US2588597A - Automatic door controlling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 11, w EB TE ET AL 2,588,597 AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed April 5. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR. 1 1 5655 14 1555 7 56 H KEN/V579 5 i561.

March 11, 1952 w WEBSTER ET AL 2,588,597

AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed April 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 1 9 \J u Fan 5e March 1952 w. WEBSTER ET AL AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 Filed April 3. 1947 I N VEN TOR. rvqeez/v [1/53572-16 {av/vary 1-. Eff/6 March 11, 1952 w WEBSTER ET AL 2,588,597

AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed April 3, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 11, 1952 AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM Warren Webster and Kenneth E. Berk, Dayton,

Ohio, assignors to The Joyce-Cridland Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application'April 3, 1947, Serial No. 739,132

13 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates to an automatic door controlling mechanism for use with a lifting mechanismof the type in which the load supporting structure moves through a normally closed opening in a floor or the like. The present apparatus is designed primarily for use with a twopost automobile lift and is in the nature of an improvement on the door controlling mechanism shown in theapplication fil d by Harold N. Grushon, July 12, 1946, Serial No. 683 281, and owned by the assignee of this application.

One object of the invention is to provide a door controlling mechanism which is simple in construction; which is highly efli'zient in operation; which can be prod ced and installed at relatively low cost; and Which will require a relatively small pit under the floor.

.A further object of the invention is to provide such amechanism which is controlled by the lifting mechanismand which, when the lifting mechanism is either raised or lowered, will open the doors, retain the sameopen until the load supporting structurev has passed through the floor opening, and then close the doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism with means to inform the op erator'at a remote station whether the doors are open or closed.

A further obj ct of the invention is to provide such a mechanism with means to inform said operator when thesuperstructure is me; predetermined position witnrel' tion to the'floor; 'andthus enable the movement of the lift to be stopned'and the axle-engaging elements adjusted on the superstructure.

Other objects of the invention may app ar as the mechanism is-described in detail. In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is aperspective-view of a two-post lift equipped with the invention, showing the same connected with a source of fluid under pressure; Fig. 2 isa persp ctive view of a modified form of the source of fluid pressure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism for the front axle of an automobile, showing nism for the rear axle of the automobile, partly broken away,1showing'r-the same partially elevated and with the doors in their open-positions;

Fig; 6 tea circuitzdiagramfon the signal. lights;

1 2 and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the cam mechanism showing the cam in different positions.

In these drawings we have illustrated one embodiment of our invention, and have shownthe same in connection with a two-post hydraulicallyoperated automobile lift, but it is to be understood that the mechanism may take various forms and may be associated with lifting mechanism of various kinds. without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The two-post lifting mechanism comprises a front lifting mechanism including a cylinder l0 adapted to be mounted below the floor or pavement on which the-automobile rests, and a lifting element or ram ll mounted in said. cylinder and provided at its upper end with a superstructure l2, which extends length ise of the front axle of the automobile and is provided with axle engaging parts I 3. A rear lifting mechanism also includ s a cylinder l4 adapted tobe'mounted below the floor, and a ram l5 mountedin said cylinder and having secured toits upper end a superstructure comprisin a crosshead. l6 and a pair of parallel rails l! extending transversely to the rear axleof the automobile, and of such length as to accommodate the lift to automobiles of vario s lengths, that is, automobiles in which the front and rear axles are spaced different distances one from the other. For this purpose.'axle engaging elements [3 are mounted on the-respective rails H for adjustment lengt ise thereof; The cylinders iii and M are connected by conduitsl9 and 26 with a so rc of'prcpellant fl id, s"ch as oil. As shown in Fig. 1, the conduits are connected through separately o erable valves 2 tand 22 with an oil tank 23, which .in turn is connected by a conduit 24 with a source of air under pressure. This air is admitted to the tank by a manually operated-valve 25 to force the oil from the tank through one or both of the conduits l9 and 20,.as determined by the positions of the valves 2! and 22. Any suitable source of oil supply may be utilized, and in Fig. 2 there is shown an oil supply tank 26 of the type in which a motor 2'! drives a pump within the tank,.not shown, to force the oil through the conduits i9 and 20. The motor is controlled by switch mechanism 28 and the .pumpmay be connected with either 'or' both of. the conduits by, manually operated valves29 and 341..

'. vinlfigs. 3-and 4; the opening 31', through' which the front superstructure passes. is of a size and shape to accommodate the front superstructure l2, and is provided with a frame 32 embedded in the concrete of the floor with its upper surface substantially flush with the floor surface. A pit is provided below the floor and, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided with a housing or liner secured to the frame 32 and having upright walls 33 and a bottom wall 34. The bottom wall is reenforced by a base plate 35, which constitutes a support for various parts of the operating mechanism. The cylinder l extends through the base plate 35 and the upper end thereof is spaced below the floor level such a distance that when the lifting mechanism is in its lowermost position the superstructure will be entirely below the floor. The opening 3| is provided with a movable closure which, in the present instance, comprises a pair of doors 36, 31, hinged to the respective longitudinal edges of the frame 32 and so arranged that they will be substantially flush with the frame when in their closed positions. Door 36 comprises end portions 36a and 36b, and an intermediate portion 36c, and the door 31 is likewise divided into three portions. The end portions of each door are provided with lugs 38 which extend beneath the respective ends of the intermediate portion 360 of the door and cause that intermediate portion to move upwardly with the end portions but permits the end portions to move downwardly independently of the intermediate portion, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The movement of the doors to their open and closed positions is controlled by mechanism mounted in the pit and controlled by the lifting mechanism, the arrangement being such that upon the initial movement of the lift, from either its lowermost position or its uppermost position, the doors will be opened and held open until the superstructure has passed, and will then be moved to their closed positions by the continued movement of the lift. This mechanism may take various forms but in the present construction it involves crank mechanism connected with the respective doors and controlled by a cam, which in turn is controlled by the lift. In the particular arrangement shown, a rock shaft 39 is journaled in bearings 40 mounted on the base plate 35 and provided with a curved portion 4! to permit the shaft to extend about the cylinder l0. Mounted on the respective end portions of the shaft 39 are chrank arms 42. which are connected by rods 43 with the respective end portions of the three-part door 31. Other shafts 44 and 45, mounted in bearings 46 and 41, are arranged parallel with and are spaced laterally from the main shaft 39. Crank arms 48 on the respective shafts 44 and 45 are connected by rods 48a with the end portions 36a, 36b, of the door 36. Crank arms 49 secured to the shaft 39 are connected respectively by links 50 with crank arms secured to the respective shafts 44 and 45, the arrangement being such as to cause the several shafts to move simultaneously in the same direction.

comprises an elongate plate 55 having upper and lower edges oppositely inclined at 56 and 51, and

having a vertical surface 58 connecting the inclined surfaces.

The cam is so arranged that when the lifting mechanism moves upwardly from its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 4, the upper inclined surface 56 of the cam will contact with the cam-engaging member 52 and rock the shafts 39, 44, and 45 in a direction to move the doors to their open positions, it being understood that the three parts of each door move in unison during the opening movement. When the doors have reached their open positions, the vertical cam surface 58 engages the cam-engaging member and retains the doors in that position until the superstructure has passed above the floor. The continued movement of the lifting mechanism brings the lower inclined surface of the cam into contact with the cam-engaging member and the crank mechanism moves in door-closing direction. In the present arrangement, the doors when in their open positions are slightly inclined inwardly and the weight of the doors and of the crank arms causes the doors to move toward their closed positions. However, during this movement, the intermediate parts 360 and 310 of the doors will contact the ram, which will limit their movement toward closed positions but the end portions of the doors will move to their closed positions. Thus, the major portion of the opening is fully closed by the end portions of the doors and that portion of the opening through which the ram and plunger extend is partially closed. When the lift is lowered, the lower cam surface 51 contacts the cam-engaging member on the shaft 39 and opens the doors, which are held open until the superstructure has passed through the opening and are then closed in the manner above described. The intermediate portions of the doors, as well as the end portions thereof, move to fully closed positions, thus completely closing the opening in the floor. The doors 32 are provided with transverse reenforcing ribs 60 the outer ends of which abut against bars or plates 6| which depend from the frame 32. Ordinarily, this arrangement provides a sufficiently strong support for the doors, but if desired they may be further reenforced by a standard or standards 62 mounted on the base plate 35 and of such length that their upper ends will underlie and support the adjacent edges of the doors when the latter are in their horizontal positions. Preferably, the standard 52 is screw-threaded into a socket member 63 secured to the base plate, to permit the standard to be adjusted to accurately position the upper end thereof with relation to the doors.

The opening for the rear lifting mechanism must be of a length sufficient to permit the passage of the rails l8 of the superstructure. To avoid an unnecessarily large opening in the floor, this rear opening is preferably H-shaped, as shown in Fig. 5, and comprises longitudinally extending side openings 64 and E5 which are connected by a transverse opening 66, which is of relatively narrow width and permits the solid floor to extend close to the ram on both the front and rear sides thereof. Each of the longitudinal openings is provided with a single door 61, hinged at its outer edge to a, frame 68 which extends about the several parts of the opening. The transverse opening 65 is closed by a pair of transverse doors 68 and 10, each of these doors comprising two parts. In Fig. 5 the two parts of door are shown at 69a and 69b, the part 69a havinga lug 69c rigidly secured thereto and extending beneath the part 891).

Themechanism for operating the doors forthe rear lifting mechanism is preferably similar to the mechanism foroperating the doors for the front lifting mechanism, and as here shown it comprises arock shaft H journaled in bearings 72 on the base plate at the bottom of the pit, and is provided with crank arms 13 which are connected by rods 14 with the respective side doors 61. A crank arm 75 on the rock shaft ll is connected by a rod 16 with the end portion of the transverse door not shown in Fig. 5,:and the crank arm T! carried by a second rock shaft 18 is connected by a rod 19 with the end portion 69a of the transverse door 69. Other crank arms 80 and 8| on the respective crank shafts are connected by a link 82 to cau e the two shafts to move in unison. The shaft H is operated bya cam 83, similar to cam above described, and carried by a plunger 84 movable with. the? lift. A cam-engaging member 85' on the shaft?! cooperates with the cam to cause the doors to be moved to their open positions, and to be retained in those positions until the superstructure has passed-through the openings, and thenmoved to their closed positions, in the same manner as above" described.

The adjustment of the axle-engaging elements I8 on the rails I? is best effected when the rails are at floor level, or slightly above floor level. It is difiicult for the operator at the control station to determine the exact position of the rails with re ation to the floor because they are obscured both by the automobile itself and by the doors for the respective openings. We have therefore provided a signal, controlled by the lifting mechanism, which will be energized when the rails are in the desired positions and deepergized at all other times. Preferably, the signal is a visual signal and it is here shown as an electric lamp mounted on or adjacent to the oil tank at the control station, as shown at 85 in Fig. 1. This lamp is connected with a source of electrical energy, not shown, by a switch 8! of a known construction mounted on a fixed part adjacent the superstructure of the rear lift, and shown in Fig. 5 as mounted on the rear wall of the transverse opening in the floor. A. part 88, carried, in

the present instance, by the cross head it of the superstructure, is arranged to engage and close this switch when the rails reach the desired position with relation to the floor, and to maintain the switch closed until the rails move beyond that position.

It is also desirable to provide means for indicating to the operator at the control station whether the doors. are open or closed, and additional signal means are provided for this pur pose. In the arrangement shown, separate electric lamps 89' and 525 are mounted on or adjacent to the oil tank at the control station, these lamps being of a color different from the color of the signal lamp 86. The lamp for the front lift is connected with a source of electric energy by a switch 91, preferably of the push-button type, and so arranged that the button or plunger as will be urged toward its circuit closing position but will be moved by the adjacent door to circuit opening position when the door is moved to its closed position. Thus, when the door is open, the circuit of lamp 89 is closed, and when the door is'closed, that circuit'is opened. The circuit forthe' lamp'9l! for the doors-at therearliftis controlled by a similar switch 93- which, as here 6 shown, isarranged to: be controlled by one of." the side doors 6'! in the same manner asxswitch' 9| i's-controlled Thus, when any door is open or partially open, one or both of the lamps 89" and 9% will be. energized, and when all doors arefully closed, l both lamps will be deenergized.

While we have shown and described one em.- bodiment of our invention, we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the details. thereof, as various modifications may occur to a. person skilled in the art.

Havingznow fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desirev to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for opening and closing a pit for a'lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive theload supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermostpositiona movable closure for saidpit comprising a plurality of doors movable about separate axes, a shaft'mounted in thelower portion of saidpit, arms secured to said shaft, means connecting said arms with the respective doors, and means controlled by the movement of said loadsupportin'g structure in a single direction'to move said shaft in a direction to more said doors to open positions, to retain said doors in said open positions until said load supporting structure has movedpast the same, and to thereafter move said shaft in door closing direction.

2. In an apparatus for'opening and closing the pit of a lifting mechanisimsaid pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a closure for said'pit including parts supported at opposite sides of said pit for movement about parallel axes, a rock shaft mounted in said pit and extending transversely to the axes of said parts of said closure, arms secured to said shaft, means for operatively conmeeting said arms with said parts of said closure,

and means controlled by the movement of said load-supporting structure in a single direction for moving said shaft in a direction to move said closure to its open position and thereafter move said shaft in closure closing direction.

3. In an apparatus for opening and closing'a pit for alifti-ng mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a closure for said pit including movable parts extending at an angle oneto the other, a rock shaft mounted in said pit, a crank arm on said shaft, means for connecting said ,arm with'one part of said closure, a second crank arm mounted in said pit independently of said shaft, means actuated by said shaft for'operating said second arm, means for connecting-said second arm with another part of said closure, and means controlled by the movement of said load supporting structure in a single direction to move said shaft in closure opening direction and to then movesaid shaft in closure closing direction.

4. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit of a lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost'position, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality of relativelymovable parts, a, transverse shaft mounted in said'pit; means actuated by said shaft to move the several parts of said closuresimultaneously in tlne'same direction, and cam me'ansconnectcd with said lifting mechanism for movement thereby to rota-tesaidshaft first one direction" and" then in 'theother" di- 7 rection while sald lifting mechanism moves in a single direction.

5. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a movable closure for said pit, crank mechanism mounted in said pit for movement about an axis below the lower limit of movement of said load supporting structure and transverse to the line of movement of the latter, an upright member directly connecting said crank mechanism with a part of said closure, and means controlled by said lifting mechanism for moving said crank mechanism first in one direction and then in the other direction while said load supporting structure moves in a single direction.

6. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a. lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a movable closure for said pit, crank mechanism mounted in said pit for movement about an axis below the lower limit of movement of said load supporting structure and transverse to the line of movement of the latter, an upright member directly connecting said crank mechanism with a part of said closure, and a cam member secured to said load supporting structure, extending downwardly beyond the same and having oppositely inclined parts to successively engage said crank mechanism.

'7. In an apparatus for opening and closin the pit for a lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality of parts movable about separate axes, a rock shaft mounted in said pit below the lower limit of movement of said supporting structure, a plurality of crank arms secured to said shaft, upright members for operatively connecting said crank arms with the respective parts of said closure, a cam arm secured to said shaft, and a cam member connected with and extending down- -ward1y from said load supporting structure and having oppositely inclined and vertically spaced cam surfaces to successively engage said cam arms.

8. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a closure for said pit comprising a plurality of separate parts movable about axes extending at an angle one to the other, two rock shafts mounted in said pit, means for connecting said rock shafts one with the other for simultaneous movement in the same direction, crank arms secured to the respective shafts, means for operatively connecting crank arms on the two shafts respectively with parts of said closure which are movable about intersecting axes, a cam arm on one of said shafts, and a cam movable with said lifting mechanism and adapted to engage said cam arm and actuate said shafts.

9. In an apparatus for opening and closing the pit for a lifting mechanism, said pit being adapted to receive the load supporting structure of said lifting mechanism when the latter is in its lowermost position, a closure for said pit comprising two parts, movable respectively about separate axes and movable by gravity from their open positions to their closed positions, a rock shaft in said pit, crank arms on said shaft, upright members operatively connecting said crank arms with the respective parts of said closure to move the latter simultaneously in the same direction, and means controlled by the movement of said lifting mechanism for actuating said shaft in closure opening direction and to thereafter release said shaft for movement in closure closing direction.

10. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising a vertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, and a superstructure carried by said ram and movable, into said pit when said ram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotally supported at the upper end of said it for movement to positions substantially flush with said floor to close said opening and to upwardly extending positions to permit tlce movement of said superstructure through said opening, a rock shaft in the lower portion of said pit extending transversely to said ram, crank arms on said shaft, upright members connecting said crank arms with the respective doors, and means controled by the movement of said superstructure in either direction toward said door to move said shaft first in door opening direction and to thereafter release the same for movement in door closing direction during the continued movement of said superstructure in one direction;

11. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising a vertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, and a superstructure carried by said ram and movable into said pit when said ram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotally supported at the upper end of said pit for movement to positions substantially flush with said floor to close said opening and to upwardly extending positions to permit the movement of said superstructure through said opening, a rock shaft in the lower portion of said pit extending transversely to said ram, crank arms on said shaft, upright members connecting said crank arms with the respective doors, a cam arm on said shaft, and an elongate member connected with said superstructure, extending into said pit and having vertically spaced cam surfaces to successively engage said cam arm and move said shaft first in door opening direction and thereafter release the same for movement in door closing direction.

12. In combination with a lifting mechanism of the type comprising a vertically movable ram mounted in a pit below an opening in a floor, and a superstructure carried by said ram and movable into said pit When said ram moves to its lowered position, selfclosing doors pivotally supported at the upper end of said pit for movement about intersecting axes to positions substantially flush with said floor to close said opening and to upwardly extending positions to permit the movement of said superstructure through said opening, crank mechanism in the lower portion of said pit including a cam arm, means for operatively connecting said crank mechanism with each of said doors, and an elongate member connected with said superstructure, extending into said pit and having vertically spaced cam surfaces to successively engage said cam arm when said superstructure approaches the closed doors from above or below and to move said crank mechanism in door opening direction and to thereafter release the same for movement 13. In combination 'with a lifting mechanism;

adapted to be mounted below an opening in a floor and including a load supporting structure} and means for moving said structure through said opening, axle engaging means adjustaloly supported on said structure, remote meansjor controlling the operation of said lifting mechanism, a movable closure for said opening, means controlled by the movement of said lifting mechanism in either direction to open said closure during the initial movement of said mechanism and to close said closure during the final movement of said mechanism, and a signal controlled by said mechanism for informing an operator at said controlling means when said axle engaging means projects slightly above the floor.;;

WARREN WEBSTER. KENNETH E. BERK;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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