19,803. Dinwiddie, J. L., and Braun, A. F. Sept. 21. Door and gate opening and closing apparatus.- Doors and gates for use on railways, more particularly in mines and tunnels, and which are operated by the weight of an approaching train, are constructed to open with gradually increasing speed in a direction away from the approaching train. The door consists of two leaves 17, 18, Fig. 3, which are hinged to a framework by hinges 19, 20. The upper binges are of ordinary construction, but the lower hinges 20 have elongated pintles 28, Fig. 9, which carry bevel pinions 29 supported by ball bearings 29a in a projection 23a of the box 23. The pinion 29 meshes with a segment gear 30 fixed to a horizontal rock-shift 31 which is mounted in roller bearings 32 in the box 23. Each end of the shaft 31 carries an incomplete wheel comprising two segments 33, Fig. 10, formed integral with each other and with their hub. Slots 34, Fig. 9, are cut in the segments for the passage of bar levers 35, the inner ends of which are loosely mounted on the shaft 31 and the outer ends carry adjustable weights 36. An anglebar 37 placed parallel to the rail 15 is pivotally connected to an arm 38 which is adjustably fixed to the shaft 31 by a clamp piece 40, Fig. 10. The angle-bar extends in both directions from the door and is supported by a series of spaced rockarms 42, Fig. 5, pivotally mounted on pins 43 carried on a bracket 44, which is fixed to the rail flange by hook-bolts. A pin 48 in the upper end of the rock-arm passes through slots 49 formed in the sides of channelled bracket-boxes 50 secured to the outer face of the flange of the anglebar 37. The ends of the pins are provided with roller bearings to reduce friction. A single bar 37 is sufficient but it is preferable to instal a bar 37a near the other track rail. This bar extends only to the rock-arm nearest the door, but, if necessary, a bar similar in all respects to the bar 37 could be fitted. In the bracket boxes connected to the rock-arms nearest the door are round holes 49a, Fig. 4, and the pivot pins 43 are replaced by a rod 52. The angle-bars are operated by a trip bar 53 passing through the bracket boxes and provided with a hole 54 and slots 55 for the passage of the pins 48. The trip bar extends from a point x to beyond the end of the anglebar remote from the door and is supported on a trip arm similar to the rock-arms but having a head of pointed ovoid shape against which the tread of the advancing wheel impinges. The slots in the bracket boxes 50 gradually increase in length as the boxes are further from the door, but the slots in the trip bar 53 increase in length in the opposite direction. Owing to this construction, when the trip arm is engaged by a wheel of a train, the angle-bar 37 receives only a limited motion until the wheel advances to the position of the next arm. The arms do not move through equal angles but each assumes a less inclination than the preceding one, so that the angle-bar is inclined. As the wheel moves along the angle-bar the several arms are rocked more and more, each receiving its maximum depression when the wheel is directly over it. The movement of the angle-bar 37 is transmitted through the arm 38, the shaft 31, and the gearwheels 30, 29 to the door, which is opened gradually. When the shaft 31 is turned, the weights 36 nearest the approaching car are lifted, and close the door as soon as the weight of the car is removed from the angle-bars. The width of the track rail 15 may be reduced if necessary.
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