US2929622A - Door assembly - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1960 A. E. THORSON DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alvin E. Tharson INVENTOR.

March 22, 1960 A. E. THORSON DOOR ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

Filed Dec. 10, 1953 Alvin E. 7' harson INVENTOR BY 34mm W n! BM March 22, 1960 THQRSON 2,929,622

DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 7

Alvin E. Thorson INVENTOR.

United States Patent DOOR ASSEMBLY Alvin E. Thor-son, (Iorvallis, Mont.

Application December 10, 1953, Serial No. 397,300

1 Claim. @1. 253-48 This invention relates .generally to door constructions and pertains more particularly to asliding door assernbly.

A primary object of this invention is to provlde an improved form of sliding door assembly which incorporates upper and lower track elements and operating mechanism for normally urging a pair of sliding door panels to closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sliding door construction in conformity with the foregoing object in which the construction of the track assemblies and the mechanism associated therewith taken in conjunction with the actuating mechanism forms a very compact and effective assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and.claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the improved door assembly in clo'sed position;

Figure 2 is an'enlarged perspective view of the door latching assembly;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the door track assembly and corresponding portions of the door panel;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the door panels in open position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective showing the upper track construction;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper track assembly and associated portions ofthe door panel illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified form of assembly; and

Figure '8'is aperspective-view of a modified form of securing hook assembly.

"Referring nowparticularly-to Figures 1 and 4, the referencenumeralilllindicates a .wall, panel or the like in which an opening is provided and which it is desired to selectively open and close. For this purpose, the upper and lower track assemblies indicated generally by the reference characters 12 and 14 respectively are secured to the wall for 'guidably supporting the door panels 16 and 18 for movement between a closed position as illustrated in Figure 1 to an open position as illustrated in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5 wherein the construction of the upper track assembly is shown, it will be noted that this assembly incorporates supporting mechanism generally in the configuration of angle member having a vertical supporting plate portion 20 and a horizontally extending flange 22 in the manner shown. Disposed at opposite ends of the assembly are the depending tubular socket members 24 for receiving the opposite end of a track bar 26 for supporting the same on the assembly 12. The end of the track bar may be provided with transverse bores in which cotter pin mem- 23295322 Patented Mar. 22, 1960 ice tal flange 22 is a combined support and pivot plate member 39 which is apertured as at 32 adjacent its upper end and which is provided with a tubular socket 34 at its lower edge, this socket supporting and receiving the central portion of the track bar 26. The door panels 16 and 18 are provided with tubular guide members 36 at their upper edges and disposed medially thereof and it is to be noted that these guide members are received on the track bar for guiding the door panels therealong with the path of movement of the door panels being limited by the actuating mechanism hereinafter described.

As seen most clearly in Figure 3, the lower end of the door panels 16 and 18 are provided with depending plate-like ear members 38 and the lower track assembly 14 will be seen to consist of a channel-shaped member having a vertical web portion 40 and upper and lower horizontal flanges 41 and as respectively. The upper flan e is provided with elongated slots 43 at its opposite ends to receive ears 33 and guide the lower ends of the door panels. When the track assembly 14 is positioned on the structure with which it is to be associated, the free edges of flanges 41 and 42 are engaged against the wall It) such that the depending brackets 4d on lower flange 42 are flush against the wall and the extension 45 on the upper flange overlies a portion of the floor (not shown) adjacent the door opening. Both the brackets 44 and the extension 45 are provided with apertures as at 46 and 47 respectively, whereby suitable fastening elements may be utilized in securing the track assembly in place.

For maintaining the doors in latching closed position, the assembly shown in Figure 2 is utilized and which comprises the generally S-shaped latching hook 48 suitably mounted to a bracket 50 on one of the door panels while the opposite end of the hook engages within a keeper member 52 on the other door panel. An actuating rod 54 is suitably secured as at 56 to the opposite end of the hook assembly and this rod extends through a bracket 58 on the pane 18, the spring member 69 being provided for normally urging the actuating rod and the hook to the door latching position. In this respect, it will be noted that a portion of the actuating rod is threaded as at 62 for receiving a nut and washer member 64 and 66 formin a-n abutment for the spring 60 to vary the tension thereof for effectively maintaining the latch hook in latching position. The free end of the actuating rod 54 is pro- -vided with an eye 63 receiving a length of flexible material 72 by means of which the latching mechanism is conveniently manipulated to an unlatching position.

The previously described pivot plate 30 receives a pivot bolt 79 through its aperture 32 for .pivotally connecting a link member 72 thereto. A pair of arm members 74 and 76 are pivotally secured at one end to the door panels 16 and 13, respectively, the latter arm being pivotally secured to an extension bracket member 78 so that the pivotal connection between the arm 76 and the door panel 18 is above the top edge of the door panel. The other arm 74 is pivoted to the door panel 16 below the top edge thereof shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 4. The opposite ends or" the arm members 74 and 76 are respectively connected to the lower end of the crank or link 72 and adjacent the upper ends thereof as will be seen. A spring 86 is secured at one end to a mounting bracket 32 on the link 72 and its opposite end is provided with a rod member 84 having its end portion projecting through an L-shaped bracket ear 86 on the horizontal flange 22 of the upper track assembly 12. The upper end of the link 72 is provided with a series of apertures receiving a link member 88 to which a flexible cable or cord 90 is attached, the cord passing therefrom over the pulley panels in the open position as long as is desired. The bracket member 78 on the door panel 18 is provided with a series of apertures for selectively pivotally receiving the corresponding end of the arm member 76 such as to properly locate the door panels in closed position, that is,

may be wrapped about securing bolts 94 to retain the do'or such that their adjacent edges will fully engage in the closed position. The bracket member 82 on the link 72 as well as the bracket member 86 on the track assemblies are each provided with a series of apertures for adjustably receiving the opposite ends of the spring assemblies such that the returning force of this spring may be effectively varied to produce the proper closing action desired.

It will be manifest that the above described assembly while extremely simple in construction is at the same time very rugged, light in weight, dependable and other- I wise well suited and adapted for the purposes intended.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 6 wherein a modification of the invention is shown, it will be noted that the track assembly 96 incorporates a vertical portion 93 and a horizontal flange 100 and that the upper edges of the door panels 102 and 104 are provided with T- shaped brackets 106, the free ends of the arms of which carry roller members 108 for movement along the upper surface of the flange 100. An upward extension 110 on one of the brackets 106 provides the adjustable pivotal 'mounting of member 78, while the plate 112 forms the pivot support for member 72, in the same manner as previously described.

Reference is had more particularly now to Figure 7 wherein a modified form of operating assembly is shown. This assembly incorporates a strap 114 pivotally secured to the upper end of link 72 as at 116. The strap is apertured at its opposite ends so that the o'ppositerends of a rope or the like may be secured thereto; A single pulley 118 is attached to the wall 10 at one side of the door and at the opposite side a pair of pulleys 120 and 122 are provided. v A final pulley 124 is-secured to the wall at a suitable point below the pulleys 120 and 122. In this manner, the previously mentioned rope is disposed such I,

that one horizontal flight 126 thereof extends from one i end of strap 114, over pulley 118, back past the limb 72, over pulley 1Z0'and thence downwardly in the vertical flight 128 around pulley 124. The rope then co'ntinues in another vertical flight 130 from pulley 124 to pulley 122 and aroundthe latter in the horizontal flight 132 to its point of attachment to the other end of strap 114. Thus, the door panels are opened by pulling down on the vertical flight 130.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 8, a slightly modified form of latching mechanism is shown, the modification embodying a latch bar 134 secured to the panel 16 by staple 136. The free end of the bar is slotted to receive a hasp 138 on hook 48, this hasp being apertured for the reception of retaining pin 140.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and furtherexplanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A sliding door constmction comprising an upper track assembly including an elongated mounting plate, a track bar carried by and disposed in spaced relation to said plate, a pair of door panels each having a guide member secured at its upper edge and slidably receiving said track bar, a lower track guidably receiving lower edge portions of said panels, a link pivotally secured to said plate, a pair of arm members, an arm member being pivotally secured to each door panel and extending therefrom, said arm members being pivotally secured to said link with the latter pivotal connections being disposed equally distant from the pivotal connection of said plate and said link, spring means terminally secured to said link and said upper track assembly for normally swinging said link to door closing position, and means for manually swinging said link in opposition to said spring means secured to said link at the endthereof most remote from the pivotal connection between said plate and said link,

said door guide members comprising short tubular ele ments receiving said track bar, said lower track comprising a lower track assembly including a mounting plate having a horizontal flange po'rtion, said flange portion being longitudinally slotted, and guide ears secured to .the lower edges of said panels guidably received in the slots of said flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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