Door system for a railway car

Claim 2

In a railway passenger car having a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, a bilevel boarding door system comprising: an upper door opening in one of said sidewalls terminating at the level of said floor; an upper door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said upper door opening; a lower door opening extending downwardly from said floor level to a predetermined low level platform boarding height; a lower door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said lower door opening; a stairwell having a staircase extending downwardly from a floor level opening inside said car to said lower door opening; a slidably mounted floor panel comprising a plurality of pivotally-coupled slat-like elements transversely suspended between said guide channels; means comprising a pair of complementary guide channels disposed on opposite walls of said stairwell, for defining an operating path for said floor panel between an extended position overlying said floor level opening and a retracted position clear of said opening; and actuating means for extending said panel along said operating path and into said extended position to enable high platform boarding when said upper door is open, and for alternately retracting said floor panel along said operating path and into said retracted position to enable low platform boarding when said upper and lower doors are open.

Claim 3

A door system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the bottom surface of said slat-like members is longitudinally grooved, and wherein said actuating means comprise at least one toothed drive wheel disposed to coact with said grooves.

Claim 4

A door system as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating means comprise two drive wheels disposed perpendicular to said floor and adjacent respective ones of said guide channels.

Claim 5

A door system as defined in claim 3 wherein said slat-like elements include a guide roller at either end in operative engagement with respective ones of said guide channels.

Claim 6

A door system as defined in claim 1 wherein said slat-like members have longitudinally extending slots along either edge and are coupled together by longitudinally extending coupling members engaging adjacent ones of said slots.

Claim 7

In a railway passenger car having a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, a bi-level boarding door system comprising: an upper door opening in one of said sidewalls terminating at the level of said floor; an upper door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said upper door opening; a lower door opening extending downwardly from said floor level to a predetermined low level platform boarding height; a stairwell including a staircase therein extending downwardly from an upper opening inside said car at said floor level to a lower opening in said sidewall at said predetermined low level platform boarding height, said stairwell being substantially aligned with said lower door opening; a lower door comprising a plurality of pivotally-connected panels extending transversely across said lower door opening; means defining an operating path for said door panels between a closed position flush with The exterior surface of said sidewall, and an open position underlying said staircase; and actuating means for extending said door panels along said operating path into said closed position to enable high platform boarding, and for alternately retracting said panels along said operating path into said open position to enable low platform boarding.

Claim 8

In a railway passenger car having a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, a bi-level boarding door system comprising: an upper door opening in one of said sidewalls terminating at the level of said floor; an upper door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said upper door opening; a lower door opening extending downwardly from said floor level to a predetermined low level platform boarding height; a stairwell including a staircase therein extending downwardly from an upper opening inside said car at said floor level to a lower opening in said sidewall at said predetermined low level platform boarding height, said stairwell being substantially aligned with said lower door opening; a lower door comprising a plurality of pivotally-connected panels extending transversely across said lower door opening; means defining an operating path for said door panels between a closed position flush with The exterior surface of said sidewall, and an open position underlying said staircase; and actuating means for extending said door panels along said operating path into said closed position to enable high platform boarding, and for alternately retracting said panels along said operating path into said open position to enable low platform boarding.

Claim 9

A door system as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for defining an operating path for said lower door panels comprise complementary guide channels disposed on opposite walls of said stairwell, and wherein said door panels are suspended between said guide channels.

Claim 10

A door system as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for defining an operating path for said lower door panels comprise first and second pairs of guide channels disposed on either side of said stairwell, and wherein said lower door comprises first, second and third panel members, the top edge of said first panel member and the pivotal connections between said first, second and third panel members being operatively engaged with said first pair of guide channels, and the bottom edge of said third panel member being operatively engaged with said second pair of guide channels.

Claim 11

A door system as defined in claim 8 wherein said actuating means comprise a rotary actuator, and a linkage assembly connected between said actuator and said third door panel.

Claim 12

A door system as defined in claim 7 wherein said upper door comprises a sliding door, said lower door comprises first, second and third panel members, said first panel member includes a threshold plate along its top edge, and said threshold plate includes a guide track for guiding and supporting said sliding door along its bottom edge.

Claim 13

A door system as defined in claim 6 wherein said staircase includes an aperture through which said lower door retracts when moving along said operating path to said open position, and wherein said threshold plate effectively closes said aperture when said lower door is in said open position.

Claim 14

A door system as defined in claim 11 wherein said aperture is disposed in the bottom riser of said staircase.

Claim 15

In a railway passenger car having a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, a bi-level boarding door system comprising: an upper door opening in one of said sidewalls terminating at the level of said floor; an upper door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said upper door opening; a lower door opening extending downwardly from said floor level to a predetermined low level platform boarding height; a lower door comprising a plurality of elongated pivotally-connected panels extending transversely across said lower door opening; a stairwell having a staircase extending downwardly from a floor level opening inside said cars to said lower door opening; means defining an operating path for said door panels between a closed position flush with the exterior surface of said sidewalls, and an open position underlying said staircase; actuating means for extending said door panels along said operating path into said closed position for high platform boarding and for alternately retracting said panels along said operating path into said open position for low platform boarding; a slidably mounted floor panel; means defining an operating path for said floor panel between an extended position overlying said floor level stairwell opening and a retracted position clear of said opening; and actuating means for extending said panel along said operating path and into said extended position for high platform boarding, and for alternately retracting said floor panel along said operating path and into said retracted position for low platform boarding.

Claim 16

In a railway passenger car having a floor, sidewalls and a ceiling, a bi-level boarding door system comprising: an upper door opening in one of said sidewalls terminating at the level of said floor; an upper door having open and closed positions for selectively closing said upper door opening; a lower door opening extending downwardly from said floor level to a predetermined low level platform boarding height; a lower door comprising a plurality of elongated pivotally-connected panels extending transversely across said lower door opening; a stairwell having a staircase extending downwardly from a floor level opening inside said cars to said lower door opening; means defining an operating path for said door panels between a closed position flush with the exterior surface of said sidewalls, and an open position underlying said staircase; actuating means for extending said door panels along said operating path into said closed position for high platform boarding and for alternately retracting said panels along said operating path into said open position for low platform boarding; a slidably mounted floor panel; means defining an operating path for said floor panel between an extended position overlying said floor level stairwell opening and a retracted position clear of said opening; and actuating means for extending said panel along said operating path and into said extended position for high platform boarding, and for alternately retracting said floor panel along said operating path and into said retracted position for low platform boarding.