Hopper door actuating mechanism

Claim 2

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from a vehicle having a hopper, comprising: first and second doors pivotally connected to said vehicle, below said hopper for vertical swinging movement from closed to open positions, said doors having adjacent edge portions in closing overlapping engagement in the closed position wherein said first door overlaps said second door door-operating mechanism including force-transmitting means connected to said first door for transmitting a force applied exteriorly of said hopper to move said first door between said positions, second force-transmitting means pivotally connected between said doors, said second force-transmitting means being responsive to said movement of said first door to swing said second door to open and closed positions, and means guiding movement of said second force-transmitting means during movement of said first door to provide for sequential movement of the second door with respect to the first door to retard movement of said second door until said edge portion of said first door is disposed out of the path of movement of said edge portion of said second door.

Claim 3

The invention in accordance with claim 1, said doors in the closed position being positioned in V-shaped relation and converging downwardly from said hopper.

Claim 4

THe invention in accordance with claim 2, said edge portions of said doors extending substantially horizontally and being disposed in relative overlapping relation at the convergence of said doors.

Claim 5

The invention in accordance with claim 2, said second force transmitting means comprising a first link pivotally connected to said first door, a second link pivotally connected to said second door, said guide means being pivotally interconnected between said links, and means movably connecting said guide means to said vehicle.

Claim 6

The invention in accordance with claim 1, said second force transmitting means comprising a first link pivotally connected to said first door, a second link pivotally connected to said second door, said guide means being pivotally interconnected between said links, and means movably connecting said guide means to said vehicle.

Claim 7

The invention in accordance with claim 5, said guide means including a bellcrank having at one end a fulcrum pivotally connected to said vehicle, and means respectively pivotally connecting said links to the other ends of said bellcrank.

Claim 8

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from a vehicle having a hopper: comprising: first and second doors pivotally connected to said vehicle for vertical swinging movement from closed to open positions, door-operating mechanism including a horizontal movable arm having one end connected to said first door for moving the same between said positions, a first link pivotally connected to said first door, a second link pivotally connected to said second door, and guide means pivotally mounted on said vehicle and pivotally connected to said links whereby said second door is moved sequentially relative to said first door between said positions in response to movement of said first door, said doors having edge portions in the closed position being positioned in overlapping relation wherein said first door overlaps said second door, and said first door being initially moved out of the path of movement of said second door whereby said second door is free to move to its open position.

Claim 9

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from a vehicle having a hopper: comprising: first and second doors pivotally connected to said vehicle for vertical swinging movement from closed to open positions, door-operating mechanism including a horizontal movable arm having one end connected to said first door for moving the same between said positions, a first link pivotally connected to said first door, a second link pivotally connected to said second door, and guide means pivotally mounted on said vehicle and pivotally connected to said links whereby said second door is moved sequentially relative to said first door between said positions in response to movement of said first door, said doors having edge portions in the closed position being positioned in overlapping relation wherein said first door overlaps said second door, and said first door being initially moved out of the path of movement of said second door whereby said second door is free to move to its open position.

Claim 10

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said guide means comprising a bellcrank.

Claim 11

The invention in accordance with claim 8, said bellcrank having its fulcrum supported on said vehicle, said second link extending vertically and being pivotally connected to an end of said bellcrank disposed above said fulcrum, said first link extending above said fulcrum and having an end pivotally connected to an end of said bellcrank disposed laterally to one side of said fulcrum, whereby during movement of said first door to an open position the movement of said second door is retarded until said first door is partially opened.

Claim 12

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said guide means including a bellcrank having its fulcrum supported on said vehicle, said second link extending vertically and being pivotally connected to an end of said bellcrank disposed above said fulcrum, said first link extending above said fulcrum and having an end pivotally connected to an end of said bellcrank disposed laterally to one side of said fulcrum, whereby during movement of said first door to an open position the movement of said second door is retarded until said first door is partially opened.

Claim 13

The invention in accordance with claim 10, said doors having edge portions in the closed position being positioned in overlapping relation, and said first door being initially moved out of the path of movement of said second door whereby said second door is free to move to its open position.

Claim 14

The invention in accordance with claim 10, said second link in the closed position having a vertical centerline through the pivotal connections of said second link to said second door and to said guide means and bellcrank being disposed to one side of said fulcruM in an overcenter position.

Claim 15

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said second link in the closed position having a vertical centerline through the pivotal connections of said second link to said second door and to said guide means and bellcrank having a fulcrum on the vehicle and being disposed to one side of said fulcrum in an overcenter position.

Claim 16

The invention in accordance with claim 13, said other end of said first arm being movable with said vertical arm to an overcenter position in the closed position of said doors.

Claim 17

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said vehicle including a longitudinally extending support disposed laterally with respect to said doors, a vertical arm pivotally connected to said support, means for pivotally moving said vertical arm, means pivotally connecting the other end of said first mentioned arm to said vertical arm whereby during longitudinal movement of said vertical arm said other end of said first arm is moved longitudinally to exert a transverse force for moving said doors.

Claim 18

The invention in accordance with claim 15, said other end of said first arm being movable with said vertical arm to an overcenter position in the closed position of said doors.

Claim 19

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said doors being disposed in V-shaped relation having inner surfaces converging downwardly relative to said hopper and having said overlapping edge portions extending horizontally with the edge portion of said first door being disposed below the edge portion of said second door.

Claim 20

The invention in accordance with claim 7, said vehicle including a longitudinally extending support disposed laterally with respect to said doors, a vertical arm pivotally connected to said support, means for pivotally moving said vertical arm, means pivotally connecting the other end of said horizontal movable arm to said vertical arm whereby during longitudinal movement of said vertical arm said other end of said horizontal movable arm is moved longitudinally to exert a transverse force for moving said doors.

Claim 21

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from a vehicle having a hopper, comprising: first and second doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to said vehicle, below said hopper for swinging movement from closed to open positions, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closing overlapping load supporting interengagement in the closed position, the edge portion of one door overlapping the edge portion of the other door preventing opening movement of the other door with respect to the one door, door-operating mechanism including longitudinally extending force transmitting means connected to said one door for transmitting a force applied exteriorly of said hopper to move said doors between said positions, said force-transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper for transmitting drive to the doors along the lengths of the doors for uniformly opening them from a locked position to an open position, second force-transmitting means pivotally connected between said doors, said second force-transmitting means being responsive to said movement of said first door to swing said second door to open and closed positions, and said second force transmitting means having means for guiding movement of said second force transmitting means during movement of said one door to retard movement of said other door moving sequentially relative to said first door until said edge portion of said one door is disposed out of the path of movement of said edge portion of said other door.

Claim 22

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from a vehicle having a hopper, comprising: first and second doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to said vehicle, below said hopper for swinging movement from closed to open positions, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closing overlapping load supporting interengagement in the closed position, the edge portion of one door overlapping the edge portion of the other door preventing opening movement of the other door with respect to the one door, door-operating mechanism including longitudinally extending force transmitting means connected to said one door for transmitting a force applied exteriorly of said hopper to move said doors between said positions, said force-transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper for transmitting drive to the doors along the lengths of the doors for uniformly opening them from a locked position to an open position, second force-transmitting means pivotally connected between said doors, said second force-transmitting means being responsive to said movement of said first door to swing said second door to open and closed positions, and said second force transmitting means having means for guiding movement of said second force transmitting means during movement of said one door to retard movement of said other door moving sequentially relative to said first door until said edge portion of said one door is disposed out of the path of movement of said edge portion of said other door.

Claim 23

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from the hopper of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of interconnected master and slave doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to said vehicle for swingIng movement from a door closed and locked position to a door open and unlocked position, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closing overlapping load-supporting interengagement with one another in the door closed position, the edge portion of the master door overlapping in load-supporting relation underneath the edge portion of the slave door preventing opening movement of the slave door from the locked position, door-operating mechanism including movable arm means including a pair of longitudinally spaced lateral extending door arms each having one end connected to said master door for moving the same between said positions and preventing opening of the master door and thereby the slave door in the locked position, said door-operating mechanism further having longitudinally extending force-transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper and connecting with the door arms for transmitting drive to the doors along the lengths of the doors for uniformly opening then from the locked closed position to the unlocked open position, first link means including a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally extending links each being connected with said master door and with a respective door arm, and extending upwardly from the master door, second link means including a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally extending links each being pivotally connected to said slave door and extending upwardly therefrom, and each link means being so pivotally interconnected with one another above the doors with said master door being first moved by said arm means to retard and subsequently move said slave door between said positions.

Claim 24

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from the hopper of a vehicle, comprising: a pair of interconnected master and slave doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to said vehicle for swingIng movement from a door closed and locked position to a door open and unlocked position, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closing overlapping load-supporting interengagement with one another in the door closed position, the edge portion of the master door overlapping in load-supporting relation underneath the edge portion of the slave door preventing opening movement of the slave door from the locked position, door-operating mechanism including movable arm means including a pair of longitudinally spaced lateral extending door arms each having one end connected to said master door for moving the same between said positions and preventing opening of the master door and thereby the slave door in the locked position, said door-operating mechanism further having longitudinally extending force-transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper and connecting with the door arms for transmitting drive to the doors along the lengths of the doors for uniformly opening then from the locked closed position to the unlocked open position, first link means including a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally extending links each being connected with said master door and with a respective door arm, and extending upwardly from the master door, second link means including a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally extending links each being pivotally connected to said slave door and extending upwardly therefrom, and each link means being so pivotally interconnected with one another above the doors with said master door being first moved by said arm means to retard and subsequently move said slave door between said positions.

Claim 25

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from the hopper of a vehicle comprising: a pair of interconnecting master and slave doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to the vehicle for swinging movement from a door closed and locked position to a door open and unlocked position, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closed overlapping engagement with one another in the door-closed position, the edge portion of the master door overlapping in load-supporting relation with the edge portion of the slave door preventing opening of the slave door from the locked position, door-operating mechanism including laterally extending movable arm means and longitudinally extending force transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper and connecting with the arm means for transmitting drive to the master door, said longitudinally extending force transmitting means connecting with said arm means in an overcenter locked position in the closed position of the doors attendant to holding the doors in the closed and locked position, first link means being connected with said master door, second link means being connected with said slave door and pivotally connecting with said first link means, said master door being moved first by said arm means to retard and subsequently move said slave door between said locked and unlocked positions.

Claim 26

A vehicle bottom discharge arrangement for discharging a load from the hopper of a vehicle comprising: a pair of interconnecting master and slave doors extending longitudinally of the vehicle and pivotally connected to the vehicle for swinging movement from a door closed and locked position to a door open and unlocked position, said doors having adjacent longitudinally extending lateral edge portions in closed overlapping engagement with one another in the door-closed position, the edge portion of the master door overlapping in load-supporting relation with the edge portion of the slave door preventing opening of the slave door from the locked position, door-operating mechanism including laterally extending movable arm means and longitudinally extending force transmitting means extending substantially the length of the hopper and connecting with the arm means for transmitting drive to the master door, said longitudinally extending force transmitting means connecting with said arm means in an overcenter locked position in the closed position of the doors attendant to holding the doors in the closed and locked position, first link means being connected with said master door, second link means being connected with said slave door and pivotally connecting with said first link means, said master door being moved first by said arm means to retard and subsequently move said slave door between said locked and unlocked positions.

Claim 27

The invention according to claim 21, and said force-transmitting means having means for providing an overcenter locking of the door operating mechanism attendant to keeping the master door in load-supporting relation against the slave door.