US2974751A - Door clutch mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 19,61 G. T. ADAMS 2,974,751

DQoR CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. l 35 March 14, 1961 G. T. ADAMS 2,974,751

DooR CLUTCH MEcHANIsM Filed July 17, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 fll/l/l//ll//w/ 'u' m INVENTOR.

GILBERT T ADAMS \BY United States Patent" C) i l DGOR CLUTCH MECHANISM Gilbert T. .Adamatl'vlem'phig Tenn., assignor to Dover Corporation, Washington, D.C., a corporation of the District of Columbia Filed July 17, 1959, ser. No. 822,925

s claims. (c1. 181-52) 4 This 'invention relates to improvements in a clutch mechanism carriedby an elevator car door.

The present invention is used in conjunction with an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism carried by the elevator car. `This type of systemis well-known to those skilled in the art and includes a swingably driven actuating arm and means connecting the arm to fthe car door for opening and closing the door. In addition, a projection or roller is provided on the interior of each hatch door and a pair of spaced clutch shoes are mounted on the elevator car door. When the elevator car is moving in the shaft, the clutch shoes are arranged in a normally extended position relative to each other so as to allow suilicient clearance for the rollers on the hatch doors topass therebetween. When the car ,approaches a hatch vopening to stop thereat and after theo'perating mechanism on the caroperates to begin opening the car door, one of the clutch shoes, which is movable relative to the other, moves towards the other relatively iixed clutch. shoe toreduce the space therebetween and to engage the hatch door roller between them. As the car door moves towards opening, the

2,974,751 Patented Mar. 14, 1961 ice portion of the guide being broken away for purposes of motionthereof'is transmitted tothe hatch door through the clutch and roller` so that the hatch door alsomoves towards opening. Subsequently, when the car door moves towards closure, the motion is transmitted to the hatch door in the same manner. Various clutch mechanisms of this general type have heretofore been proposed, rbut most have been of complicated construction having a large number of working parts, thereby being costly to manufacture, dicult to install and requiringmuch maintenance.

Therefore, object-of the present invention is t0 provide a new and improved form of clutch mechanism of the above-mentioned general type, which is simple and rugged in construction yet highly effective.

A further object is to provide a clutch mechanism operably connected to the actuating arm of the door operating mechanism and arranged sothatprompvt action of the clutch mechanism'is obtained with only a few degrees of movement of said actuating arm. i 1 V A further object is to provide such a clutch mechanism which is easy to install and adjust. j l j p A further object -is to provide such a clutch mechanism, including gravity actuated clutch operating means which is normally restrained in a position torhold thev clutch shoes apart in an extended position, and upon movement of the door mechanism actuating arm towards a door opening direction, the restraining force is removed whereupon the clutch operating means is varranged 'to move downwardly under the inuence of-gravity to cause-the movable clutch shoe to move towards the other shoe to reduce the spacetherebetween.

A further object is to provide means for permitting said shoes to be moved out of the-way of the hatch door rollers during abnormal conditions. i

A The means by` which the foregoing and other objects illustration, and with the view illustrating in solid lines the position of the parts when the clutch mechanism is in a disengaged position relative to the hatch door roller and illustrating in broken lines the position of the parts` when the clutch mechanism is in an engaged disposition with the roller.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale than Fig. 1 and taken as on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view on a larger scale than Fig. 2 of a portion of the clutch mechanism with parts removed for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line IV--IV of Fig. 3. Y

Fig. 5 is a plan view on a scale larger than Fig. 4 of a portion of the clutchmechanism, with a part of one of the clutchA shoes being broken away for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view on the scale of Fig. 5 and taken as on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1, with the actuating arm wheel being shown in a lower position in the guide than that shown in Fig. 1.

yFig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View on a larger scale than Fig. 1 and taken as on the line VII-VII of Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view-taken .as on the line VIII-VIlIVof Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the clutch mechanism 11 of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings in conjunction with an elevator car 13, which includes kthe usual door 15 suspended by roller hangers 17 from a track 18. lt will be understood that elevator car 13 is adapted to move up and down in an elevator shaft 19 in the usual manner and the elevator car forms a part of the overall elevator system, which includes theusual hoisting means, guide rails, etc., not shown. The elevator system also includes a suitable door operating mechanism having an actuating arm 21 swingably driven for opening and closing car door 15. In the drawings, the door operating mechanism is indicated as at and drives an actuator wheel 35 through a chain4 37. l

Actuating arm 21 is operably joined adjacent its inner end to actuator wheel 35 for swinging movement therewith. Adjacent the outer end of actuating arm 21, suitof the present-invention are accomplished and the manner able means is provided for coupling the arm to car door 15. In the drawings, said coupling means is shown as including a anged wheel 39 rotatably mounted from actuating arm 21 adjacent the outer end thereof by an .axle 41. Wheel 39 rollingly engages ya pair of spacedA and vertically extending tracks 43, 45, which form a part of a substantially channel shaped guide 47 that is mounted from the outer face 48 of car door 15 in spaced relationship thereto by a pair of brackets 49 which arc attached to guide-47 by bolts 51 or the like and attached to car door 15 by bolts 53 or the like.

Suitable control means, not shown, is provided for motor 25 to cause the motor to drive actuator Wheel 35 countedclockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 to swing actuating arm 21therewith, which actuating arm by co-action with guide 47 causes the car door 15 to be moved from a closed position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 towards the right for opening of the door, as seen in broken lines in this figure. For closing door 15, said control means causes motor 25 to be driven in the opposite direction to reverse the above-described operation and move car door 15 back to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The above general description of the door opening and closing mechanism is deemed to be sufficient since it forms no part of the present invention and is familiar to those skilled in the art.

In addition, in said elevator system, the usual hatch openings are provided at the various floor landings with one of such hatch openings being indicated as at 55 in Fig. 2. At each hatch opening 55 is the usual horizontally slidable hatch door 57 having the usual projection or roller 59 mounted on the inner or shaft side of the hatch door and extending into the vertically extending space 61 between the elevator car 13 and the portion of the building defining the forward part of the elevator shaft 19.

Having described the general environment of the present invention, the following description refers more specifically to the construction and manner of operation of the clutch mechanism 11 of the present invention and its relationship to said environment. Such mechanism 11 comprises a D-shaped base member 63, including a pair of vertically spaced and horizontally extending legs 65 having an integrally formed cross piece 67 extending therebetween. Base member 63 is fixedly mounted on car door 15 by suitable means as bolts 69 extending through apertures in the base member.

A pair of vertically-spaced and substantially parallel arms, including' upper arm 71 and lower arm 73, are respectivelyv pivotally mounted on base member' 63, by any suitable means, at vertically spaced pivot points 75, 77, respectively. A carrier 79 is carried by arms 71, 73 and is pivotally mounted relative to arms 71, 73 at pivot points 81, 83, respectively. The parts are so arranged that a line between pivot points 7S, 77 defines one side of parallelogram 84, a line between the pivot points 81, 83 defines another side opposite from said one side of a parallelogram 84, a line between the pivot of the parallelogram.

Carrier 79 includes a central portion 85 and a pair of diverging legv members, including an upper leg member 87 and a lower leg member 89. Upper leg member 87 diverges upwardly and outwardly from central portion 85, and leg member 89 extends below leg member 87 downwardly wat an angle from central portion 8S. Adjacent the outer ends of leg members 87, 89 are respectively provided vertically aligned hinge portions 91, 93 which cooperate with hinge portions' 95, 97, provided on a first clutch shoe 99, `and with a hinge pin 101 to provide the means by which shoe 99 is pivotally mounted on carrier 79 for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis. Clutch shoe 99 is provided with a substantially vertically disposed end 103 adapted to contact roller 59. End 103 is preferably slightly ared back away from the center portion thereof towards the right as best seen in Fig. l.

Suitable means is provided for limiting outward swing, i.e., counterclockwise swing as viewed in Fig. 5, of clutch shoe 99 to stop the clutch shoe in a normal outward position shown in this figure, in which end 103 is substantially perpendicular to base member 63. Said limiting means preferably comprises a set screw 105 threadedly engaged in an aperture in a projecting portion 107 ofl clutch shoe 99 so that the inner end of the set screw abu'ts a corre'- sponding outwardly extending portion 109 provided on carrier 79. Suitable resilient means, as a spring 111, is compressingly disposed between suitable portions of carrier 79 and clutch shoe 99 to urge the clutch shoe outwardly into said outward position and yetV permit inward movement of the shoe,. asfor example into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the shoe is adapted to be moved out of the way of roller 59 under abnormal circumstances. For example, if car 13 were at a landing and for some reason car door 15 were closed and hatch door 57 were opened, and if it were desired to close the hatch door, it will be understood that this could be accomplished since roller 59 would simply ride over the clutch shoel 99 and depress it inwardly. A resilient bumper 113 is provided for limiting inward movement of the clutch shoe.

Clutch shoe 99 is preferably of hollowed-out construction in the back part thereof as best seen in the cut-away of Fig. 5 a'nd is preferably provided with a substantially vertical front face 115 having an angular upper face 117 sloping upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, an angular lower face 119 sloping downwardly and rearwardly therefrom and a side face 120 sloping outwardly to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 and rearwardly therefrom. In 'addition, the upper and lower edges 121 and 123 of clutch shoe 99 are respectively sloped back from end 103. This construction of shoe 99 reduces to a minimum the chances ofthe roller 59 catching thereon.

A substantially rectangular base member 125 is adjustably mounted on base member 63, with legs 65 of base member 63 extending between ribs 126 provided on the bottom of base member 125. Said adjustable mounting preferably comprises a pair of bolts 127 which extend through apertures 129 in legs 65 and then through elongated slots 131 respectively provided in embossments 133 integrally formed on base member 125. Slots 131 are horizontally disposed so that by loosening bolts 127 base member 125 is adapted to be moved to the right or left as viewed in Fig. 3 and' by subsequently tightening the bolts, base member 125 may be secured in the desired position. This adjustable feature is particularly useful during the initial installation of clutch mechanism 11 or to adjust for wear of'roller 59.

A pair of vertically spaced and aligned hinge portions 137, 139 are respectively provided on base member 125 which together with hinge portions 141, 143 provided ori a second clutch shoe 145 and a hinge pin 147, provide means whereby the second clutch shoe is pivotally mounted on the base 125 for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis. Second clutch shoe 145 is provided with a substantially vertical end 149 spaced from the vertical end 103 of first clutch shoe 99, which end 149 is adapted to contact roller 59 on the opposite side thereof from thel first shoe. Suitable me'ans is provided for limiting outward swing of second clutch shoe 145 to stop the second shoe in a normal outward position, as shown in Fig'. 5 in which position vertical end 149 is substantially parallel to end 103 when first clutch shoe 99 is in said outward position. Said limiting means preferably comprises a set screw 151 threadedly extending through an aperture in a projecting portion 153 on shoe 145 adjacent hinge portion 143 and the end of the set screw is adapted to abut a corresponding projecting portion 155 on base member 125. Resilient means, as a spring 157, is compressingly received between suitable portions of base member 125 and second clutch shoe 145 to urge the second clutch shoe into said outward position and yet permit inward movement thereof in the same manner as heretofore described for first clutch shoe 99. A stop 158 is provided on base member 125 to limit inward movement of 'sec'ond clutch shoe 145.

The construction of second clutch shoe 1'45 is similar t'o that of first clutch shoe 99 except tha't the second clutch shoe'is' preferably longer as best seen in Fig. land verticale'nd'149 is preferably substantially straight. In addition, one of clutch shoes 99, 145 is of right-hand constructionV and the other is of left-hand construction. Otherwise, the shoe's are substantially the same in c'ostruction, including the? disposition of the faces thereof.

Upper arm 71 extends outwardly past pivotr point-75 for aportion as a't I59'toe`stablishl a lever- 161,which-in'-' cludes arm' 71 as well as portion 159; `An operating bar 163 is pivotally coupledlby suitable means to lever `161 adjacent the outer end of the. lever as at pivot point 165 and extends substantially upwardly therefrom at an angle as best` seen in Fig. 1. Operating bar 163 comprises an 5 elongated link i167land a kcam169`adjustablymounted on the link adjacent the upper end thereof, for adjusting'- movement lengthwise of the link. The adjustable mounts ing means above-mentioned preferably includesl ia bolt 171/I extendingthrough an aperture in the cam and through an elongated slot 173 'inglink 167'. Cam 169 includes a sloped cam face 175-adjacent the lower partithereof.v`

Cam facef 175 is sloped `sotthat contactbtween ca1n169wv and a pin 195 (whosefiinction will be described Yherein@A v after) `Will b e at. substantially;:airight angle.

\ -Means is provided :intermediate the v.length of `operating 'bar 163 to rockably support the operating .barl from car door 15. Said supporting means preferably: includes a bracket 177 fixedly mountedV on guide 47,. a Llug" 179 carried by bracket 177 anda coupler bar 181 pivotally 201 mounted adjacent one end to lug 179 lasat pivot point 183 land pivotally mounted adjacent the other end to link 167 yintermedi-ate the-ends thereof as at pivot point 185. A stop screw 187 upwardly extendsithrough a threaded aperture in the horizontal leg 189 of bracket 177 and 25 the upper end of the stop screw is adapted to contact coupler bar 181 to limit downward motion of the coupler bar andoperating bar. 163.

A vhanger 191 is mounted on actuating arm 21, andy preferably includes a depending member 193 fixedly at- 30- t-ached adjacent the upper end thereof to the actuating arm and apin 195 fiXedly mountedadjacentthe lowerf end of the! depending-member and projecting substantiallyihorizontally therefrom, with the pin being adapted to contactcam face 175, to'support operating bar 163 35' lower under the influence of gravity to la lowermost 45.

position as illustrated in ybroken linesin' Fig. l. An extension 197 is provided on lower arm 73 outwardly past pivot point 77 and an adjustably mountedw'eight 199 is. provided on'extension 197 to give additional weightv and insure proper lowering of operating bar 163. When operating bar 163 is moved downwardly towards said lowermost position, `lever 161 is rotated clockwise asV viewedV in Fig. l` to cause movement of first clutch shoe 99 inwardly towards second clutch shoe 145 and into an engaged position with roller 59 as best seen in broken 5'5 lines in Fig. 1. lDue to the parallelogram rtiff, Vheretofore described, it willbe understood that end 103 will be` maintained'in a substantially vertical position during the' inward movement of first shoe 99.

-Stop screw187 should be adjusted so that when oper- 30 ating fbar`163 is in said lowermost position, arms 71, 7 3 are disposed ina position slightly pastthe horizontalv dead-center position of the arms` relative to pivot points 77, respectively, so that `first shoe 99 is locked against any relative movement of the shoe and roller59 which 65 might be caused by co-action between the roller and the shoe, for examplewhen the shoe pushes against the roller during the closing'operation. For the sake of clarity, it` should be pointed out that the term, past the horizontal dead-center position, ashereinabove used, refers 70 to -thecondition which exists when pivot points 81, 83 are respectively higher'than pivot points 7S, 77.

'Normally `when elevator car 13 is not stopped at a particular floor, but is moving up and down shaft 29,- the ro11er'sJ59-of ther-hatch doors will be invertical-align- 75 risfment 'and will pass between clutch shoes 99, 145 with space being provided between the roller and the clutch shoes. In other words, clutch shoes 99, will be in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 and will be heldin this position by hanger 191 in a manner heretofore described; When elevator -car 13 approaches a hatch opening 55 at which it will stop, actuating arm 21 begins to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. lHwhich causes door 15 to begin to open and second shoe 145 to move into engagement with roller 59. At the same time counterclockwise movement of actuating arm-121I carriesl'hapger 191 out of a supporting position relativeto operating bar 163 which causes first shoe 99 tomove intoi engagement with roller 59, as heretofore described. From the foregoing, it will be understood that due to the unique Aarran-gement'of parts, clutch mechanism 11 is quick =acting=si`nce onlya few degrees of rotation of actuating arm 21 isrequired before the hanger 191 will move out of the supporting position. During the closing of door 15,' substantially the reverse of the abovedescribed-opening operation will take place and it will be understood that the clutch mechanism will remain in the engaged position with roller 59 until the very last portion of the closing operation. Thus, clutch mechanism 11 of the present invention takes 'out the lost motion between the clutch shoes and the hatch door roller during substantially all of the opening and closing operation of the elevator car door 15. Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood iand it is not to be so limited since', changes Iand modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as] hereafter claimed. I claim: 1. vIn an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism having an actuating arm swing-ably driven for opening and closing the elevator car` door, a door clutch mechanism for engaging a roller mounted on a hatch door, said door clutch mechanism comprising ya first base member fixedly mounted on said elevator car door, a pair of vertically spaced and substantially parallel arms pivotally mounted on said first base member at vertically spaced pivot points, a carrier pivotally mounted on'said' arms at vertically spaced pivot' points, a'first shoe pivotally mounted on said carrier for',v swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis, said first shoeV having a substantially vertically disposed Aend adapted to contact said roller, means for. limiting outt ward swing of said first shoe to stop said first shoe in a normal outward position in which' said end thereof is substantially parallel to the axis of said roller, resilient means urging said first shoe into said outward position and per- .mitting inward movement thereof out of the way of said roller under abnormal circumstances, a second base member, a second shoe pivotally mounted on said second base member for swinging movement about -a substantially4 vertical axis, said second shoe having a substantially 'verticalend horizontally spaced from said vertical end of said first shoe and adapted to Contact said roller on the opposite side thereof from said first shoe, means for limiting outward swing of said second shoe to stop said second shoe in a normal outward position in which said vertical end thereof is substantially parallel to the axis of-said" roller, resilient means urging said second shoe into said outward positionand permitting inward movement thereof out of the way of said roller under abnormal circumstances, means adjust-ably mounting said second base Amember relative to said first base member for adjusting the normal spacing between said first and second shoes;v said carrier, said first base member, and said arms'being arranged so that a line between the pivot points of said carrier on sai-d arms defines one side of a parallelogram, va linebetween thepivot pointsV of said arms on said 'first base member defines` another side of said parallelogram opposite from said one side and said arms define the remaining two sides of said parallelogram whereby rocking of saidjarrns in one direction is effective to carry said firstgshloe towards said second shoe intoanengaged position with said roller while maintaining the vertical end f said first shoe substantially vertical and rocking of said arms in the opposite direction isl effective to carrysaid first shoe away from said second shoe into a disengaged position relative to said roller, at least one .ofsaid arms extending` outwardly for a distancev beyond its pivotal mounting with said doory to establish -a lever, al substantially upwardly extending operating bar including lan, elongated llink and a campadjustably mounted on said link adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam having a sloped cam face` adjacent the lower part thereof, said link being pivotallyconnected adjacent its lower end to said lever, means mounting said operating bar from said elevator car door for movement between an upper position and a lower position, a hangerincluding a depending member fixedly attached adjacent the upper end thereof to said, actuating arm and a pin i'ixedlyl mounted adjacent the lower end of said depending member and projecting substantially horizontally therefrom, when in said upper position said operating lbar being arranged to hold upwardly the outer end of said lever so thatvsaid first shoe is held in said disengaged position, when said actuating arm is in a door closed position said operating bar being sup-V ported by said hanger with said pin removably engagingl said cam faceY to hold. said, operating* bar in saidrupper position whereby said first shoe is heldin a disengaged position when said elevator car door is closed, said hanger being arranged so that movement of `said actuating arm towards a vdoor opening direction is effective to move the hanger from a supporting position relative to said. operating bar to a disengaged position therefrom; sai-d operating bar, said arms, said carrier and said first shoe being arranged so that when said operating bar is unsupported by said hanger the influence of gravity causes said operating bar to lower and said arms to =be rocked in said one direction whereby said firstshoe is carried into said. engaged position with said roller.

2. In an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism having an actuating arm swingably driven for opening land closing the elevator car door, a door clutch mechanism for engaging a roller v mounted on a hatch door, said door clutch mechanism comprising a pair of vertically spaced and substantially parallel arms, means pivotally mounting said arms from y said elevator car door at vertically spaced apart pivot points, a carrier pivotally mounted on said arms at vertically spaced apart pivot points, a first shoe mounted on said carrier, said first shoe having a substantially vertical end adapted to contact said roller, a second shoe, means mounting said second shoe from said elevator car door, said second shoe having a substantially vertical end horizontally spaced from said vertical end of said first shoe and adapted to contact said roller on the opposite side thereof from said first shoe; said carrier and said arms being arranged so that a line between the pivot points of said carrier on said arms defines one side of a parallelogram, a line between the pivot points of the pivotal mounting of said -arms from said` elevator car door defines another side of said parallelogram opposite from said one side and said arms define the remaining twosides of said parallelogram whereby rocking of said arms in one direction is effective to carry said first shoe toward said secondl shoe into an engaged position with said `roller while maintaining thevertical end of said first shoe substantially vertical and rocking of said arms in the oppositedrection is effective to carry said first shoe away fromvsaid second shoe into a disengaged position relative to said roller, at least one of said armsextending outwardly Afor avdisotance beyond its pivotal mounting with Silf 192 t0, etsl?1il1;ar1eYtt a `sul?staatia..l,1ifA ,uan/ardu..

'10,-,4 4;; Inaelevatorystem ,.oflthetype.,providedfwith-u-a.,

extending operating bar including an elongated link and` a cam adjustably mounted on said link adjacent the upperl end thereof, said cam having a sloped camface adjacent the lower part thereof, said link being pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to said lever, means mounting said operating bar from said elevator car door forA movement between an upper position and a lower position, a hanger including a depending member fixedly attached adjacent the upper end thereof to said actuating arm and a pin fixedly mounted adjacent the lower end of said depending member and projecting substantially horizontally therefrom, when invsaid, upper position said operating bar being arranged to hold upwardly the outer end'ofsaid lever so that said first shoe is held in said disengaged position, when said actuating arm is in a door closed position said operating bar being supported by said hanger with said pin removably engaging said cam face to hold said operating bar Yin said upper position whereby said first shoe is held in a disengaged position when said elevator car door is closed, said hanger being arranged so that movement of said actuating arm towards a door opening direction is effective to move the hanger from a supporting position relative to said operating bar to a disengagedposition therefrom; said operating bar, said arms, said carrier and said first shoe being arranged so that when said operating bar is unsupported.

by said hanger the inliuence of gravity causes said operating bar to lower and said arms to be rocked in said one v direction whereby` said first shoe is carried into said .engaged position with said roller.

3. In, an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism having an actuating armv swingably driven for, opening land closing the elevator car door, a door clutch mechanism for engaging a rollerl mounted on a hatch door, said door clutch mechanism comprising a pair of spaced and substantially parallel arms, means pivotally mounting said arms from said elevator car door at spaced apart pivot points, a carrier pivotally mounted on said -arms at spaced apart pivot points, a first shoe mounted on said carrier, said first contact said roller on the opposite side thereof from saidfirst shoe; said carrier and said arms being arranged so,

that a line between the pivot points of said carrier on Said j arms defines one side of a parallelogram, a line between theV pivot points of the pivotal mounting of said arms.

from said elevator car door defines another side of said parallelogram opposite from said one side and said arms define the remaining two sides of said parallelogram whereby rocking of said arms in one direction iseffective to carry said first shoe towards said second shoe into an engaged position with said roller while maintaining the vertical end of said first shoe substantially vertical and rocking of said arms in the opposite direction is effective to carry said first shoe away from said second shoe into a disengaged position relative to said roller, gravity actuated motion transmission means connected to one of said arms for moving said arms to carry said first shoe towards said second shoe and into engagement with said4 projection when said motion transmission means is unsupported, hanger means carried by said actuating arm for knormally supporting said motion transmissionmeans. when said actuating arm is in a position to close saidl elevator car door to retain said first shoe insaid normally spaced position, said hanger means being arranged to,

release saidmotion transmission means when said actuating arm is moved towards a position to open said elevator car door thereby permitting said first shoe to move.A

towards said second shoe and into engagement withsaid roller.

95 door operating mechanismliaving an actuating arm swing-j ably driven for opening and closing the elevator car door,"` a door clutch mechanism for engaging a roller mounted on a hatch door, said door clutchi mechanism comprisg shoes relative to the'other of lsaid shoes', motion transf mission means connected to said mounting means for ing a iirst shoe disposed onfone'side oisad roller, a second shoe disposed on the otherside lof said roller, means mounting said second shoef fromsaidjelevator carrdoor, means movably mounting'saidiirst'gshoe from said elevator ear door for movement towards saidf'second' shoe into an engaged positionwith said roller and for-movement away from said second slioeintoa disengaged position relative to said roller, asubstantially lupwardly extending operating bar including elongated link and-a cam adjustablyV mounted yonsaid link, adjacent the` upper end thereof, `said` cam having 'a sloped cam' face adjacent a lower part thereof, said Ilink;being pivotally connected adjacentits `lower end to said ,mounting meanstor said first shoe, means'mounting` saidoperating'bar fromsaid elevator car door for movement between an upper position and a lower position, a hanger including a depending member Iixedly attachedv adjacent the upper end thereof to said actuating 4arm and a pin Iixedly mounted adjacent the lower end of said depending member and projecting substantially horizontally therefrom, when in said upper position said operating bar being arranged to hold said mounting means for said rst shoe in a position to retain said iirst shoe in said disengaged position, when said actuating arm is in a door closed position said operating bar being supported by said ihanger with said pin removably engaging said cam face to ihold said operating bar in said upper position whereby said rst shoe is held in a disengaged position when said elevatorv car door is closed, said actuating arm being arranged so that movement of said actuating arm towards a door opening direction is eiective to move said hanger from a'supporting position relative to said operating bar to a disengaged position therefrom; said operating bar, said mounting means lfor said tirst shoe, and said iirst shoe being arranged so that when said operating bar is unsupported by said hanger the inuence of gravity causes said operating bar to lower and said first shoe to be carried into said engaged position with said roller.

5. In an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism having an actuating arm swingably driven for opening and closing the elevator car door and provided with a door clutch mechanism having a pair of clutch shoes adapted to engage a projection, means for moving one of said pair of clutch shoes from a normally spaced position relative to the other shoe towards said other shoe and into engagement with said projection, said means comprising means movably mounting said one of said shoes relative to said other shoe, gravity actuated motion transmission means connected to said mounting means for moving said mounting means to carry said one of said shoes towards said other shoe and into engagement with said projection when said motion transmission means is unsupported, said motion transmission means being substantially completely gravity actuated when unsupported, hanger means carried by said actuating arm and swingable therewith for normally engaging and supporting said motion transmission means when said actuating arm is in a position to close said door to retain said one of said shoes in said normally spaced position, said hanger means being arranged to swing out o f supporting engagement with said motion transmission means when said actuating arm is moved towards a position to open said door thereby permitting said one shoe to move towards said other shoe and into engagement with said projection.

6. In an elevator system of the type provided with a door operating mechanism having an actuating arm swingably driven for opening and closing the elevator car door and provided with a door clutch having a pair of clutch shoes adapted to engage a projection, a mechanism adaptedf tp. msve one' gf saidjpair for 'durch' `S11/seebetween dis-' engagediand engaged positions relative to said projectionA comprising vmeansmovably VmountingV said one4 of said moving said one of, said'shoes towards an engaged position relative nto said projection and towards a disengaged position` relative toV said projection, said motion trans- ,Y mission means includingan'operating bar disposed in a .POStion being eiective to move said one of said shoes v to said Vdisengaged position `relative to said projection and lowering movement of. said operating bar from said upper position to; said lower position being etectiveto niove said one of Vsaid shoes to said engaged position relative to said projection, hanger means connected to said actuating arm and swingable therewith for engaging and lifting said operating bar to said upper position and for subsequently swinging out of engagement with said operating bar, said operating bar being arranged to move towards said lower position when disengaged from said hanger means whereby said one of said shoes is adapted to move towards said engaged position relative to said projection.

7. In an elevator system of the type provided with a doorl operating mechanism having an actuating arm swingably driven for opening 'and closing the elevator car door, a door clutch mechanism for engaging a roller mounted on a hatch door, said door clutch mechanism comprising a first shoe disposed on one side of said roller, a second shoe disposed on the other side of said roller, means mounting said second shoe from said elevator car door, means movably mounting said first shoe from said elevator car door for movement towards said second shoe into an engaged position with said roller and for movement away from said second shoe `into a disengaged position relative to said roller, a substantially upwardly extending operating bar pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to said mounting means -for said iirst shoe, means mounting said operating bar from said elevator car door Ifor movement between an upper position and a lower position, a hanger attached to said actuating arm and being adapted to removably support said operating bar, when in said upper position said operating bar being arranged to hold said mounting means `for said iirst shoe in a position to retain said first shoe in said disengaged position, when said actuating arm is in a door-closed position said operating bar being supported by said hanger to hold said operating bar in said upper position whereby said first shoe is held in a disengaged position when said elevator car door is closed, said actuating arm being arranged so that movement of said actuating arm towards a door opening direction is effective to move said hanger from a supporting position relative to said operating bar to a disengaged posit-ion therefrom; said operating bar, said mounting means for said Iirst shoe, and said iirst shoe being arranged so that when of clutch shoes adapted to engage a projection, a mechanism for moving one of said pair of clutch shoes between disengaged and engaged positions relative to said projection, means movably mounting said one of said shoes relative to the other of said shoes, motion transmission means connected to said mounting means for moving said one of said shoes towards an engaged position rela- 1I tive to` said projection and towards a disengaged position relative to said projection, said motion transmission means including an operatingl bar disposed in -a lower position when said one of said shoes is in said engaged position with said projection, said operating bar being liftable to an upper position, lifting movement of said operating bar from said lower position to said upper position being effective to move said one of said shoes to said disengaged position relative to said projection, interengaging means carried by said 4actuating arm and said operating ba-rfor-coupling lsaid actuating arm and said operating bar when said `actuating arm is swung substantially into a door-closed position and for uncoupling said actuatingfarmy and said operating bar when said actuating arm is swungtowards a door-open position, said actuating.l ann being arranged to lift said operating bar to said upper position when said operating bar is coupled thereto by said interenga'ging means and when said actuating armjs movingsubstantiaiiy intov a door-closed position whereby`said one of said shoes is adapted to move to said disengaged position relative to said projection when said door is substantiallyfciosed, said operating bar v, beingarranged to move towards said lower position when uncoupled from said actuating armA whereby said one of said shoes isadaptedto move to. said engaged position relative to said projectionk whenv said door is moved towards. an.V open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT-ED STATES PATENTS 1,716,569, Shannara June 11, 1929 2,458,702 Heins r- Jan. 11, 1949 FOREIGN' PATENTS 733,512 Great Britain -..-..y.- July 13, 1955

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