US2160743A - Door actuating mechanism for locomotive tender fuel doors - Google Patents

Description

W. L. LENTZ ET AL May 30, 1939.

DOOR AGTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS Oiiginal Filed Sept. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet l My 30, 1939. w. LENTZ ET AL DOOR AGTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS Original Filed Sept. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 30, 1939. w. L. LENTZ ET AL DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS Original Filed Sept. 26, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet s WM pf w L LENTZ ET AL May 30, 1939.

' noon AGT'JATING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS Original Filed Sept. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. L. LENTZ ET AL May 30, 1939.

DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOCOMOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS Original Filed Sept. 26, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 WIoaM a/I Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE DOOR ACTUATING NIECHANISM FOR- LOCO- MOTIVE TENDER FUEL DOORS William L. Lentz, Tuckahoe, N. Y., and Carl F.

Kantola, Ashtabula,

Ohio, assignors to The New York Central Railroad Company, a 'corporation of New York 10 Claims.

This application is a division of our prior application, Serial No. 42,342, filed September 26, 1935, which has matured into U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,148,078, granted February 21, 1939.

This invention relates to fuel inlet doors for locomotive tenders and to mechanism for actuating the same.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel construction and arrangement of fuel inlet doors for closing the coal bunker charging opening in the top of the tender, and novel and improved means for operating the doors without the necessity of the fireman or other attendant climbing upon the top of the tender for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide doors which will tightly close the fuel charging opening against the access of any undue amount of rain or other water and which are mounted and balanced in a manner to secure their easy operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide operating means accessible from the gang- Way of the tender, allowing the doors to be operated from a point below and at the front of the tender in a ready and convenient manner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a door actuating means which may be operated by the use of the locomotive grate shaker bar as an operating lever, thus adapting said bar to perform a double function and correspondingly simplifying and reducing the number of Working parts of the door actuating mechanism per se.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a locomotive and tender showing a locomotive tender embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the front portion of the tender at one side of its center line.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view partly in front end elevation and partly in cross-section of the tender.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a section on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a part of the tender showing a modified type of fuel door operating means.

Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section through the structure shown in Figs. 8 and 9, showing in dotted lines the operation of the door operating means shown thereby.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing another modified type of fuel door operating means.

Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a vertical longitudinal section and a vertical transverse section through a part of the tender showing another modified type of means for actuating the fuel door operating shaft.

Figs. 14 and 15 are views similar to Figs. 12 and 13 showing a still further modified type of means for actuating the fuel door operating shaft.

Fig. 16 is a vertical transverse section through the tender showing the use of fluid pressure means for operating the fuel doors.

Fig. 17 is a section on line I1-I'I of Fig. 16.

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are Views similar to Figs. 8, 9 and 10 showing the use of another type of fluid pressure operated means for operating the fuel doors.

Referring now more particularly to the Figs.

1 to 7, inclusive, of the drawings, I designates the locomotive tender Which may be of the streamline type disclosed in our aforesaid Patent No. 2,148,078, adapted for use in connection with the type of streamlined loco-motive disclosed therein, or of any other approved type. tender comprises a body or tank having the coal bunker or space I49 and water cistern or space I50 enclosed by sheet steel side, front, rear and top walls I5I, I52, I53 and I54. Said side walls, front, rear and top walls are formed of sheet steel and are suitably united to each other and to an interior angle metal framing I55. As shown, the front wall I52 is provided with a coal gate or outlet I56 for the dischargev of coal from the bunker. The top or roof I54 is provided above the bunker space with coal filling openings adapted to be closed by doors I51 arranged in transversely alined pairs. Each door I51 comprises outer. and inner sections 113 and I14 hinged at their meeting edges centrally of the door, as at I15, the outer edge of the door section I13 being hinged to the roof, as at I16, and the outer edge of the door may be raised and swung outwardly to open position, in which operation the door section I13 swings over upon the roof surface and the door section I14 over upon the underside of the door section I13, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The hinged edge of the door section I14 may have an extension I18 beyond the hinges I15 to lap over the door section I13 in the closed As shown the position of the doors to prevent entrance of snow and moisture at this point and the adjacent edges of the different doors of each series may be arranged to lap for the same purpose.

In the tender structure above described the doors I 51 are adapted to be manually opened and closed from the top of the tender by means of the handles I11. In Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, however, we have shown means for operating the doors I51 either by manually operable or by fluid pressure operated power mechanism operated or controlled for operation by means located at the front of the tender and in the gangway between tender and locomotive. Referring to these figures, which show sets of operating devices for respectively simultaneously opening and closing each door or sets of doors I51 on each side of the center of the tender, it will be seen that a rocker shaft I93 is mounted on the tender beneath each door or set of the doors I51 at each side of the tender and that each shaft carries a lifting arm I94 having a sliding slot and pin connection I94 with the underside of the overlying door section I13, such that rocking movements of the shaft from and back to a normal position will effect opening and closing movements of the door or doors I51 connected to its lifting arm, as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 10. At a suitable point on each shaft I 93 within the tender is a weighted arm I95 which counterbalances the weight of the doors actuated by said shaft so as to enable it to be easily operated. The forward end of each shaft I93 extends outwardly through the front wall of the tender and is exposed in the gangway space. On the projecting end of one of the shafts I93 is a toothed wheel or gear I96 which. meshes with a toothed wheel or gear I91 on an operating shaft I98 to which is fixed an operating arm I99. The arm I99 is adapted to have applied thereto the socketed end 200 of an operating bar or lever 20I, whereby the shaft I98 may be rocked to impart door opening and closing movements to the shaft I93. The lever 201 during this operation may be retained in engagement with the arm I99by means of a pm 202 passed through a keeper opening in the arm. The bar or lever 20I may be the ordinary grate shaker bar of the locomotive which may be interchangeably used for grate shaking and door operating actions. By means of this bar or lever the coal doors on either side of the longitudinal center of the locomotive may be operated by applying the lever to operate either shaft I93. If desired, the two shafts I 93 may be coupled together by connecting means, such as hereinafter described, so that by applying the lever to either shaft both shafts I93 may be simultaneously rocked to open or close all the doors I51 simultaneously.

In Fig. 11 we have shown an arrangement similar to that shown in Figs. 8, Sand 10 except as to the connecting means between each rock shaft I93a and the doors operated thereby and as to the means for actuating the rock shaft. As shown, each shaft carries for each door actuated thereby a bell-crank shaped lifting arm I'94a pi'votally coupled by a link- 202' to the overlying door I51 for swinging the door to open and closed positions. This arm maybe provided with a beveled edge 203 to adapt. it to move without resistance through the coal. On the outwardly extending end of each shaft (it being understood that both shafts are similarly connected to their doors and operated in the same manner) is a ratchet Wheel 204 adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressed reversible double acting feed pawl 205 on an operating arm I99a, similar to arm I99, loosely mounted on the shaft and to which may be applied the operating bar or lever 20I whereby through the pawl and ratchet mechanism described the shaft may be operated to open or close its doors. A suitably mounted double acting stop pawl 296 is also provided for engagement with the ratchet wheel to lock the door in partially open or closed positions. This door operating'means shown in Fig. 11 may also, as,

stated with reference to that shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, have its rock shafts suitably coupled together for operation in unison by means applied to only one (either) of them.

In Figs. 12 and 13 we have shown another type of operating means for actuating either rock shaft, and a means for coupling the shafts so that they may be operated in unison by means of power applied to one of them. The connection of the rock shafts with the doors may be the same as that shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, or that shown in Fig. 11. The operating means, however, on the outwardly projecting end of each or either rock shaft I93b comprises a worm gear 201 engaging a worm 208 on an operating shaft 209 which carries a pulley 2"! about which is trained a looped operating chain or'cable 2 whereby the shaft 209 may be turned in either direction to rock the shaft I93b for door opening and closing movements through the worm gearing. Such operating means may be provided for each operating rock shaft independently of the other, or a compensating coupling'connection between the shafts may be provided comprising an arm 2I2 oneach shaft, and a link 2I3 connecting said arms with the arms of a compensating rocker lever 2I4 intermediately mounted on'a suitable support, as at 2I5, whereby when either rock shaft is operated by power the other rock shaft will be moved therewith.

Instead of employing the operating chain 2 shown in Figs- 12 and 13 a hand wheel 2 I6 may be employed to actuate the worm gearing, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15.

In Figs. 16 andl'l there is shown a door operating mechanism similar tothat shown in Fig. 10' or Fig. 11 but employing fluid pressure power means for actuating such mechanism. As shown,

the rock shafts I931) of the sets of doors are provided with crank arms I94b, coupled by links 202a to the doors. To one of the shafts is also connected an actuating arm 2I1, which may be integral with one of the arms Hill), and which is coupled by a connecting rod 2I8 to a piston in a power cylinder 2I8. The ends of this cylinder are connected by pipes 2I9, acting interchangeably and alternately as fluid pressure supply and exhaust pipes, to a four-way fluid pressure supply and exhaust valve 220 having ports for cooperation with the pipes 2I9, a port for coopera,- tion with an exhaust outlet 22I in the valve casing and an inlet port connected with a supply pipe 222 in which is a lubricator 223. The pipe 222 is designed in practice to be connected with the compressed air or steam systemson the locomotive or tender for supplying air or steam, under control of valve 220, to the cylinder to shift the piston therein for door opening and closing actions. The valve 220 is arranged in the gangway end of the tenderso as to be conveniently manipulated by the fireman or an attendant when the doors are to be operated in filling the coal bunker. The piston may be positively connected by connecting rods to actuating arms on-both shafts, but in the present instance the piston is connected by the rod 2I8 to an actuating arm 2 on the shaft I98b and being integral with the gear I9'Ib. Motion, however, is simultaneously transmitted to the other shaft I93b by means of power transmitting connections comprising a link rod 224 connecting the arm 2|! to which the piston rod 2I8 is connected with one arm of a two-armed motion transmitting lever 2I9 centrally pivoted, as at 225, on the tender and the other arm of this lever 2I9 is similarly connected by a link rod 226 with an actuating arm similar to arm 2!! on the other rock shaft I98b, whereby the doors or sets of doors connected with the respective shafts I931) will be simultaneously operated. The arm 2!! provides for the use of an operating bar 20! as in Fig. 10 if desired or required.

In Figs. 18, 19 and 20 we have shown a type of door operating mechanism which may be. operated by fluid pressure power means or by hand operated means in the event that, from any cause, the fluid pressure power means should become inoperative. The doors in this construction are coupled by crank and link connections I94b, 2020. to the crank shafts I930 and on each crank shaft is loosely mounted an actuating arm 22?, the said arms 22? being coupled by connecting rods 228 with the outer end of a swinging lever 229 centrally pivoted as at 229' on a power cylinder 239 in which operates a piston 23I and which is connected with valved fluid pressure supply and exhaust pipes similar to those shown in Fig, 16 and designated by like reference characters. The piston has an X-shaped slot 232 receiving and pivotally engaging it with the inner end of the lever 229, the inclined walls of which slot act as abutments to transmit door opening and closing movements to the lever, the swinging movements of which may be limited by step screws 233. On the outer end of each shaft I930 is a second actuating arm 234, which is also loose on the shaft, and pivoted to the associated arm 22'! is a locking lever or latch 235 having a forked free end 236 adapted to be swung into and out of engagement with the arm 234 and to be suitably fastened thereto if desired to couple said parts together or to release them from coupling engagement. The shaft I930 has fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 23'! for coaction with a feed pawl 295 on the arm 234 and a lock pawl 298 similar to the pawls of the ratchet mechanism disclosed in Fig. 11. The arm 234, ratchet wheel 23'! and the pawls provide a ratchet mechanism whereby the shaft I930 may also be actuated by hand power, as by the use of a shaker lever or bar 20I. When the two arms 22'! and 234 are coupled by the latch 235 the parts of the ratchet mechanism are fixed from motion relative to the arm 22'! and the proper starting position of the parts of the ratchet mechanism relative to shaft I930 is maintained in the operation of the doors by the power mechanism, but by releasing the latch 235 the ratchet mechanism may be actuated to operate the doors independent of the power mechanism. By this means in the event that the fluid pressure power mechanism should become inoperative from any cause the latches 235 may be released to uncouple the arms 22?, 234, thus allowing the crank shafts to be manually operated. In lieu of this type of hand operated mechanism the structures shown in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, may be employed. A collar 22'! fixed to shaft I930 holds the arm 22'! in proper relation to arm 234.

A weighted arm similar to arm I95 in Fig. 10 may be used in the structure shown in Fig. 11 and arranged to travel through an arc equal to that of arm I94a, that is, an arc of approximately 180 instead of an arc of approximately 90 as shown in Fig. 10, and such an arm I95 may also be used in the structures shown in Figs. 12 to 20, inclusive.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction of the tender, the fuel doors and the fuel door actuating means will be readily understood without a further and extended description, and it will be seen that the invention provides a tender of a type facilitating the loading of its bunker with fuel and the operation of the fuel doors for this purpose, the construction of the door actuating mechanism being such that the fuel doors may be readily opened and closed by means accessible from the tender gangway. These advantages are present in the various types of door structures and door actuating devices disclosed, and enable the operation of coaling to be carried out in less time and with less labor on the part of the locomotive crew or other workmen. While the structures disclosed are preferred, it will, of course, be understood that these are of exemplificative character, and that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What we claim is:

l. A locomotive tender having a top wall provided with fuel inlets on opposite sides of the center thereof, doors for closing said inlets, actuating rock shafts for the doors, means for transmitting positive actuating motion to one of said shafts, and a compensating link and lever connection between said shaft and the other shaft for simultaneously transmitting door actuating motion to the latter-named shaft.

2. A locomotive tender having a top wall provided with a fuel feed opening therein, a door for closing said opening comprising a pair of pivotally connected folding sections, one of said sections being pivotally connected to the tender at one side of the opening, an actuating rock shaft mounted on the tender below the level of the opening, an actuating arm on said shaft coupled to the door which is pivotally connected to the tender so as to swing upwardly and downwardly through the opening in the opening and closing movements of the door and to lie beneath the door when the latter is in closed position, and means for transmitting motion to said shaft.

3. A locomotive tender having a top wall provided with fuel filling inlets on opposite sides of its longitudinal center, sets of doors for closing said inlets, door actuating rock shafts disposed beneath the doors and connected to the doors, a pair of juxtaposed coacting actuating arms loosely mounted on each shaft, one of said arms forming a manually operable actuating arm, a pawl and ratchet connection between the manually operable actuating arm of each pair and its shaft, motor mechanism coupled to the other actuating arm of each pair, and locking means for connecting the actuating arms on each shaft with each other or disconnecting them from each other.

4. In a door actuating means for a locomotive tender fuel inlet, doors for closing said inlet, rock shafts connected to the doors, and mechanism for operating the rock shafts and therethrough the doors, said mechanism including operating means for individually actuating each shaft, an operating element loose on each shaft, a connection between the operating elements on the respective shafts, and coupling means for connecting the operating means on each shaft with the operating element loose on said shaft or disconnecting the same therefrom.

5. In a door actuating means for locomotive tender fuel doors, and in combination with a tender having a fuel inlet in its top, a door for closing said inlet on each side of the longitudinal center of the inlet, an operating device for independently actuating each door, interconnecting means between said operating devices whereby the doors on each side of the longitudinal center of the inlet may be actuated in unison, and coupling means for connecting each operating device with or disconnecting it from said interconnecting means.

6. A tender having a front wall provided with a fuel discharge opening, a top wall provided with a fuel inlet, a gangway platform arranged in advance of the front wall, a hood extension from the top wall overhanging the gangway platform, a door for closing the fuel inlet, and a door opening and closing mechanism supported by the front wall and disposed beneath the top wall and including operating means disposed so as to be accessible to a person standing on the gangway platform.

'7. A tender having a front wall provided with a fuel discharge opening, a top wall provided with a fuel inlet, a gangway platform arranged in advance of the front wall, a hood extension from the top wall overhanging the gangway platform, a door for closing the fuel inlet, a rock shaft for actuating the door, and a door opening and closing mechanism operatively connected to said shaft and supported by the front wall and disposed beneath the top wall and including operating means disposed so as to be accessible to a person standing on the gangway platform.

8. A locomotive tender having an end wall and a top wall, the latter provided with a fuel filling inlet, a door for closing said inlet, an actuating rock shaft mounted on the tender below the inlet and extending at one end outward through said end wall, means disposed within the tender and connecting said shaft with the door, fluid pressure operated means coupled to said outwardly projectlng end of the shaft for actuating the shaft, means for rendering said fluid pressure operated means effective or ineffective for action, and means coupled to the outwardly projecting end of the shaft whereby said shaft may be manually operated.

9. A locomotive tender having an end wall and a top wall, the latter provided with a fuel inlet opening therein, a door for closing said inlet, an actuating rock shaft mounted on the tender below the opening and extending at one end outward through said end wall, a rocker arm mounted on the shaft within the tender and coupled to the door, an actuating arm connected to the outwardly projecting end of the shaft adapted to receive a shaker lever whereby the shaft may be manually operated, power means connected to the outwardly projecting end of the shaft, and means for rendering said power means effective or ineffective for action.

10. In a door actuating means for locomotive tender fuel doors, and in combination with a tender having a gangway platform at an end thereof, an end wall facing the gangway platform, and a top wall, said top wall being provided with a fuel inlet therein, doors for closing said inlet, fluid pressure operated mechanism disposed at the gangway end of the tender below the level of the top wall for actuating the doors, said mechanism including a control element disposed on the outer side of said end wall and accessible from the gangway platform, means for rendering said fluid pressure operated mechanism effective or ineffective for action, and manually operable means accessible from the gangway platform for actuating the doors.

WILLIAM L. LENTZ. CARL F. KANTOLA.

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