US1873522A - Disappearing door safe and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 23, 1932. VA ABBQTT ET AL 1,873,522

DISAPPEARING DOOR SAFE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 2, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet l gmzntom I ALAbbaiz Wfiflll'ller A. L. ABBOTT ET AL. 1,873,522

DiSAFPEARING DOOR SAFE AND THE LIKE I Filed 001;. 2. 1930 6 Sha ets sheet' 2 Aug. 23, 1932.

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' DISAPPEARING DOOR sAqE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 2. 1950 e Sheets-Sheet a Aug. 23} 1932- A. ABBOTT ET A1.

DISAPPEARING DOORSAFE AND THE LIKE s Shets-Sheet 4 I Filed Oct. 2, 1950 I Unvenfvw A. LAMoii Wam'fler W 6m I Aug. 23, 1932.

A. ABBOTT ET AL DISAPPEARING DOOR SAFE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 2. 1950 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug, 23, 1932.

A. 1.. ABBOTT ET AL DISAPPEARING DOOR SAFE AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 mewtom Filed Oct. 2. 1930 cg WflJ/l'ller Patented Aug. 23, 1932' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT L. ABBOTT AND WILLIAM c. mILIJnn, or oANToN; OHIO, essrenons To THE DIEBOLD SAFE & LOCK COMPANY, or JANTON, 01110, A CORPORATION or OHIO DISAZPPEABING DOOR SAFE AND THE LIKE Application filed October 2, 1930. Serial No. 485,959.

Our invention relates to apparatus more particularly adapted for disappearing doors for structures having doorways formed in the walls or frames thereof, and doors operatively mounted for movement to and from closing position in the doorways.

In any such structure, as usually arranged, the door is hinged and swings outwardly in one direction, and either projects directly to outwardly from the doorway, or if swung completely open requires space at the side of the doorway equal to the area of the door.

The space thus required for opening any usual door is waste space, and in particular when the structure is a safe, and more particularly a fire and heat resisting safe, the space requirement for opening and closing the door is very objectionable in the usual ofiice, wherein it is necessary to utilize to the maximum efliciency all the available floor space'by-reason of the steadily increasing rents.

In large offices where a number of fire and heat resisting safes may be used side by side, the inconvenience and waste of space arising from the usual method of hanging safe doors is increased in direct proportion to the number of safes used, and is further increased by the fact that if the safes are placed slde by side a door of one safe when swung entirely open will cover the door of another.

It has heretofore been proposed to mount the door of a safe or similar structure in such manner that the door may be shifted parallel to one of the sides of the structure.

' Such an arrangement is inherently desirable, but the only safe of this character heretofore generally available hasbeen very difficult to operate, requiring the use of both hands of the person opening or closing the door, and has been dangerous in use by reason of the possibility of smashing or cutting off the fingers of the person operating the disappearing door.

Moreover in the disappearing door safe heretofore available, no means'have been provided for taking up the wear'on the working parts which is inevitably associated with the operation of the door.

from a closed position to an opening position The objects of the present invention include the provision of a novel apparatus,

more particularly adapted for providing a disappearing door for a safe or the like, which is simple and economical to manufacture, which may be operated if necessary by the use of onlyone hand of the person opening or closing the door, which embodies safety features preventing injury to the person opening or closing the door and preventing.

incorrect operation of the door during opening or closing thereof, and the working parts of which include adjusting means for taking up wear.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the apparatus, structure, parts, 'imv provements, and combinations, which com-' prise the resent invention, and which are particular y and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms the novel apparatus of the present invention for providing a disappearing door for a safe or the like may be described as including a door frame having a doorway formed therein, a door carriage guide frame extending from one side of the door frame and angular thereto, and preferably at right angles and rearwardly therefrom, there being a door receiving opening formed in the normally front end of the guide frame, a door supporting carriage mounted for movement in the guideframe, tension means for malntainlng the carnage in operative position during movement thereof, the tension means preferably comprising a flexible chain or cable connected at its ends on the carriage and guided'between its ends by preferably stationary rolleri guide means Fig. 7, a

, position;

' member hinged at one side upon the door front wall and providing a closurefor the .door re'ceivin opening of the guide frame during swinging of the door. 1

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view, -with ortions in section, illustrating a safe embo ying the present improved disappearin door structure or apparatus, and the door bemg illustrated in its closed position seated in the tongued and grooved door frame, and the other parts of thd apparatus being illustrated in their respective and relative positions; I

Fi 2, a view similar to Fi 1, illustrating the oor and other arts of t e apparatus in their respective an relative positions when the door is in an intermediateposition between the closing position and the position permitting entrance of the door into the guide frame; I a

Fig. 3, another similar view illustrating the door and other their respective an relative positions when the door is in a position permitting movement of the carriage and door in the guideframe;

Fig. 4, another similar view illustrating the door and other arts of the a paratus in their respective an relative pos1tions when the door has been moved to its extreme retractedposit-ion in the guide frame;

' Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of parts of the. apparatus in an intermediate position between the .positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and in which the door may be hinged with respect to the-carriage; a

.Fig. 6, an enlarged fragmentary view'with portions in section looking in the direction I of the arrows 66, Fig. 3, illustratin releasable engagement of the door wi carriage;

the

detached view of the carriage looking in the direction of its u per end, and

parts of the apparatus In the ' of the apparatus-when the door is in its exwithin the guide frame. Similar numerals refer throughout the drawin s.

The novel disappearlng door structure or apparatus of the present invention is illustreme' retracted or disappearing position [to similar partsv monolithic heat and fire resisting shell indicated generally at 12 and enclosing the compartment 11, the shell being preferably provided with tension re-enforcin means indicated generally at 13, and the s ell and compartment being enclosed in an external metallic case indicated generally at 14.

The front wall of the safe as illustrated is in theform of a door frame 15 having'a doorwax 16 formed therein. door indicated generally at 17 is mounted in the'novel manner hereinafter set forth in detail for swinging movement to and from closin position in, the doorway, and the inner si e, top, and bottom faces of the door frame and the outer side, top, and bottom faces of the door are preferabl tongued and grooved with each other as ilustrated, for

interfitting with each other when the door is v swung to closingI position, whereby when the door is closed t ere is no directpassageway for heat or flames to the interior of. the compartment 11 between-the door and the door frame. 1

and controlled in a usual manner by a lock which may be a combination lock 19.

At one side of the safe .preferabl' parallel with the side wall 20 thereof andY-at right a m The tonguing and grooving of the door' .angles to the front wall or door frame 15, a

door carriage guide frame indicated generthe tracks for the upper end 0 the carria e, junction of the door; frame 15 with the side being indicated in their relative positions in dot and dash lines; v a V Fig. 8, another detached view of the car riage looking in the direction of its lower end, and the tracks for the lower endof the carria e being indicated in dot and dash lines;

ig. 9, a fragmentary front elevation view of the safe when the door is in the closed Fig. 10, an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 9 wlth portions broken away and illustrated in section; w Fig. 11, a fragmentary side elevation lookwall 20. I

The carriage guide frame 21 extends rearwardly from the door frame 15, and a door 11o ally by 21 extends preferably from the corner receivlng opening 22 is formed in the front a,

end wall 23 of the guide frame.

The guide frame 21 includes an .n p'er hori- Y zontal guide track 24 and a lower orizontal guide track '25 extending parallel with each other and rearwardly from the front end wall 23-of the frame.

A door supporting carriage indicated gen erally by 26 is roller mounted for movement in the guide frame from the front end to the rear end thereof, as by means of'laterallyand longltudinally spaced uppe rollers, mounted for rotation about vertical axes on the upper end of the carriage 26 and rolling on opposite'sides of the upper track 24, and

. a lower roller 28 mounted for rotation about ponent of the load applied upon the carriage 26, and transmits the vertical component to the top of the lower track 25.

The upper rollers 27, rolling against the opposite sides of the upper track 24, prevent twisting and lateral movement of the upper end of the carriage; and for preventing twisting and lateral movement of the lower end of the carriage, laterally and longitudinally spaced lower rollers 29 are mounted for rotation at one side of the lower end of the carriage 26, and a secondary track 25 is located in the frame 21 and laterallyspaced from the track 25 and the lower rollers 29 roll against opposite sides of the tracks 25 and 25'.v I

The door 17 preferably includes sheet metal walls forming an outer shell 30, the interior of which is filled with heat resisting material 31 and tension re-enforcing 32, and the front wall 33 of the shell, extends beyond the I .tongued and grooved side face 34 of the door adjacent the guide frame and when the door is in closed position the front wall 33 extends across and closes the door receiving front end opening 22 of the guide frame.

The door 17 is supported by and mounted for swinging on the carriage 26 preferably by double hinge means indicated generally at 35, and when the carriage is at the front end of the guide frame, the door is adapted for swinging movement to and from closingposition in the doorway.

.A latch-device 35 mounted on the carriage,

26 is employed to latch the door to the carriage and in the plane of the carriage. This latch is automatic in the latching action immediately after the carriage starts to move rearwardly; and the latch is automatically released as the carriage approaches the forward end of its movement, thus freeing the door from the latch and permitting it to be swung to closed position.

Novel adjustable tension means for maintaining the carriage in door sustaining position, that is, preventing racking of the carriage under the weight of the heavy door, are indicated generally-at 36, and the tension means preferably include a flexible member 37 which may be a chain as illustrated, and the upper end 37a of the flexible member 37 .is connected to the upper end of the carriage 26, and the lower end 376 of the flexible member 37 is connected to the lower end of the carriage 26.

Means for sustaining and guiding the load and 380; and thesprocket roller 38a is mounted for rotation at the upper rear portion of the frame 21; and the-sprocket rollers 38!) and 380 are spaced from each other longitudinally of thetracks; and the sprocket 38b is mounted for rotation at the rear lower portion of the frame 21; and the sprocket 380 is mounted for rotation at the forward lower portion of the frame 21.

, The flexible member passes rearwar'rllly from its upper end 37a about the upper roller 38a, and thence downwardly about the lower roller 38?), and thence forwardly about the lower roller 38c, and thence upwardly and rcarwardly to the connection of its lower end 37?) with the lower end of the carriage.

For adjusting the tension 6f the flexible member 37, a turnbuckle 39 is preferably. in-

terposed 'in the flexible member preferably between the sprocket roller 38a and the sprocket roller 38?).

Each latch means 35' may include as illustrated a latch arm 40 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis as on a pivot screw 41 passing through a suitable bearing aperture in the upper end of the arm 40 and screwing into the carriage 26.

Spring means 42 yieldingly urge the lower end of the latch arm 40 towards the front of 'the guide frame, and a stop 43 may be provided'for limiting the forward movement of the latch arm. 1

door receiving opening 22 into the guide 1.

frame. a

' Means are providedwhich operate to release the latch means 35' from position engaging the door and the carriage when the {carriage is moved to a predetermined forward position, and the latch releasing means may each include a stop tongue 44 secured at the front of the guide frame 23 for being abutted by a pin 45 on the cooperating latch arm 40 when the carriage is moved to its extreme forward position as illustrated in Figs.

5 and 11:

Means are provided for limiting the for-- ward movement of the carriage 26 and may include a tongue 46 depending from the bottom face at the rear of the door wall 33 and movable for abutment against a stop 47 exgrooved door 17 into the tongued and grooved door frame 15, the novel double hinge means 35 cooperate with hinge pins 48 mounted at the upper and lower ends of the carriage side of the door frame 15 in the position ordinarily occupied by ordinary hinge pins, and

I each hinge in 48 cooperates with'a rearwai'd- We claim:

"pin 48 and pivotal- 1y opening aring slot 49formed in abracket 1. Apparatus for disappearing doors and mounted on the wall33 of the door between the like including a door frame having a I the door shell and the carriage. v 7 t v The double hin e 35 and: the cooperating frame extending from and angular to the ring 49, as well as other door frame adjacent one side of the doorway,

details of. constructi on illustrated herein, but the the invention of AlbertL. Abbott, ,William doorway, a carriagemounte in the guide C. Miller, and Charles E. Miller, and will be frame for movement towards and awa from set forth in a companion application for Letthe door frame, a door mounted on t e cartainmg the above set forth objects, is broadly frame, ermitting movement 0 the door into adapted for use wherever it is desired to supthe g l 6 frame, means maintaining the. carport a ponderous member such as a door or riage indoor sustaining position, and a rigthe like'on a carriage mounted for translatory I 1dl earned wall'on the door extending across ceiving opening 22 of the guide frame v The present invention furthermore-prefer 0 ni g movementin a guide frame. an forming a closure 'for the door receiving ably includes protective means for preventt e d orway. ing the fingers of an o rator ofthe improved 2. In means of the character set forth: a

disappearing door sa e 10 from being caught safe-structure having its front wall provided between the hinge side of the front wall 33. With a door framejand havinglateral walls d f nt e d i -22 of th id -f extending rearwardly from theplane of said .21.. W I The prote ti mean ay i l d side of and vadjacent one lateral well, said I door frame and having a carriage frame outide frame having a door receiving. not further described or claimed, comprise openlng formed therein and s aced from the when the door is in closed position in doorway formed therein, a carriage gmde .tersPatent. riage and movable 'between closing, sition V The I resent invention, while particularly in he doorway and a positlon in ahnement adapted for use in safes as aforesaid for atth e o re i g op m o the gulde ondar lo u e e be hieh i hi g carriage frame having a track extending be- I mount d nd i .h 1d th 1133 f. tween the planes of the front and rear walls erably between the door. shell and the carof the structure ;,a carriage mounted to travel i d: whi h t d o th d forwardly and rearwardly on said track, said The operation .of the e o da closure door swingingly mounted on'said mullion,

.-me b 60 i b t d t d-i Fi -1, 2 ada ted to be swung fromclosed position d 5, Th b i i J Id i th to e plane of thecarriage frame, and vice sition shown inFig. 1, but yields as shown in versa, when the mullion is at the front end of I Fig. 2 inthe o eration of opening the door. itStraVeI'Se;'aI1d g -C r i g e- 6 It will be un erstood that the member 60 vice connecting Saidearriage and said frame, serves asjagu'ard to prevent the fingers of said devlce mcludmg flexible connecting any erson'standing near being accidentally means and supports therefor. near the front cau t between the rear end of the extension nd rear ends of the traverse of the plate 33 and the w'al123 at the front sa1d'dev1ce serving end of the frame inwhich the door is housed rueu right position, regardless of the posiafter it is opened. When the door is in the tion 0 said carriageon said track.

closed position shown in Fig.1 the rigid and the prises a chain and said supports comprise at front end of the ids-frame guard 60, lies a jacent the front-wall pinions engaging said chain and journalled s chain .36 has a compensating own in Fi 1 and 2. a X v on the carnage frame at points near the front Referring to lg 8. 11 and 12, it Wlll be. um I and rear en s of traverse of said mullion. derstood that when the'door is shovedream 4. A structure as specified in claim 2, in .wardly mto the guide-frame, the tension which said flexible connecting means comwhich permits this action, but evertheless upper and lower end portions of said'mulli'on, serves to held the mullion 26, accuratelyrin an said supports comprise pinions mounted upri lzt position. As has been stated; the on the carriage frame, one at the lower front weig o I at the upper ;rear portion of said frame. v The foregoing detailed description has A structure as specified in claim 2, in been given for clearness of understandin which saidflexible connectingmeans and said only and no unnecessary limitations should supports aredisposed ina plane outside of be understood therefrom but the appended and parallel claims should be be construed as broadly as mullion travels.

-' 'p'ermissib ein view of the prior art.

carriage comprising an upright mullion; a

3 A structure as defined in claim 2, extension of the'plate 33 covers. the openmg whlch -sa1d flexible connecting means com-- with the plane in which said movement prises a chain having its ends secured to the j a thedoor tends totilt' the carriage portion of said'frame, one at the lower rear forwardly, but the tension chain counteracts portion of saidframe, and .one

or counter-balances-thi's'tendency.' I

6. In means 'of the character set forth; g in.

of said mullion, I to hold said mullion in safe-structure having its front wall provided with a door frame and having lateral walls extending rearwardly from the plane of said door frame; a closed chamber outside of and parallel with one end-wall of the safe-structure, constituting a carriage-frame equipped with a track, said chamber having at its front wall a vertical opening; a carriage mounted on said track, comprising an upright mullion adapted to travel forwardly and rearwardly in said chamber; a door swingingly mounted on said mullion and movable through said opening, said door having a rigid extension adapted to form a closure for the opening and a carriage-controlling device connecting said carriage and frame, said device including flexible connecting means having its ends secured to the upper and lower portions of said mullion, and supports therefor journalled on said frame, said supports being disposed, one at the lower front corner, one at the lower rear corner, and one at the upper rear corner of said frame. a

7. A structure as specified in claim 6, in which the flexible connecting means and the supports therefor are located within the chamber outside of the plane of traverse of said carriage.

8. In a structure of the character set forth:

a guide-frame provided with a track; a carriage movable on said track comprising an upright mullion; a door swingingly mounted on said mullion, adapted to swing from. a position in the plane of said guide-frame to a position at right angles thereto, and vice versa,.when said carriage is at the forward end of its traverse; and a carriage-controlling device located at one side of the plane in which said carriage travels connecting said carriage and frame, said device including flexible connecting means and supports therefor near both ends of the path traversed by said carriage, said supports permitting compensating movement of said flexible means as thecarriage travels.

9. In means of the character set forth: a safe-structure havinga front wall provided with a door frame and having lateral walls extending rearwardly from the front wall; a carriage guide frame disposed outside of and parallel with one lateral wall of said structure; a carriage mounted in said guideframe for forward and rearward movement therein; a door swingingly mounted on said carriage and movable between closing posi tion in said door frame and a position in the plane of said carriage guide-frame; and releasable latching means for latching the door and the carriage together in position permitting movement of the door into the guideframe.

10. A structure as specified in claim 9, in which the'door is provided with a rigid extension projecting beyond the door-supporting hinges, and in which said releasable which a guard member is hinged to the rigid extension of said door and projects beyond the free vertical edge thereof when the door is in closed position.

In testimony that we claim the above, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

' ALBERT L. ABBOTT.

'WILLIAM G. MILLER.

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