Central lock mechanism

Details Central lock mechanism Central lock mechanism

2002-04-30

2004-02-10

Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)

Movable or removable closures

Closures interconnected for concurrent movement

Opposed similar movement

Reexamination Certificate

active

06688042

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to door hardware systems of the type typically used to operate a pair of bi-parting doors of a passenger transit vehicle. More particularly, the invention pertains to a central lock mechanism enabling locking of two door panels in either pushback or non-pushback.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The following background information is provided to assist the reader to understand the environment in which the invention will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless specifically stated otherwise in this document.
It is generally well known in the passenger transit vehicle art to employ a powered door operator having a locking mechanism for locking a door panel attached to the powered door operator and driven thereby to cover and uncover an aperture in the passenger transit vehicle. Among the many door operators to which the invention disclosed herein relates is the door hardware system disclosed in the text and figures of U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,416.
FIG. 1
shows an opening in a sidewall of a railcar. Fixed to, or incorporated as part of the body of, the railcar above the aperture is a base plate disposed just above and horizontally along the length of opening. It is to this base plate that the door hardware system attaches to such railcar.
Regarding the locking feature of the door hardware system of the prior art, each outer door hanger has a contact bracket (not shown) attached to the top of its upper section. Atop the outer door hanger, a contact bracket (not shown) is designed to cooperate with a first door lock assembly to provide a lock for a door panel. Similarly, a second door lock assembly cooperates with a contact bracket (not shown), atop another outer door hanger to provided a lock for a second door panel. The first and second door lock assemblies are also mirror-symmetrical devices.
For this reason, the parts of the second door lock assembly are not described in detail for the sake of brevity. Reference can also be had to the figures of U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,416. As shown in
FIGS. 4A-C
, the first door lock assembly includes a lock member, a pivot pin, an unlock actuator, a pushback member, a latch lever, an emergency release rotor, a full lock switch and a pushback lock switch.
As shown in
FIGS. 5A-C
, the second door lock assembly includes a lock member and an unlock actuator. The pushback member, latch lever, emergency release rotor, full lock switch and pushback lock switch of assembly are shown, but not numerically denoted for brevity. Being door status switches, the full and pushback lock switches can be deployed with their first contacts providing input to a door controller (not shown).
Referring again to
FIGS. 4A-C
illustrating the first door lock assembly, the latch lever is pivotally connected at its upper end to the body of the assembly at a point above the right end of lock member. Latch lever has a cam (shown in dotted lines) on the other end of its pivot pin. Located at the lower end of this lever is the latch itself. The full lock switch is positioned behind the pushback lock switch, with both being secured to the body of the lock assembly. Pushback member is pivotally connected to the body, just to the right of pushback lock switch. The unlock actuator has its right end secured to the body of the assembly. The actuator has a push rod extending from its left end. The leftmost end of push rod connects by a pin to the upper left end of lock member and within the channel joint of the pushback member.
Pivotable about a pin, the lock member features lock step, a pushback step, a cam receptor slot and a lock arm formed as a part of its leftmost end. The cam receptor slot is formed in the top side of lock member near its right end and pushback step is formed on the bottom side of the lock member near its middle. Such lock step is formed in the lower right end of the lock member.
The lock members are disposed within first and second door lock assemblies, respectively, so as to be normally biased in the downward state. For the first door lock assembly, this is best shown in FIG.
4
C. For the second door lock assembly, it is best shown in FIG.
5
C. Specifically, starting with
FIG. 2
with further reference to
FIG. 4A
, as the first door is being moved rightward towards the CLOSE POSITION by the motor and drive mechanism, the contact bracket, atop the outer door hanger, eventually slides left to right underneath the bottom side of the lock member.
As outer door hanger and door therewith continue rightward, the protuberance of the contact bracket encounters the left side of the lower end of the latch causing such latch to rotate counterclockwise. This counterclockwise rotation causes the cam of such latch to rotate out of engagement with the cam receptor slot of the lock member. With its right end being disengaged from the cam, the lock member then pivots clockwise about a pin so that its right end falls on top of the bracket. As the outer door hanger and door therewith close to within approximately 40 mm. of the CLOSE POSITION, the leftmost corner of the bracket is first caught by a pushback step due to the downward bias of the lock member, as shown in FIG.
4
B. This causes the pushback member to pivot clockwise and engage the button of the pushback lock switch. With its two contacts closed, the switch closes its portion of the DCLC trainline and provides a pushback-locked signal to a DCU to indicate that the pushback lock has engaged (i.e., member has assumed the pushback-locked state). As the motor and drive mechanism continue to close the doors, the leftmost corner of the contact bracket moves through the pushback region between steps and is eventually caught by a lock step, as shown in FIG.
4
C. This causes the lock member to pivot clockwise further about the pin so that its leftwardly extending arm engages the button of the full lock switch. With its contact closed, the switch sends to a DCU a fully-locked signal indicating that the full lock has now engaged. It is in this manner that the lock member assumes the fully-locked state wherein the leftmost corner of the contact bracket abuts against the lock step thereby preventing the outer door hanger and the first door therewith from being re-opened.
Due to the linkage of the drive mechanism, the second door is moved leftward simultaneously with the rightward movement of the first door. Specifically, starting again with
FIG. 2
with reference to
FIG. 5A
, as the second door is being moved leftward towards the CLOSE POSITION, a contact bracket atop an outer door hanger eventually slides right to left underneath the bottom side of a lock member. As the outer door hanger and the second door therewith continue leftward, the protuberance of the bracket encounters the right side of the lower end of the latch in assembly causing that latch to rotate clockwise. This clockwise rotation causes the cam of that latch to rotate out of engagement with the cam receptor slot of a lock member. With its left end being disengaged from the latch cam, the lock member then pivots counterclockwise about its pin so that its left end falls on top of the bracket.
As outer door hanger and the door therewith close to within approximately 40 mm. of the CLOSE POSITION, the rightmost corner of the contact bracket is first caught by the pushback step of the lock member due to the downward bias operating on it, as shown in FIG.
5
B. This causes the pushback member of the assembly to pivot counterclockwise and engage the button of its corresponding pushback lock switch. With its two contacts closed, this switch closes its portion of the DCLC trainline and provides a pushback-locked signal to a DCU to indicate that the pushback lock of the lock member has engaged (i.e., member has assumed the pushback-locked state).
As the motor and drive mechanism continue to close the doors, the rightmost corner of the contact bracket moves through the pushback region between the steps of the lock member and is eventually cau

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Central lock mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Central lock mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Central lock mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3278358