Improved Mechanism for Opening, Closing, and Securing Sliding Doors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Opening, Closing, and Securing Sliding
Doors.
I, EMILE LE MAIRE, of 15, Rue du Terrage, Paris, France, Advocate, Court of
Appeal, Paris, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My present improvements have reference to the construction of mechanism for
opening closing and securing sliding doors described in my application for Patent
No. 30830 of 1897 and they have mainly for their object firstly, to effect the
opening of double doors by a single endless band rope, chain or the like, the one
door being attached to the one side of the band while the other door is attached
to the other side, while the closing of the doors is effected automatically by a
descending weight; secondly, to control the closing motion of the doors when this
is effected by a descending weight, so as to prevent such motion from becoming
unduly accelerated towards the end, in order to prevent unpleasant concussions;
thirdly, to effect the locking of the doors when in the closed position by a very
simple and effective device; fourthly, when the opening of the doors is effected by
hydraulic power, to arrange an accumulator apparatus worked by hand in combi-
nation with the motor cylinder, so as to insure that there shall always be a uniform
hydraulic pressure available for this purpose; fifthly, an arrangement for enclosing
the levers that operate the valve of the hydraulic motor under lock and key, so
that no unauthorised opening can be effected. I will describe my said improve-
ments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shews an
elevation, partly in section, of a pair of sliding doors with the actuating mechanism
arranged below the doors instead of above them as in the arrangement described
in my said previous application. Fig. 2 shews a plan of the actuating mechanism.
Fig. 3 an enlarged view of the controlling valve device on the motor cylinder.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 respectively a vertical section, and cross-sections at X X and Y Y
of the hydraulic accumulator employed. Fig. 7 shews a sectional elevation of
a vertical arrangement of the hydraulic motor, showing the device for enclosing
the operating hand levers, Fig. 8 shows a part sectional plan, and Fig. 9 a front
view of the hydrolic motor.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the double doors A A¹, run with wheels B on
rails C, as in the previous construction; in a space in the floor below them is
arranged the endless cord or band D) stretched over pullies E, E¹, the door A being
attached by a bracket a to the lower part of the cord D, while A¹ is connected
at al to the upper part thereof, so that when the pulley E is rotated in the direction
of the arrow, the door A will be moved to the left hand and A¹ to the right hand
for opening them. Such rotation of the pulley E is effected by the hydraulic
motor cylinder F, whose piston rod L has attached to it the two cords L₁ L² that
are passed in contrary directions round a grooved pulley G fixed on the shaft of
pulley E and have their other ends fixed to its periphery. On the shaft of pulley E
is also fixed a pulley H, round which is wound a cord from which a weight I is

page_text: suspended; this weight tends to turn the pulley in the contrary direction to the
arrow which is the direction in which it is turned by the motor F for opening the
doors, and consequently the weight will effect the closing together of the doors
when the motor is thrown out of action.
The motor cylinder has a revolving plug valve F at its end, having an opening
which is either brought opposite the supply pipe F2 for admitting water pressure
to the cylinder, or opposite the discharge pipe F3 for allowing the water to escape.
The valve F is operated by hand by means of the rods JJ' bevil gear J2 and
handle J Thus assuming the parts to be in the position shewn at Fig. 1, then
on admitting water pressure to the cylinder F the piston thereof will be made to
perform its outstroke, turning pulley E so as to open the doors A A¹, and at the
same time winding up the weighted cord on pulley H. If the doors are to be
closed, the valve is turned so as to allow the water pressure to escape, where-
upon the weight I in descending will turn pulley E in the contrary direction to
the arrow, thereby closing the doors. As the descending weight I would have
its motion gradually accelerated which might cause unpleasant concussions on
the doors closing, I provide the following controlling device. The cylinder F
has an opening which is closed by a hinged flap valve K, having an opening K¹
closed by a coned screw plug K2 having one or more longitudinal grooves, through
which air can slowly penetrate into the cylinder.
On the piston performing its outstroke for opening the doors, the valve K opens
freely to allow the air to escape, but on the piston commencing its back stroke the
valve K closes and air can only enter the cylinder very slowly through the screw
plug K2, thus controlling the action of weight I so as to prevent any violent con-
cussion on the closing of the doors.
The above described arrangement of flap valve and screw plug is also applicable
in the case where the cylinder F merely acts as a controlling device for preventing
the too rapid closing of the doors, the opening of the doors being in that case
effected either by a second hydraulic cylinder or by any other convenient arrange-
ment of motor.
The piston rod L is formed with a transverse groove L³ which, when the doors
are in the closed position, is opposite a pivotted locking bar M so that this in
falling into the groove L will effectually lock the doors in the closed position.
The raising of the bar for unlocking the doors may be effected in any convenient
manner, such as by the insertion of a key through a keyhole formed in the floor
just above the bar. For supplying the water at a uniform pressure to the motor
cylinder F, I employ a small accumulator apparatus such as is shown at Fig. 4.
This consists of a cylinder N loaded with weights N¹ sliding upon a fixed plunger ()
having a channel O'connected at the lower end on the one hand by a chamber 03,
with valve, to the supply pipe F2 leading to the valve F of cylinder F and, on
the other hand, by a chamber 03 with valve to the supply pipe P leading to any
convenient water supply. The cylinder N has a toothed racks N2 fixed to it with
which gears a pinion Q carried by the pedestal R and connected by suitable gearing
to a crank handle S, by turning which the loaded cylinder N is raised up on the
plunger O, thereby admitting water into the space in the cylinder above the
plunger, which water is then subject to the constant load N¹, and is supplied to
the motor cylinder F whenever required.
In the arrangement shewn at Figs. 7 to 9 the motor cylinder F is arranged
vertically within the space between the walls T T into which the door A slides
in opening. The valve F¹ of the cylinder is in this case operated either directly
by the hand lever JB and bevil gear J2 on the one side, or indirectly by the hand
lever J on the other side connected by gear J J¹ to the axis of hand lever J. The
hand levers J³ and J4 are situated in recesses in the walls, which are closed by
doors U, locked by a key, so as to prevent unauthorised opening of the doors A.
Instead of arranging the hand levers J3 J4 in recesses in the walls, they may be
contained in boxes fixed upon the walls.
The locking bar M that engages with the groove L³ on the piston rod L, as before

page_text: described, is kept in position by a spring and is connected by a cord V to the
lever J, so that on turning the valve F for admitting the water pressure to the
motor cylinder for opening the doors, the locking bar is at the same time with-
drawn from the groove of the piston rod.
The arrangement of motor cylinders here shewn is adapted for working opening
mechanism arranged over the doors as in the construction described in my previous
application.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:
1. In mechanism for opening closing and securing sliding-doors, of the kind
herein referred to, arranging the endless band, cord or chain 1), to be operated by
the motor cylinder F for opening the doors only, the closing thereof being effected
by the descent of a weight I arranged and operating substantially as described.
2. Providing the cylinder F referred to in the first claim, whether acting as
motor or only brake cylinder, with an opening closed by a flap valve K having
a small orifice K' adjustable by a screw plug K², whereby the air is allowed to
escape freely during the outstroke of the piston, but can only enter slowly during
the return, stroke, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The combination with the piston rod of the motor cylinder F referred to in
the first and second claims of a locking bar M, engaging with a groove on the
piston rod when the piston arrives at the end of the back stroke, so as to lock the
doors in the closed position, substantially as described.
4. The use in combination with the motor cylinder F of an accumulator con-
sisting of a loaded cylinder N working over a fixed perforated plunger 0 and
raised by a rack and pinion for admitting a charge of water for working motor
cylinder, substantially as described.
5. Mechanism for opening closing and securing sliding doors combined and
operating as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings.
6. The modified arrangement of the mechanism for opening the sliding doors
described with reference to Figs. 7 to 9 wherein the hand levers J3 J4 for operating
the valve of the motor cylinder are arranged in recesses in or boxes on the walls,
closed by locked doors substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.