US1888456A - Garage door - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 22, 1932. w RR 1,888,456

GARAGE DOOR Filed Nov. 5, 1928 Fatened Nov. 22, 1932 PTEN FEC WELLIJIAM 1D. FERBIS, 0F STERLNG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 EBAN'I'Z MANU'FACHUBIQ'G C- F S'LERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPOBATION 0I 1II:INOIS ABAGE DOOR Application fl1ed November 5, 1928. Seria No. 317,178.

i.his inventien relates te garage doers, er d00rs for other buildings, and more par1cuarly te doers of this kind, thai' are adapted and constructed te move upvvardly out of the deorway, er ether opening, and int o an open p0sition overhead, er into a pos1t1on at the tep of the opening.

Generally stated, therefore, the 0b]GC of the invention is te provide a novel and improved construction whereby the door, or other closure, is composed of seet-ions h1nged together and mounted te old into open positi0n at the top of the doorway, er oijher opening, whereby te obviate the necess1ty of empleying overhead trucks, or rails, er grr1des, and whereby ether advantages are obta1ned, as Will hereinafter more fully appear.

t is also an object to provide certain de tails and features of construction and COII1b1- nations tending te inerease the general efficiency and desirability of an overhead folding door or closure of this particular character.

T0 the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an inside view or rear elevation of a garage door construction involving the prineiples of the invention, showing ad acent portions of the doerway and the front wall of the building;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2, 2 in Figure 1, the door being shown in closed position in these two figures of the drawing;

F igure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, bui: showing the door in open position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section on line 1, 4: in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical detail section on line 5, 5 in Figure 1.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a plurality of horizontally disposed door seetions 1, 2 and 3, disposed in the same vertical plane, the upper section 1 being conneeted by hinges 4 to the stationary portion 5 of the doorway. These hinges 4 are preferably of such eonstruction that they have some lost motion therein, permitting the pivots thereof t0 move slightly up and down, some upward displacement being necessary When the sections 1 and 2 are pushed inwardly in starting the opening movement of the door. The sections 1 and 2 are connected together by outside hinges 6, and the seetion 2 may be provided inside with a hinged er folding handle 7. H necessary er desiralole, a simi1ar handle 8 can be provded on the outer side of the section 2 of the door. The seetions 2 and 3 are hinged together by means ef the inside hinges 9, and the section 3 may have an outside handle 10 for use in pul]ing the door down into closed position.

The hinges 9 have sheaves 11 traveling in the vertical guides 12, disposed at opposite sides of the doorway and, in addition, these sheaves have suitable portions for engaging the eounterbalance cords er conneetions 13, whch latter have their lower ends attached to the seetion 3 at 14, and have their upper portions supported by stationary sheaves 15 mounted in the doorway frame, or in the structure of the building, each cord having a counterweight 16 for its ether end, as shown.

The sections of the door rest firmly against the inside of the door-jamb 17, When the door is in closed position, and, in addition, the l0wer section 3 is held tightly by the inside strips 0r nner jamb 18, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. When the door is in elosed position, the weghts 16 are ineapable of pulling the door up into open position.

However, When it is desired to open the door. it is only necessary to take held of the handle 7 and pull the seetions 1 and 2 in wardly, which movement causes section 3 te slide upwardly in the plane thereof. When the door is thus partially opened, and When the section 3 has been disengaged :Erom the inner jamb 18, the weights 16 are then opera tve to fold the door sections together and pull the door into open positon, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

T0 close the door, it is only necessary to reach up and grasp the handle 10 and pull the sections downward until the lower edge of the sect-ion 3 is between the outside jamb 17 and the inside jamb 18, and by then pushing en the sections 1 and 2 from the inside,

the door structure will be straightened out in the manner shown in Figure 2 of the drawin" and will thus be closed.

t is obvious, of course, that a doorof this kind ean be locked either from the outside or from the inside, in \arious ways, depending upon conditions and 1 uirements. In some cases, it may be desirab e to unlock the door and open it from the outside, but if the ga rage has a rear door, the overhead folding door ma then be unlocked and opened from the insi e.

As shown, the door comprises three sections hinged together, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular number of sections, nor to the exact construction shown and described.

With the fore oing construction and mode of ration, which is illustrative of one form of tii: invention, it will be seen that no overhead trucks, or rails, or guides, are necessary, inasmuch as the door has no sliding movement overhead, but, to the contrary, is simply composed of hinged or articulated sections that fold together upwardly into a compact position overhead. Fnrthermore, when the door is closed, practically the entire weight thereof is sustamed at its lower edge, as the lower ed of the section 3 will rest on the floor or s1ll of the doorway because of the lost motion in the hinges 4, and in this way the door is tight all around when in closed position, and the slight space 19 at the upper edge of the section 1 is fully covered by the frame rtion 20 of the doorway when the door is in closed position. Moreover, the invention is of such character that the door sections can be made of light wood, if desired, and do not necessarily have to be made of metal, although wood or metal, or other materials, can be employed, if desired. When properly balanced, very little efi'ort is required to raise the door into open position, and very litt-le efl'ort is required to pull the door down into closed positmn.

It will be seen that the uppermost section 1 and the middle section 2 are hinged together to break joint inwardly, while the middle and lowermost sections are hinged together to break joint outwardly, whereby the outer sides of the uppermost and 1niddle sections coma together, whereas the inner sides of the middle section and the lowermost section come practically flatwiSe together, when the door is folded and in open position. The nppermost section 1, it will be seen, is hinged at its upper edge to the top of the doorway to swing inwardly and npwardlv and the counterbalancing means are efective to hold the sections folded tightly together and in overhead position when the door is open.

It will be seen that the point of attachment or engagement 14 of the counterbalancing means 13 with the lowermost section 3 is movable toward and away from the vertical plane of the door during the motion of the door in closing and opening, whereby this point 14 is some distance inside of the vertical plane of the door, when the door is in fullv opened position. In this way, the point of attaclnnent.

or engagement 14 assumes the position by whioh it advantageously supports theweight of all three sections in raised )osition and prevents the loWerm0st section rom sagging downwardly when the door is fully open. Thus, the counterbalancing means is attached only to the lowermost section of the door, and snch mcans is sufiicient to support the entire door in raised position. The lowermost edge of the door is releasable from the vertical )lane of the door and is free when the door is in fully opened position, for the reasons and in the manner explained.

VVhen the door is open, it will be seen that the sections 1 2 and 3 are entirely inside the doorway, in a safe and dry place overhead, so that they will not be ontside and will not catch rain or snow, when the door is open.

In eflect, therefore, the flexible connections 13 are connected only to the lowermost section 3, in the sensethat while these connections control the sections 1 and 2 it is nevertheless true that they only do this through the medium of the hinges between the sections. In other words, these flexible counterbalancing connections are so attached that they control the lowermost section directly, and only control the other sections through the medium of said hinges.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A door construction comprising a plu rality of vertically disposed and hinged or aiticulated sections all mounted to fold upwardly together into a final overhead open position at the top of the doorway, having means wherebv a lower section is movable upwardly a distance in the vertical plane thereof, in the operation of opening the door and is movable downward in said plane in the closing of the door, the lowermost edge of the door being releasable from said plane and being free when the door is folded and fully open.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, (omprising counterhalancing means connected to said lower section to assist in lifting and folding the door upwardly into open position, with the lower edge of said lower section free and inside the building.

3. A structure as snecified in claim 1. (omprising vertically disposed guides at the sides of the doorway, with means at the joint between two of the sections for engaging said guides, inner and outer doorjambs, the inner door-iambs being of less height than the lowermost section of the door, when the door is in closed position, whereby the said lowermost section is itlens able from the door-jambs to permit upward folding of the door sections, and permitting unfolding of the seotions and re-entranoe of. the iower section between saici inner and outer jambs, together with counterbalanci1g n1eans attached to the iowernmst section.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising verticaliy disposed guides at the sdes of the doorway, with means at the joint between Ltwo of the sections or engaging said guides, inner and outer door-jambs, the inner door-ja1nbs being of 1ess height than the 10W- ermost section of the door, when the door is in ciosed osition, whereby the said lowermost sect1on is releasable from the doorj ambs to per1nit upward foiding of the door sections, and permitting unfoiding of the sections and re-entrance o the iower section between said inner and outer jambs, together with eounterbaiancing 1neans attache to the iowermost section, the1e being three of said sections, the uppermost and the middle sections being hinged to break joint inwardly, and he middle and the owermost sections being hinged to break joint outwzircily, when the door is opened, and the uppermost soetion having its upper edge portion hinged to the top of the doorway in a manner permitting the uppennost section to swing i11- wardly and upwardly, but the outer doorjamb holding the sections against outward movement and in the same pane when the door is in c1osed position.

5. A structure as speeified in claim 1, there being three of said sections, the uppermost seetion being hinged at its upper e(ige to the top of the doorway in a 1nanner per1nittiug this section to swing inwardly and upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost secion being hinged together to break joint i11- wardly, the middle section and the lowermost section being hinged together to break joint outwardly, and inner and outer door jambs holding said lowermost seotion in a vertical plane during the initial opening movement of the door, as well as during the final clos ing movement thereof.

6. A structu1e as specified in claim 1, there being three of said sections,the uppermostsection being hinged at its upper edge to the top of the doorway in a n1anner permitting this section to swing inwardly and upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost section being hinged together to break joint inward ly, the middle section and the lowermost section being hinged together to break joint outwardly, and inner and outer door jamlos holding said lower1nost section in a vertieal plane during the initial opening 1noven1ent of the door, as well as during the final closing movement thereof, together with counterbalancing means attached to said lowermost section, serving to hold the seetions folded tightly together in overhead position.

7. A door construction comprisng a plurality of vertically disposed and hinged or articulated sections mounted t0 fold upwardly together into an overhead position at the top of the doorway, comprising vertically disposed guidcs at the sdes of the doorway, with means on the joint between two of the sections 01 engaging said guides, inner and outer door-jambs,- the inner do'or-jambs being of 1(ss height than the owermost section of the door, when the door is in oiosed position, whereby the said owermost section is releasable. from the door-jambs to permit upward folding of the door sections, and permtting unfolding of the sections and reentrance of the lower section between said inuor and outer jambs, together with counterbalancing means attached to the owermost section.

8. A door eonstruction comprising a. piuiaiity of vertically disposed and hinged 01 articulated sections mounted to o1d upward- 1y together into an overhead position at the top of the doorway, comprising vertically disposed guides at the sides of the doorway, with 1neans on the joint between two of 1the sections fox engaging said guides, inner an outer door-jambs, the inner door-jambs bng of less height than the iowermost section of the door, when the door is in cioseci position, whereby the sai lowermost section is releasable from the door-jambs to permit upward folding of the door sections, and per- 1nittr'ng unfolding of the sections and reentrance of the iower section between said inner and outer jambs, together with counterbalancin means attached to the lowermost section, tiere being three of said sections, the uppermost and the middle sections being hinged to break joint inwardly, and the middle and the iowermost sections being hinged to break joint outwardly, when the door is opened, and the uppermost section having its upper edge portion hinged to the top of the doorway in a marmer permitting the upper- 1nost seott on to swing inwardly and upward ly, but the outer door-jamb holding the sections against outward movement and in the same plane when the door is in closed position.

9. A door construction comprising a plurality of vertically disposed and hinged or articulated sections mounted t0 fold upwardly together into an overhead position at the top of the doorway, there being th ree o f sa1d sections, the uppern1ost section be1ng h1nged at its upper edge to the top of the doorway in a manner permtting this section to sw ng inwardly and upwardly, the middle sect1on and the uppermost section being hingeg to gether to break joint inwardly, the m1ddle section and the lowermost section being hinged together to break joint outwardly, and means holding said lowermost section in a vertical plane during a portion of the opening movement of the door, as well as during a portion of the closing movement thereof.

10. A door construction comprising a lurality of verticully disposed and hinge or articulatcd sections mounted to fold upwardly together into un overhead positioh at the top of the doorway, there being threo of suid seotions, the uppermst section being hinged at its upper edge to the top of the doorway in a mnnner permitting this section to swing i nwardly and upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost section being hinged together to break joint inwardly, the middle section nd the lowermost section being hinged togethcr to break joint outwardly, meuns holding said lowermost secton in a. verticel plane during a portion of the opening movement of the door, as well as during a portion of the closing movement thereof, nnd counterbalancing means attached in effect to said lowermost section, serving to hold the sections folded tightly together in overhead position.

11. A door construction comprising a lurality of vertically disposed and hinge or articulated sections mounted to fold upwardly together into an overhead position at the top of the doorway, and counterbalancing means attached in effect only to the lowermost hinged seetion of the door, the point of attachment of said lowermost section being movable toward and away from the vertical plane of the door, by the opening and closing motion of the door, whereby said point of attachment is a distance inside of said plane when the door is in raised position, to provide leverage to hold the door in raised position with the lower edge of snid lowermost section free and inside the building.

12. An overhead vertical door comprising upper and lower sections and en intermediate section hingod together, guiding means ex tending vertically at each side of the door, and counterbalancing means having engagement with the lower hinged section to support all of the sections in raised position, the point of support of said connterbalancing means on said lower section being movable away from the vertical plane of the door and said gniding ineans when the door is folded into final open position, thereby to support the sections in raised position, to provide leverage to hold the door in raised position, with the lower edge of said lower section free and inside the building.

13. A structure as specified in claim 1, smid lowermost edge being the lower edge of said lower section of the door, and this lower section havin z its said free edge inside the building when the door is in overhead open position. and having its upper edge practically retained in said vertical plane when the door is in said open position.

14. A door construction comprising a plurality of vertically disposed and hinged or articulated sections mounted to fold upwardly together into an overhead 'position at the top of the doorwuy, comprising hinges between sections to break joint inwardl other hinges between sections to break joint outwardly, whereby the outer sides of some sections fold together, and some sections fold with their inner sides together, with all of the sections when folded together as stated fully inside of the doorway when the door is in overhead open position, counterbalancing means attached in effect to the lowermost section of the door to connterbala.noe the weight of all the sections in raised position, and means requiring vertical motion of the lowermost section in the vertica.l plane theret of in opening the door before this section can be swung into folded position.

15. A structure as specified in claim 14, the uppermost section imving pivotal conneetions at the upper corners thereof, with some lost motion vertically in saidpivotalconnections.

16. A structure as specified in claim 14, said sections having horizontal edges adapted to fit tightly together when the door is in vertical closed position, and the uppermost section having pi"otal connections at the upper corners thereof, with some lost motion ver tically in said pivotal connections.

17. A structure as specified in claim 14, said counterbalancing means coxn rising flexible connections attached in e ect to the lowermost section of the door only, whereby said counterbalancing means control the other sections only through the medium of the hin es between the sections.

pecification signed this 1st day of November, 1928.

WILLIAM D. FERRIS.

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