GB388551A - Improvements in and relating to sliding doors - Google Patents

Abstract

388,551. Sliding doors for vehicles. SUNSALOON BODIES, Ltd. and PEARSON, D. A., Castleford Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham. Jan. 29, 1932, Nos. 2657 and 8447. [Class 103 (ii).] The track h, Figs. 1 and 2, of a sliding door d, such as the door of a passenger vehicle, is formed with depressions j or gaps in the path of the supporting rollers a, the arrangement being such that the weight of the door is taken by pads g when the rollers are in the recessed or gapped portions of the track. In the form shown, each roller a consists of a hardened steel ring mounted around a roller bearing carried by a pin b. The pins b are fixed to brackets c which are secured to the door and interconnected by a bar e. An angle strip f is provided at each end of the bar and to each strip is fixed the load-taking device g consisting of a pad of waxed or oil-impregnated canvas, fibre, leather, or the like. The pads are normally clear of the lower edge of the track but drop slightly with the door to engage frictionally with the track when the rollers register with the recesses or gaps. The pads g may be connected to shoes by parallel links so that the door and rollers are raised on to the track when moved from the position of rest. To prevent the door from jumping when in this latter position, a spring blade may be fixed to the track above each recess j ; alternatively a spring plunger may be employed. A guide rail k, Fig. 7, is secured to the lower edge of the door and runs in a channel guide n. Spring clips m are arranged at intervals around the channel and provide a resilient guide for the rail. The latter may be thickened or deformed at intervals in order to provide a more rigid grip when the door is supported on the pads g. In one modification, the clips are mounted on the door and the guide rail is secured to the door frame.