US2183495A

US2183495A - Flexible rolling curtain

Info

Publication number: US2183495A
Application number: US119325A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Laufersweiler
Original assignee: GEN DOOR Co
Current assignee: GEN DOOR Co; GENERAL DOOR Co
Priority date: 1937-01-06
Filing date: 1937-01-06
Publication date: 1939-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-12

Description

Dec. 12, 1939. w. J. LAUFERSWEILER I 2,183,495

FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAIN Filed Jan. 6, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l 32 INVENTOR WILL [AM J. LHUEFRSWE/ZER ATTORNEY5 1939- w. J. LAUFERSWEILER 2,183,495

FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAIN} Filed qgn. 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILL/4M d- Lflt/FBPJWHLE/E.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 pairs r -Aer FLEXIBLE ROLLING CURTAIN Application January 6,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to rolling curtain ,c1o-

sures, and in particular, to counter-balancing mechanism for such closures.

' One object of this invention is to provide a rolling curtain closure having a counter-balancing device comprising sprocket wheels engageable with the curtain, and arranged to store up. energy during the closing of the closure whereby to counteract the weight thereof, as well as to facilitate the subsequent opening of the closure.

Another object is to provide such a closure which is especially suitable for use upon truck and trailer bodies for inclosing the side and/or the ends'thereof.

Another object is to provide a rolling closure of the above type, wherein the counter-balancing is accomplished by a spring within a drum which carries'sprocket wheels engaging the curtain, or lugs on the curtain, or apertures in the curtain.

Another object is to provide such a rolling closure, wherein the counter-balancing mecha'- nism" is contained in a drum mounted at a distance from the closure and connected therewith by flexible cables or chains passing over cable drums on each end of the spring drum. Another object is to provide a slat type of curtain for a closure, wherein the edges of the slats are provided with'brackets having the combined effect of supporting a roller'to prevent friction and forming a seat for engagement by the sprocket wheel of the counter-balancing device, described above.

Another object is to provide such a bracket having combined means for preventing end motion between the slats and for a seat to receive the teeth of the counter-balancing sprockets, described above.

In the drawings:

Figure'l is a vertical section through the closure andcounter-balancing mechanism of my invention, taken along the line l-i of Figure 3.

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the lower portion of the closure shown in Figure 1', looking toward the left thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section along the line 3-3 Of. Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a slightly modified form of curtain and sprocket construction, wherein the sprocket tooth directly engages the joint between the curtain slats.

Figure 5 is a further modified form of curtain and sprocket construction, wherein the curtain- ,is provided with apertures through which the teeth ofthe sprocket project.

1937, Serial No. 119,325

but showing the counter-balancing barrel construction inthe modified form shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to. the drawings in' detail, Figure 1 shows the rolling. closure counter-balancing device' of'my invention as comprising a spring barrel l. .Which is tubular in form. and is supported on the end supports 2 (Figure 3) through theintermediate agency'of'the sprocket Wheels 3;.having hubs 4' extending; into the interior of the spring barrel i". ,A shaft 5 passing through the bore 5 of the sprocket wheels'3 and the bores i of the end supports 2, provides the actual supporting connection between the spring barrel I, the sprocket wheelstandthe e'nd supports 2. Pins 8, passing through bores 9" in the end supports 2 as Well as through drill'holes it in the shaft 5, serve to prevent the rotation of the shaft in its end supports 2.

The spring barrel is provided at an interior point witha disc-like plug H fixed thereto by the pins ii2'extending through the spring barrel i into the. sockets =i3'of the plug H. The plug it is provided'with a reduced inwardly projecting portion- I4, havinga recess l5 adapted to receive the end of a spiral counter-balancing spring 56,

coiled around the shaft 5 within thespring barrel l. The opposite-end of the spring 16 is seated in a recess: l1 in acollar: Hi,- this collar being secured to the shaft '5' by meansof apin i9 passing through the bore 2E3. Off the collar [8 and the drill hole 2i'of'the shaft 5 (Figure 3).

:The end supports z are mounted in brackets-22 secured to guide members 23, of angular cross section. Theg-uide members 2%, inturn, are secured to-otherangled guide members and; the latter are-secured to the wall of the opening for the closure. The oppositely facing flanges-:25 and 260i; the. angled guide members 23 and, M, respectively, provide trough-like spaces for the guiding of the closureup or down, in a manner subsequently to be described. Fabric webbing strips, 27' maybe applied" tothe opposite walls of these. troughs in order .to deaden' the sound caused by the rolling of the closure up or down (Figure 3).

The closure itself (Figures 1 and 2) consists of an angle-like bottom member 30 having a vertical flange 3I, to which is attached a roller 32, as by the pin 33 secured, as at 34, to the bottom member 39. The latter is also provided with suitable handles 35, whereby to assist in raising and lowering of the closure. Secured to the bottom member 30 and to one another in a pivoted manner are the slats 36, having interlocking

portions

31 and 38, respectively, on their opposite edges. These interlocking portions are of curved cross section and enable the closure slats to be tilted relatively to one another without interfering with their engagement (Figure 1). These slats 33 are preferably of sheet metal construction, thereby providing a strong yet light structure.

The opposite ends of the slats 36 are provided with guide brackets 39 secured, as at 40, to the slats, and provided with upstanding lugs 4| adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the counterbalancing sprockets 3. The brackets 39 at their outer ends are provided with transversely extending projections 42, having inner and

outer arms

43 and 44, respectively (Figure 2). These inner and

outer arms

43 and 44 cooperate to form a yoke by which the axle 45 is supported.

The axle 45, in turn, rotatably supports a roller 46 which engages the guide trough between the guide flanges 25 and 26 (Figure 3). The inner arm 43 likewise serves as an extension over the end of the adjacent slat to prevent end motion thereof. Thus the brackets 39 have the combined features of providing seats for the counterbalancing sprocket teeth, mountings for the guide rollers and anti-end-motion-preventing devices for the neighboring closure slats. The brackets 39 are likewise provided with right-angled flanged portions 41-48, which serve to strengthen the outer ends of the brackets at the points where their end projections 42 are connected to the main portions of the brackets 39.

In the operation of the counter-balancing arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the counter-balancing spring I6 is provided with an initial tension with the closure in its open position, by rotating the spring barrel in the direction of the arrow (Figure 1) before the curtain is rolled over and engaged on the toothed sprockets 3. When the curtain is lowered the engagement of the lugs M with the teeth of the sprockets 3 causes the counter-balance spring barrel I to be rotated around the supporting shaft 5, thereby winding up the counter-balancing spring I6 to a still greater degree. As the curtain is lowered to a greater extent the spring tension is increased correspondingly, hence, a greater counter-balancing force is automatically applied to oppose the increasing weight of the closure as the latter approaches its closed position.

As the curtain is being raised, however, this energy stored up by the winding of the counterbalancing spring I6 assists the raising action, and results in the requirement of a lesser amount of force than would otherwise be needed. When the curtain is in its fully raised position the initial tension of the counter-balancing spring I 6 suffices to hold the curtain in its raised position.

In the modified form of counter-balancing construction shown in Figure 4, the lug 4| of the bracket 39 is omitted, resulting in a fiat-surfaced bracket 59 directly engaged by the ends of the teeth of the sprockets 3. However, the sides of the teeth of the sprockets 3 directly engage the outer walls of the interlocking portions 38. The spring barrel construction, however, is substantially the same as that shown and described in connection with Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.

The modified form of counter-balancing mechanism shown in Figure 5 is generally similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, except that the curtain slats 36 are provided with apertures 5I which serve to receive the teeth of the sprockets 3, the sides of the sprocket teeth engaging the edges of the apertures 5|. In other respects the construction is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. Plain brackets may be provided if desired, to support the guide rollers 46 and also prevent the end motion of the adjacent slats 36.

The modified form of closure counter-balancing device of Figures 6, '7 and 8 differs somewhat from the previously-described constructions. In this modification the closure and slat construction is similar to that already described in connection with Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, except that the lugs 4| on the brackets 39 may be omitted because there is no provision for their engagement by sprockets. In place of the sprockets the spring barrel I is provided at each end with cable drums 52, having a grooved periphery 53 for receiving a cable 54 to be wound thereon. The cable drums 52 are provided on one side with reduced hub portions 55, which are inserted and secured in the ends of the spring barrel I (Figure 8). One end of the cable 54 is secured, as at 56, (Figure '7) to the spring barrel I, whereas the opposite end is secured, as at 51, to the upper ends of the closure.

The operation of the modified form of counterbalancing mechanism shown in Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, depends on the fact that the spring I 6 within the spring barrel I thereof winds up when the closure is drawn downward into its closed position (Figure 6). This stores energy in the coiled spring I6, the energy being available to counter-balance the weight of the closure and assist in raising it when the operator so desires. An initial tension may likewise be given to the spring I6 in Figure 6 by rotating the spring barrel I in a manner similar to that already described for Figures 1 to 3, inclusive.

Because the details of the closure in Figure 6 are generally similar to those in Figure 1, the closure has been shown in diagrammatic form only, the minute details having been omitted for clearness of showing. It will be understood that the spring barrel I in Figure 6 is mounted upon brackets 58, which are in turn, secured to the walls or roof of the structure to which the closure is applied.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of my claims and my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality of articulated slats, a guide track, each of said slats having at its end an ofiset roller support extending along the end of an adjacent slat, and a roller rotatably mounted on said roller support engageable with said guide track, said roller being mounted with its axis adjacent the articulation of each of said slats and its said adjacent slat.

2. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality of articulated slats, a guide track, 75

each of said slats having at its end an offset roller support extending along the ends of adjacent slats past the articulation therebetween, and a roller rotatably mounted on said roller 5 support engageable with said guide track whereby said roller support simultaneously supports said roller and prevents end motion between adjacent slats, said roller being mounted with its axis substantially in alignment with said articulation.

3. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality of articulated slats, a guide track,

a bracket with a base plate secured to the end of each slat and having an offset roller support extending from said base plate along the ends of adjacent slats past the articulation therebetween, and. a roller rotatably mounted on said roller support engageable with said guide track whereby said'roller support simultaneously supportssaid roller and prevents end motion between adjacent slats, the axis of rotation of said roller being disposed substantially in alignment with said articulation between said adjacent slats.

4. In a closure structure, a rolling closure having a plurality of articulated slats, a guide track,

a bracket with a base plate secured to the end of each slat and having a sprocket tooth abutment portion thereon and an offset roller support extending from said base plate toward an adjacent slat, a roller rotatably mounted in an offset position on said roller support engageable with said guide track, and a rotatable driving sprocket hav- 5 ing teeth engageable with said abutment whereby to move said closure.

5. A roller unit for an articulated slat closure comprising a bracket with a base plate adapted to be secured to a slat and an offset roller sup- 10 port adapted to extend from said base plate toward an adjacent slat, and a roller rotatably mounted in an offset position on said oifset roller support.

6. A roller unit for an articulated slat closure 15 comprising a bracket with a base plate adapted to be secured to a slat and an offset roller supporting arm adapted to extend from said base plate along the ends of adjacent slats past the articulation therebetw-een, and a roller rotatably 20 v mounted in an ofiset position on said arm Whereby said arm simultaneously supports said roller and prevents end motion between said adjacen slats.

WILLIAM J. LAUFERSWEILER. 25