GB2129037A - Door assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A door assembly comprises pair of doors pivotally mounted in a door frame, abutting when closed, and which are connected by a linkage to each other so that opening or closing of one door automatically causes opening or closing of the other door, thereby enabling easy opening of the doors and access therethrough.

Description

SPECIFICATION Door assembly This invention relates to door assembly and in particular to door assemblies such as are provided in porches, entrance vestibules and the like.

Where a door is or doors are, fitted so as to enclose a relatively small space, problems often arise in operation of such door or doors. This is particularly the case in relation to doors fitted to storm or insulation porches. In such cases, if a single door is fitted, the width of the door may be of a similar magnitude to the depth of the porch and the build up or reduction of air pressure on opening or closing the door can make such operation difficult. If double doors are fitted people generally find it inconvenient to open both doors, particularly if they are carrying anything of a cumbersome nature, and as an alternative they often struggle to walk through the half-open doorway sideways.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door assembly whereby the above disadvantages are avoided or at least substantially reduced.

The invention provides a door assembly comprising a pair of doors which abut each other when in a closed position, each door being pivotal from its closed position to an open position to provide an access opening therebetween, and a linkage connected to both of said doors whereby an angular displacement of one of said doors from or towards said closed position causes a respective angular displacement of the other of said doors from and towards said closed position.

The door assembly of the present invention has the lesser air turbulence associated with two small doors in comparison with that associated with a single large door. Furthermore since movement of one door causes a corresponding movement of the other door the inconvenience of having to open both doors independently or gain access through a half-open doorway is avoided.

Preferably the angular displacement of one door from its closed position is equal to the angular displacement of the other door frdm its closed position, and the linkage may include adjustment means whereby the relative angular positions of the doors may be adjusted. The doors may be of equal width, and may be inwardly or outwardly opening with respect to a porch or the like to which they are fitted.

The linkage may be disposed adjacent the tops of the doors. Alternatively the linkage may be disposed beneath a floor above which the doors are disposed to move. Means may be provided for the automatic movement of the doors towards the closed position upon release thereof by a person, and said closure means may be operable on one of said doors or on said linkage. Retaining means may be provided for retaining said doors in a fully open position and said retaining means may be operable on one of said doors or on said linkage.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates in plan view one embodiment having inwardly opening doors, and Fig. 2 illustrates in plan view a second embodiment having outwardly opening doors.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a door assembly 10 comprising two doors 11, 12. The doors 11, 12 are shown in an open position in solid lines and in the closed position in dashed lines. The doors 11, 12 are pivotally mounted in a door frame 1 3 in conventional manner. Fixedly attached to each door 1 1, 12 is an arm 11 1, 121 respectively. Another arm 1 4 is fixedly attached tc a fixed part of the door assembly 10, for example the door frame 13, or to a wall, or the ceiling of the porch or the like to which the assembly 10 is fitted.The arm 14 provides, at its free end, a fixed pivot location 1 5 for a crank 1 6. By means of pivotal connections at the opposed ends thereof a connecting link 112, 122 connects a free end of the crank 1 6 with the free end of the respective arm 111, 121.The linkage 111, 112, 16, 122, 121 connects the two doors 11, 12 so as to move in unison and is preferably iocated above the top of doors 11, 1 2 so as to be unobtrusive.

Alternatively, if desired for certain appiications the linkage may be disposed in or beneath the floor.

The door assembly 10 operates as follows. If, for example, door 11 is moved from the closed position shown in dashed lines to the open position shown in full lines, arm 111 will move between the positions shown in corresponding manner. Connecting link 112 and crank 1 6 will move as shown, crank 1 6 pivoting about the fixed pivot point 1 5. This causes connecting link 122 and arm 121 to move between the similarly illustrated positions and in turn the door 12 will also move between the closed and open positions as shown. The geometry of the linkage 111, 112, 1 6, 122, 121 is such that the angular displacements of the doors 11, 12 from the closed position are equal.However if for any reason, such as an obstacle permanently located adjacent one door so as to prevent full opening of that door, it is desired that one door should only move through a proportion of the angular movement of the other door, the geometry of the linkage 111, 112, 16, 122, 121 may be arranged accordingly. For this purpose one or more of the links 111, 112, 16, 122 and 121 may be of adjustable length, e.g. of telescopic construction or a screw adjustment may be provided. Alternatively the position of the pivot point 1 5 may be adjustable.

A spring 1 7 or other door closing device may be provided so as to close the doors 11, 12 on release thereof by a person entering or ieaving through the doorway. As shown in Fig. 1 the spring 17 may act on one door 11 only since the other door 12 will move in unison therewith. A stop 18 may also be provided to retain door 11 in the fully open position, linkage 111, 112, 16, 122, 121 ensuring that door 12 also remains in the fully open position. Although only one spring 1 7 and stop 1 8 are shown a duplicate spring and/or stop may be provided so as to operate on door 12 if desired. Alternatively the spring and/or the stop could operate on one of the links 111, 112, 16, 122 or 121 if desired.As a further alternative the geometry of the linkage may be arranged such that one link aligns in the open position with another link, for example link 1 22 and arm 121, thus reducing the closing torque on door 12 to zero in this position and providing an effective door open retaining arrangement.

Referring now to Fig. 2 there is shown a door assembly 20 comprising two doors 21, 22 which open outwardly relative to a porch or the like to which the assembly 20 is fitted. As in Fig. 1 the doors 21,22 and the associated linkage is shown in full lines in an open position and in dashed lines in the closed position. The doors 21,22 are pivotally mounted in conventional manner in a door frame 23. A fixed arm 24 is secured to the door frame 23 or any other suitable fixture such as the ceiling or wall of the porch, thereby providing a fixed pivot location 25 for crank 26. The free end of crank 26 is connected by means of connecting links 212, 222 to the doors 21,22 respectively, the connections at each end of links 212, 222 being pivotal. As in the previous embodiments, movement of one door is transmitted to the other door, in this case by means of linkage 212, 26 and 222.A spring 27 is provided, acting upon crank 26, so as to bias the linkage and hence the doors 21,22 towards the closed position.

Instead of springs 17, 27 other door closing devices may be used, for example pneumatic devices or moving weights. The doors may be provided with a single handle and may also be provided with locking means. Such locking means may comprise a lock which secures the two doors together in the closed position or may secure either door relative to the door frame. The doors shown in the drawing are of equal width but the invention is equally applicable to doors of unequal width. The doors may be of any suitable material, e.g. wood, metal or plastics material, with or without glazing applied thereto.

A door assembly as described above is also suitable for installation in narrow passageways or other restricted locations where there is insufficient space in the area of the doors for easy access around a single, relatively wide door.

Claims (16)

1. A door assembly comprising a pair of doors which abut each other when in a closed position, each door being pivotal from its closed position to provide an access opening therebetween, and a linkage connected to both of said doors whereby an angular displacement of one of said doors from or towards said closed position causes a respective angular displacement of the other of said doors from or towards said closed position.

2. A door assembly according to claim 1, wherein the angular displacement of one door from its closed position is equal to the angular displacement of the other door from its closed position.

3. A door assembly according to claim 1, wherein said linkage includes adjustment means whereby the relative angular positions of the doors may be adjusted.

4. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said doors are of equal width.

5. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said linkage is disposed adjacent the tops of said doors.

6. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said linkage is disposed beneath a floor above which said doors are disposed to move.

7. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising closure means operable automatically to move said doors towards the closed position when released in an open position.

8. A door assembly according to claim 7, wherein said closure means is operable on one of said doors.

9. A door assembly according to claim 7, wherein said closure means is operable on said linkage.

10. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9 comprising retaining means operable to retain said doors in a fully open position.

11. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said retaining means is operable on one of said doors.

12. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said retaining means is operable on said linkage.

13. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said linkage comprises two links, each link being pivotally connected to a respective door and to a common crank, said crank being pivotally mounted on a structure fixedly connected to a frame in which said doors are mounted.

14. A door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13 including a lockable device operable to secure said doors in said closed position.

1 5. A door assembly according to claim 14 wherein said lockable device is operable to secure said doors to each other.

16. A door assembly according to claim 14 wherein said lockable device is operable to secure one of said doors to a door frame extending therearound.

1 7. A door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing.

1 8. A storm or insulation porch comprising a door assembly according to any preceding claim.