US2661945A - Electric door operator - Google Patents

Description

w. HAMILTON ELECTRIC DOOR OPERATOR Dec. 8, Y 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 17, 1951 Ways Hom/Vf Dec. 8, 1953 l w. HAMILTON ELECTRIC DooR OPERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Filed Nov. 17, 1951 5 m @y fw/n L@ 5. www E w .M MW@ H 6. a f ,m/

Dec. 8, 1953 w. HAMILTON 2,651,945

ELECTRIC DOOR OPERATOR Filed Nov. 17, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 bi/V W f//IS atorveys 00a/R5 REVERS/N6 U) l/Ill Dec. 8, 1953 Filed Nov. 1'?, 1951 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES ori-*ICE 2,661,946 ELECTRIC noon OPERATOR Wallace Hamilton, Albanyj y., assiii ,o "il: solidatcdi Car-l-Heating Conipany,v Inc.; Albany; N. Y., a corporation of New York' Apblie'at'io'n ovember 17, 195i, seiai o, 256,864 7 Claims. (01; 'acer-esi l o invention relates to door operators and particularly to those which are actuated by electftY-- V,

At; the presenttirne; compressed air is generally us'ed for operatirigr theldoors of buses and the like although in some cases such doors are hydrau'lially operated.1 But compressed air systems havel severalinherent disadvantages. Despite regular precautions, the air lines and cylinders' eventaully' beeome clogged with dirt and, irff cold' weather, r,condensation and freezing of moisture' in thfleaii"A lines and cylinders causes Serious operating diiii'culties. Furthermore, piston' pacl'rirjlgfs` haveaj limited life and, in some instances, must be replaced very frequently. Because of thesek difliculties, correctv operating adjustments are difficult' to maintain.` l

y Hydraulic systems lhave most of these, disadvantages plus several others. Loss of fluid due to leaks in the system'vcan seriously affect the operation of thevehicles brakes and', occasionally a' leak sprays oillunder high pressure into tliej interior of a vehicle loaded with passengers.

The principal object of my invention is toA proyide asafe, dependable, electrical unit for the control and' operationv of vehifclfer doors, VA lfurtherobject is to provide such a' device whichis adapted to: replace the air and hydraulic cyl-` i'r'i'der'sinow being `used on buses to operate the doorsV thereof although it may be used to operate hsftypes f dOOf'SI Irrthe drawingsf- ,A A, l p Y g; l is a planv view of the unit; Y Aigij 2 is a-front'elevation with portions broken away? e I FigfgBLis an enlarged, fragmentary plan View, partially in` section-of a detail;

Fig'. 4fis an enlarged, fragmentary planpv'iew of another detail showing' the rel'ativeposition Vof the 'partswhen the` doors areI in' open' position; Fig. 5 i'sy a frontv elevation view of the detail shwirih-Fia e A l Fig', 6 isa'section'ofjFig. 5 in the plane E B';

grams showing tlie variousl switches andv circuits whieh exisewhen-the' doors are ih various posi-v tions; and

Figs; 14,15, i6, 1'7-y and 18; are" diagrammatic lLisjthehase te, which various eieinenis qffiieiV unit are' attached' 2' `is an electric 'mot/or khaving opposiiejsides by ,means of, i'v'h'ieh ihelmeporuis supported ir`1',lortcliets,.5 and E. y Secured to4 each eri'd ofthe motor shaft' 1 is a Aworrnho'r screwl., only' one. of whicliis`s'fliown,,which cooperate with bauwndts, 11 te, feriti areveieibie 'driving mechanism' firhatI to'sayth m'tpimay, drive the I'iut'sloe the wl ms', or th ,Iito'r may be driven by yforce applied@ either ofthe haisz ih a direction' ,Wh'ieh ,wi111, nieve i6 v'ii'ahgiiiuiina uy er its associated w Thenuts Il. are/fixed Ato the shafts 9' and ylflw ich,actuate the doors'. as folfY lows: thefreeends of the shafts 9v and It are loi'frcate'd, as shown at |2 andl and, have aol-,- jistablelinlis I Iland l5 piyotally securedthereto by p .Y I,Il"i`ia,rl1d'., Il, respectively. The links I4 and l5' are pivotally securedtovthe arms li8 and ,9

respectively,wh'icl`1`,in, turn"I are clamped'A l to the vertical shafts 2'0 and 2l which actuate the doors 2.2 'and-v .,v.

1a oidertoioek thev adore ih chased positien I prox/idea ieggije `which his" aeiuajied by, the yshaft in and which' W111i he described ih' cd'nn'eeiihf with Fi as, 4, eiland one ieg 24 of the toggieis secured in fiiied pivotal' relation to the baseand fnotgi, lis'shown atj 2 5in Figs. f1 and 5;` Yand the et er ,ieg 6,l the iengthef Whiehrh'ay be adiuste'd' by means of thelthre'add rdl, is pitictjd ali-128' to the shaftV lll by means 0f th'eIpln iztha Y'Ol'ilflcl'l's'th lklthelto. i ,AmX'lhQ-.b 555m eletfglli ghafving the paie- :i6` thereof and a lU-shaped frame 36'., 'attachedA to the' other peiewiih its free ende 16e sidespi ihepoieso, forming a subies'ed magnetic eireuit with the toggle 1y members 2,4,and 26Jwhen the k'nee'Lis in close pQXty tth'pl 30 andfSid toggle 's'alnst butnot Iufte, s raigh't.' Thus, when themagfnet is ler izedgitwill Serve, to hold the togglein straightpehditioh arid thus ioek the itsyairh dijrs'zivny los'ed position. c `Secured kto the ,hase 1is a relay, represented 1i; bizih'egmmeieiiz and, which. when dv uiesiihi seperate. switches the with Eig jllgllinclusye, m33 represents A al 'roloclv tdwhichdelectrical i Y .eefploperlh @tonneau electri-` lli il; vario s .cqr ltrol.elements of the device are come@ ed. The various` circuits willbe ex,-

plained'heIQWand the' manner in which the varidus,aiit'inaticswitchesere connected in `these circuits W1ll,-al'so,beexplained, R g first, howevento Figs. l and 2, 34

operating" element 35 which is contacted by the ,11' Qf which Will De explained below/11.1. con-` pin I1, or other means moving with shaft 3, when the doors are open. 36 is a closing limit switch having an operating element 3l (see Figs. 4 and 5) which is actuated by the pin I6, or other means moving with shaft I0, when the doors are closed. 36 is another switch which is actuated by the pin when the doors are closed. 38 is an opening braking switch having an operating element 39 which is actuated by the machine screw 39' in leg 24 of the toggle when the doors are almost open. The screw 39 may be adjusted when the operator is installed so that switch 38 is actuated at precisely the proper time.

Referring now to Figs. '7-l3, inclusive, in connection with Figs. 14-18, inclusive, Fig. 7 shows the position of the various switches when the doors are in closed position. 40 is the manually controlled operating switch; 4| is the battery; 42 is the coil of relay 32, which, when energized, moves the switches 43, 44 and 45 to the left; 46 represents the armature of the motor 2 having the series eld 41 and the shunt eld 48; 43 is the coil of the electromagnet 29 which locks the doors in closed position, and which is of comparatively high resistance; is a diagrammatic .2

showing of the closing limit switch 36; 5| is a similar showing of the opening braking switch 38; 52 is the braking resistor which has a comparatively low resistance; 53 is the closing speed resistor; 54 is the relay holding resistor; 55 is a current limiting resistor; and 56 is a diagrammatic showing of the opening limit switch.

All of the circuit forming means are shown in solid outline, but the particular circuits which are established from time to time are shown in dotted outline, and the direction of current flow therein is indicated by the arrows.

When the doors are in closed position, the switches and circuits are as shown in Fig. '7. The switch 48 is open, the relay coil 42 is not energized, and the switches 43, 44 and 45 controlled thereby are in the positions shown in this figure. In this position, current from the battery 4| flows through the switch 43, the coil 49 of the locking electromagnet, the armature 46 of the motor, the closing speed resistor 53, the switch 45, the series iield 4| and the shunt field 48 of the motor, and back to the battery. Since the resistance of the coil of the electromagnet which locks the doors in closed position is comparatively high, as

pointed out above, and considerably greater than the balance of the circuit, the current flowing through the circuit is suiiicient to energize the coil of the electromagnet but is not sufficient to operate the motor.

Referring now to Fig. 3, when the control switch 40 is closed, the relay coil 42 is energized and the switches 43, 44 and 45 are thrown into the position here shown, and the following circuits are then established: From battery 4| through the switch 40, the relay coil 42, and back to the battery. At the same time, another circuit is established from the battery 4| through switch 43, opening limit switch 56, opening braking switch 5|, the armature 46 of the motor, switch 45, the series eld winding 4'| and back to the battery. A third circuit is also established through the switch 44, the shunt held winding 48 of the motor, and thence to the battery. It will be noted that the coil 49 of the electromagnet which locks the doors in closed position is now deenergized by the movement of the switch 43 to the left, and is shunted by the release of the closed limit switch.

As the doors approach their fully open position, circuits are established as shown in Fig. 9.

CTI

The opening movement of the doors automatically moves the opening braking switch 5| to the position shown in Fig. 9. When the doors are almost open, the relay coil 42 remains energized, and the following circuits are established: From the batt-ery through the switch 43, opening limit switch 5E, switch 44, the shunt iield winding 48 of the motor, and baci'. to the battery. Two other circuits are simultaneously established, one of which includes the current limiting resistor 55, the opening braking switch 5| the opening braking resistor 52, the series iield 47 of the motor, and back to the battery; and the other circuit through the armature 45 of the motor, the switch 45 and the series held winding 41 back to the battery. In this position, it will be noted that the circuit through the shunt field 48 is the same as in 8. The current flow through the rest of the motor circuit however, passes through the resistor 55, the armature 46 of the motor, the series eld 4l 'to the cattery and also through the opening braking switch 5|, the resistor 52, and the eld 4l to the battery, thus partially shunting the armature 46. The armature current is thus greatly reduced with respect to that of the iields and causes the motor to rotate at a much slower speed. The kinetic energy of the moving doors then drives the motor which acts like a generator. The current generated by this driving action is dissipated in the form of heat in the resistor E2 in the circuit which shunts the armature, and the motor exercises a braking effect which prevents the doors from slamming as they reach the fully open position. Since the resistance of the resistor 52 isv comparatively low, the current from the battery is limited by the action of the resistor 55. The resistances of the resistors 52 and 55 are interdependent and must be such that the motor will stiil operate slowly towards the opening position in the event some obstacle slows up the opening doors.

When the doors reach the fully open position, the opening limit switch 56 is automatically opened by the movement of the doors and brakes the circuit through the motor, leaving only the relay coil 42 in energized condition. The circuits then are as shown in Fig. 10. In order to close the doors, the control switch 4i) is opened as shown in Fig. 11. This deenergizes the relay coil 42, the switches 43, 44 and 45 reassume their original positions, and the following circuits are established: From the battery through switch 43, closing limit switch 50, armature 45, but in a direction opposite the direction in which the current flows therethrough during the door opening movement as shown in Fig. 8, through the resistor 53, switch 45, series iield 41 and back to the battery. Another circuit is established through the switch 44 and through the shunt winding 43. Because the resistor 53 is now in series with the armature and the series field of the motor, the motor operates at a slower rate than during the door opening movement, thereby causing' the doors to close at a somewhat slower speed than that at which they open. When the doors reach closed position, the closing limit switch ii'is automatically moved from the position shown in 'Fig'. 11 tothe position shown in Fig. '7, thereby energizing the high resistance coil 49 of the electromagnet which locks the doors in closed position and reestablishes the circuit shown in Fig. '7.

The adjacent edges 51 and 58 of doorsof the type shown in Figs. 11i-18, inclusive, are usually fitted with so called sensitive edges comprising l`swritches encased in rubber tubes which will close Vwhen either of the tubes is deformed by pressure applied; tothe outsideof the iii-tbc. The doors shown. 'm the last mentioned figures areto be mideafstood as being equipped with suchedges,

the switches 59 and B0- Fifg.-

are to be understood asV diagrammaticallly representing the switches in the door' edges.- Either one orl both ed these: switches: may te closed by pressure eaerted on the edge of the door by an obstacle: en-

countered the closing thereof.- The-switch-Bl,

as shown-- F'igsi 71412, inclusive, isadiagramshowing of' the switch 345 Figsg l? and 2'-, and the .switch 62 may be associated therewith or with the closed limitsvviltcirl 5t so--that'- theyare automatically actuated to the positions shown` i-n Fig.v '71' when; the doors are closed. if there isno pressure against the edgesof the door, both switches. 5Fl-andi BB1-aire normally open.

Assuming' that pressurel is appl-redI tol-the edge of theldoor with which: the-switch 5i) is; associe ated, this switch- Will close, as show-n in- Flfg. 112; and., initially, establish a circuit fromthe batteryf' through thei relay coil 42T which will energize the-.relay and causeithe-switches- 431, M1 andi-'Iiix to movetothe lett into: the position show-n in` Fig. Thi'slwi-ll; establish avrel'ay circuit (shown iii-solid outline only tol avoid con-fusion)l through the rinotor and cause'l the doorsi tostart` opening. The mo'vementl of the. switches $31 and- 4'4 however, to the position shown ini Fig; 123, establishes a ciiT cuit from the. battery throng-h1 the switch the opening limit .stvilicliv 563 theaV resistor 54, coil i12 of the relay, and1 back tuL tliei battery; itl bei-ng appareilt- 'that the' circuit: through-- the: motor is the: door-opening circuit similar tothat shown irrl'ig. When thel door-s1 reach the fullyopen position,- they opening-'limitswitch 45. isautomatically -openedi wl-iiclfrdeenergizes the. relay',- causes the switches-43,. 4l'. and 4'5 tomove intothe pesi:- tionshownin- Figu lll, andi the doors sta-rt closing. When closed',v the' closing limit switch te automatically opens;- andi theV circuitsf shcwn'- in Eig; '71" are: reestablishedli In addition-to actingI as a clcsingrliimit siti-tong the' 501 may' also function to` operate sig xialliglht` torletthe operator know.' whenthe doors are' fully'clb'sed therconducto'ii G3i runningtothe signal light (not sho-wm? and` a `conductor (not shownrlf returning'.l fromfthe? signal; rlig-ht to the battery.

The switch' 62', which' is" automatically actuated simultaneously with. the.- switch 6l andthe closed limit'switch, may be used through the conductcr 66 to control` ani interlock device (not shown), l

suchasa relay or magnetic air` valve, control-- lingy the power supply of thefvehicleand its'brales sri-that. no power will beavailableawhen the' vehd clefs brakesare setA unless the doors are` fully closed. Y

Theiconductor 64 extends from: one terminalof theswitch.'Y 611 to the sensitives edges, as sl'iclwn im Figs. 12;. and the codnuctcr.-y 551 transfers any by magnetic means ofi-ly',- Iiri the event dt a failure, there would beno current g through the loch coi-li, and' the doorsanthen be opened manually,- since the ball nut and screw are reversible action. Alisa the case'v of van emergency;- the doors could be openednan-uallly by v a passenger after' operatinganemergency switch- (not shown), which would merely dis'coi-le nectthe source ofbattery volta-ge tothe eperatoi.

From'- the foregoing,- itwiiibe clear that i have provided! arr electrically* operated unitary device which may be employed for opening and closing doors ot elevators, buses, trains the like and which, except for` the manually op 3ated-'- co trol switch 4'0, is acompact unit from Wh chi cendre tors may be'- runto the' various auxiliary devices it i-'sdesi-reet to# be operated thereby.-

While E have described inventienin itsvi prefeiliied embodiment, it toe bei uln'derstood that the words which have used are-wordS-o description rather than oi?- limitation and tha-tchanges, within the pui-viewof the appended claiin's,-1tay be? made'- W'thout depar-i'iIg1-f-ii'ornA` the true scope and spi-rit of my in-ve-ition itsibroaider aspcts Wha-t1- claimis door opera-tor, comprising a rever-sible electric meter; a- Worin-connected t'oth sh it ci said nietor and" dr-iven'-` tlfiereby{a-L ball nut c'o' operating Wi'tlr sail-li worin,- wli "soy, said worin' and nut form are'versi-bledriving inecl-iariisiir; means operatively connected'- tof said nutV adapted' to be operatively connected-to adoersha-f-t for turningthe-saine as said nut'- moves onsaidf ivorm-- a togglehavi-ngftlief-ree-endf of( @ne leg thereof hel'd in xd pivotal relatibn motor, the free end of the other leg-pivot yy' nectedi ta said nut, and-being only slightly bent at' the-linee when saidiiut-l isli-'ni doorrclcsediposiition; an`v electiornagnet having' it'seldl in' cl'cse proximity te sa-id togglewheni said5 nut isL in doorn closed position; whereby-when energizedi-saiii magnet will hold1 said tcggl'e approximately straight and-'lock'said door Ain closedipositibni and electric circuit forming"V means, inclue" v' said electromagnet and: a switch automatically actu` ated by the door-closing movement said operar ter-Whensaidi door is" substantially closed, for closing said circuit-and energizing' said magnet toilocli said door in closed position:

ZiA door operator adapted to open and" close a4 pair of doors' andI comprising" a reversible elec;- tric motor right and .left hand worms connected', respectively, tof the opposite" ends of the shaft of said motor andz driven" thereby; a pair ci" bali nuts, one cooperating with: each' of" saidy worms, whereby each' of' said'l Worms" and its. cooperating nut forms a' reversible driving" inechanisrn;y ,means operatively connected to each" ofl saidr nuts and adapted 'to'be' operatively connected to the' shafts of said doors forv simultaneously' turningA the' sarde to openY andi closev said doors as said nuts nieve' end'oi` one ofitlieleg'sthereof held in'x'e'd pi'vtal relation to's'a'idi motor; the free end" of the other leg pivotally connected to one of said nuts, and being only slightly bent at the knee when said nuts are in doors-closed positions; an electromagnet having its eld in close proximity to the knee of said toggle when said nuts are in doorsclosed positions; whereby, when energized, said magnet will hold said toggle approximately straight and lock said doors in closed position; and electric circuit forming means, including said electromagnet and a switch automatically actuated by the door closing movement of said operator when said doors are substantially closed, for closing said circuit and energizing said magnet to lock said doors in closed position.

3. In a door operator, the combination with a shaft secured to said door, and about the axis of which, said door is swingable to effect an opening and closing thereof; of a reversible electric motor having shunt and series fields; a worm connected to the shaft of said motor and driven thereby; a ball nut cooperating with said worm, whereby said worm and nut form a reversible driving mechanism; means operatively connecting said shaft to said nut; a source of power; a manually controlled switch; a relay energized from said source of power when said control switch is closed; means, including an electromagnet normally energized when said door is closed for locking said door in closed position;

a rst switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for deenergizing said electromagnet to unlock said door; a second switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for connecting said motor, including both elds thereof, to said source of power to effect an opening movement of said door; and a third switch automatically actuated by the door-opening movement of said operator when said door is near its fully open position for closing a shunt circuit around the armature of said motor, whereby to reduce the speed of said motor by reducing the current fiowing through the armature thereof while maintaining the current flowing through said fields substantially constant; whereby, said motor will fUnCtOn as a brake and prevent said door from slamming open.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 together' with a fourth switch actuated by the door-opening mechanism when said door is fully opened for automatically opening the circuit from said source of power through said motor.

5. In a door operator; the combination with a pair of doors; of means on which said doors are mounted to move towards and away from each other to effect a closing and opening thereof; a reversible electric motor having shunt and series fields; a right hand worm connected to one end of the shaft of said motor, and a left hand worm connected to the other end thereof; a ball nut cooperating with each of said worms and forming therewith reversible driving mechanisms; means operatively connecting said nuts to said doors; a source of power; a manually controlled switch; a relay energized from said source of power when said control switch is closed; means, including an electromagnet normally energized when said doors are closed for locking them in closed position; a first switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for deyenergizing said electromagnet to unlock said '1" doors; a second switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for connecting said motor, including both fields thereof, to said source of power to effect an opening movement of said doors; and a third switch automatically actuated by the door-opening movement of said operator when said doors are near their fully open position for closing a shunt circuit around the armature of said motor While maintaining the current flowing through said fields substantially constant; whereby the speed of said motor will be reduced and said motor will function as a brake and prevent said doors from slamming open.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 together with a fourth switch actuated by the door-opening mechanism when said door is substantially fully opened for automatically opening the circuit from said source of power through said motor.

7. In a door operator, the combination with a. shaft secured to said door, and about the axis of which, said door is swingable to effect an opening and closing thereof; of a reversible electric motor having shunt and series fields; a worm connected to the shaft of said motor and driven thereby; a ball nut cooperating with said worm, whereby said worm and nut form a reversible driving mechanism; means operatively connecting said shaft to said nut; a source of power; a manually controlled switch; a relay energized from said source of power when said control switch is closed; means, including an electromagnet normally energized when said door is closed for locking said door in closed position; a first switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for deenergizing said electromagnet to unlock said door; a second switch actuated by said relay, when energized, for connecting said motor, including both elds thereof, to said source of power to effect an opening movement of said door a third switch automatically actuated by the door-opening movement of saidoperator when said door is near its fully open position for closing a shunt circuit around the ,armature of said motor, whereby to reduce the speed of said motor by reducing the current flowing through the armature thereof While maintaining the current flowing through said fields substantially constant; whereby, said motor will function as a brake and prevent said door from slamming open; and means for adjusting the time at which said third switch will be actuated by the door-opening movement of said operator.

WALLACE HAMILTON.

References Cited in the le of this patent` UNITED STATES PATENTS l Number Name Date 1,783,354 Ainsworth Dec. 2, 1930 1,839,232 Lapatoff Jan. 5, 1932 2,053,172 Young Sept. 1, 1936 2,075,000 McCloud Mar. 23, 1937 2,476,111 Opalek July 12, `1949 2,558,032 Andrews June 26, 1951 2,572,785 Vaughn Oct. 23, 1951 2,583,662 Noble Jan. 29, 1952

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