Freight Car Door Fasteners Patents (Class 292/DIG32)
  • Patent number: 6113163
    Abstract: An improved cargo seal structured to securely close a container having at least one door, the cargo seal including a lock assembly, having at least one lock aperture defined therein and being structured to secure the door in a closed orientation, and an elongate segment of substantially strong, generally flexible material. The elongate segment is structured to extend through the lock aperture of the lock assembly so as to restrict movement and/or actuation of the lock assembly. A pair of lock segments are further provided and are correspondingly disposed at a first end and a second end of the elongate segment, at least one of the lock segments being structured to be securely coupled with at least one mating segment at one end of the elongate segment. Each of the lock segments has an increased diameter relative to a diameter of the elongate segment so as to prevent removal of the elongate segment from the lock aperture by passage over the ends of the elongate segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Inventor: Jeff Liroff
  • Patent number: 6050116
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for securing trailer doors against tampering. In one exemplary embodiment, a locking device is mounted on the inside of a trailer door. The device includes a locking bolt which is selectively operated by a pneumatic valve in response to a signal selectively generated by an operator. In the example, the locking device is normally in a locked position and the locking bolt is effective to secure the trailer doors to the frame of the trailer. An operator selectively causes the generation of an "unlock" signal through the use of a wireless control device. The unlock signal, in turn, operates upon an electro-pneumatic valve device to effect an application of locally available high air pressure to a locking bolt actuator assembly. The air pressure is sufficiently high to effect the movement of a relatively heavy locking bolt out of a locking position, at which time the trailer doors may be opened for access to the trailer load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Load Defender Incorporated
    Inventor: Clayton K. Cole
  • Patent number: 6009731
    Abstract: A steel plate hasp is permanently fixedly attached to a door keeper bar, the bar for rotating about its longitudinal axis between door closed and open states. A casing has a plurality of walls forming a housing cavity in which the hasp is received through an opening in a housing wall with bolt seal shank apertures aligned in the hasp and housing. The casing may be permanently secured to the door by bolts or welds or may be selectively attached and removed from the hasp in a locked and unlocked state without fixed attachment to the door. A bolt seal has a shank with a head at one end wherein the head engages a housing wall and a locking body engages and locks to the shank other end and to a further housing wall. The shank between the head and lock body is fully enclosed by the housing and door to preclude access to the shank by tampering tools. The casing when secured to the hasp cooperates with the door to prevent the keeper bar from rotating open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Transguard Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Emmons, Craig Hamilton, Terrence N. Brammall
  • Patent number: 5975595
    Abstract: A protector device for hardware latch members used in conventional containers and trailers to secure in place the pivoting locking bar members. The device includes a housing having a substantially rectangular cross-section defined by side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. Hingedly mounted tabs extending outwardly from the inner edge of the side walls are foldable within the housing and secured on the hardware latch members of the door being protected. The distal ends of the latch members include openings though which a conventional protective seal member is passed. Upper and lower concave members join the walls' outer edges and they are separated defining aperture inbetween. In front of the aperture a convex wall is mounted to the outer edges of the side walls and cutouts on the upper and lower walls permit a protective seal member through. The latch members are completely covered and protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Lorenzo Lorenzo
  • Patent number: 5934111
    Abstract: A security locking and reinforcement device to be used with doors, such as residential door and roll-up doors of the type that includes a plurality of horizontal slots defined by adjacent joined horizontal members, wherein the door is mounted within a substantially rectangular opening in a wall, and comprising a supporting plate assembly having a hanging plate removably mounted to the wall adjacent to the door; an elongated plate assembly hingedly mounted to the supporting plate assembly and having inner and outer surfaces. A security locking and reinforcement device also includes an assembly for locking the elongated plate assembly to the supporting plate assembly when the former is brought against the latter, and further including an assembly, such as a threaded rod, to engage the commonly found slots in commercial roll-up doors so that the door is kept locked in place which simultaneously enhancing its structural integrity of the roll-up door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Inventor: Rigoberto Hernandez
  • Patent number: 5857721
    Abstract: An improved cargo seal structured to securely close a container having at least one door, the cargo seal including a lock assembly, including at least one lock aperture, that secures the door in a closed orientation, and an elongate segment of substantially strong, generally flexible material. The elongate segment is structured to extend through the lock aperture of the lock assembly so as to restrict movement and/or actuation of the lock assembly, and is sufficiently elongate to extend across the doors and thereby prevent opening thereof. A pair of lock segments are further provided and are correspondingly disposed at a first end and a second end of the elongate segment, at least one of the lock segments being structured to be securely coupled with at least one mating segment at the first end of the elongate segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Jeff Liroff
  • Patent number: 5806355
    Abstract: A universal adapter (300) for a security system, having: a back plate (302) having a left portion (304) and a right portion (306); and positioning adapter plates (308,310) extending substantially outwardly from the left and right portions (304,306) of the back plate (302), the positioning adapter plates (308,310) having an adjustment structure, such as a first pair of ports (314) spaced in proximity to the back plate (302) and a second pair of ports (316) spaced away from the back plate (302) , adapted to adjustably receive a lock assembly of a security system in a first position proximate to the back plate and a second position away from the back plate. Also, the adapter can have a clamping structure (350) for holding a locking structure with respect to an inside of a cargo loading door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventors: William P. Lanigan, Peter W. Mirabella, Gerald F. Chalko, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5775747
    Abstract: A locking device prevents a rod for closing a door of a container or truck from being rotated in an unlocking direction so as to keep the container doors locked, even if a control handle of the rod should be cut. The rod has is provided near the surface of the door so as to be rotatable about its axis into and out of engagement with door closing members fixed on the container body. The locking device has a first locking member mounted on the control handle at a base portion thereof, a second locking member mounted at a position opposite to the first locking member across the control handle, and a fixing member for inseparably fixing the second locking member to the first locking member. The second locking member prevents the rotation of the rod in the unlocking direction by abutting the surface of the door when the second locking member and the first locking member are inseparably coupled together around the control handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Inventor: Victor Navarsky
  • Patent number: 5737946
    Abstract: A semi-trailer anti-theft device or apparatus is provided in the form of a shield which extends over and substantially encloses both the latch handle on the cargo door of a semi-trailer and the padlock associated with the latch. The shield includes an elongated front panel which extends across the latch handle. At a first end of the front panel on the rear side thereof is a forked member which can be inserted around the pivot pin of the latch handle and then the shield can be swung down about the pivot pin so as to bring the front panel of the shield into covering alignment with the latch handle. A second end of the front panel is in the form of a padlock guard having a rearwardly extending flange which extends over the top of the padlock and a lock plate protecting the face of the padlock. Also a locking web extends rearwardly from the second end of the front panel below the flange and has an aperture through which the padlock bight extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Sole, Harlan K. Sole
  • Patent number: 5735146
    Abstract: The invention is a cam locking rod devices for securing doors on intermodal cargo containers, semi-trailers, utility trailers, trucks, and other similar cargo storage compartments. The lock rod device is used in conjunction with a rotatable cam lock rod, having cam locks on each end, mounted on a container door for securing the container door in a locked condition. A locking cylinder, through which the cam lock rod extends, has at least one locking projection thereon which interacts with at least one projection on a sliding latch, which when intermeshed prevents rotation of the cam lock rod. A pad lock is used in conjunction with the sliding latch to lock projections on the locking cylinder and slide latch in a meshed position which prevents rotation of the cam lock rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Inventor: Gerald N. Taplin
  • Patent number: 5718467
    Abstract: A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door, is journaled for pivotal movement about a lock rod axis by door mounted bearing assemblies, and has cam type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame. The cam and keeper members feature novel, compact arrangements of interengageable formations that are located on opposite sides of, but relatively near to, the lock rod axis of the locked door--formations that cooperate in bringing the door to its fully closed position, in securely retaining the door closed, in preventing racking movements of the closed door and its adjacent door frame, and in breaking the door open when ice formations, cold seals or the like resist initial opening movement of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, James L. Hollingsworth, Fredrick L. Putzier
  • Patent number: 5718466
    Abstract: A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door and is journaled for pivotal movement by bearing assemblies having steel covers that enclose plastic bearing liners. The lock rod has upper and lower cam-type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame for holding the door closed. The lock rod extends through and is welded to a steel sleeve at a location spaced a short distance upwardly from the lower latch member. If the lock rod is formed from two elongate elements instead of one, the sleeve is welded to both to aid in forming a connection therebetween. Racking resistance is provided by locating the sleeve and the bearing assemblies such that the steel covers of the bearing assemblies are held in engagement with the latch members and with opposite ends of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, James L. Hollingsworth, Fredrick L. Putzier, Scott A. Arthurs, Robert D. Dinallo
  • Patent number: 5704663
    Abstract: A self-tightening side lock (20) for a roll-up door includes a keeper (25) mounted on the jamb, and a latch member (26) pivotally mounted on a door panel. The latch member is selectively cooperable with a catch (30) to hold the door in a closed position. The latch member is biased to move in a counter-clockwise direction. The latch member is adapted to be moved in a clockwise direction, against the opposing bias or a spring 42, to an out-of-the-way position at which the displaced latch may pass by the catch. The latch member has a side cam surface (33) arranged to engage the catch (30) when the door is lowered and to cause the latch member to pivot in a clockwise direction toward the out-of-the-way position to allow the latch member to pass by the catch. The latch member also has an upper cam surface (34) arranged to engage the catch such that the counter-clockwise movement of the latch member will cause the door to be self-tightening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Whiting Roll-Up Door Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: Roy T. Clay, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5692401
    Abstract: A freight car door securing device which is incorporated into the structure of the freight car door to prevent the rotatable door handle, the rotation of which latches and unlatches the car door in a closed or locked position, from being rotated. The securing device is movable from a position wherein it is out of interference with the movement of the rotatable handle, thereby permitting the door to be opened, to a position in which it is fixed to prevent the handle from rotating, thereby preventing the handle from being operated to open the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Inventor: Ekongkar S. Khalsa
  • Patent number: 5685578
    Abstract: A door locking mechanism for use with a door having a door latch assembly and a stationary catch includes a locking rod movable between a locking position and a release position. In its locking position, the locking rod extends into aligned passages formed in a latch member and a stationary catch member of a door latch assembly, which are engaged with each other in a latched position to maintain the door in a closed position. This prevents disengagement of the latch member from the catch member, to prevent opening of the door. In its release position, the locking rod is withdrawn from at least the latch member passage, to enable the latch member to be disengaged from the catch member and to allow opening of the door. The locking rod is interconnected with a piston disposed within a cylinder. A spring urges the piston toward a position placing the locking rod in its locking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Versa Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Schneider
  • Patent number: 5562316
    Abstract: A bar lock for securing a door in a closed position in a frame includes a bar that forms a first interlocking profile extending along its length. The bar is mounted for rotation in first and second hinges by first and second hinge elements. The first and second hinge elements define a second interlocking profile shaped to mate with the first interlocking profile to restrict the hinge elements to axial movement along the length of the bar. The interlocking profiles maintain alignment and facilitate welding of the hinge elements in place on the bar. A similar approach can be used to facilitate assembly of a handle bracket to the bar. An elastomeric strip is affixed in a groove extending along the length of the bar to cushion contact between the bar and the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: A. L. Hansen Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Charles E. Bullock, William S. Hansen, II
  • Patent number: 5553904
    Abstract: A protecting seal for the doors of containers and trailers that include a rotating rod to which a locking bar pivoting housing is rigidly mounted and a locking bar that is pivotally mounted within the pivoting housing which includes a pin pivotally supporting the locking bar. The protecting seal has locking assemblies mounted to flap members extending from the longitudinal edges of a jacket member. The flap members and the jacket member embrace the rotating rod. An adhesive is used on the internal walls and surfaces to further secure the protecting seal to the rod and pivoting housing. This results in the protection of the pivoting pin mounted to the pivoting housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Inventor: Lorenzo Lorenzo
  • Patent number: 5509700
    Abstract: A concealed latch for the door of a trailer includes an arm attached to a pivot fastened to the inside of a door on the trailer, a pair of locking bars attached to the arm, and an eyelet or U-shaped metal loop attached to one of the locking bars. One end of the arm is a handle and is more easily broken than the rest of the arm. The bars are attached to the arm on either side of the pivot and extend from the arm to floor or ceiling of the trailer. The door includes an aperture located adjacent the handle portion of the arm to provide access through the outer surface of the door to the arm. When the door is latched, the U-shaped metal loop is positioned adjacent a fixed U-shaped metal loop. A concealed shackle lock covers the two metal loops and fastens the loops together. The aperture in the door is enclosed from the inside to form a recess containing the handle and the lock, protecting them from a vertical blow with a hammer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: National Security Containers, Inc.
    Inventor: Burton K. Kennedy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5507539
    Abstract: A device (10) for preventing the opening of a door (52) into an enclosed space (50) if the atmosphere in the space is hazardous. A sensor or sensors (31) monitor the atmosphere in the space and provide a controller (32) with a signal proportional to atmospheric conditions. If the controller determines that a hazardous condition exists, it produces a signal that actuates a lock that prevents the door from being opened. In a preferred embodiment, the device prevents the opening of a door of a transport container if the proportion of oxygen in the atmosphere of the interior of the container is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Edward M. Basinski
  • Patent number: 5351512
    Abstract: An apparatus for locking and unlocking one or more storage compartments in a truck service body includes a channel assembly that is slidably secured to the service body by at least one channel support. A rod assembly having an L-shaped locking bracket is slidably secured to the service body by a plurality of rod supports. The rod assembly passes through the channel assembly. A handle for manually moving the rod assembly between a locked position and an unlocked position is included. The handle is rigidly secured to the channel assembly and extends outside of the service body. The handle is adapted for coupling to the service body by a manual locking mechanism. An electro-mechanical actuator is coupled to the rod assembly for moving the rod assembly between its locked and unlocked positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Reading Body Works
    Inventor: Daniel Pearlman
  • Patent number: 5063764
    Abstract: A lock is described which is adapted for use in combination with a conventional latching handle assembly mounted on the bottom panel of a roll-up door mounted on a truck or the like. The lock includes a laterally movable dead bolt which, when locked, is in the pivotal path of the latching handle assembly thereby preventing the latching handle assembly from being moved to its unlocked position. A counter is also associated with the lock which visually indicates the number of times that the lock has been actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Convoy Security Company
    Inventors: Lynn F. Amis, Jacob T. Crittenden, Raymond J. Dyer, John P. Glynn, Richard H. Hall, Dave L. Huebner, Brian W. Olsen, Sam C. O'Connor, Charles E. Robideaux, David E. Seeley, Steven J. Sousek, Mark A. Wightman, Ronald E. Wintermute
  • Patent number: 5062669
    Abstract: A lock mechanism for safely locking doors, such as trailer-tractor vehicle doors and for controllably releasing same including a reciprocal or rotatable locking member such as a sliding bolt movable up through the floor of a trailer to a first locking position wherein a door is positively locked and a release position wherein the vehicle door is released with the locking member housed in a tamper-proof box with a pivotal panel that is held shut by a latch released by a latch operator means which is activated by an air drive that can be primarily operated only when connected to the air pressure system of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Inventors: Donald P. McManigal, David G. Yaksic, John McHugh
  • Patent number: 5036684
    Abstract: A security device for closing systems for vehicles and containers comprising a base plate fastened to the chassis of the vehicle holding a hinging shaft and one of two essential elements of a lock, i.e., the catch or sliding bolt; and a closing arm, one end of which hinges on the base plate by means of said shaft, the other end holding the other element of the lock. The plate and the arm form a parallelpipedal flat space when the device is in a closed position, which serves to house and lock the lower bent ends of the closing shaft of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Inventor: Milovoje Zivanovic
  • Patent number: 4943110
    Abstract: A system for accessing interior portions of a curtainside truck trailer including a flexible curtain, upper and lower roller assemblies secured to the curtain for engagement with upper and lower rails mounted on the truck trailer for supporting the curtain during expanding and contracting movement along the rails. A support panel is mounted between upper and lower longitudinal edge portions of the truck trailer, and a latching mechanism is connected to the support panel which includes a shaft with a vertical axis of rotation, a latch attached to the shaft engagement with a keeper attached to the curtain. An operating member is attached to the shaft for rotating the shaft about its longitudinal axis and engaging the latch and keeper. A latch guide is captively engaged by the latch and attached to the support panel for guiding movement of the latch into engagement with the keeper. A spring biased locking mechanism for locking the latching mechanism and securing the curtain in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: John V. Pastva
  • Patent number: 4929004
    Abstract: A latch assembly, for holding the doors of trucks and other vehicles in the open position, includes the pivotal latch bar of the prior art but with an improved keeper. The improved keeper has a spring activated lock flap that has one end disposed into the opening formed in the keeper whereby the spring urges the lock flap to its position for closing the opening which receives the latch bar. In addition the latch bar is improved whereby its length can be adjusted to a fixed length in the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Inventor: Patrick H. Chidester
  • Patent number: 4898008
    Abstract: A padlock protector for use with swing-out type closures. The protector includes a block pivotably connected to one of the lock arm catch and closure member. The block includes peripheral flanges and a recessed body to partially surround the shackle and housing of the padlock and prevents opening thereof by cutting or prying the shackle and separating it from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Inventor: David S. Eberly
  • Patent number: 4895007
    Abstract: A security device for padlocks used in conjunction with a locking mechanism for a roll-up type truck door. The security device includes a block which has upstanding projecting walls to shield the shackle and housing of the padlock and prevent tampering or unauthorized opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Inventor: David S. Eberly
  • Patent number: 4889372
    Abstract: A cargo box door swing limit apparatus includes a flexible elongate member and attachment points at intervals along the member so that the apparatus can be used with most of the various trailer latch arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard C. Dege, Paul R. Gilmore
  • Patent number: 4866963
    Abstract: A system for securing the loading doors of trucks, semi-trailers, and other like enclosures against forced or unauthorized entry should the usual manually operable closure device on such doors be breached. The system comprises a locking arrangement which is disposed entirely within but which is selectively operable from the exterior of the enclosure as by a special key or by activation of an electronic or electric circuit through entry of a predetermined code or signal. The locking arrangement includes a plunger which is automatically engageable with a strike member to secure a door upon its closure and which is moveable to an inoperative position by the action of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or electric solenoid or other like activator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Inventors: David E. Leininger, Robert L. Leininger
  • Patent number: 4844524
    Abstract: A closure control assembly for tensioning a flexible curtain over an opening in a truck trailer including a shaft with a vertical axis of rotation, bearing members rotatably connecting the shaft to the truck trailer, a driver connected to the shaft and a driven member connected to the curtain for engagement with the driver. The driver includes stepped projections for engagement with stepped surfaces on the driven member for sequential engagement of the driver and driven member upon rotation of the shaft by an operating member. A locking mechanism secured to the curtain engages the operating member to secure the curtain in the tensioned position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: John V. Pastva
  • Patent number: 4830415
    Abstract: Locking latch device for use with roll-up doors on trucks and tractor-trailer vehicles which will automatically latch when closing the door and which can only be opened after a pendulous latch member is set to an unlatching position by the use of a release member. A locking device is provided to render the latching mechanism inoperable to prevent unauthorized opening of the roll-up door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Inventor: Stanford C. Nelson
  • Patent number: 4815773
    Abstract: A door-locking assembly for securing the door of freight transporting compartment includes a bolt which is movable between a first, door-locking position and a second, door-unlocking position, and is additionally movable into a third, door-unlocking position which provides additional restraint against motion of the bolt into the first or second positions. The assembly also includes catch means for selectively and alternatively either blocking or clearing the movement of the bolt between the first and second positions and between the first and third positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Inventor: Richard L. Merrell
  • Patent number: 4782674
    Abstract: A locking arrangement for use on an enclosure which enclosure has an opening and a roll-up door to close the opening, automatically locks the door when it is closed. The arrangement includes a striker member mounted on one side of the door to define a striker path when the door is moved upwardly or downwardly. A lock mechanism includes a dog and means for biasing the dog to removably extend into the striker path. When the door is moved downwardly, the striker will force the dog out of the striker path to thereby permit the striker to pass over the dog and for the door to extend below the dog. When the striker is below the dog and the door is moved upwardly, the dog will engage the striker and prohibit upward movement of the striker and the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Inventor: James J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4742701
    Abstract: A door for a trailer, container, garage or similar structure carries a vertically movable elongated rod adjacent its free end. A plurality of pins are pivotally mounted on the rod and are adapted to move into locking apertures located on the structure as the rod moves downwardly into its door locking position. The rod can be moved upwardly and downwardly by a manually operable handle which is accessible from the exterior of the door. The door is also provided with a recess within which is located a key lock mechanism for locking the rod in the downward position. The key lock mechanism includes a vertically aligned keyhole which is accessible only through the recess thereby making access to the keyhole by a screw-driver or the like difficult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Inventor: Donald Scavetto
  • Patent number: 4690442
    Abstract: Means for locating door locking assemblies of freight containers comprises a backing member including a portion of generally plate-like form adapted to be secured, preferably by welding, to the door of the container, the front surface of the backing member being shaped to receive therein part of the circular section of the locking bar of the assembly. The means further comprises a saddle bracket having a body portion of generally U-shape to seat over the bar and to define, with the shaped front surface of the backing member, a substantially cylindrical guide channel for the locking bar. The free edges of the bracket are secured, preferably by welding, to the backing member at regions remote from the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1987
    Assignee: George Blair Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Kenneth Reynard
  • Patent number: 4648636
    Abstract: The hinged door of a cargo container is provided with a locking mechanism contained wholly or mainly within the thickness of the door to draw the door into a closed and sealed position with respect to its surronding door frame. In one arrangement the mechanism has a tapered locking bolt that can be slid into a receiving recess in the surrounding door frame such that engagement of one face of the bolt taper with the socket urges the door into its fully closed and sealed position as the bolt is extended into the recess, and when the bolt is retracted engagement of the recess with the opposite face of the bolt taper breaks the door seal. In another arrangement the mechanism has a rotary pin projecting into a cam track to effect locking engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: George Blair PLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Reynard
  • Patent number: 4627248
    Abstract: A lock device for a hinged cargo door of a truck trailer has a housing with a vertically extended groove in one side wall for receiving the rotatable cargo door lock bar. A transversely extended lock pin in the housing is transversely movable through an opening in the same side wall for insertion into a registered hole in the cargo door lock bar in the locked position thereof. Transverse movement of the lock pin is controlled by a simple lock mechanism including a key operated lock shaft having a rocker arm rotatable therewith and having a free end connected to the lock pin for transverse movement of the lock pin in response to rotation of the lock shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Assignee: Sentry Lock Co., Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Haworth
  • Patent number: 4564230
    Abstract: Door-swing restraint apparatus for a pair of latched doors closing an end opening of a cargo box comprises a chain or cable link connected between margins of the doors so that a person actuating a bar to release door latches will not be injured by freight items which bear against the door. One end of the link is fixed in the marginal edge of one door, the other end being fixed to a lever arm which can be selectably engaged with or disengaged from a lateral bracket on the latch bar of the other door, only when the arm is rotated out of its horizontal transport position into the vertical. Rotation of the bar due to torque exerted by a freight item pressing against the door is limited by a stop pin carried by the bar engaged in a slot in a door-mounted journal. The opening swing of the door is limited to a few centimeters as the link becomes taut and the lever arm remains horizontal, visually signalling the hazard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1986
    Inventor: Edward A. Haist
  • Patent number: 4390196
    Abstract: A compact door driver is provided on a railway house car for moving a railway car door between a closed or locking position and an open or sliding position. The door driver includes a lever having a crank arm and is rotatably mounted on a structural member of the railway car for movement in excess of 45 degrees. A boss in the form of a roller is mounted on the crank arm. The door driver further includes a door mounted hasp having a cam surface defined end opening in the form of a transverse slot for receiving said boss selectively to drivingly interconnect the lever and the door. When connected to the crank, pivotal movement of the hasp is limited and the hasp, crank arm and boss act similar in manner to a Scotch yoke mechanism. The driver may provide theoretical mechanical advantages substantially within the range of from approximately 8 to 1, to approximately 46 to 1, ignoring friction, depending on the direction of the door and angular position of the crank arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: The Youngstown Steel Door Company
    Inventor: Thorvald Madland
  • Patent number: 4389862
    Abstract: The prevalent lockrods type rear-end closures for overland cargo carrying vehicles are exceedingly vulnerable to determined thievery. The high security locking assembly of the present invention is highly deterrent to thievery and comprises a hasp including a pair of J-shaped members respectively removably engaged with the two closure lockrods and having the apertured staple of the primary J-hook member cooperatively protruding through a slot of the secondary J-hook member. The two cooperating J-hook members are securely joinable with a padlock having its U-shaped bar passing through the protruding staple, and hence, protectively shrouded by the cooperating J-shaped members. When the lateral spacing of the lockrods is relatively close, the locking assembly prevents closure play as additional deterrent to thievery. The locking assembly will also accommodate relatively distant spacing of the lockrods and even if the two closure doors include a rearwardly protruding upright rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Inventor: Thomas M. Hastings
  • Patent number: 4377304
    Abstract: A door lock includes a cooperating bracket and hasp having aligned openings for receiving a pin. In the locking position of the pin, in which the pin is received through the aligned openings, a transverse hole in the lower end portion of the pin is aligned with a vertically elongated slot in a wall of the bracket for receiving a security member to prevent upward movement of the pin out of the openings. The openings are shaped to have aligned outwardly extending longitudinal grooves which receive a longitudinal flange on the pin. A cam member pivots between pin blocking and pin releasing positions and has a flat lower flange with a vertical hole therethrough. The hasp has a flat upper wall with a hole therethrough aligned with the hole in the cam member lower flange for receiving a security member to prevent movement of the cam member from its pin blocking position to its pin releasing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Youngstown Steel Door Company
    Inventors: Charles W. Mayfield, Oliver J. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 4290232
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for sliding doors, particularly of railway freight cars, has a hasp pivotally connected to a member defining an edge of the door opening, the pivotal connection being resiliently mounted on the edge defining member so as to keep the hasp under tension when the door is locked, the other end of the hasp being removably connected to the door by a manually actuable element pivoted on the door and manually swingable by means of a movable handle from locked position, in which the hasp is held in tension by a resilient connection to the door edge defining member, to an over-center unlocking position, movement of the hasp between locking and unlocking position being accommodated by the resiliency of the mounting of the hasp pivotal connection to the relatively movable member. An improved seal latch is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Evans Products Company
    Inventor: Jackson A. Shook
  • Patent number: 4263795
    Abstract: A lock mechanism is disclosed for use with sliding, swinging or overhead doors. A receiver is affixed to the door frame and a bolt, linkage and handle are affixed to the door. The linkage allows the bolt to engage the receiver by sliding along the receiver until it becomes latched so that the door may be closed though the handle is locked. Pulling upon the unlocked handle retracts the bolt from the receiver and also causes the door to start opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: Brammall, Inc.
    Inventor: James Van Gompel
  • Patent number: 4181336
    Abstract: A door lock mechanism for hopper cars includes a longitudinally extending operating rod actuated by a linkage means tripped by a track side cam. The rod in turn actuates cam locks by means of bell cranks which cause the locks to rotate and release transverse tension rods connected to doors for opening the same. The cam locks include cams engageable with teeth on the tension rods for securely locking the doors in a closed position. The operating rod also includes cam means effectively engaging the cam locks to positively lock the same in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Pullman Incorporated
    Inventor: Roy W. Miller
  • Patent number: 4172609
    Abstract: A door retarder to prevent movement of an unlocked railway freight door includes a spring urging a braking cam roller into a pivoted braking shoe that engages a door support rail. An operating handle has a double lobe cam to operate a linkage and move the braking cam roller away from the braking shoe to allow the door to move freely into and from a car door opening when the operating handle is rotated from a normal, upright position. When released, the operating handle returns to the normal position for retarding door movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1979
    Assignee: Pullman Incorporated
    Inventor: Ronald W. Marsh
  • Patent number: 4164189
    Abstract: A multi-deck rail car having an interior cavity and an end opening for loading and unloading lading is provided with a pair of door assemblies, each of which includes a plurality of panels. Each door assembly is pivotally movable for closing at least a portion of the end opening. Double vertical pivots mount each of the door assemblies and are provided such that they move the door assemblies between their respective open position, storage position and closed position. The double vertical pivot means are cranks pivoted at either end to permit pivoting of the door assemblies for storage within the rail car, when their panels are folded back upon one another. A lock for the doors includes a rigid projection extending from the edge of a first one of the panels behind and past an adjacent edge of the second of the two panels and in register with a cutout in the adjacent edge of the second panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1979
    Assignee: The Youngstown Steel Door Company
    Inventors: William E. Fritz, Mark L. Graves, Robert F. Seitz
  • Patent number: 4162591
    Abstract: A door driver is provided on a railway house car for moving a railway car door between a locking position and a sliding position. The door driver includes a lever which is rotatably mounted on a structural member of the railway car. The door driver further includes a plurality of drivingly interconnected drive members, one of which is a driving member and another of which a driven member. The lever is drivingly connected to the driving member. The drive members have a plurality of gear teeth thereon and are rotatably mounted on the railway car with the gear teeth of at least one other drive member. When a force is exerted on the driving member, the driving member transmits that force to the driven member so the force capable of being exerted by the driven member is greater than the force exerted on the driving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1979
    Assignee: The Youngstown Steel Door Company
    Inventors: Thorvald Madland, Thomas C. Soddy
  • Patent number: 4161870
    Abstract: A method and electro-mechanical device for locking and unlocking mobile cargo-container doors, utilizing a re-settable electronic combination lock arrangement installed within the cargo container, which electro-mechanically retains a special locking pin inserted through a channel in the container door structure, such locking pin being mechanically coupled to the existing latching handle on the door exterior. The locking pin, when retained by the electronic lock mechanism, restricts travel of the container door handle sufficient to prevent opening of the container door. A keyboard array of switches on the exterior of the cargo container, coupled to the electronic lock circuitry on the container interior, must be actuated in pre-selected code sequence to energize the electronic lock mechanism, thus releasing the locking pin and enabling manual movement of the door handle as required to open the container door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1979
    Assignee: Lavelle Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Robert W. Barnes
  • Patent number: 4127291
    Abstract: A door fastening apparatus, particularly well suited for fastening in closed positions the rear and side doors of truck bodies, includes an elongate tubular shaft rotatable to position a plurality of latch members in door locking engagement with a plurality of keeper members. A first latch member is rigidly permanently secured to the shaft near one end of the shaft. A second latch member is secured to the shaft near its opposite end by a bolted connection. The bolted connection permits the truck body manufacturer to cut the shaft to length depending on the height of the truck, whereafter the second latch member may be fastened in place without any need for welding. The second latch member is mounted on the outside of the shaft. A plug member is inserted into the sawed-off, open end of the tubular shaft. The second latch member and the plug member captivate the shaft wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1978
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Albert L. Pelcin
  • Patent number: RE29925
    Abstract: A latch assembly for holding the doors of trucks and other vehicles in open condition, the assembly including a pivotal latch bar having an enlarged free end adapted to be received in the recess of a keeper, and a spring arm having a free end slidably engaging the bar throughout only a portion of the arc of pivotal movement of the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Inventor: Daniel A. McGillivray