Patent GB-714585-A (GB)
Title: A new or improved sliding door for vehicle bodies
IPC: B60J5/06
Filed: 1951-03-29
Abstract: 714,585. Doors for passenger vehicles. WEATHERSHIELDS, Ltd., and SMITH,. H. A. G. May 27, 1952 [March 29, 1951], No. 7360/51. Class 103(2) A sliding door for vehicle bodies, which, when closed, lies in the plane of the door opening, is adapted to pivot about one vertical edge on runners slidable on guides located at the ton and bottom of the door and inclined at a small angle to the door opening and at or adjacent its other vertical edge the door has pivoted to it laterally-projecting arms each carrying mutually spaced rollers or pegs which cooperate with a track substantially parallel to the plane of the door opening, the rollers or pegs being so arranged that on a force being applied in that plane in the opening direction the arms are caused to move e angularly about their pivots on the door and to move this edge of the door laterally out of the plane of the door opening and substantially into the plane of the tracks. In the construction shown, a door 10 is supported adjacent one edge by the top and bottom grooved rollers 12 running on guides 13 which are inclined at a small angle to the plane of the door opening.. Adjacent the other vertical edge of the door two spindles 16 are mounted for angular movement on brackets 17. Each spindle has fixed thereto a cranked arm 18 provided at the free end with three rollers 19, 20, 21, which co-operate with a channel-section track 22 parallel to the side 11 of the vehicle body. One of the flanges of the track is bent and curved to form a stop 23 in which the roller 20 lies when the door is in the closed position. The roller 19 is always on the track. When a force is applied to the door in the opening direction the arm 18 moves about the fulcrum formed by the roller 20 engaging the stop 23 and the rear edge of the door swings inwardly until the roller 21 comes into alignment with the open end of the track, the rollers 12 at the front edge of the door travelling along the guides 13. Continued movement of the door causes the roller 21 to move in the track 22 and the roller 20 to move out of the stop 23 and along the outer edge of the track. The lower spindle 16 is preferably spring- loaded to hold the arm 18 in positions corresponding to the open and closed positions of the door. A short arm 25 fixed on to the upper rod of the spindle 16 has pivotally coupled to its free end a bar 26 slidably guided in a lug 27 on a strap 28 fixed to the inside of the door. The bar 26 is connected by a link 29 to a lever 30 which at one end is connected to the strap 28 and at the other end is connected to a tension spring 31 anchored to the door. The arrangement forms a toggle mechanism resiliently holding the arm 18 in each of its two extreme positions. The door is supported above the middle of its height by a double-hinged strap 33 carrying spaced rollers 34 travelling in a channel guide 35. The strap may be notched to receive a pivoted latch 46 mounted on a piston rod 41 which may be actuated hydraulically, to open or close, the door, by means of a reversible motor 44 and a pump 42. The door may alternatively be operated by pressure fluid from the reservoir of a power braking system, or manually by the driver of the vehicle through flexible transmission means. In any case the door is provided with handles or handle recesses for manual operation.