GB2204081A

GB2204081A - Door

Info

Publication number: GB2204081A
Application number: GB08709852A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Donkin Godfrey
Original assignee: AUTODOORS INTERNATIONAL
Current assignee: AUTODOORS INTERNATIONAL
Priority date: 1987-04-25
Filing date: 1987-04-25
Publication date: 1988-11-02
Also published as: ZA882908B; GB8709852D0

Abstract

A door wing is pivotable relative to its frame by a pivot pin (30) set at an angle less than 90 DEG to the horizontal, so as to raise the bottom free carrier clear of the threshold to counteract any dropping. As described in a door assembly the wing (10) is mounted for remote controlled sliding movement relative to the frame (11) by means of a cross member (24) mounted via slides (22) to slide on a rail 21, the wing (10) also being mounted relative to the cross member (24) for pivoting movement about a pivot pin (30) extending at an angle of less than 90 DEG relative to the top edge surface (18) of the wing (10) so that upon at least initial pivoting opening, a bottom edge carrier a second side edge (15) is caused to rise. The door is manually held closed on to member 24 by a spring ball catch 23 that can be overriden in an emergency by pushing. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Wing and frame assembly" Description of Invention This invention relates to a wing and frame assembly and more particularly but not exclusively to a wing and frame assembly of the kind in which the wing is mounted for sliding movement relative to the frame.

Such wing and frame assemblies are known in which the wing comprises a door which is automatically operated so that the door upon being approached by a person, opens by sliding relative to the frame, which sliding movement is caused by a motive means which actuates sliding gear. After a person has passed through the door opening, the door is automatically closed, again by a sliding movement.

The motive means and any sensing apparatus to sense a person approaching the door, are usually electrically operated. The door is conventionally pivotally mounted with respect to a cross member of the sliding gear or the frame so that in the event of a power failure, or a malfunction in the motive means or sensing apparatus, the door may still be opened, for example, in an emergency, by pivoting the door relative to the cross. member.

Door and frame assemblies of this kind are used in entrances, for example, in shops, and are relatively large and heavy compared with normal domestic doors. It will be appreciated that the pivotal connection, which connection conventionally comprises a pivot pin, is subjected to large moments as the door is opened and the pivot pin con distort causing a bottom edge of the door, at least adjacent the free side edge of the door, to foul the floor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved wing and frame assembly.

According to one aspect of the invention we provide a wing and frame assembly comprising a cross member which when the wing is in a closed position extends generally parallel to and above a top edge surface of the wing, the wing being mounted relative to the cross member for pivoting movement about a pivot pin which engages with the top edge surface of the wing at a position adjacent a first side edge of the wing, the pin extending at an angle of less than 900 relative to the top edge surface of the wing so that upon at least initial privoting opening movement of the wing from the closed position, a bottom edge surface of the wing at least adjacent a second side edge of the wing opposite the first side edge is caused to rise.

It has been found that in an assembly in accordance with the invention, even where the pivot pin is subjected to large moments and distorts, for example where the wing is large and heavy, because the pivot pin, when the wing is closed, extends at less than 900, the bottom edge surface of the wing (where a door) is prevented from fouling the floor.

Of course, some clearance between the bottom edge surface of the door and the floor is in any case required. As the door is opened towards its fully open position so that the moment on the pivot pin increases, the pivot pin may distort so that the bottom edge surface of the door, adjacent the second side edge, moves closer to the floor, but because the initial movement of the bottom edge surface, as the door is opened, is upward, less clearance is required than where the pivot pin extends at exactly 900 to the top edge surface of the door.

Preferably the pivot pin extends at an angle of between 87.90 and 89.o to the top edge surface of the wing. Obviously the smaller the angle, the more the bottom edge surface will rise upon the initial opening movement of the door, but if the pin extends at too small an angle, the lift given to the door upon initial opening will be too great, not only making opening of the already heavy door very difficult, but also the door may lift to such an extent that the top edge surface thereof will foul the cross member, or a ceiling or other surrounding structure of the door.

When the wing is in the closed position, the central axis of the pivot pin preferably lies in a plane, or parallel to a plane, containing longitudinal axes of the cross member and the top edge surface of the wing, the pin being inclined upwards towards the first side edge of the wing.

The pivot pin may comprise a threaded member which is received in a threaded opening in the top edge surface of the door, a head of the member trapping a bracket of the sliding gear or frame, to provide the pivotal connection. The threaded member may be tightened to a predetermined torque and thrust washers or the like may be provided to allow the wing to pivot relative to the bracket even when the pivot pin is thus tightened. It has been found that this arrangement assists in minimising of distortion of the pin as the wing is opened.

The invention is particularly applicable where the wing is heavy by which we mean the wing weighs at least 25 kg preferably more than 30 kg and more preferably more than 40 kg.

The maximum practical wing weight for a pivot pin type connection is about 80 kg.

The invention is particularly applicable to a door and frame assembly in which the door is mounted for sliding movement preferably by a motive means, the door being hung from the cross member which comprises a track, by the pivotal connection adjacent the first side edge and by a catch adjacent the second side edge, the catch being adapted to release the door to permit the door to pivot relative to the cross member when the door is pushed with a predetermined force. The catch mechanism and the pivotal connection may be adapted to slide longitudinally of the cross member.

The bottom edge surface of the door may comprise a projection which is received and guided by guide such as a U-shaped channel which extends along the floor, during the sliding movement of the door, the projection being mounted adjacent the first side edge generally in line with the pivot pin and with sufficient clearance between the projection and the guide so that the projection does not interfere with pivoting of the door when the catch is released.

The door may be a glazed door, the top and bottom edge surfaces being provided by rails which may receive a glazing panel, although the invention may be applied to a solid door if required. The side edges of the door where glazed, may be provided by styles, or the side edges of the door may comprise the edges of the glass, as required.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE I is a perspective view of a wing and frame assembly in accordance with the invention, with the wing in a closed position, FIGURE 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the wing in a partially open position, FIGURE 3 is a detailed view, partly in cross section of the wing, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures I and 2 of the drawings, a door and frame assembly comprises a door 10 and a frame I 1, the door comprising a glazed door having a glazing panel 15 received between an upper rail 12 and a lower rail 13. The door may have styles along side edges 14,15, thereof, or the glazing panel 15 may provide the side edges.

The rails 12,13, each have a longitudinal groove 16,17, respectively, to receive the periphery of the panel 15. The upper rail 12 presents a top edge surface 18 and the lower rail 13, a bottom edge surface 20.

The door frame includes a track 21 which is part of a sliding gear which includes a pair of sliders 22 which each receive the track 21 and are arranged to slide longitudinally of the track 21 which provides a cross member. The sliders 22 are each connected to a cross bar 24 from which depends a bracket 25 and a catch plate 26 of a catch mechanism 23.

The catch plate 26 has a projection 27 which, when the door 10 is closed, is received in an opening 28 in the upper rail 12. A sprung ball (not seen) in a housing 29 engages the top edge surface 18 of the rail 12 such that the door 10 can only be released from the catch mechanism 23 when a predetermined force is applied to the door 10 in a direction away from the catch plate 26. A set screw S is provided to enable the force applied by the spring on the ball within the housing 29 to be adjusted.

The bracket 25 is secured to the upper rail 12 by a bolt 30 which comprises a pivot pin.

The lower rail 13 has a downwardly extending projection 32 comprising a roller which is received in a channel shaped guide 33 which extends beneath the door when in a closed position, along the floor.

In ordinary operation, the door 10 is operable automatically by a sliding movement relative to track II by a control means which controls a motive means such as a linear actuator, or a motor connected by a suitable transmission, in response to a person approaching the door 10. The person may be sensed by any desired sensing apparatus such as a infrared detector, a radar detector, pressure switch, or a combination of these or any other sensor which provides a signal to the control means. The sliders 22 may have bearings to facilitate sliding along the track 21, such as greased bearings, roller bearings, or other any suitable type of bearings.

The roller 32 guides the bottom of the door 10 and is preferably rotatable so as to provide minimum resistance as it slides along the channel guide 33.

The guide 33 is preferably embedded in the floor so that the floor surface is approximately level with the upper edges of the limbs of the channel.

It will be appreciated that the control means and sensing apparatus are conventionally electrically operated. In the event of a power failure, or a malfunction in the sensing means or in the control means or motive means, the door 10 may still be slidable upon manual operation. However, by virtue of the catch mechanism 23 and pivotal connection between bracket 25 and the upper rail 12 of the door, the door 10 may be pivoted to an open position upon a predetermined force being applied to the door to cause the spring ball of the catch mechanism 23 to release the top edge surface 18 of the upper rail 12 of the door.

Referring now also particularly to Figure 3, it can be seen that the upper rail 12 has a threaded bore 35 which is adapted to receive the bolt 30.

Between the head of the bolt 30 and the bracket 25, thrust washers 36 may be provided so that the bolt 30 can be tightened to a predetermined torque whilst still permitting the door 10 to pivot relative to the bracket 25.

The upper rail 12 has a further aperture 38 (not seen in Figures 1 and 2) for receiving a locking pin which may be engaged with a shank of the bolt 30 to prevent the bolt 30 working loose.

In conventional constructions, pivot pins such as bolts 30 are arranged to extend perpendicularly relative to the adjacent top edge surface 18 of the upper rail 12. However, it will be appreciated that the door 10 being glazed, is heavy and that as the door 12 is moved from the closed position shown in Figure I, to an open position shown in Figure 2, a significant moment will be applied to the pivot pin 30 which may distort. If the pin 30 distorts, the side edge 15 of the door may drop so that the bottom edge surface surface 20, at least adjacent the edge 15 of the door, may foul the channel guide 33, or the floor in which it is embedded as the door 12 is opened.

To overcome this, in an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, the pivot pin 30 extends relative to the top edge surface 18 of the door 10, at an angle slightly less than 900 but the axis of the pin 30 is in a plane or parallel to a plane containing the longitudinal axes of the track 21 and the upper rail 12. Thus the longitudinal axis of the female threaded bore 35 in the upper rail 1 > , is, seen in Figure 3 indicated at 40, at 890 to the top edge surface 18 of the rail 12.

It has been found that providing an arrangement in which the pivot pin 30 extends at an angle of less than 900 to the top edge surface 18 of the rail 12, at least upon initial opening-of the door 10 i.e. pivoting of the door 10 relative to the track 2 r, when released from the catch mechanism 23, the bottom edge surface20 of the door, at least adjacent the side edge 15 will be caused to rise.

In the example shown, the door 10 is large measuring over a metre wide and about 2.4. metres high. Being a glazed door, the door is significantly heavier than a domestic door, weighing about 80 kg.

Tests and resultant graphs for different door weights show that an angle of 890 between the pivot pin and the top edge surface 18 of the rail 12, will produce an upward movement of 0.3 mm of the bottom edge surface 20 adjacent the free side edge 15 as the door is initially opened, although as the door is opened futher, eg. to being a third open (i.e. as seen in Figure 2) the moment on the pivot pin 30 will distort the pivot pin sufficiently that the bottom edge surface 20 of the door adjacent the side edge 15 will drop 5.5 mm below the height at which it was when the door was in the closed position. This is acceptable as a small clearance is usually provided between the floor and the bottom edge surface 20 of the door.

As the door is opened still further i.e. to 900 the drop will decrease to about 3 mm as a result of the stabilizing effect of the lower guide 32.

Obviously for different weight doors, the angle at which the pivot pin 30 needs to be set, can be changed. Preferably however, the pivot pin extends relative to the top edge surface 18 of rail 12 at an angle between 87.90 and a 89.6 Obviously the invention is applicable to different sized doors, and in fact to wings in general where such problems of drop of the wing as the wing is opened, is present, due to a pivot pin which is distorted by moments applied due to the weight of the wing.

Although as described, the invention is applied to a sliding door in which sliders 22 slide along a track 12 the invention may be applied to other types of sliding door for example those which utilise a cross member comprising a nylon wheel track in which wheels carried by the door are received, there being a pivotal connection between a bracket mounting the wheels and the door to permit pivoting of the door relative to the track to an open position.

Furthermore, the invention need not be applied to a sliding type door, but may be applied to any other door and frame assembly where the problem of the door dropping due to its weight is encountered, in which case the cross member may comprise part of the door frame.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. Awing and frame assembly comprising a cross member which when the wing is in a closed position extends generally parallel to and above a top edge surface of the wing, the wing being mounted relative to the cross member for pivoting movement about a pivot pin which engages with the top edge surface of the wing at a position adjacent a first side edge of the wing, the pin extending at an angle of less than 900 relative to the top edge surface of the wing so that upon at least initial pivoting opening movement of the wing from the closed position, a bottom edge surface of the wing at least adjacent a second side edge of the wing opposite the first side edge is causedto rise.

2. An assembly according to claim I wherein the pivot pin extends at an angle of between 87.90 and 89.60 to the top edge surface of the wing.

3. An assembly according to claim I or claim 2 wherein when the wing is in the closed position, the central axis of the pivot pin lies in a plane, or parallel to a plane, containing longitudinal axes of the cross member and the top edge surface of the wing, the pin being inclined upwards towards the first side edge of the wing.

4. An assembly according to any one of claims I to q wherein the pivot pin comprises a threaded member which is received in a threaded opening in the top edge surface of the door, a head of the member trapping a bracket of the sliding gear or frame, to provide the pivotal connection.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the threaded member is tightened to a predetermined torque and thrust washers or the like are provided to allow the wing to pivot relative to the bracket even when the pivot pin is thus tightened.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wing weighs at least 25 kg.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 wherein the winq weighs more than 30 kg.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein the wing weighs more than 40 kg.

9. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wing weighs less than 80 kg.

10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the wing is a door mounted for sliding movement, the door being hung from the cross member which comprises a track, by the pivotal connection adjacent the first side edge and by a catch adjacent the second side edge, the catch being adapted to release the door to permit the door to pivot relative to the cross member when the door is pushed with a predetermined force.

II. An assembly according to claim 10 wherein the catch mechanism and the pivotal connection are adapted to slide longitudinally of the cross member.

12. An assembly according to Claim 10 wherein sliding of the door is achieved by a motive means.

13. An assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the bottom edge surface of the door comprises a projection which is received and guided by a guide which extends along the floor, during the sliding movement of the door, the projection being mounted adjacent the first side edge generally in line with the pivot pin and with sufficient clearance between the projection -and the guide so that the projection does not interfere with pivoting of the door when the catch is released.

14. An assembly according to claim 13 wherein the guide is a U-shaped channel.

15. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the door is a glazed door, the top and bottom edge surfaces being provided by rails which receive a glazing panel.

16. An assembly according to claim 15 wherein the side edges of the door are provided by styles, orthe edges of the glazing panel.

17. An assembly of a wing and frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.