Railway car door locking mechanism

A pair of laterally movable sliding doors include one door provided with a vertical hollow side frame member within which is housed a reciprocating locking bar adapted to engage a keeper mounted on the car below the door. The locking bar is reciprocated by a bell crank handle and lever arrangement which is pivotally connected to one end of a rockable link or arm supported on the door, the link including an end projecting into the side frame member for pivotal connection to the upper end of the locking bar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a double door arrangement of the plug and 
sliding type for enclosing an exceptionally large door opening in the side 
of a railway box car. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art pertaining to box car doors includes cars having enlarged 
door openings which are usually covered by a sliding door of a relatively 
large size also having a plug type of mechanism which upon operation 
thereof withdraws locking bolts from locked relation relative to a door 
frame and thereupon moves the door upwardly of the door opening whereupon 
it may be moved to one side of the opening. A somewhat smaller auxiliary 
door also is provided which also can be moved in sliding relation to one 
side of the door opening adjacent to the larger door thus, exposing the 
entire large door opening. Such auxiliary doors also are provided with 
locking arrangements which secure the auxiliary door in locked position. 
Such a door is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,984 including also for 
operating mechanisms for locking both doors in position. The present 
invention is particularly concerned with respect to a novel and more 
effective door locking arrangement for the auxiliary or smaller door of 
the combination. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the present invention an enlarged door opening in the side of a railway 
car includes a large first door and a smaller second or auxiliary door, 
each of the doors being capable of being moved in sliding relation to one 
side of the door opening to completely expose the same. The larger door is 
provided with a door opening mechanism of a rotatable type which withdraws 
locking bars to an open position and thereupon rotates a pipe and crank 
arm arrangement mounted on suitable rollers for moving the larger door 
outwardly so that it may then readily be moved out of the way to one side 
of the door opening. This type of door and a door sliding mechanism is 
well shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,965, patented June 18, 1974. 
The second or auxiliary door also is supported on roller mechanisms on a 
track similar to the first door so that it may be slidingly moved to one 
side and out of the door opening. The second door also is provided with a 
novel arrangement for locking and unlocking the door relative to the door 
frame of the opening. This includes a hollow frame member forming one side 
of the auxiliary door, the same including a vertically reciprocable 
locking bar which is adapted to be vertically moved into and out of 
locking engagement relative to a part of the door frame. The locking bar 
is moved by means of a bell crank type of handle lever and arm arrangement 
which is pivotally connected to a rockable arm or link suitably mounted on 
the side of the door. The movable link has one end extending into the 
hollow frame member and is pivotally connected through a slot to the 
locking bar so that upon pivotal movement of the handle and lever 
arrangement the locking bar is vertically raised and lowered as desired 
from lock positions to unlock positions and vice versa.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A railway box car of conventional type is generally designated by the 
reference character 10 and includes side walls 11 provided with door 
openings 12 only one of which is shown. The door opening 12 is defined by 
an upper horizontally extending header member 13 connected to the upper 
ends of vertical side frame members 14 and 15, respectively. The side wall 
below the door opening 12 also includes a lower wall portion 16 supporting 
a threshold member 17 in turn supporting a floor 18 which may extend the 
length of the interior of the box car. A horizontal track 19 is connected 
to the lower wall portion 16 by means of brackets 19' as best shown in 
FIG. 4. 
A large first door of the sliding and plug type is generally designated by 
the reference character 21 and includes vertically extending door 
sheathing 22 suitably connected to an upper frame member 23 and a lower 
frame member 24. The sheathing is further supported by means of upright 
beams 25 also connected to the upper frame member 23 and lower frame 
member 24. The sheathing is further connected to side frame members 26 and 
27 in turn respectively connected to the frame members 23 and 24. The door 
21 is supported at one side by roller and swivel assembly provided with a 
crank arm 29 in turn suitably connected to a swivel 30 in turn supported 
on the lower end of the door 21 in conventional fashion. The other side of 
the door also is supported on a roller assembly 31 having a crank arm 32 
connected to a pipe 33 extending vertically the length of the door. The 
roller and swivel assemblies 28 and roller assembly 31 are suitably 
supported on the track 19 permitting the door 21 to be moved laterally to 
one side of the door opening 12. The upper end of the pipe 33 is also 
suitably connected to a crank arm 34 in turn connected to a guide roller 
35 suitably supported in guiding relation by the upper header member 13. A 
similar guide roller 36 supports the other end of the door 21 on the upper 
header member 13. 
A door actuating mechanism 37 includes a handle member 38 which upon 
rotation provides for reciprocation of linkage 39 connected by means of a 
bracket 40 to the pipe 33. The mechanism 37 also is adapted to actuate 
horizontal and vertical locking bolts 41 and 42, respectively, which are 
adapted to engage portions of the door frame in locking and unlocking 
relation. The arrangement and operation of the door actuating mechanism 37 
is more specifically described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,965 patented June 
18, 1974. This patent also specifically discloses the construction and 
operation of a door moving mechanism which in the present application is 
designated at 43. The mechanism 43 may be actuated by a hand wheel 44 
which is adapted to power suitable force multiplying means whereby the 
door 21 may be easily moved to one side of the door opening. 
An auxiliary or second door of smaller width is designated at 45 and 
includes door sheathing 46 suitably connected to vertically extending 
transversely spaced side frame members 47 and 48. The side frame member 48 
is of channel shaped or hat-shaped construction including flanges 49 
connected to side walls 50, said side walls in turn being connected by a 
front wall or web 51. This thus provides for a hollow construction of the 
frame member 48, both of said frame members being connected to upper frame 
members 52 and lower frame members 53. The door sheathing further is 
supported by means of a vertical support beam 54 connected to the upper 
and lower frame members 52 and 53. 
The upper ends of the door 45 are guided by means of roller guides 55 in 
the upper header member 13 similar to the roller guides 36 
afore-mentioned. The lower ends of the door 45 are supported on roller and 
swivel assemblies 56 each of which includes a crank arm 57 suitably 
connected to a swivel 58 supported on the door the roller assemblies 56 in 
turn being supported on the track 19 in supporting and rolling relation. 
A locking mechanism 60 is provided for the second door 45 and includes a 
bracket 61, as best shown in FIG. 2, which is supported at one end by 
means of a spacer 62 on the sheathing 46. The other end of the bracket 61 
is suitably connected to one of the flanges 49 of the hat shaped frame 
member 48. A bell crank lever 63 includes a handle portion 64 connected to 
a laterally extending arm 65. An L-shaped bracket 66 is suitably connected 
to the bracket 61 and supports the bell crank lever 63 for pivotal 
movement by means of a pivot pin 67 which is supported by means of a pivot 
block or plate 68 in turn connected to the bracket 61. An actuating 
rocking bar or link as designated at 69 and as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 
includes a U-shaped clevis 70 at one end provided with slots 71. An 
actuating pivot stud 72 connected to one end of the arm 65 engages the 
slots 71 for rocking the bar 69. The rocking action is supported by means 
of a bracket 73 which includes flanges 74 and 75 connected to a vertical 
plate 76. The flanges 74 and 75 are suitably connected to the bracket 61. 
A pivot plate or block 77 supports a pivot stud 78 on the bracket 61. The 
said stud 78 is also supported on the wall 76 of the bracket 73. 
The other end of the arm 69 also has connected thereto a U-shaped clevis 79 
which supports a pivot stud 80. The clevis 79 projects through an opening 
81 provided in one of the side walls 50 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A 
vertically reciprocable locking bar 82 as best shown in FIG. 3 is 
positioned within the side frame member 48 and includes a slot 83 at its 
upper ends which is engaged in actuating relation by means of the pivot 
stud 80. As best shown in FIG. 4, a guide member 84 includes a front plate 
85 and inwardly extending flanges or side walls 86 which are suitably 
connected to an extension 87 of the sheathing 46. The guide member 84 also 
is provided with inner guide plates 88 which guide the lowered tapered end 
89 of the bar 82. A keeper designated at 90 is suitably supported on the 
lower wall portions 16 and includes a front wall or plate member 91 and 
inwardly extending flanges 92 suitably connected to the said wall portion 
16. 
OPERATION 
FIG. 1 discloses both of the door 21 and 45 in the closed position relative 
to the door opening 12. Supposing now that limited access to the door 
opening 12 is desired, the door 21 is moved laterally to one side of the 
door opening by means of the operating mechanism 37. Upon initial rotation 
of the handle member 38 the locking bars 41 and 42 are moved out of 
locking engagement with respect to the door frame an upon further turning 
movement the linkage 39 rotates the pipe 33 thereupon moving the edge of 
the door outwardly so that it now can be moved on the track 19 to one side 
of the door opening. Further sliding movement is assisted by rotation of 
the hand wheel 44 which provides an assist, by force multiplying means, to 
the operator in sliding the door to one side of the opening. This is 
clearly described in the afore-mentioned patent. 
In order to move the auxiliary or second door 45 to an open position the 
operator actuates the handle and lever arrangement 64 of the locking 
mechanism 60. By rotating the handle 64, as shown in FIG. 3 in a clockwise 
direction as shown in the broken line position of FIG. 3 the actuating bar 
or link 69 is pivoted on the pivot 78 and the one end of the bar 69 
containing the clevis 70 is moved downwardly whereupon the clevis 79 is 
moved upwardly which in turn provides for the pin 80 exerting an upward 
thrust on the locking bar 82 thereupon disengaging the lower tapered end 
89 of the bar relative to the keeper 90. The door 45 now may be moved also 
to one side of the door opening 12 and the entire door opening is now open 
for access into the interior of the railway car. When the doors 21 and 45 
are to be returned to their locked and closed position the reverse 
operation takes place. 
It is apparent from the foregoing description that the locking mechanism 60 
is particularly effective in that the rocking link or bar 69 provides for 
a leverage or force multiplying condition which easily moves the locking 
bar 82 between the open and closed positions with a limited amount of 
power necessary on the part of the operator in shifting the handle lever 
63. This is particularly desirable in door arrangements wherein most of 
the doors of the prior art include mechanisms which are very difficult to 
operate because of the many varied conditions such as freezing, snow, etc. 
to which these mechanisms are subjected thereby making them difficult to 
open and close when desired. 
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the 
invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the 
appendant claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the 
disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations 
therein without departing from the scope of the invention.