US2651360A

US2651360A - Motor operated sectional sliding door

Info

Publication number: US2651360A
Application number: US83589A
Authority: US
Inventors: John P Reinhardt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-03-26
Filing date: 1949-03-26
Publication date: 1953-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1970-09-08

Description

J. P. REINHARDT MOTOR OPERATED SECTIONAL SLIDING DOOR 'Filed March 26, 1949 Sept. 8, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l lNvl-:NroR JOHN l? REINHARDT ATTORNEY Sept. 8, 1953 .1. P.'RE1NHARDT 2,651,360 MOTOR OPERATEDSKECTIONAL sLIniNG noR Filed March 26, 1949 v s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN l? REINHAR DT WAT@ Sept. 8, 1953 J. P. REINHARDT l 2,651,360

MOTOR OPERATED sEcTroNAL sLInING noon Filed Maron 2e, 1.949

'3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHN e REINHARDT llifted t0 Slide the SEGODS =on the chain increases vVide a strong, rugged 'tures of construction, vcombination Patented Sept. 8, l95

oFFlcE 2,651,360 MOTOR OPERATED SECTIONAL SLIDING DOOR John P. Reinhardt, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,589

This invention relates to motor .operated sectional sliding doors operating-in tracks and mov.- vable from vertical position closing the .door .opening to a horizontal position above the door opening and uncovering the same.

An object of lthis invention is to provide a .motor operated door of the character described com, prising a motor driven shaft carrying sprocket wheels and chains over the sprocket wheels Aconnected to the lowerends .of the rdoorso that when the shaft is rotated in yone direction, `the door is of .the :door from vertical portions of the .tracks .or guides and then around curved upper portions .of the Vguides into horizontal portions of 4.the guides.

Yet another object is .to provide in a Inptor operated door of the .character described, 4spring means to take up slack in the chains when `the door is lifted, the springmeans beingjullycoinpressed at the beginning'ofthe downward :moyement of the door, and asthesectionsfof therdQQr come into the vertical guide .or track, the tension .until the `tension Von the spring means eases up.

Yet a further obiectofthis-inventionis ttOiplOe :and durable motor onerated door construction :of the ,character described which may be usedvforfactoles and the like, which shall be snfioothfand positive in operation and practical and...ecien.t 120.,.ahgh-delee A in use.

- obvious Vand in parthereinafter lno ildierl.ont.

The .invention .accordingly .cDIlSists in the ifea- Qf elements,

and arrangement of. parts which .will beexernplined in the construction .hereinafter described,

.and of which the scope of v.invention beindi cated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative :..embQ invention:

Fig. 1 is a .front elevational view cfa in otor operated door embodying athe invention showing lthe door in full lines .partially lifted :.up, .landin dotted linesin the downward-.positionioffthefdoor and with parts brokenawayand-incross-sectign;

Fig. 2 is a top .plan .view cf-:themotor controlled chain drive;

Fig. Sis a cross-secticnal-view Ytakenon line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a cross-.sectional VeWLlflSQIlQDtll-le 4-4 0f Fig. 3;

ing. .5 .is a :partial-irrenlarecdacross-sectional View .taken onlinei-Sfi of Fig.. .3

aliments .of this,

Fig. 6 is a partially enlarged View illustrating the interconnected sections of the door and the guide track therefor;

Fig, 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the spring slack take-up Ineans between the uppermost section o f thedoor and the upper end 0f the chains;

Fig. 8 is a egress-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 i i Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a partial view showing the connection between one of the chains and the lower end of the door. '4

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a floor, .III designates a'wall formed with a door opening i2,'"and i3 designates a ceiling. In the drawing, |14 designates a sectional door for closing the door opening l2. The door i4 is supposedguide tracks I5. Each guide track i5 cornprises avertical portion [6, a curved top portion il', and rearwardly extending horizontal portion i8. The vertical portions l 6 are located on opposite sides of thedoor opening I2 and inwardly of said door opening.

The lower ends of the tracks I5 are anchored, as at 20 in the floor l0. The tracks are of channel shape cross-section, each comprising a web 2l and anges 22 extending inwardly from the web 2l. The top portions AI-8 of the disposed wholly .above the door opening h2.s

The door lll .comprises a plurality of .interpivoted door .sections A25. Each doorsectionV 25 comprises a rectangular Asection frame 26 which may carry a .window orpanell'. The lower side wardly and inwardlyv extending l brackets .l

brackets, 3,0 and 3. are Yinterpivoted by.V pivot lpins 32 which serve as shafts for carrying the rollers 33 which roll within the channel tracks I5. At the lower ends of the lowermost section 25 are downwardly and inwardly extending brackets 34 carrying similar rollers 35 received from within the tracks. Fixed to the upper portions of the topmost section are inwardly extending brackets 31 carrying rollers 38 received from within said tracks.

When the door is lifted in the manner hereinafter to be described, as the rollers 33 move from the vertical track sections IB around the curved track sections I1, the sections 25 will swing relatively to one another about the pivot shafts 32. Thus adjacent portions of adjacent sections will separate as said sections move through the curved portions I1 of the tracks, and then said adjacent portions of said ad, jacent sections will again move toward each the horizontal track parts I8 or into the vertical track parts I6. It will be noted that the door I4 when in vertical or down position is located just rearwardly of the door opening I2 and between the Wall II and the vertical portions I of the tracks I5. It will also be noted that the horizontal portions I8 of the tracks are of suicient length so that the entire door may be raised and moved into horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Means is provided for lifting and lowering the door I5. To this end, there is fixed to the underside of the ceiling I3, brackets 4t carrying bearings 4I supporting for rotation a horizontal shaft 42. The shaft 42 is located above the track portions I8 and just in back of the wall II. To one end of the shaft 42 is fixed a worm wheel 43. Rotatably mounted on a bracket e4 supported in any suitable manner, is a worm 45 meshing with the worm wheel 43. The axis of the worm 45 is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 42. The worm 45 is supported on a horizontal shaft 45. Fixed to said shaft for rotation with the worm 45 is a gear 41.

Supported on a fixed bracket 48 is an electric motor 49. Fixed to the motor shaft 50 is a pinion 5I meshing with the gear 41. It will now be understood that when` the motor is energized the shaft 42 will be rotated. The motor is preferably a reversible motor so that the shaft 42 may be rotated in either direction. Fixed to the shaft 42 are a pair of sprocket wheels 53 disposed substantially in the plane of the tracks Attached to the ceiling I3 are brackets 55 rotatably supporting a horizontal shaft 56 parallel to shaft 42 and disposed rearwardly therewith and at a somewhat lower level. Fixed to the shaft 55 for rotation therewith are a pair of sprocket wheels 51 aligned with the sprocket wheels 53. Extending over the sprocket wheels 53 and under the sprocket wheels 41 are a pair of sprocket chains 65. The lower ends of the sprocket chains 60 are fixed to the Vlower ends of the lowermost door section, as shown in Figs. l and 10 of the drawing. There may be attached to the lowermost door section at the ends thereof and adjacent the lower edges thereof, suitable brackets 62 carrying pins 63 to which the lower ends of the chains GB are attached.

When the shaft 42 is rotated in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3 of the drawing, the chains will pull up the door and slide the sections from vertical to horizontal position, or in other words, from track sections I5 around track'. sections I1 and on to track sections I8.

Means is provided to connect the upper end of the door to the rear ends of the chains 50. To this end, there is slidably mounted on and between the horizontal portions I8 of the tracks, a carriage 55. The carriage '55 comprises a pair' of angular members 66. Each member 65 has' a horizontal rearwardly extending portion 61 and a vertical upwardly extending portion 58. The upper ends of the portion 58 are intercom nected by a horizontal rod 69. The front and rear ends of portions 61 are interconnected by horizontal rods 13 and 1I respectively. The angular members 166 are located inside of the tracks. Mounted for rotation on the ends of the shaft 15 and 1I are

rollers

12 and 13 which may rotate within the horizontal portions I8 of the tracks I5.

The rear ends of the chains 55 are fixed to the outer ends of the transverse shaft 69. On the shaft 1I is a sleeve 15 fixed to the angular member 66. Fixed to the ends of the sleeves 15 are lugs 16. The lugs 16 are formed with through openings 11 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Mounted for rotation in the tracks I5 are rollers 'I1 supported on shafts 18. The rollers 11 are located between the rollers 13 and the front wall II. On shafts 18 are sleeves 19. Fixed to the sleeves are upstanding lugs SQ parallel to the lugs 16. The lugs are formed with through openings 8l aligned with the opening 15. Pivotally interconnecting the shaft 18 with the pivot shafts '84 in the rollers 38 are links S5. Thus, the shafts 84 supported by the brackets 31 of the topmost door section 25 are connected by links 85 to the shafts 18 which carry the rollers 11 and which support the upstanding lugs 83. Extending through the aligned openings 1I and 8| of the lugs IE5 and 811 and adjacent each track is a horizontal rod 88., Screwed to the ends of the rods 83 are headsA 89. Any suitable heads may be provided for the. ends of the rods 88. Surrounding each rod 83 and interposed between the lugs 16 and 8c is. a coil compression spring 9U.

The operation of the device will now be described. As the motor operates to rotate the shaft 42 in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 3 of the drawing, the chains 50 will lift the door and the springs will take up the slack in the rear end of the chains. The sprocket wheels 51 serve as idlers.` Thus, the door may be lifted from the full to the dotted line shown in the drawing, the door moving from the vertical portions of the tracks to the horizontal portion of said tracks, and as the door sections swing around the portions I1, the springs 13 serve to take up the slack in When the motor is reversed to lower the door, the spring 90 is first fully compressed as the chain 65 pulls the carriage 65 to the left, but as the door progresses downwardly into the vvertical portions of the bracket I5, the tension on the chain increases until the tension on the springs eases up.

Any suitable switch means may be used for stopping the operation of the motor in the fully closed and the Vfully open position of the door.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment abovev 'set forth, itis to be, understood thaty all matter herein set forth or shown in the. accompanying drawing is to. be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

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

1. In combination having vertical portions, curved portions at. the upper ends of the vertical portions and hori. zontal portions extending fromI said# curved portions, a sectional door comprising.. interpivoted. sections, rollers on. said; sections disposed within said. tracks, a horizontal shaft above; said track, sprocket wheels. on rotating.. said. shaft, inextensible. chains on said sprocket wheelsA respectively`` having'. their lower ends connectedy to..theA lower end; ofthe door, a carriage. slidably horizontal. portions. ofy said tracks in spaced relation. to. the. upper end.: off the-door, therear ends of. said chains being connected to saidi carriage, and'means, includingI spring means. interposed between theupper end. of the door. anda said. car. riage, to, urge. the. carriage away. from, the door and to take` up. slack in. said:` chain.

2. In combination with a. pair of. aligned: symmetrical. tracks having. vertical. upwardly extend'.- ing` portions .and rearwardly extending horizontal portions and curved. portions. interconnecting said vertical and horizontal portions, a sectional door comprising.- a pluralityof. sectionsbrackets fixed to adjacent portions of said sections, interpivot means to connect said brackets, rollers` on saidinterpivot means-received: Within saidftracks, a horizontalshaft mounted for rotation, sprocket Wheels-onsaid shaft, reversible .motor means. for rotating.v saidshaft in oppositedirectionsa sec. ondshaft parallel-.to .the first shaft, idler sprocket wheelson said.y second; shaft, inextensible chains connected-at their lowerends-to the lowermost sectiony ofv the door and: passing. over. the first mentionedsprocketfwheels andunder the second mentioned` sprocket wheels, a carriage slidably mounted, on. and.` between said horizontal por.- tionsA of said., tracks and. connected: to the. rear ends. ofsaid. chains, said carriage being spaced rearwardlyof the uppermost section*k of the.v door,

a. pair. of. rollers. mounted on saidtracks, links connectingsaidpair ofrollers to the uppermost section of: said: door, and means includingzspring means. interposed between. said: pairv of-s rollers and said carriage to urge the-.carriageawayfrom thedoor and totake kup slackinttheechains as the door. is. lifted.

3; Incombination. with a.- door opening,- andv apairl of tracks having-,vertical portions atfoppof.

site Si fles..of..- the door. Opening.: and.- inwardly @X- tendinghorizontal portions abovethe-,door openieg: Connected te the.

vided with pins carrying,'rollers.receivedLin-said tracks,A brackets at the uppen ends-of: the-.uppermost section providedwithpins carryingrollera receiyedwithin said tracks. rollers.; in the hori.

zontal portionscf said tracks, agtransverse shaft t9.. support saidrollers, links/.interconnecting -the last mentioned pins with said transverse-shaft, lugsjxed with respect to.- Said :transverse shaft,

and estendins llpllardlve therefromt and gforrnedf with a pairVv off -aligned tracks saidf shaf-t, motorA means for mounted on and. between. the.

vertical portions.. 0f the tracks by, upwardly.. and inwardly- Cillvdf track sections, pivot pins. rollerssonrsaidpivotpins receivedfw-ithin said-tracks, brackets. atthe.. lower; endsof the lowermost4 section andpro.-V

. in said pull means,

6;. with openings, a carriage. slidably molmted.on:` and between said horizontal portions of: said-` tracks, lugs on said carriage. formed` with.l openings aligned with the openings. in the rst.; meuf` tioned lugs respectively, a. rod. slidablyA` passing. through each pair of,l aligned openings., heads; at the ends of each ofsaid rods, aA coil. compres` sion spring on each of said rods. and. between said lugs which have the opening through which. the rod passes, flexible inextensible pull means. having opposite endsconnectecl tothe lowermost, section of the door and tothe carriage, and drive; means. in drivingv engagement, with theA pull means intermediate the ends of said pullk means..

4. In combination, a. door comprising a plural.- ity of interpivoted sections, guide tracksorr which said door travels, a. carriage mounted on; said; tracks for movement thereon. andf being spaced; from the upper end of the door, iiexiblel inex.-y tensible pull means connecting the'. lower endv of the door to. said carriage, spring-y take4V up; means, interposed between the upper end. of said. doorV and carriage to movey the carriage. awayv fromA the upper end of the d oorI and. to. takeup4 slack; and. meanstomove said pull means in opposite directions, said spring take-.upA means comprising stopsmovable with saidfcare riage and with. the uppermost.. section of' saidf' door respectively, a, coil: compression spring be.-v4 tween said stops. and meanseslidable relativetci. at least one of said stops. tosupportrsaid:springe.

5. in combination, a. door comprising; a.. plurality of interpivotedA sections, guide` tracks, on, which said door travels, a. carriagemountedon. said. tracks. for movement thereon,` said.' carriage being spaced from. the upperend ofithedoor; an. electric reversible motor, a shaft, drive: means; connecting said motor with. said shaft, apairof sprocket wheelsxedtozsaid.- shaft, andf.inex1,v tensible sprocket .chainsfmeshing with saidswheels; and each connected. at. onependsto the lowermost. section of the door, and` atthe other ends to` said carriage, stops movable with saidI carriage. and with the uppermost section: of. said: door respectively, a coil compression. springbetween said stops to push the` carriage away; from the` door and take up-slackinthe. chains, andmeans: slidable relative to atv least... one: of-'isaid stops.l to .support `said spring.-

6. In combination-with'a pair ofA aligned tracksg, having vertical; portions, rearwardly.: curved pqr-l., tions at the upper.- ends of: the verticaliportions. and horizontal portions: extending, from. said; curved portions, a'sectionaltdoor comprising-im. terpivoted sections, rollers on saidssectionv dis posed within saidtracks, ahorizontal'shaft above: said track, sprocket wheelsfonsaid shaft; motorfmeans for rotating said shaft, chains. on said@ sprocket wheel-s connectedv` to* the: lower-end" ois` the door, a carriage slidablymountedfon.and; between the horizontaly portionsof saidtracks, the rear ends of. saidchainsbeing.- connectedfto-y said carriage and springmeansdto; take=.up;;slack; in Said Chains.. interposed between-thermen; end

of the Vdoor with saidfca-rriaga.saidfcarriagercomfvertical portions .of said brackets, rollers on.said pair of vbrackets received insaidatracksf '7. In combination, a. pair off aligned. guide:

tracks having vertica l'portions,. curved apart-ions.;

at the upper Y ends ,.of l"said-Lvertical.fportionsi; andi horizontal portions extending from said curved portions, said tracks comprising channels opening inwardly, a door comprising a plurality of sections having edge to edge contact, means to interpivct adjacent sections about pivots offset from the plane of the door, rollers on said pivots received in said tracks, a shaft carrying rollers received in the horizontal portion of the tracks and connected by links to the uppermost section, a carriage carrying rollers received in the horizontal portions of said tracks, take up springs interposed between said carriage and shaft, a drive shaft, sprocket wheels thereon, sprocket chains meshing with said sprocket wheels, one end of each chain being attached to said carriage, and the other end being attached to the lowermost section of said door, a reversible electric motor and means to connect said motor for rotating said sprocket wheels.

l 8. In combination, a pair of aligned guide tracks having vertical portions, curved portions at the upper ends of said vertical portions, and horizontal portions extending from said curved portions, said tracks comprising channels opening inwardly, a door comprising a plurality of sections having edge to edge contact, means to interpivct adjacent sections about pivots oiset from the plane of the door, rollers on said pivots received in said tracks, a shaft carrying rollers received in the horizontal portion of the tracks and connected by links to the uppermost section, a carriage carrying rollers received in the horizontal portions of said tracks, take up springs interposed between said carriage and shaft, a drive shaft, sprocket wheels thereon, sprocket chains meshing with said sprocket wheels, one end of each chain being attached to said carriage, and the other end being attached to the lowermost section of said door, a reversible electric motor and means including a worm and worm gear to connect said motor for rotating said sprocket wheels, and idler sprocket wheels meshing with said chains.

' 9. In combination, guide tracks for a sectional door including a. vertical portion, an upwardly and rearwardly curved portion extending from the upper end of the vertical portion and a horizontal rearwardly extending portion extending from said curved portion, a sectional door comprising door sections adapted to be located in a plane in front of the vertical portion of the track, brackets extending rearwardly from said sections, means to interpivct the brackets at adjacent ends to adjacent sections, rollers on the interpivct means located within said track, rotary sprocket wheels above the vertical portion of the track, reversible motor means to rotate said sprocket wheels, in opposite directions, sprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, said chains having vertical portions disposed in front of the vertical portions of the track and connected at their lower ends of the lowermost section to the door and disposed in the plane of said sections when the door is in its down position, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portion of the track and being spaced rearwardly of the upper end of the door, means to connect the opposite ends of said chains to said carriage, and spring compression means interposed between the uppermost section and the carriage to push the carriage away from said uppermost section and to take up slack in said chains and whereby when the door is in its down position and the motor is operated in one direction the chains will pull the door upwardly from its lower end so that said section will turn from the vertical portion of the track around the curved portion of the track into the horizontal portion of the track, and when the motor is reversed said opposite ends of the chain will pull the carriage forwardly to compress the spring means and push the door forwardly of the horizontal track and around the curved portion of the track into the vertical portion of the track.

10. In combination, guide tracks for a sectional door including a vertical portion, an upwardly and rearwardly curved portion extending from the upper end of the vertical portion and a horizontal rearwardly extending portion extending from said curved portion, a sectional door comprising door sections adapted to be located in a plane in front of the vertical portion of the track, brackets extending rearwardly from said sections, means to interpivct the brackets at adjacent ends to adjacent sections, rollers on the interpivct means located within said track, rotary sprocket wheels above the vertical portion of the track, reversible motor means to rotate said sprocket wheels, in opposite directions, sprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, said chains having vertical portions disposed in front of the vertica1 portions of the track and connected at their lower ends of the lowermost section to the door and disposed in the plane of said sections when the door is in its down position, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portion of the track and being spaced rearwardly of the uppermost section of the door, means to connect the opposite ends of said chains to said carriage, and spring compression means interposed between the uppermost section and the carriage to push the carriage away from the door and take up slack in the chains, and whereby when the door is in its down position and the motor is operated in one direction the chains will pull the door upwardly from its lower end so that said section will turn from the vertical portion of the track around the curved portion of the track into the horizontal portion of the track, and when the motor is reversed said opposite ends of the chain will pull the carriage forwardly to compress the spring means and push the door forwardly of the horizontal track and around the curved portion of the track into the vertical portion of the track, and worm and worm gear means interposed between the motor and the sprocket wheels.

l1. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivoted sections, guide tracks on which said door travels, including an upwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion, and a curved portion connecting the rearwardly extending portion with the upper end of the upwardly extending portion, a carriage on the rearwardly extending portion of said tracks and spaced rearwardly of the upper end of the door, springs interconnecting said carriage with the uppermost section of the door and urging the carriage away from the door, a sprocket wheel mounted for rotation above the upwardly extending portion of the track, a sprocket chain engaging said wheel and connected at its lower end to the lowermost section of the door and at its opposite end to the carriage whereby the slack in the chain is taken up by said springs, an electric motor an-d drive means connecting the electric motor with said sprocket wheel.

12. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivoted sections, guide tracks on which said door travels, including an upwardly extending portion and a rearwardly extending portion, and a curved portion connecting the rearwardly extending portion with the upper end of the upwardly extending portion, a carriage on f the rearwardly extending portion of said tracks and spaced rearwardly of the upper end of the door, springs interconnecting said carriage with the uppermost section of the door and urging the carriage away from the door, a sprocket wheel mounted for rotation above the upwardly extending portion of the track, a sprocket chain engaging said wheel and connected at its lower end to the lowermost section of the door and at its opposite end to the carriage whereby the slack in the chain is taken up by said springs, an electric motor and drive means connecting the electric motor with said sprocket wheel, said drive means including a worm and worm wheel.

13. In combination, a door comprising a plurality of interpivoted sections, guide tracks on which said door travels, said guide tracks having vertical and horizontal portions and a curved interconnecting portion, a carriage slidably mounted on the horizontal portion of vsaid tracks for movement thereon and being spaced horizontally from the upper end of the door, exible pull means connecting the lower end of the door to said carriage, means including spring terposed between said carriage and .door to take JOI-IN P. REINHARDT.

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