GB2217368A

GB2217368A - Sliding door assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2217368A
Application number: GB8802396A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James Chandler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-02-03
Filing date: 1988-02-03
Publication date: 1989-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-03
Also published as: GB8802396D0; GB2217368B

Abstract

A sliding door assembly comprising a door (18), slidable longitudinally along an overhead track (26) from a closed position into an enclosure region which receives the door when the door is in an open position, wherein the overhead track is supported within the enclosure region by support means, e.g. screws engaged with keyhole slots in the track, which can be disengaged from supporting relationship with the track from a position externally of the enclosure region. The assembly is in the form of a transportable module comprising a frame (12-14), to be received, in use, within an opening in a wall of a building, the overhead track being supported on the frame to guide, in use, the door, which is slidable longitudinally along the track. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Sliding Door Assembly" Description of Invention This invention relates to a sliding door assembly.

Hitherto sliding doors have been fitted in situ in an opening in a wall of a building. The door is guided by an overhead track and hitherto the track has been built into the opening in such a way as to render removal of the track for maintenance and/or repair and/or removal if possible without damage to the surroundings to the door.

An object of the invention is to provide a sliding door assembly whereby the above problem is overcome or is reduced and a further object of the invention is to provide a sliding door assembly which can be more easily fitted on site than hitherto.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a sliding door assembly comprising a door, slidable longitudinally along an overhead track from a closed position into an enclosure region which receives the door when the door is in an open position, wherein the overhead track is supported within the enclosure region by support means which can be disengaged from supporting relationship with the track from a position externally of the enclosure region.

Accordingly, the track can be removed for maintenance and/or repair and/or replacement without requiring access to be gained to the interior of the enclosure region and without damage to the surroundings of the door.

The support means may comprise members which are movable into and out of supporting relationship with the track by a movement of the track relative to the enclosure region in the longitudinal direction of the track.

The support means may comprise headed members on one of the track or a support element within the enclosure region, received in an aperture in the other of the track or the support element, the aperture having an entry portion through which the head of a member can pass, on relative movement of the track relative to the support element in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the track, and a support portion disposed longitudinally relative to the entry portion through which the head cannot pass.

The track may be supported externally of the enclosure region by a suitable support means such as screws which restrain the track from longitudinal movement as well as from vertical and transverse movement relative to a support element.

The track can therefore be removed simply by removing the screws or other support means externally of the enclosure region, to which access can easily be gained, then sliding the track axially to align the heads with the entry portions of their associated apertures, followed by transverse movement of the track within the enclosure region to disengage the support means from the apertures following which the track is free to be removed from the assembly.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a sliding door assembly in the form of a transportable module comprising a frame, to be received, in use, within an opening in a wall of a building, an overhead track supported on the frame to guide, in use, a door, which is slidable longitudinally along the track, from a closed position, in which an opening defined by the frame is closed by the door, into an enclosure region provided within the frame to receive the door when the door is in an open position.

According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a enclosure region for a sliding door assembly comprising wall members which define therebetween a space within which a sliding door can be received.

Preferably, the enclosure region is constructed in the form of a transportable module which can be transported to site in assembled condition.

Accordingly, in the second and third aspect of the invention the module can be fully assembled on site, for example, under controlled conditions in a factory, transported to site in assembled form and then simply fitted, on site, into an opening in a wall of a building.

In all aspects the frame may comprise first and second uprights at opposite ends of the frame joined together by top and bottom members to form a rectangular frame to be received in said opening in the wall, a pair of spaced upright door jambs extending between the top and bottom members intermediate their ends and defining one vertical edge of the opening to be closed by the door, the region between the jambs and the first upright providing the enclosure region.

The second upright may define the opposite vertical side of the opening.

Alternatively, in the first aspect the second upright may define one side of a second enclosure region there being a second pair of door jambs extending between the top and bottom members intermediate their ends and defining the opposite side of the opening to be closed by the door.

Such a frame may be assembled on site from two modules according to the third aspect of the invention.

Where the frame has two enclosure members a pair of sliding doors is provided one door of each pair being received in a respective enclosure region.

A plurality of noggings may extend between the first upright member and the door jambs and between the second upright member and the door jambs of the second pair if present. Cover members may be fastened thereto to the noggings.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein, FIGURE I is a side elevation of a sliding door assembly embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is a side elevation showing a wall of a building having the sliding door assembly of Figure I incorporated therein, FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of an overhead track of the assembly of Figure I, and FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing an alternative embodiment where the sliding door asssembly is a pair of sliding doors.

Referring to the Figures, a sliding door assembly is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a first upright II and a second spaced, parallel upright I 2 Joined together by a headboard 13 and a lower threshold 14 to form a rectangular frame which, in use, is received in an opening of corresponding shape in a wall 15 of a building. Intermediate the ends of the headboard 13 and threshold 14 is a pair of door jambs 16 which are spaced apart to provide a gap 17 therebetween through which a door 18 can pass. Noggings 19 extend between the first upright 11 and the jambs 16 and the space 20 there within comprises an enclosure region in which the door 18 is received when the door is in an open position.The jambs 16 define one side 21 of an opening 22 which is closable by the door 18 when the door is in a closed position, shown in the Figures and the second upright 12 defines the opposite side 23 of the opening 22. The jambs 16 are reinforced by steel angle members 24 which are fastened by screws to the jambs 16 and the noggings 19.

Within the opening 22 a pair of pelmets 25a, 25b are provided fastened to the headboard 13, jambs 16 and upright 12. Fastened to one pelmet 25a and to the adjacent nagging 19 is an overhead track 26 with which cantilevered wheels 27 attached to the top end of the door 18 are engaged so that the door 18 is suspended on the track 26 for sliding movement in the longitudinal direction of the track. The bottom of the door may be guided by a suitable bottom track provided on the bottom member 14 of the frame.

The track 26 is supported on the pelmet 25a by means of three conventional wood screws 28 which pass through circular openings 28a in the track into the pelmet 25a. Within the enclosure region 20 the hereinbefore mentioned one nagging 19 is provided with conventional wood screws 29 having, for example, round heads and the track 26 is provided with a pair of "key hole" shaped openings 30 having a generally circular entry port 30a of a size to permit the passage of the heads of the screws with which the nagging is provided and a support part 31 which extends axially from the entry part 30a and is of a size so as not to permit passage of the heads of screws 29.

The track can therefore be supported within the enclosure region 20 by aligning the heads of the screws 29 with the entry portions 30a and then moving the track transversely of its longitudinal extent to pass the heads through the entry portions 30a and then moving the track, to the left in Figure 1, to align the screws 29 with the support portions 31. The screws 28 are then driven through the openings 28a into the pelmet 25a following which the pelmet 25b is fastened in position. When it is desired to remove the track for maintenance or repair or replacement it is simply necessary to remove the pelmet 25b, remove the screws 28 engaged with the apertures 28a, slide the track to the right to again align the heads of the screws with the entry portions 30a and then move the track transversely to pass the heads of the screws 29 through the entry portions 30a whereupon the track 26 is free to be removed from the assembly.

The sliding door assembly as thus far described may be completely assembled off site (except for the door 18 and pelmet 25b which may be omitted if desired), for example, under controlled conditions in a factory and then transported to site where the assembly is positioned within a suitable sized opening in the wall of the building and fastened therein using conventional fixings to the frame members II - 14. The thickness of the assembly is such as to conform to the thickness of the wall so that, for example, the wall may be finished by fastening closure members in the form of plasterboard sheets 32 to the wall 15 and to the noggings 19 whilst further plasterboard panels 32 may be fastened to the wall 15 on the opposite side of the opening therein and the width of the upright 12 is such as to equal the distance between the external surfaces of the plasterboard panels 32.A conventional architrave 33 is then fastened in position.

In the present example, the frame members are made of timber and are 5" x la size. The noggings are also made of timber and are of 3" x 1" size and the door jambs 16 are likewise of timber and of 2" x 2" size. The steel angles 24 are of 1" x 1" size.

Referring now to Figure 5, if desired the invention may be applied to a double door assembly. In this case a frame assembly may be made in the form of a single transportable module comprising a rectangular frame having two opposite enclosure regions each of which is constructed as described hereinbefore in connection with Figures 1 to 4. However, preferably to facilitate transport, the assembly may comprise first and second enclosure regions constructed as described hereinbefore but with a separate intermediate headboard and a lower threshold and pelmets. On site the two enclosure regions would be connected together by fastening the headboard and lower thresholds associated with each enclosure region to the intermediate headboard and threshold using steel plates screwed to the adjacent headboards and thresholds.The one pelmet would then be fastened in position followed by the overhead track in two lengths, and the construction finished by engaging the doors with the tracks,assembling the other pelmet and then finishing off by applying plasterboard and fixing the architrave as described hereinbefore.

Of course, if desired, in all cases conventional wet plaster may be applied over the plasterboard in which case the architrave may be applied after plastering has been completed.

The enclosure region may be provided by a frame to be received, insitu, within an opening in a wall of a building.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, 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

CLAIMS:

1. A sliding door assembly comprising a door, slidable longitudinally along an overhead track from a closed position into an enclosure region which receives the door when the door is in an open position, wherein the overhead track is supported within the enclosure region by support means which can be disengaged from supporting relationship with the track from a position externally of the enclosure region.

2. An assembly according to Claim I wherein the support means comprises members which are movable into and out of supporting relationship with the track by a movement of the track relative to the enclosure region in the longitudinal direction of the track.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the support means comprises headed members on one of the track or a support element within the enclosure region, received in an aperture in the other of the track or the support element, the aperture having an entry portion through which the head of a member can pass, on relative movement of the track relative to the support element in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the track, and a support portion disposed longitudinally relative to the entry portion through which the head cannot pass.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the track is supported externally of the enclosure region by suitable support means which restrain the track from longitudinal movement as well as from vertical and transverse movement relative to a support element.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the assembly is in the form of a transportable module comprising a frame, to be received, in use, within an opening in a wall of a building, the overhead track being supported on the frame to guide, in use, the door, which is slidable longitudinally along the track, from the closed position, in which an opening defined by the frame is closed by the door, into the enclosure region provided within the frame to receive the door when the door is in the open position.

6. A sliding door assembly in the form of a transportable module comprising a frame, to be received, in use, within an opening in a wall of a building, an overhead track supported on the frame to guide, in use, a door, which is slidable longitudinally along the track, from a closed position, in which an opening defined by the frame is closed by the door, into an enclosure region provided within the frame to receive the door when the door is in an open position.

7. An assembly according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the frame comprises first and second uprights at opposite ends of the frame joined together by top and bottom members to form a rectangular frame to be received in said opening in the wall, a pair of spaced upright door jambs extending between the top and bottom members intermediate their ends and defining one vertical edge of the opening to be closed by the door, the region between the jambs and the first upright providing the enclosure region.

8. An assembly according to Claim 7 wherein the second upright defines the opposite vertical side of the opening.

9. An assembly according to Claim 7 wherein the second upright defines one side of a second enclosure region there being a second pair of door jambs extending between the top and bottom members intermediate their ends and defining the opposite side of the opening to be closed by the door.

10. An assembly according to Claim 9 wherein the frame is assembled on site from two modules according to the third aspect of the invention and wherein a pair of sliding doors is provided one door of each pair being received in a respective enclosure region.

II. An assembly according to any one of Claims 7 to 10 wherein a plurality of noggings extend between the first upright member and the door jambs.

12. An assembly according to Claim 11 when dependent upon Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein a plurality of noggings extend between the second upright member and the door jambs of the second pair.

13. An assembly according to Claim II or Claim 12 wherein cover members are fastened to the noggings.

14. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A enclosure region for a sliding door assembly comprising wall members which define therebetween a space within which a sliding door can be received.

16. An enclosure region according to Claim 15 wherein the enclosure region is constructed in the form of a transportable module which can be transported to site in assembled condition.

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

17. A building incorporating an assembly or enclosure region as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

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

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A sliding door assembly comprising a door, slidable longitudinally along an overhead track from a closed position into an enclosure region which receives the door when the door is in an open position, wherein the overhead track is supported within the enclosure region by support means which can be disengaged from supporting relationship with the track from a position externally of the enclosure region.

2. An assembly according to Claim I wherein the support means comprises members which are movable into and out of supporting relationship with the track by a movement of the track relative to the enclosure region in the lonqitudinal direction of the track.

6. A sliding door assembly comprising a frame, which is received, in use, within an opening in a wall of a building, an overhead track supported on the frame to guide, in use, a door, which is slidable longitudinally along the track, from a closed position, in which an opening defined by the frame is closed by the door, into an enclosure region provided within the frame to receive the door when the door is in an open position.

12. An assembly according to Claim II when dependent upon Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein a plurality of noggings extend between the second upright member and the door jambs of the second pair.

13. An assembly according to Claim 11 or Claim 12 wherein cover members are fastened to the noggings.

14. An assembly according to Claim 6 or any one of Claims 7 to 13 when dependent on Claim 6 wherein the assembly is constructed in the form of a transportable module which can be transported to site in assembled condition and received, on site, within said opening in a wall of a building.

15. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A building incorporating an assembly or enclosure region as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.