US1985976A

US1985976A - Sliding door construction

Info

Publication number: US1985976A
Application number: US386623A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl W Clark
Original assignee: Barber Colman Co
Current assignee: Barber Colman Co
Priority date: 1929-08-17
Filing date: 1929-08-17
Publication date: 1935-01-01
Anticipated expiration: 1952-01-01

Description

E. w. CLARK 1,985,976 sLIDING Doon cous'rnuc'rrqn Filed Aug...1'7, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 if if j flo/waysi Jahr v1,

Patented Jan. 1 A1935 Y sLmiNG noon En: w. clark, warren,

and meine assignments,

. Company, Rockford,

Illinois y Application August 17,

` '17 Claims.

Y. This invention relates to sliding door constructions, and more particularly to a modiiled species of the type comprising a plurality of sections flexibly connected together and adapted to move along a track from a closed position to an open position as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 386,622 illed herewith and eventuating in Patent No. 1,948,065.

While the invention is .of general application and embraces within its scope, warehouse and airplane hangar installation, and smaller structures such as cabinet type of furniture, it is of particular adaptability for garage doors. In the f preferred embodiment, the sections are arranged one above the other in the closed position and the door is opened by sliding the sections upwardly in series around a curved track to a horizontal position above the door opening and extending into the garage, occupying a position just below the roof. l It is a, general object of the invention to sim-'.- "pli'fy and improve the construction and operation of devices of this character.

Specifically, an important object of the invention is to seal the doorl automatically with the closing movement of the door, in a modified manner Another specific obje ct of the invention to seal the door against the frame in a modied manner, in a construction in which the guiding track for the door is parallel to the door frame.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the following description proceeds,

as taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

l Fig. 1 is an interior elevation of thesliding door construction according `to the present invention Fig. 2 is an interior elevation of one side of the garage showing the door in section;

Fig. 3 is a partial view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, showing the parts in a different position Fig. 4 is a view similar Fig. 3 showing a still Fig. 6 iS a Fig. 5;

vertical section along line `6--6 o A Fig. 'l is a view similarI to Fig. 5 showing a mounting for anotherl roller;

Fig. 8 is a of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section along the line 8-8 partial horizontal section showing cons'rnucnon Ohio, assigner, by direct to Barber-Colman Ill., a corporation otv 1929, serial No. 386,623

garage having a side wall 10, a roof 11, a door facing 12 and a door frame 13. Each side ofv the frame 13 carries a. sealing memberv 14 against which the door isadapted to abut in the closed position.

The door comprises a plurality of sections 15,

16,` 17 and 18 which are hingedly connected to'- gether.

For guiding the door from the vertical closed position to the horizontal position interior of the building and above the ldoor opening, a track member is provided which comprises a straight vertical section 19, a curved section 20 'and a straight horizontal section 21. The door is guided by and supported upon this track by means of

rollers

22, 23, 24, 25 and 26.

'Ihe mounting for the

rollers

24 and 25 is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A hinge member 27 is secured to the section 1'7 and a mating hinge section 28 is secured to the door section 16.

Y These twoV parts cooperate to form a hinge, the

pintle of which is formed by a member 29. The

member 29 is rotatable with respect to both sections 27 and 28 and comprises a substantially U-shaped member having an oiset'arm 30, on

which the roller 24 is journalled. A spring 31 is coiled around the member 29 and has one end engaging a hinge member 28, as at 32, and its other end engagingthe arm 30, as at 33.

'I'he mounting for the roller 26 lis shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and is identical with that described with respect to Figs. 5 and 6 with the exception that a single integral member is employed instead of the hinge membersv 2' and 28.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the rollers 22 to 26 are yieldably mounted as the members 29 upon which they are journalled may rotate in their mountings. With only the arrangement described above, the door in its closed position would come to rest substantially parallel to the Asealing member 14 but spaced more or less therefrom due to the yieldable mounting of the rollers.

journalled a pivot 41.

` engage the arm 29 of each of the rollers.

Means are provided for automatically urging the door sections against the sealing member 14, as the door is moved into its closed position. Fixed

pivots

34, 35, 36, 3'7 and 38 are located in a line yparallel to the sealing member 14 but spacedv therefrom and distributed along the length thereof. In the embodiment shown, these pivots are provided by'strap members 39 which are secured to the track 20 and provided with outwardly projecting flanges 40, in which is Secured to the pivot 41 outside of the flanges 40 is an arm 42, one such arm being provided at each of the pivot points. Nearthe .outer end of each of these arms, they are connected to a vertical link 43, which insures simultaneous and parallel lmovement of the arms. The outer end of Veach arm is provided with a notch or socket 44 which is adapted to receive the U-bolt arm 29. The arm 42 associated with the xed pivot 38 is of slightly-different construction from the remaining arms as it is provided with an extensin 45 below the socket 44, which extension forms a trip for operating, all of the arms 42.

In operation, as the door is lowered into its closed position, the arm 29 of the roller 26 will engage the extension 45 and pull the link 43 downward against the laction of a suitable spring It should be noted that the pins 41 are spaced exactly like the members 29 and, for this reason, as the extension 45 is moved downward,

moving the arm 42 about its pvot, the remainingarms will also be correspondingly moved and will take a position in which the socket 44 will The pivotal movement of the arms will urge the rollers toward the sealing member 14 and in the' final position of the door, the respective sections thereof will be urged tightly against the sealing strip.`

Means are providedfor counterbalancing the weight of the door to facilitate easy operation thereof. A pin 46 is provided at the bottom section of the door and secures one end of a chain or cable 47. This cable extends above the top of thedoor and passes over a fixed pulley 48, a movable pulley 49, another iixed pulley 50 and a further movable pulley 51. The other end of the cable is ilxed as at 52 to the block 53 in which the xed pulleys 48 and 50 are Journalled. The movable pulleys 49 and 50 are carried by a block 54, the lower end of which carries an eye 55 receiving one end of a heavy coil spring 56. The lower end of the spring 56 is secured to an eye bolt 57, passing through an aperture in a bracket 58 and adjustably secured thereto by the nut 59. i

-While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in comparative detail for the -purposes of adequate disclosure, the

` vbroader idea of theinvention is not limited to any of the details disclosed herein, but instead includes such embodiments thereof as are within the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is: A

1. In an overhead door construction, a plurality of hingedly connected door vmembers for trav- 1,985,978 n l 'i closed position, said means being adapted when..

shifted with respect to the door members to eifect lateral movement thereof toward the door opening, and means for automatically effecting the shifting of said door closing means as an in- .cident to the edgewise movement of the door lmembers into closed position.

2. The combination of a door, a door frame providing an opening with an abutment for ensagement by marginal edge portions of the door,

said ldoor being movable edgewise across said opening. guiding and controllingmeans for the door including a plurality of pivotal elements supported for pivotal movement relative to the door, actuating means automatically swinging said elements relative to the door as it approaches its closed position and serving to impart to the door av relatively abrupt movement toward the plane of the door .opening whereby to carry said marginal edge portions against said abutment, vand spring means operable in the movement of the door edgewise away from its closed position to move yit abruptly in a direction away from the abutment.

3. 'I'he combination with a door frame, of a door having marginal edge portions arranged to abutsaid frame and movable edgewise relative to the frame in opening and closing the door, a track spacedl from the frame, an arm pivoted at one end to the door and having a guide element engaging in said track,l spring means acting between said door and said arm and tending to rotate the arm in a direction to move the door laterally away from the frame, and means operable automatically in the approach of the door toward its closed position to rotate the arm against the action of said spring means -and in a direction to move the door laterally against said frame.

4. The combination of a door having a plurality of panels hinged together in edge to edge `relation, a door frame providing an opening with an abutment for engagement by marginal I edge portions of the panels, a stationarily mounted guide track having a section disposed in a plane approximately parallel to the door opening and a section receding therefrom, a plurality of closing elements supported for pivotal movement relative to the door panels andspaced apart in the direction of movement of the door, and actuating means for swinging said elements `relative to the individual panels automatically as an incident to the edgewise movement of'the door into its closed position, said elements operating in such movement to impart to the individual panelsa relatively abrupt lateral movement toward the door opening whereby to carry said marginal edge portions toward said abutment.

5. The combination of a door frame providing an opening, a door adapted for movement edgewise in a plane across said opening and parallel thereto, and means for governing the movement of the door relative to the door frame including a fixed guide member extending substantially parallel to the door opening, a pluralityof arms pivotally mounted on said guide member and spacedapart in the direction of movement of the door, and a device operable automatically an incident to the edgewise movement of the Adoor into its closed position to move the arms into operative relation to the door, said arms acting in'such closing movement of the door to impart to the door an additional relatively vof the panels, a guide means including a track having a section disposed in a plane approximately parallel to the door opening and a section receding therefrom, said door having a plurality oi bearing elements thereon spaced apart in the direction ,of movement of the door and disposed on the inner face of the latter, a plurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track and spaced apart according to the spacing of4 said bearing elements on the door, said pivotal elements being normally held in a position clear of said pins, and means operating as the door moves into its closed position to swing said pivotal elements into positions to be engaged one by each of said bearing elements,

said pivotal elements operating upon such en-y gagement to impart to the individual panels a relatively abrupt lateral movement toward the door opening whereby to carry said marginal edge portions toward said abutment.

'1. The combination of a door having a plurality of panels, hinges connecting the adjacent edges of the panels and including pintles at the inner side of the door, means for guiding the door edgewise across a door opening including a track having a section disposed in a plane spa'ced from the door opening and a section recedingr therefrom, a plurality of closing elements pivotally mounted on the track and normally held in a position clear of said hinge pintles, and means operable as the door moves into its closed position to swing said elements into the path of movement of. the pintles for engagement by the latter, said elements operating upon the pintlesin such closing movement of the door to impart lateral movementto the door. K

8. The combination of a door adapted for movement edgewise in a plane across a door opening, andmeans for governing movement of the door relativey to said opening including a ilxed guide member extending along the door opening, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said guide member and spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door, a plurality of elements projecting from the inner face of the door and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of said arms, and means operable as the door moves into its closed position to 'swing said arms into the path of movement 'of said projecting elements, said arms operating in such .movement to impart an abrupt lateral movement to the door into tightly closed relation to the door opening.

v 9. An overhead door comprising a plurality of panels hinged together in edge to edge relation, means for guiding, said panels for movement A across a'door opening includingy a track stationarily mounted adjacent the door opening, rollers engaging in said tracks, said door panels having hinges connecting' adjacent sections and including hinge pintles each having a crank arm carrying one of said rollers, and means operating as an incident to the movement of the door into itsl closed pomtion to impart an 'abrupt lateral movement tothe door panels relative to said track, said crank arms being adapted to rock in suchlateralmovement of the door panels.

l0. An overhead door comprising a plurality of panels hinged together in edge toxedgelrelatiom means for guiding said panels 'for movement across a door opening including a track stationarily mounted adjacent the door opening, rollers engaging in said tracl, said door panels having hinges connecting adjacent sections and including hinge pintles each having a crank arm carrying on`e of said rollers, a plurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track and spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door a distance corresponding to said hinge pintles, said elements being normally `held clear of said pintles in 'the movement of lthe door, and means operating as the door moves into its closed position to swing said elements into position to be engaged by said pintles for arcuate motion with ing, rollers engagingin said tracks, said door panels having hinges connecting adjacent sections and including hinge pintles each having a crank arm carrying one of said rollers, a plurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track and spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door a distance corresponding to said hinge pintles, said elements being normally held clearl of said pintles in the movement of the door, eans operating as the door moves into itsclosed position to swing ,said elements into position to be engaged by said pintles for .arcuate motion with the free endsof the elements during the closing movement of the door, and spring means acting'upon said crank arms and tending to move the door panels laterally away from said opening 12. The'combination of a door, a .door frame providing an opening with an abutment for engagementy by :marginal edge portions of the door, said door beingmovable edgewise across said opening guiding and controlling means for the door including .a track and a-plurality of pivotal elements supported on said track for movement relative to the door, actuating means operating automaticallyto swing said elements relative to the door as the latter approaches its closed position and serving to impart to ,the door a relatively abrupt movement toward 13. The combination of a door, a door `frame providing an opening with an abutment for engagement by marginal adge portions of the door, said door being movable edgewise across said opening. guiding and controlling means for the door including a track stationarily mounted adjacent the door at the inner side thereof, a plurality of rollers swingably mounted on the door and engaging in said track, spring lmeans acting upon said rollers and tending-,to hold the door in -a position clear of said' abutment, a plurality of pivotal elements mounted on said track and spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door, and means operable as the door moves into .its closed position to swing said elementsinto operative engagement with 'the door, said elements 'operating in the closing "movement of the door to impart an abrupt lateral movement thereto toward said opening against the action ci' said spring means.

14. The combination with a door mounted for movement edgewise across a door opening, of a closing mechanism for the door comprising a plurality of pivotal elements mounted to turn on iixed axes adjacent the door, and means operable automatically as an incident to the approaching of the door toward its closed position to swing said elements directly into engagement with the door, said elements operating in' such swinging movement to impart an abrupt lateral movement to the door.

15. An overhead door comprising, in combination, a plurality oi' panels hinged together in edge-to-edge relation, means for guiding said panels formovement across a door opening having a jamb, said means including a track stationarily mounted adjacent the door opening,

rollers carried by the door at the hinged connections between the panels and cooperating with the tracks to provide an operating clear# ance between the/door and the said jamb, and means operative as the door approaches its closed position for shifting the door panels as a unit toward said jamb and comprising a series of shifting devices mounted on the track for movement relative thereto and spaced apart in the direction of movement ot the door a distance corresponding to the spacing of said rollers. and a second series vof devices carried by the door and associated respectively with said guide rollers, the devices on the track being movable automatically as an incident to the approachof the door toward its iinal closed position into engagement withdevices on the door and coact\ mg therewith to shift the door ma engagement with the iamb.

16. 4In an overhead door construction, a door having a plurality of hingedly connected door -panels for traversing a door opening, a stationary track including a straight upright section and a section extending rearwardly from the ldoor opening, means on said panels loosely engaging in said track so as to guide the door from a substantially vertical closed position to an overhead open position, an actuating member arranged for movement as an incident to the movement of the door as it approaches its closed position, and means operated by said memberin such movement and acting upon all o1' said panels in the closed positionthereof to hold the door in tightly sealed relation to the door opening.

17. The combination of a door, a door frame providing an opening with an abutment adapted for engagement by the door in the closed position thereof, and means including a guide member and a plurality oi' crank arms coacting with said guide member `forgoverning the movementof-'the door relative to the door frame, said crank arms being spaced apart in the direction of movement of the door and acting between said. guide member and the door to impart thereto a relatively abrupt movement in a direc- ,tion toward or away from the frame as incidents to edgewise' movements of the door into` or out of closed position.

EARL W. CLARK.