US1596340A - Automatic closure-operating device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17,1926. 1 1,596,340

- o. B. poasms AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OPERATING DEVICE Attorhey I Inventor,

' QB'DOWIM Aug. 17 1926.

Filed Feb. 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 0.3. 205M778,

flttorncy Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STA.

OLIVER B. DOBBINS, OF CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE-OPERATING DEVICE.

Appli ation fil ruary The present invention relates to improvements in closure operating devices and has reference more particularly to an automatic means for opening and closing a vmovable closure by the action of the Wheels of a vehicle.

One of the important objects of the pres ent invention is to provide a highly novel, yet simple device whereby a movable closure may be opened and closed by the wheels of the vehicle approaching and passing through the entrance with which the closure is as sociated, thus saving considerable time and labor, and furthermore obviating the necessity of the operator of the vehicle having to leave the same and manually actuate the closure.

A further object is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which will all times be positive and efficient in its operation, the same being further simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and further well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed. 1

Other ob'ects and advantages of the in-. vention will become apparent during the course of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. y

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the device as associated with an upwardly swinging gate and the means arranged in the roadway on either side of the gate for controlling the opening and closing of the gate.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the gate and the actuating mechanism associated therewith.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the modification showing the device associatedwith a sliding door, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail thereof illustrating the sliding door op,- erator more fully.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred en1- bodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally the gate, the same being pivotally supported at its lower inner end on the'pivot pin 2 which extends transverse- 1y through the lower portion of a pair of spaced vertical standards 3 and 4t respective- 1c, 1926. I Serial No. 87,350.

ly, which standards form the gate posts. The standards of the ate post are spaced a sufficient distance apart so as to permit the gate to swing upwardly between the stand ards without any difficulty. As is clearly shown in Figure l, the standard 3 extends above the standard 4.

The gate post 5 formed by the spaced standards 3 and a is preferably arranged at one side of the road and arranged at the 0pposite side of the road gate post 5 is the post 6,, the same cooperating with the free end of the gate to, limit the lateral movement of the gate. Journaled transversely through the upper end of the standard 3 is the shaft7. A ratchet wheel 8 is fixedly secured on the outer end of the shaft and is spaced from the outer face of the standard 3 in the manner asis more clearly illustratedvin Figure 1 of the drawings. The inner end ofthe shaft- 7 terminates in the'laterally extending arm 9, and the same is disposed adjacent the inner face of the standard 3. The purpose of this arm will behereinafter more fully described.

A lever 10 is loosely mounted at its inner end on the outer end portion of the shaft 7 and is disposed between the outer .face ofthe standard 3, and the adjacent face ofv the ratchetwheel 8. A pivoted pawl 11 is carried by theintermediate portion of the lever 10 and the same cooperates with the ratchet teeth formed in the peripheral edge of the ratchet wheel 8 for actuating the shaft as will also hereinafter be more fully described. A dog-12- is secured on the out- ,er face of the upper portion of the standard 3 and also cooperates with the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel'in preventing the rota tion of the shaft in the reverse direction.

A retractile coil spring 13 is secured at its lower end to the outer end of the lever 10, the upper end of the coil spring being secured to the outer end of the bracket 14:

directly opposite the which is secured on the upper end of the standard 3 of the gate post 5 and extends laterally therefrom. A similar coil spring 15 is connected at one end to the outer end of the arm 9, the other end of the coil spring 15 being securedto .the gate 1 as is clearly shown in Figure 3. n

An enlongated beam 16 is pivotally securedat. its inner end to the gate 1 as at 17, the beam extending rearwardly between the spaced standards 3 and 4: forming the gate post 5 and carrying at its outer end the counter weight 18. A lateral projection 19 is formed on the rear end of the gate adj acent the upper end thereof and provides a support for the inner pivoted end of the beam for normally holding the beam in it. upwardly inclined position when the gate is closed, as is also clearly shown in Figure 3.

A pair of cables or other flexible members indicated at 20 and 21 respectively are secured at one end to the outer end of the lever 10, these cables extending downwardly adjacent the standard 3 and being trained over suitable pulleys 22 and 23 respectively, which are supported on the rear side of the standard 3 adjacent the lower end thereof, the cables extending laterally in opposite directions along the side of the road.

A pair of relatively short posts or blocks indicated at 2% and 25 respectively are set in the roadway a suitable distance from the gate '1 on one side thereof, a similar pair of blocks or posts indicated at 26 and 27 being arranged on the opposite sides of the gate at a similar distance therefrom. The blocks 24 and 26 are preferably arranged adjacent the side of the road while the other blocks 25 and 2'? extend upwardly from the road bed in the intermediate portion thereof and preferably at such a distance with respect to the blocks 21 and 26 respectively so as to enable at least one pair of aligned front and rear wheels of the vehicle to pass between the spaced blocks or posts of each pair. The outer end of the cable 20 is trained under a suitable pulley 28 which is secured on the outer side of the block 2a adjacent the bottom thereof. The cable then extending upwardly along the outer side of the block and being trained over an additional pulley 29 which is mounted on the top of the block. The end of the cable 20 is secured to one end of the trip member 30 which in the present instance is in the form of a chain, the other end of the chain being secured to the top of the block 25.

In a similar manner, the outer end of the other cable 21 is trained under a pulley 31 which is secured on the outer side of the block 26 adjacent the bottom thereof. The cable 21 being then trained over an additional pulley 32 mounted on the top of the block 26 and being secured to a similar trip member 33 at one end thereof, the other end of the chain forming the trip member 33 being secured to the .top of the block 27. This construction is thought clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The blocks or posts which are arranged in the roadway are of such height as not to interfere with the passing of the vehicle thereover and furthermore the trips 30 and 33 are normally held taut through the medium of the retractile coil spring 13 which also holds the lever 10 in its normal position.

With the parts arranged as above described, and the gate 1 in its normally closed position, when the vehicle approaches the gate and is traveling in the direction of the arrow, as soon as the outer front wheels of the vehicle passes over the chain 30, the trip will be depressed, and will simultaneously cause an outward pull to be exerted on the cable 20 which will result in the downward swinging movement of the lever 10 against the tension of the spring 13 and the pawl 11 carried by the lever 10 will turn the ratchet wheel and the shaft 7 on which said ratchet wheel is fixed, a quarter of a revolution. The rear outer wheel of the vehicle will further effect the rotation of the shaft another quarter ofa revolution when said wheel passes over the trip chain 30.

When the shaft has completed a half of a revolution, the gate 1 will in the mean time have swung upwardly on its pivot 2 to the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 3, the arm 9 in the coil spring 15 assisting in the upward and rearward swinging move ment of the gate as well as the beam 16 in the counter weight 18. A stop such as is shown at 34 cooperates with the beam 16 in limiting the downward swinging movement thereof so that the gate will be maintained in such a position as to enable the same to be closed in the manner to be presently described.

hen the gate is opened, the vehicle is free to pass through the entrance normally closed by the gate and the gate 1 will be returned to its normally closed position in the same manner as the same was swung to an open position, by causing the outer front and rear wheels of the vehicle to pass over the trip chain 33 whereupon the cable 21 will be pulled outwardly to further effect the actuation of the lever 10 so that when both the front and rear outer wheels of the vehicle have passed over the trip 33, the shaft 7 will have completed a whole revolution and the expanded retractile spring 15 will automatically return the gate to its closed position.

The provision of a gate operating structure of the character above described will enable the gate to be automatically opened and closed by a vehicle without necessitating the operator of the vehicle having to leave the car in order to open or close the gate, thereby saving considerable time and labor.

My improved closure operator may also be associated with garage doors, either of the swinging, sliding, or tilting type in the same manner as the device is associated with a swinging gate, and in Figures 4: and 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated the device as being associated with the sliding door. The device as associated with the sliding door A includes the same lever and ratchet mechanism as heretofore shown and described, the shaft 7 on which the ratchet wheel 8 is fixed extending through the wall of the building or garage in which the door opening is formed. An arm 9 is fixed at its outer end on the shaft 7, the inner end of said arm being provided with an eye which is interconnected with the eye 36 formed on the outer end of the elongated tubular member 37, the outer end of the tubular member being closed, while the inner end is open.

Adapted for slidable movement within the tubular member 37 is an additional tubular member 38, the same being hingedly secured at its outer end to the sliding door 8, as at 39. Each of the tubular telescopic members is slotted longitudinally as indicated at 40 and 41 respectively. A retractile coil spring 42 encircles the inner por tion of the larger tubula member 37, one end of the coil spring extending into the slot 40, and being disposed adjacent the inner end of the slot, the other end of the coil spring extending into the other slot 41 formed in the inner tubular member 38 and being disposed adjacent the inner end of said slot.

An actuating cable 48 is connected to the outer end of the pivoted lever 10 and is trained over suitable pulleys mounted on the front of the building or garage, and the outer end of the cable is connected to a suitable trip mechanism similar to that heretofore shown and described, and which is arranged on the outside of the door opening a suitable distance therefrom.

The operation of the ratchet mechanism is identical with that provided for actuating the swinging gate 1, and manifestly when the shaft 7 has made a one half revolution, the door A will have moved to an open position through the medium of the expansion of the coil spring 42. l/Vhen the other onehalf revolution has been completed, the coil spring 42 will effect the sliding movement of the doorA to a closed position, and this is readily obvious from the construction of the telescopic tubular member, and the arrangement of the ends of the coil spring 42 with respect to said tubular member.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combin-aion with a movable closure, and its support, of a shaft journaled in said support, a ratchet wheel secured on said shaft, an arm fixed on said shaft, a resilient connection between said arm and the movable closure, a pivotally mounted lever, a pawl carried thereby and adapted for en gagement with the ratchet wheel for effecting the rotation of the shaft, and the simultaneous movement 'of the closure, and a cable for actuating said lever.

2. In combination, a gate post, and an upwardly swinging gate pivoted thereto, a shaft journaled transversely through the upper portion of the post, a ratchet wheel fixedly secured on one end of the shaft, an arm extending laterally from the other end of the shaft, a retractile coil spring connecting said arm with said gate, a pivotally mountedlever, a pawl carried thereby and adapted for engagement with the ratchet wheel to eflect the rotation of the shaft and the expansion of the coil spring whereby said gate is caused to swing on its pivot, and means for actuating the lever from a remote point.

3. In combination, a gate post, and an upwardly swinging gate pivoted thereto, a shaft journ-aled transversely through the upper portion of the post, a ratchet wheel fixedly secured on one end of the shaft, an

arm extending laterally from the other end of the shaft, a retractile coilspring connecting said arm with said gate, a pivotally mounted lever, a pawl carried thereby and adapted for engagement with the ratchet wheel to effect the rotation of the shaft and the expansion of the coil spring whereby said gate is caused to swing on its pivot, means for actuating the lever from a remote point, and means for returning the lever to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OLIVER B. DOBBIN S.

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