GB2231079A

GB2231079A - A support rail

Info

Publication number: GB2231079A
Application number: GB9008940A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Deery
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-04-24
Filing date: 1990-04-20
Publication date: 1990-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-20
Also published as: GB2231079B; GB9008940D0; ZA903089B; IE64229B1

Abstract

A support rail for supporting a door or the like which support rail comprises, in cross-section, a substantially d-shaped element (10) having opposing front and back walls (11, 12) in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship. A top wall (13) is disposed transversely relative to and integral with the front wall (11). A first extension wall (18) is disposed upwardly and transversely relative to and integral with the top wall (13) and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall (11). A second extension wall (17) is disposed upwardly relative to and integral with the back wall (12) and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall (11). The first and second extension walls (18, 17) have opposing faces thereof in close proximity to, or in abutting relationship relative to, each other so as to provide a mounting element (17) eg by providing holes therethrough. Each of the front and back walls (11, 12) terminates in a respective v-shaped member (14, 15) for enabling wheels (21) of the door to traverse therealong. <IMAGE>

Description

A SUPPORT RAIL This invention relates to a support rail. In particular, it relates to a support rail for supporting a door adapted for slidable inter-engagement therewith.

Support rails for sliding doors are well known.

However, a significant drawback of the known rails is that mounting brackets must be provided for mounting the rails to a wall. The need for mounting brackets results in the rail being supported away from the wall. This can be undesirable in certain circumstances.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these problems.

The invention, therefore, provides a support rail for supporting a door or the like which support rail comprises, in cross-section, a substantially d-shaped element having opposing front and back walls in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship; a top wall disposed transversely relative to and integral with the front wall; a first extension wall disposed upwardly and transversely relative to and integral with the top wall and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall; a second extension wall disposed upwardly relative to and integral with the back wall and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall; said first and second extension walls having opposing faces thereof in close proximity to, or in abutting relationship relative to, each other so as to provide a mounting element; and wherein each of the front and back walls terminates in a respective v-shaped member for enabling wheels of the door to traverse therealong.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support rail according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the support rail of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a support rail 10 according to the invention which comprises a front wall 11 in substantially parallel spaced relationship relative to a back wall 12. Integral with the front wall 11 is a transversely disposed wall 13. The wall 13 has a transversely disposed extension wall 18 integral therewith which wall 18 is substantially parallel to the wall 11. Each of the walls 11, 12 terminates in respect of v-shaped and opposing channel member 14, 15 separated by a gap 16. The channel members enable the wheels 21 of a door (not shown) to slide thereon. The gap 16 enables the door or an extension thereof to move in slidable fashion therebetween.

The back wall 12 has an extension portion 17 integral therewith and parallel to the front wall 11 The wall 12 together with the transversely disposed extension wall 18 of the wall 13 forms a support wall 19. The support wall 19 has a plurality of mounting holes 20 disposed at intervals along its length and essentially comprises the walls 17, 18, which are in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship, being crimped or sandwiched together. As an alternative, opposing faces of the walls 17, 18 may be in close proximity to each other.

The support rail 10 is made from a single piece of metal or other suitable material being formed into a d-shape as shown. Alternatively the support rail according to the invention may be made from two pieces.

The first piece may comprise the channel member 14, front wall 11, top wall 13 and the first extension wall 18; the second piece may comprise the channel member 15, the back wall 12 and the second extension wall 17. The first and second extension walls 18, 17 are crimped, riveted or otherwise held together so as to provide a support rail according to the invention.

In use, the support rail 10 may be mounted on a building wall (not shown) using suitable screws (not shown) through the holes 20. When in position, the back wall 10 and the second extension wall 17 will be substantially flush with the building wall.

Wheels 21 of the door may be inserted so as to run along the channels 14, 15 in a conventional manner.

If desired, a suitable sealant may be placed between the building wall and the support wall 19 so as to prevent condensation or moisture penetrating behind the back wall 12 and the second extension wall 17.

In addition, if it is desired to provide an extension of the support rail 10 to enable the wheels 21 to traverse a longer distance, an adaptor means (not shown) may be provided which has the same shape and configuration as the support rail 10 but of slightly bigger dimension to enable it to fit over and connect the ends of the two support rails 10 in abutting relationship. Alternatively, the adaptor means may simply have the shape and configuration so that it fits over the top wall 13, the front wall 11 and the channel 14.

The support rail 10 does not require mounting brackets.

The invention is not limited by or to the specific embodiment described which can undergo considerable variation without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A support rail for supporting a door or the like which support rail comprises, in cross-section, a substantially d-shaped element having opposing front and back walls in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship; a top wall disposed transversely relative to and integral with the front wall; a first extension wall disposed upwardly and transversely relative to and integral with the top wall and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall; a second extension wall disposed upwardly relative to and integral with the back wall and in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the front wall; said first and second extension walls having opposing faces thereof in close proximity to, or in abutting relationship relative to, each other so as to provide a mounting element; and wherein each of the front and back walls terminates in a respective v-shaped member for enabling wheels of the door to traverse therealong.

2. A support rail as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first and second extension walls are crimped or sandwiched together.

3. A support rail as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein mounting means is provided in the first and second extension walls for enabling the support rail to be mounted on a wall of a building.

4. A support rail as claimed in any of Claim 1-3 which is of one-piece construction having an opening between the v-shaped members for enabling the door and/or extension thereof to move therebetween.

5. A support rail as claimed in any of Claims 1-4 wherein, in use, a sealant or other suitable material may be disposed between the mounting element and a building wall so as to prevent or substantially reduce the movement of condensation between the mounting element and the building wall.

6. A support rail substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.