US2187173A - Door control system - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1940. v PA N 2,.187J73 DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ma new l Valve Coats-oiling Door Engine Edward G gr y/2 WWW ATTORNEY 3.

Jan. 16, 1940. E. PARVIN 2,137,173

noon CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 2'7, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mag rw valve Wind in g S 8 8 Engine INVENTOR. fdward G. Parvm ATTORNEYS the door through Patented Jan. 16, 1940 2,187,173 I noon CONTROL SYSTEM Edward G. Parvin,

National Pneumatic Company,

Roselle, N. 3., assignor to New York, N. Y.,

- a corporation of West Virginia Application'November 27, 1937, Serial No. 176,940

13 Claims. (or. 268 1) This invention relates to a novel combination of apparatus by means of which electrical circuits for all purposes may be controlled.

A general object of the invention is to provide control apparatus for electrical circuits which includes a control device, the actuation of which is dependent upon the interruption of a stream of air directed thereagainst.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide control apparatus for power operated doors, the initiation of the action of which is subject to the movement of persons to and from air streams projectedacross the passageway on oneor both sides of the door.

The many other objects of the invention which are successfully secured by, means of the construction herein disclosed will be apparent from the following description when considered with the attached drawings which are illustrative.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be fully set forth below.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of one form of v the system in accordance with this invention,

showing mechanism for effecting opening of the door upon the approach of a person from either direction and for effecting the closing thereof upon movement of that person away from the 'door in either direction.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic disclosure of a modified arrangement in which movement of persons in one direct-ion only, toward the door, may eiTect operation thereof.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modification of the form of system shown in Figure 1 wherein the control is influenced by the movement of persons to and from the doors, ineither direction.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a further modified form of arrangement of the type illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 5 isa view through one of the air operated switch devices showing the relationship of the parts and v i Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan View of an elevator car showing the application of the principles of the invention to the control thereof or the doors thereof.

- In accordance with the system herein disclosed,

control circuits of all kinds may be influenced,

completed or opened by reason of the inclusion of the well known differential type commonly emdirected thereagainst. In a specific embodiment ofthe broad idea of the invention, as applied to door operating systems, doors are either opened and/or closed solely by reason of the movement of a person towards and/or away from the door, characterized in that air streams which are directed across the passageways on one or both sides of the door are interrupted by the movement of a person therethrough.

Referring first to the system of Figure 1, there is illustrated diagrammatically at l and 2 a pair of barriers or walls which form a passageway to and from the door on both sides thereof. Extending across the passageway is a door 3 diagrammatically illustrated as supported on a vertical shaft 4 which is caused to turn in aclockwise direction in opening the door by reason of the linkage connection 6 between it and the fluid pressure motor 5. This motor has been illustrated as ployed for this purpose, although it isto be understood that, as will be apparent from this disclosure, the invention herein is equally applicable, to use in conjunction with other forms of motive devices such as electrical motors. At one end of the passageway is a pair of motors 1 operating the fan blades 8 so as to direct streams of air through the openings I I in the barrier 2 across the pas-- sagewa'y against the baflles l3 and M. In a similar way, at the other end of the passageway barriers, is a pair of motors 9 operating the fans ill which direct streams of air through the openings I 2 across the passageway against the bafiles i5 and It. At this point it may be noted that other sources of air streams may be employed, such as a conduit andnozzle system served from a single air pressure source.

The baflles or plates l3, l4, l5 and iii are supported in any suitable manner, as by means of hinges at the bottom edges thereof, so that they may have a slight movement back and forth at right angles to the length of the passageway. These baiiles are, respectively, connected to the switch blades or contacts I1, l9, 2! and 23 and are, respectively, acted upon by means of com-, '45 pression springs 18, 20, 22 and 24. The baflle and switch constructions may take many difierent forms, one of which has been illustrated in detail in Fig. 5 and will be described later.

The pairs of contacts controlled by the switch blades Hand 23 are arranged so that the springs i8 and 24 tend to disengage them, the air stream against ,the associated bafiles l3 and I5 acting to hold them in engagement against the reaction of the springs. In the case ofthe pairs of contacts 5 controlled by the switch blades l9 and 2! they are positioned so that the springs 2|! and 22 tend to cause them to engage but the air streams against the associated baiiles I4 and l5 normally hold them disengaged.

The wire 25 is connected to the positive terminal of any suitable source of current and extends to one of the contacts of the pair controlled by the switch blade l9, by a branch wire 26 to one of the pair of contacts controlled by switch blade 2|, and by branch 21 to one of the contacts controlled by switch blade 29. The switch blade 29 is connected to a baffle 30 like the other bafiles, positioned in an opening adjacent the door and diagonally opposite the fan blades 32 operated by a motor 3!. In this arrangement an air stream is directed diagonally across the passageway through the doorway when the door is open. A spring 28 acts on the switch blade 29 tending to engage it with its associated pair of contacts. The other contact of this pair is connected by wire 33 to one contact of a pair in a doorswitch 34. The other contact of the pair is connected by wire 35 to the wire 35. The door switch is of the type well known in the art which is open when the door is closed but which closes and remains closed as long as the door is open. It is commonly positioned to be actuated by the door itself.

One contact of each pair controlled by the switch blades I1 and 23 are connected by wire 36. The other contact of the pair controlled by switch blade !'I is connected by wire 36 to the other contact of the pair controlled by switch blade 2|. The other contact of the pair controlled by switch blade IB is connected by wire 3'! to the other contact of the pair controlled by switch blade 23. At 38 is an operating winding for a relay which is connected between wire 31 and ground. The contact 39 of the relay cooperates with a pair of contacts one of which is connected to wire 25 and the other to wire 36. Wire 40 connects wire 36' with one terminal of a winding of a magnet valve 4|, the other terminal of which is grounded. One terminal of each of the motors 9 and 3| is grounded and the other terminals are connected by a common wire 42 to the positive supply connection 25. It will of course be apparent that the grounds merely indicate a common return to the negative side of the current source.

Although those skilled in the art will understand the fact, it is nevertheless briefly noted that a differential engine is of the type having two cylinders of different diameters connected in alignment and provided with pistons, likewise of different diameters, which are connected together. The outer end of the smaller cylinder is open to the atmosphere and a constant supply of fluid pressure is provided for the engine between the pistons. Another connection from a suitable pressure fluid source extends to the outer end of the larger cylinder and in this connection the magnet valve is used. The magnet valve is of the well known type such as, for example, that shown in United States Patent No. 1,943,819 issued January 16, 1934. It is simply a magnetically operated two-way valve which opens the large cylinder to exhaust when the winding is deenergized and opens it to the pressure fluid source when the winding is energized cutting ofi the exhaust.

In the operation of this system it will be assumed that a person is approaching the door 3 through the passageway from the left. In this movement he interrupts the air stream to baille I3, it being understood that the fan motors are continuously operating in the form of system illustrated. The interruption of this air stream reduces the pressure on the baffle so that spring l8 opens switch IT. The opening of this switch does not produce any other effect than to simply break the circuit connected thereto, which at this time is dead. The person then interrupts the air stream to bafile l4 removing the pressure therefrom. Thereupon spring 28 causes switch !9 to close so that current flows through wire 25, switch l9, wire 31, relay winding 38 to ground. This operates the relay so that switch 39 immediately sets up a circuit directly from wire 25 to wire 36 so that current flows through wire 35, switch l8, wire 35, switch 23 and wire 3'! back to ground th ough winding 38, providing a holding circuit for it. Current also flown from wire 38 through wire 49 to ground through the operating winding of the magnet valve 4|. Operation of the magnet valve cuts off the exhaust for the large cylinder and connects it to the pressure fluid supply source. Pressure is thus applied to the outer face of the large piston (the pressure supplied thereto being the same as that supplied between the pistons and usually from the same source) so that the pressure on both sides of the large piston is equalized leaving the pressure on the small piston unbalanced. Thus the engine operates to open the door. The engine remains in door opened position until the holding circuit to the relay 38 is broken. This is accomplished when the person moving through the passageway interrupts the air stream striking baflle 16 so that spring 24 opens switch 23. The interruption of the air stream to baffle 15 as the person moves through it does nothing more than connect wire 25 to wire 3", through wire 25, which produces no additional operation since wire 25 is already connected to wire 26 through switch 39. Should the person stop in the doorway with the door open and another person enter the passageway from either end so that the holding circuit to wire 35 through the switches 18 and 23 is broken, the door will not close because even though the circuit to wire 36' is broken it will be maintained as follows: Wire 25, wire 21, switch 29, wire 33, door switch 34 (this of course being closed, the door being open) and wire 35 to wire 36. It is, of course, apparent that a similar set of operations occur in the event that a person approaches the door from the right hand end.

The system of Figure 2 differs from that of Figure 1 in that the door is intended for use in a one way passage. That is to say, the door will only be opened when it is approached from one side. In this case, as before, a passageway 2, if desired, from the door is employed. A motor driven fan 43 directs an air stream across the passageway on the side of the door from which the approach thereto effects operation thereof. The air stream is directed against a bafile or plate 44, similar to those previously described, to which is connected a switch blade or contact 45 under the action of a spring 46. The positive side of a suitable current source is connected by wire 41 to one of the pair of contacts controlled by switch blade 45 and by wire 48 to one contact each of two pairs controlled respectively by the movable contacts 65 and 62 of a relay operated by winding 5!. The other side of the current source is connected by wire 49 to a wire 50 which extends to one terminal of the winding oi a magnet valve 69 and to one terminal of the windof the magnet valve ing 5| and one terminal of the winding 62' of a second relay. The other terminal of the winding 5I is connected by wire 52 to one of the contacts of a pair controlled by the switch blade 53. This switch blade is influenced; as before, by spring 54 and operated by baiile 55 against which an air stream is directed by a fan 56. The other terminal of the pair controlled by switch blade 53 is connected by wire 51 to one contact of' the door switch 58. The other contact is connected by wire 59 to a wire '50 which connects the Wiredd with one contact of a pair controlled by the switch blade 64 of the relay whose winding is 62'. The other contact of this pair is connected by wire 68 to the other terminal of the winding 59 and to the other contact of the pair controlled by'switch 55. The other contact of the pair controlled byswitch blade 62 is connected by wire 61 to the other contact of the paircontrolled by switch blade 63. The other contact of the pair controlled by switch blade is connected by wire 6| to one terminal of the relay winding 62'. and to one contact of the pair controlled by switch blade 63. The other terminal of winding 52' is connected to Wire 5%; The air stream from fan 56 is directed diagonally across the passageway and the door opening in the same manner as is the stream from the fan '32 of the arrangement shown in Fig. l, and the baflie 55 is arranged similar to the baffle 30 of the system of Fig. 1.

In the operation of this system, as a person approaches the door from the left, he interrupts the air stream from fan 43 so that spring 45 may close switch 45. Current then flows from wire 4! through switch 45, wire 5!, winding 52' and back through wire 50 to wire 49. The relay operated by winding 52' is thereupon closed, setting up a direct connection from wire 57 through wire 48, wire 60, switch blade 64, wire '63, magnet valve 69 and wire 50, back to wire 49. At the same time a holding circuit for the winding 52' is set up from .wire 48 through switch 52, wire 61, switch 63, back to one terminal of the winding 62', the other terminal being permanently connected by wire 55 to wire .9. Thus the relay 52 remains operated, keeping current on the magnet valve. En'ergization of the magnet valve supplies air to the engine, as before, and the door opens fully. As soon as the door begins to open the door switch 58 closes, completing the circuit through it up to the switch 53. As the person. moves through the doorway he interrupts the air stream from the fan 55 sothatswitch 53 closes, completing the circuitas follows: From the wire 68, through wire 55,.switoh 58, wire 5?, switch 53, wire 52 and winding 5 back to wire This energizes the relay 5i breaking the holding circuit to the relay 62' through switch '62. The result of this is that the circuit-to the magnet valve 59 through switch 64 is broken-and the door closes. Should a person stop in the doorway the holding circuit to the relay 52' will likewise be broken butthe presence of the person in the doorway will maintain the circuit to relay 5! so that switch 65 directly connects wire 58 with wire 68 .so that the magnet valve remains energized even through the circuit to it through the switch 54 is broken. Thus the door may not start to close until he moves out of the doorway.

The system of Figure 3 is like that of Figure l in that the door may be opened on being approached from either side. In this system the motor-driven fans 20 and I 3| are arranged in the passageway on opposite sides of the door so .valve I36 is energizedthrough wire I39.. relay is of the time delay type well known in as to direct streams'of air across the passageway. The stream from .ian I'ZUstrikes the baffle I2I which is like those previously described. This bafile is connected to the switch plate I 22 biased to closed position b'y' a spring, as before Similarly the baffle I22 is connected'to switch plate I23 biased to closing position by -a spring.

' Wire I23 extends from the positive side of a suit- I and is connected to one of able current source the contacts of a pair controlled by switch plate I22. This wire is connected by wire I 34 to one of the contacts of a pair controlled by switch plate I33. The other contacts of each of these pairs are interconnected by the wire I 24. Dirooted diagonally across the passageway is a fan I25 adapted to throw a stream of air across the passageway and through the doorway, as in each of the previous cases. A baflie I26 is in this air stream and is connected to aswitch blade I 25 biased to closing position by a spring as before. One contact of the pair controlledby switch blade I2! is connected by wire I28 to wire I24 and the other contact of the pair is connected by wire I29 to door switch I 35, the other contact of which is connected to wire I23. One terminal of the magnet valve I35, which is like those previously described, is connected by a wire I35 to the The other of contacts negative side of the current source. terminal is connected to one of a pair controlled by the switch blade I38 whose winding I S'I is connected between wires I35 and IN. The other 'contactof the relay is connected by wire I 39 to wire"I2 3.

In the operation of this system a'person may approach the door from either side and cause it to open. In approaching it from the left he interrupts the air stream from fan I 28 and switch I 22 closes so that current flows from wire E23 through switch I22, wire I24, winding I37 and back to the current source through wire 435. Thiscloses the switch I38 so that the many forms in the art, which upon momentary energization is operated to. closed position and stays closed for of a relay magnet I This a predetermined period of time.

after which it automatically opens. Thus the circuit to the magnet valve I36 is maintained a long enough period so thatthe person may move through the door after which the relay operates to open the switch i153, deenergizing the magnet valve so that the door closes. However, ifg'a' person stops in the doorway and remains there longer than the time period of the relay so that.

the circuit through it to the -magnet valve is broken, a new circuit to the relay has been established through the closed'door switch i3 3 and the closed switch I27 so that the magnet valve remains energized as long as he remains there and the door cannot close. If a person should approaoh the door from the other side a similar circuit sequence'results from closing the switch I33 and need not be described in detail further.

In the system of Figure 4 the passageway is defined by the-barriers I3 and M having open.- ings in the barrier M through which airmay be directed by the fans I6 and i8 driven by the motors-wand ll respectively. The air stream strikes against 'the movable bafiles and 93 which are respectively connected'to the switch blades 5i and 94 and respectively controlled by the switches 92 and 95. The door 85 is mounted across the passageway as in all previous cases and is mountedon a vertical door shaft 87 operativelyconnected to the vdiiierential engine 33 by means of the linkage 89. The magnet valve of which the windings 98 and 99 are the operating windings is of the well known type a form of which is shown in my Patent No. 1,995,718 issued March 26, 1935. As shown therein, magnet valves of this type are provided with two windings, one of which when energized operates to open the valve and hold it open until the other or neutralizing winding is energized when it closes. The positive current lead 84 from the current source is connected to a common terminal of the windings 98 and 99 of the magnet valve. The other terminal of winding 98 is connected by wire 91 to one of the pair of contacts conntrolled by blade 9|, the other of which is connected to the return lead 85 to the current source. This same lead is connected by wire 96 to one of the contacts of the pair controlled by the blade 94, the other of which is connected by wire I86 to the other terminal of winding 99. A fan blade 8| directs an air stream across the passageway at the doorway and is driven by a motor 80 which together with the motors I and 11 are connected to the current source, wires 84 and 85 by means of the wires 82 and 83 respectively. A bafile I93 receives the air stream from fan 8! and is connected to a switch blade I04 and controlled by spring 1&5. One contact of the pair controlled by the blade W4 is connected by wire I06 to wire 85, while the other contact of the pair is connected by wire I02 through the door switch llll to wire 91. The door switch is as before of the type which is open when the door is closed and is closed so long as the door is open.

In the operation of this system a person moving from left to right interrupts the air stream onto baffle 90 so that switch 9| closes. Current then flows from the source through wire 84, winding 98, wire 91, switch blade 9i, and wire 85 back to the current source. The magnet valve is'operated and the engine is energized to open the door. The door remains open until the person interrupts theair stream onto baffle 93, at which time switch 94 closes and current flows from wire 84 through the other winding 99 of the magnet valve, wire I00, switch 94, and wire 96 back to the return lead 85. The energization of wire 99 causes the magnet valve to out the air supply and open the large cylinder of the engine to exhaust. Should a person stop in the doorway cutting oil the air stream to bafile I03, switch 164 closes so that current flows through the door switch ID! to the opening winding 98 of the magnet valve, in the event that a person approaching from the right interrupts the air stream to baiile 93 permitting a closing of the circuit to the closing winding 99. Thus the door may not shut on the person in the doorway.

Figure 5 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically and yet in a usable form the manner in which the baffles are mounted in the passageway and connected to the switches. Thus the battle I3 is connected by a link 15 to the switch arm l5 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket [5 The spring l6 acts on the arm l5 tending to move it against contacts C when the air pressure on the baflle is cut off. The contacts C are mounted on a suitable insulating support C and the baffle I3 is shown supported at its bottom edge by means of hinges 13*.

Figure 6 diagrammatically illustrates the manner in which the principle of this invention may be applied to elevators. An elevator carriage is diagrammatically illustrated at In! having. a

pair of doors I08 at the front. A fan HO driven by the motor I09 is positioned to direct an air stream across the carriage doorway onto batlie HI connected to a switch blade H2 which is normally out of engagement with the contacts in the circuit comprising the wires H3 and Ill. This circuit may extend to different points depending upon the desired operation. For example, the wire H4 may extend to a controller interlock which prevents the starting of the cars as long as the air stream is interrupted by a person in the doorway, so that switch H2 is closed. Under similar circumstances this wire may extend to the control mechanism for the doors to prevent their closing.

From the above description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles of this invention may be embodied in many specific forms and circuit arrangements, and I do not therefore desire to be strictly limited to the particular forms of circuit arrangement disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, but rather to the scope of the claims as granted me.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the type described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, a control device ior the motive device, means for directing a stream of air across the passageway to the door, and means in the air stream and operated upon the interruption of the air stream for actuating the control device.

2. In an apparatus as described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, means for controlling said motive device, and air operated means positioned in front of the door for actuating said means upon the interruption of the air operated means by a person approaching the door.

3. In an apparatus as described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, control means for the motor, air pressure operated means for actuating the control means positioned in the passageway to the door, and means for directing a stream of aid onto said last means across the passageway.

4. In an apparatus as described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, air operated means for actuating said control means positioned at each side of the door and longitudinally spaced therefrom, and means for blowing streams of air across the passageway onto said air operated means whereby interruption of either air stream by a person approaching the door from either side causes said operated means to actuate said control means to open the door.

5. In an apparatus as described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, air operated means for actuating said control means positioned at each side of the door and longitudinally spaced therefrom, means for blowing streams of air across the passageway onto said air operated means whereby interruption of either air stream by a person approaching the door from either side causes said operated means to actuate said control means to open the door, air operated means positioned adjacent the door for actuating said control means, and means for directing a stream of air thereagainst across the doorway.

6. In an apparatus of the type described the combination including a door, a motive device connected thereto for actuating it, means for dilongitudinally recting a plurality of air streams across the passageway to and from the door on opposite sides thereof and longitudinally spaced therefrom, and means for controllingthe motive device including means in said air streams for causing t he door to open upon the interruption. of an air streamon either side of the door, and for closing it upon interruption of another air stream on either side of the door.

'7. In an apparatus of combination including a door, connected thereto for operating it, air operated means positioned on either side of the door and spaced therefrom for controlling said motive device, and means for directing air streams against said last mentioned means whereby upon the interruption of either air stream the door opens.

8. In an apparatus of the type described the combination including a door, a pressure fluid operated motor connected thereto for operating it, means for controlling the supply of air to and exhaust from said motor, air pressure operated the type described the a motive device 'means controlling said means, and means for directing streams of air across the passageway onto said air operated means to hold them in inoperative position,.whereby upon the interruption of one of the air streams the air operated means is actuated to operative position.

9. In an apparatus of the type described the combination including a door, an air engine con- I nected thereto, air supply and exhaust means for the engine, means for controlling said last means including controldevices positioned adjacent the passageways to and from the door and longitudinally spaced therefrom, and means for directing streams of air across the passageway to hold said control devices in inoperative position.

10. In. a combination as described a door, operating mechanism therefor, means for directing a stream of air across the door, and-means in the air stream positioned to be interrupted by a person in the doorway for controlling the door operating mechanism.

11. In a combination as described, a door, means for directing a stream ofair across the door, and means in the air stream positioned to he interrupted by a person in the doorway for preventing the closing of the doors.

lilln an elevator system the combination including elevator carriage having a doorway, doors mounted in the doorway, means for directing a stream of air across the doorway, a switch device in said air the doorway and a circuit connected to said switch for controlling a device related to the operation of said door.

stream and arranged to close when the air stream is interrupted by a person in a 13. In an apparatusof the type described the combination including a passageway having a door therein, a motor connected to the door for opening and closing it, control means for said motor including control devices positioned in the passageway on each side dinally spaced therefrom, and means for directing streams of air across the passageway for of the door and longituholding the'control devices. in inoperative position.

EDWARD G. PARVIN.

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