US2321507A - Foldable closure - Google Patents

Description

H.- D. OBERDORFER ETAL `lune 8, 1943.

' FOLDABLE cLosURE Filed Nov. 1, 1941 sheets-sheet 1 Patented June 8, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT"OFFICE FOLDABLE CLOSURE Henry D. oberdorfr and Carroll F. van uskirk,

New Castle, Ind., assignors to New Castle Products, lne., New Castle, Ind., a corporation Application November 1, 1941, Serial No. 417,488

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a foldable closure of the general character illustrated in Patent No. 2,220,939, datedNovember 12, 1940.

The chief object of this invention is to improve a closure of the aforesaid character by simplifying the same and in improving the operation of such a closure by a track interlocking element rigid with the so-called en d post of the closure and the inclusion of a combination cushion and yielding locking structure between the track and the movable post of the closure.

The first mentioned simplification resides in the central offset or biased portion included in the hinge plate structures and the simplification of the several links of the lazy tongs construction and the simplification of the pivotal connections and mountings of same, all as hereinafter set forth more fully.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully also hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an opening with the articulated framework and track associated therewith, the closure covering material being omitted for clearness and the articulated framework being shown in extended or opening-closing position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same, including the covering material, the same being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and in the direction of the arrows, thetrack being omitted where the section is broken.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but with the closure collapsed, intermediate rollers being omitted.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged central sectional View through the lower lazy tongs and lower hinge plate structure when utilized and the pivotal connection between the aforesaid.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the central portions of two adjacent links of one of the lazy tongs.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the semipermanently mounted or stationary post, the track and the interlocking connection therebetween, as shown in the upper right hand portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the combination cushioning and yielding lock arrangement and the forward or movable post illustrated more particularly in the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1, parts being broken away to show same and other parts in section.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the hinge plates.

In view of the comparatively complete illustration and description of the general type of foldable closure in which the invention is incorporated, in the aforesaid Letters Patent, the description of the present invention insofar as parts herein are the same or similar to that illustrated in said patent, will be briefly given.

A foldable closure of this general character is fabricated as a unit and there is associated therewith an overhead track structure, a relatively stationary mounting to which is semi-permanently secured what may be termed the stationary post of the unit and there is provided a stationary member abuttable by the so-called movable post of the unit, if, as and when desired.

The unit includes a pair of series of end-to-end connected links so arranged that their midportions are pivotally connected as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and more particularly Fig. 5, thereby forming an upper lazy tongs construction.

Therebeneath there is secured a series of hingedly connected plates and the same are carried by extensions of certain end pivotal connections of the said lazy tongs. If desired, there also may be included therebeneath a similar series of platessee Fig. l-and carried by the same pivotal connections, the latter extended for that purpose.

Beneath the lower series of plates, if utilized, there is provided a lower lazy tongs also carried by the extended pivotal connections between the ends of the links of the lazy tongs so that the upper and lower lazy tongs together with the upper series of hinge plates constitute an articulated framework, all parts of which are simultaneously and similarly movable. Whenever the lower series of plates is utilized, the parts thereof similarly constitute a portion of the articulated framework and they move simultaneously and similarly, with the other parts.

The aforesaid briefly describes the general features of the present invention embodied and disclosed in the aforesaid patent.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I0 indicates a side Wall and II an overhead track projecting therefrom. The numeral I2 indicates an opposite side wall, or the like,l and the track may be supported by the ceiling I3 or at opposite ends the track may be carried by the two spaced side walls, as desired. The track-see Figs. 1, 6 and '7-iS Substantially U-shaped in cross-section and is provided with two inwardly directed portions I4 providing a groove therebetween.

The so-called stationary post includes a channel shaped member-see Fig. Z-indicated by the n there be'included an upper or lower series of hinge plates, there will be provided or secured to the channel member I a pair of angle plates I6. The flange of the angle plate that is parallel to the flanges of the channel, are suitably notched and curled for intertting association with complementary oppositely formed portions of half hinge plates, designated by the numeral I1 in Fig. 1.

The upper end of the channel member I5 and more particularly the central portion thereofsee Fig. 6-is extended upwardly and has a T- formation I8. 'I'his T-formation has its head portion I8a seated in the tubular portion of the channel track and its neck portion I8b seated in the groove between the two inwardly directed portions I 4 of the track.

The flexible covering and any silencing pad material covered thereby and indicated generally by the numeral I9 in Figs. 2 and 3, is positioned exteriorly of the side anges or webs of the channel I5 and is lapped rearwardly, as it were, of the central portion of said channel I5.

A flattened U-shaped metallic member 20- see Figs. 2 and 3 particularly-is rigidly connected to the channel member I5 and the central portion thereof and thus the lapped ends of the covering, and padding if the latter be utilized, are permanently connected to the so-called stationary post comprising Vthe angle plates before mentioned, the channel member and the flattened U-shaped member.

To the side wall there is suitably secured as at 2I a vertically disposed yielding U-shaped anchoring member 22. Whenever the flattened U-shaped member 20 is forcibly associated with this member 22, the so-called stationary post structure is semi-permanently mounted upon the wall I0. By semi-permanently it is`intended to define that relationship in the aforesaid connection whereby under all operating conditions the stationary post is rigidly held to the side wall I0 and is supported thereby, and is prevented from rocking or cocking by the aforesaid T- shaped extended track connection. It desired, a part of the weight transmitted to this stationary post may be carried by the overhead track through the T-shaped element I8.

Whenever it is desired to remove the closure, the so-called stationary post is forcibly detached from the member 20, the connection being of yielding character but requiring, as aforesaid, great force and when such detachment is effected, then the track may be removed from the ceiling and the track and closure removed from the opening. This permits closures of this character to be installed where desired and positioned Where desired, and as required without discarding of the closure or any part thereof whenever a change in position is desired with respect to said closure and the opening to be closed thereby.

Reference now will Ibe had to the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 as well as the left hand portion of Figs. 2 and 3. A substantially tubular post 25 of metal is provided at the movable end of the closure and this substantially tubular post as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 has a cross section substantially that of the track zontal alignment therewith. In other words, if

and to one edge thereof there is secured an angle member 2s, similar te the anne member ls, and

to which the movable end half-plate 21 is se- U-shaped member 28 suitably secured to the tu bular movable post 25.

This flattened tubular member 28 mounts a rubber cushion or bumper 29, the same being adapted to engage a channel guide and strike plate 30 suitably secured to the side wall I2 opposite the side wall I0. 'I'his strike plate, overhead track and the anchor member 22 have substantial coplanar alignment. .y

There is suitably secured to one or the opposite sides of the movable post structure a handle arrangement 3|.

At the immediate upper end of the tubular post and extending across the same, is a pivot member 32, see Fig. 7, the ends of which are covered by the covering material. This pivot 32 extends through a barrel portion 33 of a member having an upwardly extending neck portion 34, the latter at its upper end being enlarged forwardly and rearwardly as at 35 and providing a top face 36 of elongated character.

Extending transversely through each of the wings 35 is a pivot 31 upon oposite ends of which are mounted the wheels 38. These wheels 38 bear upon the inwardly directed portions I4 of the track II. The neck portion 34 of this member rides in the groove of the track between the inwardly directed portions I4.

Adjacent the end of the track at that end closest to the wall I3see Fig. 7therc is secured to the upper central portion of the track II and Within the same as at 40 an elongated spring 4I. This spring 4I in the movement of the member 34-35 projecting upwardly from the movable post 25 is engaged by the surface 36 so that the closing movement of the closing structure-in other words, its extensible movement toward the closing end thereof-is first cushioned so that a positive increase in force is required to completely close the closure, and when this additional force is applied through the handle structures and the post to the articulated framework carrying the coveringelements, the flattened face 36 of the member projecting upwardly from the movable post passes beneath the spring and is yieldingly held thereby when the cushion 29 engages the member 30. Thus, the closure is held in extended and opening closure portion.

10 open the closure, suiclent force must be applied to a handle structure to free the movable post from this spring lock and then the parts may be moved to the right-see Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive-until the closure is in collapsed position, as represented by Fig. 3.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that the movable post structure by reason of the four wheels 38, cannot turn or cock relative to the trackway and it also will be noted that by reason of the T-shaped extension of the stationary post 28 and its association with the track, the semi-permanently connected post cannot cock or rock. So that, the two posts are always maintained in coplanar alignment and hence; relative movement of the post parts toward and away from each other, is coplanar, thereby insuring ease of collapse or extension. respectively, of the articulated arrangement.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that each of the plates I1 and 21 is ahalf-plate, as it were, and sequentially connected end to end to each other and to the half-plates I1 and 21 are `the full plates 50. Each of the plates 50 includes a central portion 5I which is biased relative to the end and maior portions of the gated so that when an upper and lower seriesof plates are utilized the pintle extends through the intertting portions of said plates indicated generally bythe numeral 53. The pintle member head is indicated by the numeral 54.

Beneath each of the plates and on the pintle is a sleeve 55 which is crimped to the pivot rod 52 and thus the hinge plates and the pintle are denitely located with respect to each other. Consequently, there is no sagging of the plates on the pintle. of plates are similar tubular pintle clamping sleeves or members 55 which definitely prevent these plates from crawling up on the pintles. Above and below the upper and lower series of hinge plate structures there is provided a lazy tongs.

It is to be observed that the angle plates I6 and 26 hingedly mount the half-plates l1 and 21 but other than the pintle extensions upwardly and downwardly, the upper and lower lazy tongs have no connection with the end members or post structures.

It also is to be understood that whenever desired, each of the elongated pintles 52 may also pivotally connect in end-to-end relation, the ends of an intermediate series of hinge plates.

As previously recited, there is provided an upper series of links constituting a lazy tongs.

vHerein the numeral 60 indicates such links and 6I the biased central portion thereof.V The adjacent ends of full and half links-see Figs. 2 and 3-are pivotallyconnected together and by the pintle means 52, the latter in the present instance having an enlarged head 54.

To prevent downward sagging of the lazy tongs arrangement, there may be interposed as at 55a tubular member crimped by indenting, and the like, to the pintle 52. The lower free end 52h of each elongated pintle herein is shown provided with a similar locking sleeve 55. The lower end arrangement is shown more particularly in Fig. 4.

It is to be noted the plate biased central portion 5| is not connected, in most instances, to the crossed and biased central portions 6| of the several links constituting the upper and lower lazy tongs. Each of the central portions of these links, however, is pivotally connected together more particularly as shown in Fig. 5. Herein such a connection includes a headed bolt 65 and a shank portion 66 that extends through two bores E1 in the superposed links, said bores being of the same diameter. On the projecting end of the shank 66 there is mounted a snap type nut indicated by the numeral 68 and having the shank gripping opposed portions 69 for gripping the shank 66 and thus uniting the structure together.

As indicated generally at 10, one plate of the upper series and intermediate the ends of the articulated arrangement, may carry a structure Above each of the lower series similar to that illustrated in the'upper central portion of Fig. 3'of the before mentioned patent, and this structure 10 thus provides a roller support and the roller thereof is carried by the track, the roller support being swivelled on the pintle connecting the links, this pintle in turn being carried by the central biased portion 5l of the plate 50,

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as i-llustrative'and not restrictive in character.

'I'he several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all-are considered to be within the broad scopevof the in vention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

l. In a collapsible closure for closingl a room, et cetera, having a side wall and a track extending therefrom in the closing direction, including, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally collapsible lazy tongs, and an end closure mem- 'ber pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the tongs, the combination of means for semipermanently connecting the member to the wall,

and means rigid with the member and projecting 4 in transverse section and havinginwardly directedv ilanges, said projecting means being T-shaped and integral with the end member, the head portion of the T-shape seating inthe track and the neck extending between the flanges thereof.

3. In a collapsible'closure structure associated with a track, said structure including a vertical post structure movable from closure open to closed position, the combination of yielding means carried by the track immediately adjacent the closure closed position of the post structure, and means operatively carried by the latter initially engaging said yielding means for initially cushioning nal extension of the closure structure into closing position and yieldingly retain# ing the closure in the full extended position, the track being substantially U-shaped in transverse section with inwardly directed portions, the second mentioned means extending into the track between the inwardly directed portions thereof, and spaced wheel means operatively associated with the track and carried by the said second mentioned means and offset relative to the yielding means for non-engagement therewith.

4. In a collapsible closure structure associated with a track, said structure including a vertical post structure movable from closure open to closed position, the combination of yielding means carried by the track immediately adjacent the closure closed position of the post structure, and means operatively carried by the latter initially engaging said yielding means for initially cushioning nal extension of the closure structure into closing position and yieldingly retaining the closure in the full extended position, the yielding means being elongated in the general direction of the track, and the second mentioned means being elongated in a similar direction, and means pivotally supporting the second mentioned means upon an axis substantially and upon the post structure.

5. In a collapsible closure structure associated with a track, said structure including a vertical post structure movable from closure open to closed position, the combination of yielding means carried by the track immediately adjacent the closure closed position of the post structure, and means operatively carried by the latter initially engaging said yielding means for initially cushioning final extension of the closure structure into closing position and yieldingly retaining the closure in the full extended position, the yielding means being elongated in the general direction of the track, and the second mentioned means being elongated in a similar direction, means pivotally supporting the second mentioned means upon an axis substantially transverse to the general direction of elongation and upon the post structure, the track being substantially U-shaped in transverse section with inwardly directed portions, the second mentioned means extending into the track between the inwardly directed portions thereof, and spaced wheel means operatively associated with the track and carried by the said second mentioned means.

6. In a collapsible closure structure associated with a track, said structure including a vertical post structure movable from closure open to closed position, the combination of yielding means carried by the track immediately adjacent theclosure closed position of the post structure, and means operatively carried by the latteil initially engaging said yielding means for initially cushioning final extension of the closure structure into closing position and yieldingly retaining the closurein the full extended position, the yielding means being elongated in the general direction of the track, and the second mentioned means being elongated in a similar di- 2,321,507 transverse to the general direction of elongation associated with the track and supported in parallel relation by the elongated second means near the ends thereof.

7. An articulated framework for a collaspible closure of the character described including in combination a series of end-to-end pivotally connected plates, each plate having a central portion biased to the other portions thereof, a series of links of the same length as the plates and similarly connected and adjacent thereto, each link having a corresponding biased central portion, a second series of links immediately adjacent the first series of links and of the same length as the plates and similarly connected, each link of the second series having a corresponding biased central portion, the two series of links being crossed at their biased midportions, means pivotally connecting said link biased midportions together, and means connecting the plate end pivotal connections and the rst mentioned link end pivotal connections together.

8. A framework as defined by claim '1, characterized by the link midportion pivotal connecting means including a headed rivet and snap-nut, the rivet head having operative bearing on the remote face of one link central portion and the snap-nut having operative bearing on the remote face of the other link central portion, the rivet shank extending through both central portions.

9. An articulated framework for a collapsible closure of the character described having an upper and lower lazy tongs, a series of plates, and elongated pintle means connecting the plates in end-to-end relation and the aligned portions of the lazy tongs, and other elongated pintle means-connecting the other portions of the lazy tongs together, characterized by each elongated pintle means having an enlarged portion operatively bearing on the outer face of one lazy tong, and tubular retainers on each pintle means rection, means pivotally supporting the second mentioned means upon an axis substantially transverse to the general direction of elongation and upon the post structure, the track being substantially U-shaped in transverse section with inwardly directed portions, the elongated second mentioned means extending into the track between the inwardly directed portions thereof, and slightly spaced pairs of wheel means operatively below each plate hinge connection and the other ends of pintle means and crimped thereto for plate and tong permanent connection.

10. A framework as deiined by claim. 9, characterized by certain of the central connections of each lazy tong including a headed rivet and snap-nut.

HENRY D. OBERDORFER. CARROLL F. VAN BUSKIRK.

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