CA2465041A1

CA2465041A1 - Suspension and sill system for sliding members

Info

Publication number: CA2465041A1
Application number: CA 2465041
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bradley K. Ewing; Brent John Ewing; Bruce Hewson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-04-22
Filing date: 2004-04-22
Publication date: 2005-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-22
Also published as: CA2465041C

Abstract

A panel or door suspension system used to hang sliding panels or doors. The panel members are hung by an upper bearing assembly with bearings on each side of the longitudinal axis of the panel thereby allowing the weight of the door to bear wholly on the upper bearings and to act centrally and downwardly between the bearings thereby preventing a moment on the bearings. A wedge member attached to the upper portion of the panel allows for vertical adjustment of the panel relative to the bearings and the door frame. A sill assembly beneath the panel allows for stable sliding operation of the panel member, provides for debris drainage and facilitates servicing of the members comprising the sill assembly.

Claims

1. Suspension system for a sliding panel assembly which panel assembly comprises at least one vertically positioned sliding panel, said suspension system comprising a bearing assembly for said panel operable to be connected to the upper frame of said panel and a bottom guide for said panel operable to be connected to the bottom of said panel, said bearing assembly including at least one pair of bearings, each of said bearings being operable to move in a track and a hanger operably connected between said one pair of bearings, said panel being hung from said hanger such that the weight of said panel acts principally through said hanger and applies equal loading to each of said bearings.

2. Suspension system as in claim 1 and further comprising a wedge operably mounted between said panel and said bearing assembly, either of said wedge or said bearing assembly being movable relative to the other of said wedge and bearing assembly.

3. Suspension system as in claim 2 wherein said wedge assembly is mounted to said panel and said bearing assembly is mounted for movement relative to said wedge assembly and said panel, said movement of said bearing assembly in a first direction relative to said wedge allowing movement of said panel upwardly and movement of said bearing assembly in said wedge in a second and opposite direction allowing movement of said panel downwardly.

4. Suspension system as in claim 2 and further including a guide channel to allow movement of said bottom guide within said guide channel and brushes within said guide channel to contact said bottom guide.

5. Suspension system as in claim 3 and further comprising openings in said guide channel to allow drainage of water or other contamination received by said guide channel.

6. Suspension system as in claim 1 wherein said panel may be a door or a panel member.

7. Method of installing a sliding panel within a frame for said panel and within an upper bracket at the top of said panel and a guide an the bottom of said door, said method comprising installing a bearing assembly to carry substantially all of the weight of said panel in said upper bracket, moving one of said wedge assembly or said bearing assembly relative to the other of said wedge assembly or bearing assembly to raise or lower said panel relative to said upper bracket and relative to said frame of said door.

8. A sliding panel for installation within an upper bracket of a panel frame and a lower drain tube of said frame, said sliding panel comprising an upper bearing assembly operably connected to the top of said panel and movable within said upper bracket and a lower guide member on the bottom of said panel which guide member is movable within said lower drain tube, said upper bearing assembly comprising at least two rotatable bearings movable on respective guide paths located on opposite sides of and within said upper bracket and a hanger extending downwardly from and between said two bearings, said panel having a weight which acts principally downwardly through said hanger and exerting substantially identical forces on each of said bearings on opposite sides of said hanger.

9. Sliding panel as in claim 8 and further comprising a wedge member operably installed between said two bearings and said panel, said wedge member being movable relative to one of said bearing assembly and said panel, the other of said bearing assembly and said panel being stationary relative to said wedge member.

10. Sliding panel as in claim 9 wherein said panel is a sliding door or a sliding panel member.

11. A sill construction for sliding members which sliding members include bearings operably mounted on the top of at least one of said sliding members to accommodate sliding movement of said member and a guide operably mounted to the bottom of said one of said sliding members, said guide being movable within a guide box and acting to stabilize said member during said sliding movement.

12. A sill construction as in claim 11 and further comprising brushes operably contacting said guide.

13. A sill construction as in claim 12 wherein said guide is a vertically oriented and longitudinal member extending a substantial distance of said bottom of said panel and said guide box having drainage passageways to allow drainage of water from said guide box.