US449364A - Door-opener - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)-

'1). HAWKSWORTH.

DOOR OPENER.

Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

w: mums PETERS cc., Puma-man, wnsumsnw, B4 c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. HAWKSWORTH;

DOOR OPENER.

No. 449,364. Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

III 41% m: NORRIS m-zns coy, PNOTD-LITHO:, WEHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES arnnr truce.

.DQOR-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,364, dated March 31,1891.

Application filed April 24, 1390.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID IIAwKsWon'rH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plattsmouth, Cass county, Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Door-0peners, of which the following is a specification.

The obJect of this invention is to provide a device which will enable the fireman to open the door by means of his foot, leaving his hands free to handle the shovel, being an improvement upon or modification of the dooropener described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 424,060, issued to me on the 25th day of March, 1890.

The present improvement is chiefly applicable to doors that open inwardly; and the invention consists in the details and features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the rear end of a locomotive, showing my device applied to the furnace-door; Fig. 2, an elevation of the operating mechanism and door; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4, a sectional view of the operating-valve and connections; Fig. 5, a side View of the hand-lever and quadrant, and Fig. 6 a view illustrating a modified form of cylinder, &c. lhe last five figures are on an enlarged scale.

A is the boiler-head; B, the door; C, a cylinder attached to the boiler-head; D, a piston, and D the piston-rod; E, a shaft supported in bearings on the boiler-head; F, a crankarm; G G G", arms and links; H, a stop; I,

. a lever; t', a lug thereon; J, a quadrant; j, a

cam on the shaft E; K, the operating or foot valve apparatus; K, a push-button on the end of the valve-stem K 5 L, the air-reservoir; M, a pipe connecting such reservoir with the valve apparatus; N and O, pipes leading from the valve apparatus to the cylinder O; P I exhaust-ports, and R a spring.

In a locomotive equipped with the present improvement the door B opens inwardly, as shown in the drawings, being suspended at its upper side upon suitable hinges, as shown. A cylinder 0 is attached to the boiler-head in any suitable manner. In the drawings it is shown supported upon trunnions on abracket Serial No. 349,247. (No model.)

0. In the case of a door suspended at the top of the furnace-opening the cylinder is preferably placed in a vertical position above the door, but in the case of a door hinged at one side the cylinder would then be placed in a horizontal position at the side of thedoor, similar changes'in position being made as to all the parts of the hereinafter-described mechanism.

A shaft E is supported in suitable bearings 6, attached to the boiler-head above the door. To this shaft is rigidly secured a crank-arm F, and the piston-rod D is attached in any suitable manner to this crank-arm, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby as the piston D is moved up and down the shaft will be turned in one direction or the other. To this shaft at a point above the door is rigidly attached another crank-arm G, preferably of the shape.

shown in Fig. 3, and to the door is attached a lever or arm G, connected ith the lever G by means of a link G. On the other end of the shaft is loosely mounted a hand-lever I, provided withv a spring-lever I, engaging with the notches in a quadrant J, attached to the boiler-head. A lug 2', attached to this lever, engages with the cam j, rigidly seou red to the shaft.

Next I construct the foot or operating valve apparatus I. (Shown more particularly in Fig. 4.) This apparatus consists of a small cylinder, with a double piston-valve moving up and down therein and provided with five ports, as shown-namely, one port connected with the reservoir, one connecting, respectively, with either end of the cylinder 0 and two exhaust-ports. This valve apparatus is preferably placed beneath the foot-board of the cab, and to the upper end of the valve-stem K" is attached a push-button K which. projects a short distance above the cab-floor at any convenient point therein and slides in the bearing or guide 7t. A spring Ris provided to raise the push-button when it is released. The pipe 0, connecting this apparatus with the lower; end of the cylinder 0, as shown, is provided with a checkwalve 0, through which a small hole is drilled to prevent'the pressure of the air from closing the door too rapidly. In the position shown in Fig. 4 communication is open between the reservoir and the lower end of the cylinder, and the upper end ICO of the cylinder is open to exhaust through the pipe N. If new the valve-piston be pushed downward, communicatioiris established between the air-reservoir and the upper end of the cylinder, and the lower end thereof is open to the exhaust.

On the shaft (2 is mounted a buffer or stop ll, (shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3,) consisting of a thimble or socket pivotally mounted on an arm and provided, preferably, with a rubber bumper 71 The device operates as follows: \Vhen the fireman desires to feed the fire, he pushes down upon the button K with his foot. This forces down the pistonvalve and allows the air to pass through the pipes H and N to the upper end of the cylinder, forcing down the piston D and turning the shaft E, which, by means of the connections above described, opens the door 13. The air from the lower end of the cylinder passes out through the pipe 0, raises the check 0, and escapes by the exhaust-port P. The firing being completed, the fireman removes his foot, and the valvepiston is carried upward by means of the spring R on the valve-stem. This opens communication between the air-reservoir and the lower end of the cylinder through the pipes M and O. The check-valve 0 being seated, the air bleeds slowly through the hole drilled therein, and, entering the lower end of the cylinder, raises the piston D and slowly closes the door, the air in the upper end of the cylinder meanwhile exhausting through the pipe N and the port P. If for any reason the cylinder or valve apparatus becomes inoperative, the door may be opened by means of the hand-lever I. Asthis is moved outward from the boiler-head the lug 2' engages with the cam j and turns the shaft to open the door, which is then held in any desired position through the engagement of the spring-lever I with the notches in the quadrant. The lever being thrown back, the door closes by its own weight. The lever being loosely mounted on the shaft, the latter is free to turn when the automatic opener is working without affecting the lever.

The buffer H, when in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, serves to prevent the door from entire] y closing when so desired. \Vhen not being used, it may be swung around on the bar H to allow the door to fully close.

Although I have shown herein a double-acting cylinder, I do not consider this as absolutely essential, since a sin gle-acting one might be used instead, the pressure of the air being utilized to open the door and a' spring or similar device to close it, as shown in my former patent above referred to, and as shown in Fig. 6. The cylinder 0, instead of being hung on trunnions, may be rigidly supported and the piston-rod connected by means of a link to the arm F, and similar changes of construction mav be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention. The door opening inwardly is more economical than the outside door, since it is out of the way, and allows the fireman to throw in his fuel while the door is opening without waiting for it to entirely open,as is the case when the door is on the outside.

Although I have described my device as operated by means of air, it will be evident that either air or steam may be employed, as

desired.

I claim 1. In a door-opener, the combination of a double-acting. cylinder, a piston therein operated by fluid-pressure on both sides, an inwardly-openin g door, and means whereby the door is opened and closed by the movement of the piston, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a shaft E, having a cam j, an inwardly-openin g door B, connected to such shaft,alevermounted upon the shaft, having a lug 2', and a stop H, secured to such shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a shaft E, having a cam j, an inwardly-opening door B, connected to such shaft, and a lever mounted on the shaft, having a lug 1', whereby as the lever is operated the lug engages with the cam to turn the shaft and open the door, substantially as described.

l. The combination of a shaft E, cariying arm Gand cam j, a door B connected to the arm G, a lever I, having a lug 1 mounted on the shaft, and a quadrant J, whereby the door may be opened and held in any desired position, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a shaft E, carrying arms F and G, a cylinder (3, a piston D, the rod whereof is attached to the arm F, and an inwardly-opening door connected to the arm G, whereby as the piston is moved in the cylinder the door is opened or closed, substantially as described.

DAVID IIAXVKSIVORTH.

Witnesses:

H. J. IIELPs, D. C. MORGAN.

Images