US2287372A

US2287372A - Removable post for vertically acting doors

Info

Publication number: US2287372A
Application number: US318406A
Authority: US
Inventors: Blodgett Herbert Cady
Original assignee: Overhead Door Corp
Current assignee: Overhead Door Corp
Priority date: 1940-02-12
Filing date: 1940-02-12
Publication date: 1942-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1959-06-23

Description

June 23, 1942. c, oD -r 2,287,372

v REMOVABLE "PQsT FOR VERTICALLY ACTI'NG moons Fj.;l.ed Feb, 12, 1940 I .1 [0 HERBERT CADY Bwoeew Patented June 23, 1942 REMOVABLE POST FOR VERTICALLY ACTING DOORS Herbert Cady Blodg ett, Hartford City, Ind., as-

signor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, 1nd,, a corporation of Indiana I Application February 12, 1940, Serial No. 318,406 8 Claims. (c1.2o-20-) The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a novel and simplified removable center post for a pair of laterally spaced vertically acting articulated doors.

Second, to provide a post of the type described front-to-rear direction when in operative position.

Fourth, to provide a removable post of the type described carrying tracks adapted to coact with fixed horizontal and curved track portions adjacent the door and having provision for insuring that the post tracks and fixed track portions will be at all times in proper register with one another when the post is in operative position.

Objects relating to details and economies of;

the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

which: I v

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in front elevation illustrating the post of: my invention in erected position in a doorway with a pair of vertically acting articulated doors associated; P

therewith, one being in closed and the other in partially closed position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View in side elevation and partially in vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, illustrating the construction of the post and its operative relation to the coacting secur ing provisions affixed to thedoorway'as well as to the fixed track structure with which it coacts.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, further illustrating the construction and relation of the parts.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section illustrating certain track obstructing provisions for the fixed or door header tracks and the manner in-which the removable post is associated with the latter in order to render said provisions inoperative when the post is in operative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view in plan illustrating the fixed doorway bracket or post holder constituting an element of my invention.

The present invention relates to a removable or carry-away post for vertically acting articulated doors such as are commonly employed in garages, fire stations, and the like, being generally similar to the construction shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 277,122, filed June 3, 1939. The post is made of light weight material and has simple provisions for assembling the same in the door frame thus enabling all the manipulations of erecting or removing the door and transporting the same to a storage place to be performed by a single person. It is likewise necessary in such an assembly that, in addition to being readily and quickly erected to operative position, the tracks thereon be always in proper register with the fixed tracks with which they communicate and the present invention relates in particular to novel and improved means for securing this result. Furthermore, by reason of the relatively few parts and the simple design thereof, the post may be manufactured and marketed at an extremely attractive figure.

In the drawing, the referenc numeral l indicates a doorway of a garage or like structure provided ,with'a pair of laterally spaced vertically acting articulated

doors

2, 3 of well known construction and with which the removable post or mullion of my invention, generally indicated 4, coacts to provide a vertical guiding and securing means for the doors disposed between the same.

-Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, the doorway has the headerv 5 thereof provided with a holding bracket 6 bolted thereto and depending therefrom, which bracket serves as a support for the post of my invention. The details thereof are clearly illustrated in Fig.6 and it is sufiicient to point out that the bracket has a depending Web 1 integral with which is an elongated well or keeper pocket 8 constituted by the web 1, the integral side walls 9 and the rearwardly extending flange-like part of lip ID. This pocketor keeper is adapted to receive a flanged or angled support member or connector tongue ll integral with a bracket or plate [2 which is adapted to be adjustably secured on the post 4. Tongue H latches behind the flange I0 oflthe keeper pocket to restrain the top of the post in the front-to-rear direction. The adjustment of the plate on the post 4 is in the vertical direction, being made possible by elongated holes l3 in the plate through which the keeper pocket and correct lateral positioning of V the post in the plane of the doorway are facilitated. a

On the inner side of header is provided an. angle iron l4 having a relatively large rearwardly extending plate-like flange l5 which serves as a support for the counterbalancing mechanism It? for the vertically acting doors and also has belted thereto the elongated rearwardly directed bar or rod ll which serves in part to support the horizontal track sections l8 onto which the

doors

2, 3 are withdrawable in inoperative position. The doors have guide rollers IBI receivable in the track sections. These horizontal track sections have connected thereto the curved sections I9 which open at the top of the doorway and are adapted to communicate with opposed vertical track sections 2!] secured on the post in the manner to be described.

Post 4 is preferably made up of a pair of elongated vertically directed angle irons 2| (see Fig. 3) spaced at the rearwardly directed flanges 22 thereof and adjacent the top of the post by a plate 23, the function of which will be herein after referred to. For the remainder of its length, the post flanges 22 are correspondingly spaced by a suitable filler plate 23 and the vertical track sections 20 are riveted or bolted on opposite sides of the flanges.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the curved track sections I9 project downwardly a substantial distance on either side of the fixed header flange I5, while the upper end of the vertical post track sections 20 is spaced a corresponding distance downwardly from the top of the post flanges. In assembling the post, the detent tongue H thereof is hooked over the keeper lip ID of the supporting or holding bracket 8, the tongue ll of the suspending plate being inserted in well 8. The post is thus maintained in proper position, the lip and tongue serving to prevent rearward movement at the top of the post but being readily disengageable for removal of the post in its entirety. The flanges [5 of the header angle irons M are cut away at 24 (see Fig. 2) to provide clearance for this removing operation. With the post properly engaged at its top, it is swung rearwardly in a direction normal to the plane of the door opening to bring the portion of the post flanges exposed above the upper end of tracks 26 into the space or recess between the lowermost ends of the curved tracks I8. They are snugly received in this recess and serve to laterally stabilize the door and assure accurate register of the tracks 20 with the coacting curved tracks l 8. The bottom of the post is then latched or pinned in place as will be described. To remove the post, the operation is reversed, swinging the same outwardly from the solid line to the dotted line position of Fig. 2, then lifting the post and disengaging the keeper and latching brackets 8, l2.

In order to prevent downward movement of the retracted

doors

2, 3 from the horizontal tracks l3 when the post is removed, I provide an automatically acting track obstructing dog 25 which is pivoted to depending lugs 26 secured on either side of the header angle iron M. The lugs also support the bottom extremities of curved track sections [9 in properly spaced relation. The dog 25 has a single tappet arm 2'! extending into the space between the lowermost ends of track sections 19. Bifurcated track obstructing lugs 28 adapted to extend through openings 29 cut in the rear wall of the curved track sections are secured to the tappet and pivot therewith. The dog, including arms and tappet, is pivoted at 30 so that the bifurcated arms 28 embrace the lugs 26 and is preferably counterweighted for counterclockwise gravital movement, or spring urged in a counterclockwise direction by a leaf spring, torsion spring, or other Well known expedient.

By the foregoing construction, when the upper end of the post 4 is swung to operative position relative to the header in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, it strikes the tappet arm 2''! of dog 25 and retracts arms 28 from their respective track openings, thus freeing the curved tracks for communication with the post tracks. The flanges of the door angle irons are cut away at 3| to accommodate the tappet arm when the dog is in its actuated position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the post is removed, the dog pivots either by gravity or by spring tension exerted thereon into the track obstructing position illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 4.

In order to lock the post in operative erected position, maintaining the brackets I2, 6 in their engaged relation, and preventing lateral or rearward displacement thereof in said position, I provide a vertically slidable locking or latch pin 32 which coacts with a suitable floor plate or bracket 33 in the doorway at the bottom thereof. This plate has a recess therein receiving pin 32 for registering and preventing displacement of the post. Pin 32 is manually retractible by a suitable actuating and releasing device, generally indicated 34, of a well known type.

In order to facilitate removal and erection of r the door in accordance with the foregoing disclosure, I preferably form the same in its entirety of a suitable light, strong metal. It may take the form of drawn aluminum castings; however, I find that Monel metal has all the characteristics of lightness, strength, and capability of being readily formed to the desired shapes, which characteristics a manually removable post such as I have described requires.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improve ments as may be desired.

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

1. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterally spaced articulated vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removal in its entirety from the door opening in a direction normal to the plane thereof, said post having opposed vertically extending tracks on the sides thereof, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeper, means on the post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engagement with said keeper to holdthe post adjacent its top in operative position in the plane of its removal, said last named means being fully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header adapted to registervertically and communicate with said post tracks, said post including means engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally registering and supporting the post, and securing means at the base of said post engageable with further means at the bottom of said door opening to prevent movement of the post at that point.

2. In a vertically sliding door construction including a pair of laterally spaced vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to and from closing position relative to a doorway, a removable post adapted to be positioned in said doorway between said doors and having a pair of opposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on the doors, a pair of horizontal tracks in fixed relation to said doorway having curved portions extending downwardly and opening to the top of the doorway, said portions being adapted to communicate with said post tracks, means on said post engageable with said curved portions for laterally spacing and stabilizing the post, post restraining means in fixed relation to said doorway, and means on the post adjacent the top thereof for releasable engagement with said fixed means to maintain said post adjacent its top in operative front-to-rear position, said means on the post being fully disengageable from said fixed means by lifting of the post so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position in said doorway.

3. In a vertically sliding door construction including a pair of laterally spaced, vertically acting doors adapted to be actuated to and from closing position relative to a door opening, a removable post adapted to be positioned in said door opening between said doors and having a pair of opposed tracks for guidingly receiving rollers on the doors, a pair of horizontal stationary tracks in fixed relation to the door opening adapted to be placed in communication with said post tracks and to receive the doors in withdrawn position thereof, means for laterally supporting said post tracks in operative position, comprising laterally spaced retaining means in fixed relation to said stationary tracks, said post having means engageable with said retaining means, securing means on the post adjacent the top thereof, and a coacting element in fixed relation to the door opening and releasably engageable by said securing means to maintain said post adjacent its top in operative front-to-rear position, said post being swingable in a direction normal to the opening to remove the post in its entirety from the opening, and means at the bottom of the opening for restraining the post at itsbase.

4. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterally spaced articulated vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removal in its entirety from the opening in a direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeper associated therewith between said doors, means on said post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engage-.

ment with said keeper to hold the post adjacent its top in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, said last named means being fully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post so as toremove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening, a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header, said post having means thereon engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally supporting the post positioning means disposed at the bottom of said door opening betweenthe doors, and means on the base of said post engageable with said last named positioning means to prevent displacement of the post at that point.

5. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterally spaced vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between said doors for swingmg removal in its entirety from the opening in a direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeper associated therewith, manually actuable latch means on said post for releasably retaining engagement of the post with the keeper to hold the post adjacent its top in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, said last named means being fully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening, and a pair of laterally spaced tracks in fixed relation to said header, said post having means thereon engageable with said fixed tracks for laterally supporting the post, positioning means disposed at the bottom of said door opening between the doors, and means on the base of said post engageable with said last named positioning means to prevent displacement of the post at that point.

6. In a vertically sliding door structure including a pair of laterally spaced vertically sliding doors, a removable post adapted to be disposed in the door opening between said doors for swinging removal in a.direction normal to the plane of the opening, a fixed header above said door opening having a keeper associated therewith, means on said post adjacent the top thereof for releasable retaining engagement with said keeper to hold the post adjacent its top in operative position in the plane of removal thereof, said last named means being fully and completely disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post so as to remove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening, lateral positioning means secured to said header at a point above the top of the post in operative position thereof, said post having means thereon engageable with said lateral positioning means for laterally supporting the post, positioning means disposed at the bottom of said door opening between the doors, and means on said post engageable with said last named positioning means to prevent displacement of the post at that point.

'7. In a removable post construction for vertically sliding doors, a keeper in fixed relation at the top of a door opening receiving said construction, a post having a latch member adjacent the top thereof releasably engageable with said keeper for sustaining the post in operative position at the top thereof and preventing rearward displacement of the post at that point, said post being swingable on said keeper in a substantial arc in a front-to-rear direction normal to the door opening for removal of the post, the latch member being fully disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post soas to remove the latter from operative position in the door opening, means for maintaining said post in lateral position in the plane of said door opening, and means coacting with said post and the bottom of said door opening to restrain the post in the front-to-rear direction at that point.

8. In a removable post construction for vertically sliding doors, a keeper in fixed relation at the top of a door opening receiving said construction, a post having a latch member adjacent the top thereof releasably engageable with said keeper, means for maintaining said post in vertical position in the plane of the door opening, said latch member being fully disengageable from said keeper by lifting of the post to remove the latter bodily from operative position in the door opening, and means ooacting with said post and the bottom of said door opening to restrain the post in the front-to-rear direction at that point.

HERBERT CADY BLODGETT.