Plug door drive system

A drive system for a plug door of a vehicle having a sidewall, said drive system for moving such plug door along a curved path between a closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and an open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle, said drive system comprising:

• a base for attachment to such vehicle;
• a carriage mounted on said base for movement in a transverse direction relative to such sidewall;
• at lest one elongated support member mounted on said carriage, said elongated support member being substantially parallel to such sidewall;
• at least one hanger for supporting such plug door, said hanger mounted on said elongated support member for movement thereon;
• a curved track one of mounted on said base and formed as a portion of said base;
• a curved track engaging roller mounted on said hanger, said curved track engaging roller engaging said curved track;
• a linear drive mechanism including a linearly driven member, said linearly driven member including a driving pivot;
• and
• a drive link attached to said driving pivot at a drive force receiving end of said drive link, said drive link having a driven pivot at a drive force communicating end of said drive link, said driven pivot being attached to said hanger, whereby linear motion of said driving pivot causes motion of such door along such curved path, whereby such plug door moves between such closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and such open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle.

A drive system for a pair of biparting plug doors consisting of a first door and a second door, such biparting plug doors for a vehicle having a sidewall, said drive system moving such first door along a first curved path between a first door closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and a first door open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle, said drive system simultaneously moving such second door between a second door closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and a second door open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle, said drive system comprising:

• a base for attachment to such vehicle;
• a carriage mounted on said base for movement in a transverse direction relative to such sidewall;
• a first elongated support member mounted on said carriage, said first elongated support member being substantially parallel to such sidewall;
• a second elongated support member mounted on said carriage, said second elongated support member being substantially parallel to such sidewall;
• a first hanger for supporting said first door, said first hanger mounted on said first elongated support member for movement thereon;
• a second hanger for supporting said second door, said second hanger mounted on said second elongated support member for movement thereon;
• a curved track one of mounted on said base and formed as a portion of said base;
• a first curved track engaging roller mounted on said first hanger, said first curved track engaging roller engaging said curved track;
• a first linear drive mechanism including a first linearly driven member, said first linearly driven member including a first driving pivot;
• a first drive link attached to said first driving pivot at a drive force receiving end of said first drive link, said first drive link having a first driven pivot at a drive force communicating end of said first drive link, said first driven pivot being attached to said first hanger, whereby linear motion of said first driving pivot causes motion of said first door along such first curved path, whereby such first door moves between such first door closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and such first door open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle;
• a second linear drive mechanism including a second linearly driven member, said second linearly driven member including a second driving pivot;
• and
• a second drive link attached to said second driving pivot at a drive force receiving end of said second drive link, said second drive link having a second driven pivot at a drive force communicating end of said second drive link, said second driven pivot being attached to said second hanger, whereby linear motion of said second driving pivot causes motion of said second door along such second curved path, whereby such second door moves between such second door closed position substantially within such sidewall of such vehicle and such second door open position adjacent such sidewall of such vehicle.