its head arranged interiorly of the car so as to present a smooth surface to the contents thereof. The door engaging bar 36 is of a length to extend entirely across the sections 3 and 4 and its ends, which overlap the inner portions of the sections 2 and 5, are equipped with reversely arranged hooks 39 and 40, having flat shanks arranged between the flanges of the channeled door engaging bar 36 and riveted or otherwise secured to the web portion of the latter. Although the reversely arranged books 39 a d 40 are shown sepa" rate from the door engaging bar 36, yet it will. be readily apparent that they may be formed integral with the same. The re rversely arranged hooks are adapted to en closed position. The hooks may also be arranged outside of the handles to ermit the sections 3 and 4 to be spaced vronu each other a suflicient distanceto afford the desired amount of ventilation, thereby provid- The pivoted bar 36 also engages an inverted a proximately U-shaped keeper 43 open at tie bottom to receive the bar 36 and consisting of an inner attaching portion, a spaced outer portion and a connecting top portion, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The

inverted U shaped keeper is preferably flanged at the outer and top portions to strengthen it, and the lower end 44 of the outer portion is inclined to provide a flaring mouth, and the inner portion is provided below the connecting portion with a vertical rib 45, rounded at the'outer face and beveled at the lower end to receive the pivoted bar, which is spaced from the outer face of the inner vertical attaching portion and from the fastening devices for securing the keeper to the section 4 of the lower or main door.

The door engaging bar is provided at one side of the pivot bolt 37 with a horizontally projecting tongue or staple member 46, secured to or formed integral with the upper flange of the bar 36 and extending outwardly beyond the flange and adapted to extend through a horizontal slot or openingv 47 of a lower hinged hasp 48, mounted in opposite guide grooves 49 of asupporting braclret 50. The supporting bracket 50 consists of a horizontal bottom or body portion and upwardly extending horizontal end portions spaced apart to receive the hasp 48 and having the said guide grooves 49 closed at their'outer ends 51 and opened at their inner ends to permit pivot portions 52 of the'hasp 48 to be introduced into the guide grooves beforev the bracket. 50 is secured to the vertical section 3 of the lower door. The bracket is providediwith ears 53 and 54:, which .are secured to. the said section 3 of the lower door, and the door engaging bar is received betweenthe upper ears or lugs and thehasp L8, which is also provided at its inner face with a horizontal inwardly projecting flange 55, arranged to engage over the bottom flange of the pivoted bar 36, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. No claim is made in the present application to the locking means per se for securing the horizontal door engaging bar in its closed position. v

The projecting tongue or staple member 46is provided with an opening 56, through which projects the lower end of a seal receiving pin 57, mounted on an upper hasp member 58. The upper hasp member 58 is provided at the upper end with an eye 59 to receive the lower link of a chain 60, and it has a slot 61 in its lower portion for the projecting tongue, and it fits on the latter" against the outer face of the lower has 3 48. The pin 57, which retains the upper iasp 30 member 58 on the tongue, is provided above the latter with a. vertical slot 62, receiving a headed stud 63, whichslidably andpiv otally secures the seal receiving pin to the upper hasp member. The pin 57 is provided 5 in its lower portion with a slot 64, and the wire 65 of a seal 66 is passed through the slot 64 and through a slot or openlng 67 of an arm 68 of the upper hasp member 58, the slots 64 and 67 being in alinement when 0 the pin 57 is at the limit of its downward movement, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The locking pin is equipped at its upper end with a projecting lip or flange 69 to enable it to be readily grasped for lifting it. out of engagement with the tongue of the locking bar 36 and for engaging it with the same. The locking mechanism enables the pivoted bar 36 to be securely fastened in engagement with the vertical secmo tions of the lower or main door, and to be sealed with an ordinary car seal.

The chain 60 passes through upper and lower chain guides 70 and 71, and is ,designed to be provided at its upper end with 05 one or more enlarged links 72, adapted to engage a hook .73 having a shank portion .riveted or otherwise secured to the upper door 1. By providing a plurality of links, suiiicient space may be left between the lower ed e of the upper door and the upper ends of t 1e vertical sections of the lower or main door for securing the desired ventilation. The guides '70 and 71 consist of loops and opposite attaching portions, which are 5 suitably secured to the outer face of'the section 3 of the lower door.

When the sections of the lower door are opened, they are lifted over and arranged upon the supporting brackets 18, each con- 12 sisting of an inner vertical attaching portion, I an upper outwardly projecting horizontal supporting portion and a central vertical bracing portion. The upper horizontal supporting portion is provided with a central enlargement 7 4 upon which the folded vertical sections rest, and the said sections are held against outward movement by a lug 75, which projects upwardly from the front of the horizontal supporting portion.'

The upper door 1 swings inwardly and upwardly in opening, and it is held in its open position by means of a gravity catch, consisting of a pivoted door engaging member 7 6, mounted between spaced depending sides 77" of a supporting bracket 78, having a top attaching portion, which is suitably secured to one of the carlines or other portion of the top of the car. The spaced depending sides 77 are connected by upper and lower horizontal portions 79 and 80, and the pivoted door engaging member 76 is provided with a projecting rear portion or heel 81 for engaging the lower connecting portion 80 to limit the downward movement of the front engaging or supporting portion of the pivoted member 76. The upper connecting portion 79 is arranged to engage and limit the inward or rear movement of the front end of the pivoted member when the latter is swung upwardly and inwardly. The front portion of the pivoted member is arranged in the path of the lower edge of the upper door, and when the latter is swung upwardly and inwardly, it strikes the outer portion of the pivoted locking member and swings past the same, the pivoted member dropping by gravity andprojecting beneath the free'edge of the door and forming a support for the same. By this construction the catch for holding the upper door in its open position is automatic in its operation, and it is only necessary to swing the upper door past the pivoted member of the catch to engage the latter with the upper door.

It may be desirable in some instances when the doors are constructed of metal to line the same with paper or other suitable material to prevent the doors from sweating under changes of temperature and, af

footing the contents of the car.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a car door fitted against the inside of the car when closed and comprising sectional doorscomposed of a plurality of vertical sect-ions hinged together, and means for hinging the sectional doors to the car, said means bein connected with the exterior of the car an constructed to permit thedoor sections to swing-through the door opening from the interior of the car to the exterior of the same to points beyond the door opening so as to fold the sectional doors fiat against the outside of the car away from the said. dooropening to leave the latter clear. v

2. The combination with acar having a door opening, of a car'door fitted'against the inside of the car when closed and comprising sectional-doors composed of pluexterior of the car at opposite sides of and spaced from the door opening, and means for slidably and hingedly connecting the sectional doors with the car, said means being connected with the exterior of the car and constructed to permit door sections to swing through the door opening from the inside of the car to the exterior thereof to points beyond the door opening so as to fold flat against the outside of the car away from the said door opening with their lower ends resting upon the supporting brackets.

The combination with a vcar having a door opening, of a vertical pintle rod adjustably mounted in a fixed position on the exterior of the car at opposite sides of the door opening and spaced from the outside of the car, doors arranged against the inside of the car when closed and adjustable to cover the door opening, and hinge elements mounted on the pintle rod and connected with the doors and extending through the door opening when the said doors are closed, said hinge elements permitting the doors to swin through the door opening from the interior of the car to the exterior of the same to points beyond the door opening so as to fit fiat against the outside of the car. I

4:. The combination -\vith a car having a door opening, of vertical pintle rods arranged at opposite sides of the door opening at the exterior of the car, adjustable means for supporting the Pintle rods in such position, fixed hinge elements secured at intervals to the exterior of the car beyond; the door opening and having eyes projecting outwardly from the car and receiving the pintle rods, a car door fitted against the in side of the car and composed of sectional doors, and movable hinge elements slidable on the pint-1e rods andconnected with the sectional doors and extending through the door opening when the said sectional doors are closed and arranged to permit them to swing through the door opening from the interior of the car to the exterior of the latter'to points beyond the said door openmg.

.5. The combination with a carhaving a door opening, of vertical pintle rods arranged at opposite sides of the door opening at the exterior of the car, fixed hinge elements secured at intervals to the exterior of the car beyond the door opening and having outwardly projecting eyes receiving the pintle rods, a car door fitted against the inside of the car and composed of sectional doors, and movable hinge elements composed of two leaves hinged together and connected, respectively, with the sectional doors ,and with the pintle rods and extending through the door opening when the sectional'doors are closed and arranged to permit them to swing through the door opening to the interior of the car to the exterior of the same to points beyond the door opening.

6. The combination with a car having a door opening, of vertical pintle rods arranged on the exterior of the car at opposite sides of the door opening, fixed hinged brackets secured to the outside of the car j acent pintle rod and supported by the contiguous fixed hinge elements, said movable hinge elements extending through the door opening when the sectional doors are closed and permitting the latter to swing through the door opening from the interior of the car to the exterior of the same to points beyond the door opening. 7

7. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a lower or main door composed of sectional doors hinged to the car at opposite sides of the door opening and .composed of vertical sections, anupper door hinged to the car at the top of the door opening and having its lower free edge overlapping the sections of the lower or main door, said upper door being provided at its outer face with a projecting flange extending outwardly beyond the lower or main door and covering the meeting portions thereby to form a tight joint and having slots, and fastening means carried by the upper door and arranged to project through the slots of the said flangeto engage the lower or main door. I

8. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a lower or main door composed of sectional doors hinged to the car at opposite sides of the door opening and having vertical sections, an upper door hinged to the car at the top of the door opening and havmg its lower free edge overlapping the section of the lower or mam door, said upper door being provlded at its outer face with a horizontal pro ect ng flange extending across the door opening and projecting outwardly beyond the lower or main door and covering the upper edges thereof and forming a tight joint between the said doors and having slots, and pivoted hooks carried by the upper door and having bills arranged to project through the slots of the said flange to engage the lower or main door.

9. The combination with a car door com sections, a hook secured to one of the inner I door sections, and a substantially horizontal door engaging bar pivotally mounted on the other inner door section and engaging the vsaid hook and provided at its terminals with reversely disposed hooks projecting up wardly and downwardly and extending into and engaging the said loops, which form keepers for the ends of the bar and handles for opening and closing the sectional doors.

10. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a lower or main door including hinged vertical sections, an upper horizontal door hinged at the top of the door opening and overlapping the lower or main door, a horizontal door engaging bar pivota-lly mounted on the lower or main door and engaging the sections thereof, a chain extending from the upper door to the door engaging bar, means for securing the horizontal bar in its engaging position and for connecting the lower end of the chain with the said horizontal bar, and means for ad just-ably connecting the upper end of the chain with the upper horizontal door to enable the upper door to be closed tight-1y or arranged partially open to allow for ventilating the car.

11. The combination with a. car having a door opening, of a lower or main door composed. of sectional doors having hinged ver tical sections, an upper horizontal door hinged at the top of the door opening and overlapping the lower or main door, a pivoted door engaging bar mounted on the lower or main door and arranged horizontally on the same and engaging each of the sections thereof and having a fixed projecting tongue or portion, means mounted on the lower or main door and cooperating with the said bar for securing the lower or main door in its closed position, a hasp member detachably secured to the said tongue or projecting portion,'and means for adjustably connecting the hasp member with the upper door for securing the latter tightly in its closed position or partly open to ventilate the car.

12. The combination with a car having adoor opening, of a lower or main door composed of sectional doors having hinged vertical section's, an upper horizontal door hinged at the top of the door opening and overlapping the lower or main door, a horizontal door engaging bar pivotally mounted on the lower or main door and engaging each of the sections thereof and having afixed projecting portion or tongue, means mounted on the lower or main door and co said chain extending along the lower or main door and provided with a hasp member having an opening receiving the projecting portion or tongue of said bar, and means for securing the hasp member on the tongue or projecting port-ion.

13. The combination with a car having a door opening, of a lower or main door composed of sectional doors having hinged vertical sections, an upper horizontal door hinged at the top to the door opening and overlapping the lower or main door, a horizontal door engaging ha-r pivotally mounted on the lower 6r main door and engaging the sections thereof and having a projecting portion or tongue, means mounted on the lower or main door and coiiperating with the said bar for locking the lower or main dodr in its closed position, a hook carried by the upper door, a chain detachably and adjustably engaging the hook of the upper door to enable the latter to be secured tightly in its closed position or partly open to ventilate the car, said chain extending along the lower or main door and provided with a hasp member having an opening through which extends the said projecting portion or tongue, and spaced guides mounted on the lower or main door and receiving the chain.

14:. The combination with a car having a door opening, of :1 lower or main door composed of sectional doors having hinged vertical sections, an upper horizontal door hinged at the top of the door opening and overlapping the lower or main door, a horizontal door engaging bar pivotally mounted on the lower or, main door and engaging the sections thereof and having a projecting tongue, a hook carried by the upper door, a

chain detaohably and adjust-ably engaging the hook of the upper door to secure the latter tightly in its closed position and also partly open to ventilate the car, said chain extending along the lower or main door and provided with a hasp member having an PHILIP C. M FIR-KER.

Witnesses:

E. E. Ro'rnnocn, G. E. LINDSEY.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at Patents.

Washington, D. C.

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