Back to results
US 2011/0203182 A1Published application
Articulated mine door opening mechanism
AssigneeKennedy Metal Products & Buildings, Inc.
InventorsWilliam R. Kennedy, John M. Kennedy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mine door system comprising at least one mine door leaf hinged at one side to a door frame defining an entry. The system includes an articulated door-moving mechanism that articulates between a first configuration in which the mechanism applies a relatively small door-moving force to the door leaf to move it at a first speed and a second configuration in which the mechanism applies a larger door-moving force to the door leaf to move it at a second speed less than the first speed. A related method is also disclosed.
Claims30
A mine door system comprising
- a mine door comprising at least one door leaf adapted to be hinged at one side to a door frame defining an entry, and
- an articulated door-moving mechanism that articulates between a first configuration in which the mechanism applies a relatively smaller door-moving force to the at least one door leaf and moves it at a first speed and a second configuration in which the mechanism applies a larger door-moving force to the at least one door leaf and moves it at a second speed less than the first speed.
A method of opening and closing a mine door leaf, comprising
- operating a variable-throw crank mechanism in a first configuration having a first crank length to apply a first force to the mine door leaf to move it at a first speed, and
- operating the variable-throw crank mechanism in a second configuration having a second crank length less than the first crank length to apply a second force greater than the first force to the mine door leaf to move it at a second speed less than the first speed.
A mine door system comprising
- a mine door comprising at least one door leaf adapted to be hinged at one side to a door frame defining an entry, and
- an articulated door-moving mechanism for opening and closing each door leaf,
- said articulated door-moving mechanism comprising:
- a crank having a length;
- a link having a first pivot connection with the door for rotational movement about a first generally vertical axis and a second pivot connection with the crank for rotational movement about a second generally vertical axis;
- and
- a drive for rotating the crank about a third axis through an angular range of crank movement, including a first dead-center position in which the first, second and third axes are substantially aligned and the door leaf is in a fully-closed position and a second dead-center position in which the first, second and third axes are substantially aligned and the door leaf is in a fully-open position.
4 more elements
A mine door system comprising
- a mine door comprising at least one door leaf adapted to be hinged at one side to a door frame defining an entry, and
- an articulated door-moving mechanism for moving each door leaf between a fully-closed position and a fully-open position,
- said articulated door-moving mechanism comprising:
- a crank;
- a link having a first pivot connection with the door for rotational movement about a first generally vertical axis and a second pivot connection with the crank for rotational movement about a second generally vertical axis;
- and
- a drive for rotating the crank through an angle of about 360 degrees to move the door leaf from its fully-closed position to its fully-open position and back to its fully-closed position,
- the crank and link being configured such that the crank rotates generally toward a center of the entry to maintain the link closer to perpendicular to the door leaf as the door leaf moves from its fully-closed position toward its fully-open position, and such that the crank rotates generally away from the center of the entry to maintain the link farther away from perpendicular to the door leaf as the door leaf moves from its fully-open position toward its fully-closed position, the arrangement being such that the door leaf moves more slowly from its fully-closed position to its fully-open position and more rapidly from its fully-open position to its fully-closed position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.