US3089183A

US3089183A - Overhead door control arm

Info

Publication number: US3089183A
Application number: US56981A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul W Martin
Original assignee: Republic Industries Inc
Current assignee: Republic Industries Inc
Priority date: 1960-09-19
Filing date: 1960-09-19
Publication date: 1963-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-14
Also published as: GB917778A; DE1459162A1

Description

May 14, 1963 P. w. MARTIN OVERHEAD DooR CONTROL ARM 2 SheetsmSheet 1 Filed Sept. 19. 1960 IVENTOR.-

BY WMM@ May 14, 1963 P. w. MARTIN 3,089,183

OVERHEAD DooR coNTRoL ARM INVENTOR:

United States Patent O 3,089,183 GVERHEAD DGR CNTROL ARM Paul W. Martin, Des Plaines, lll., assigner to Republic Industries, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ot Illinois Filed Sept. i9, 1960, Ser. No. 56,931 1l Ciairns. (Cl. 14S-49) This invention relates to an improved overhead door control arm assembly for swinging doors of the type in which an overhead door control device provides the door top pivot.

One of the problems which has faced the door control art is the ability to provide a reliable, yet suiiiciently compact, overhead door control arm which permits its disposition in concealed relation within the door top edge, while maintaining durability and ease Vof assembly and installation. This problem is further complicated by the frequent and often high shock loads to which the door and its fittings are subjected.

Another problem has been the lack of a suitable door control arm which is adapted for rapid installation at the site and which is easily and rapidly removed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved overhead door control arm assembly which is simple in its construction, yet sturdy and reliable.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved overhead door control arm assembly which is resiliently mounted for absorbing shock forces in any direction.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved overhead door control arm which is easily installed and removed at the site where it is to be used.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel concealed overhead door control arm assembly which is adapted for factory or on the job installation of one portion thereof on an overhead jamb mounted door closer and a second portion on the door, and which is adapted for snap-action connection of the two portions for rapid iitting of the door in proper position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of improved means for clamping a swinging door in adjusted position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in the above of an improved door position adjusting means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in an overhead door control arm of an improved means for making connection between the door jamb supported means and the door.

lOther objects and the various features of the invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the improved door arm assembly;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation View of the improved door arm assembly shown mounted within the door rail;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view along line 4-4 of FIG. l showing the improved adjustment and clamping assembly;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation View along line 5-5 of FG. 1 showing a portion of the improved door arm andspring anchor assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of a portion of the clamping assembly;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken along lines l Patented May 14, 1963 ICC 2 7-7 and 8-8 of FIG. 6 in the directions indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top plate portion of the resilient clam-ping assembly;

F-IG. l() is a sectional view of the top plate which is taken along line 10i-lil of FIG. 9;

FIG. l1 is a perspective view of the spring anchor mounting plate; and

FIG. l2 is a sectional elevation view of the spring anchor mounting plate taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

The improved overhead control and mounting arm assembly is adapted for location in the hollow top rail 20 of a door 2l. Although it may be used with various types of door checks, the specifically illustrated embodiment is intended for use with a door check 22 of the type which is concealed within the overhead door jamb 23, and which has a depending vertical spindle 24. The arm is attached to this spindle and to the door so that the rotatable spindle serves as the door top pivot.

The assembly includes an arm proper 25 which is adapted to be secured to the spindle, and a door mounted assembly 26 which is received within and secured -to the overhead door rail by means of screws 27. As will be described in more detail later, the arm proper and the door mounted assembly are latched together under spring loaded compressive forces when the door is put into place.

The door assembly includes an elongated arm 23 and cap 29 which are secured together by means of machine screws 30. The juxtaposed surfaces of the arm :and cap each include triangular notches 26 which are adapted to clampingly receive the squared end of the spindle. The arm and arm cap are preferably formed by forging. The arm is formed to provide an elongated channel 31 on the under side thereof (FIG. 5) enclosed on either side by a pair of

walls

32 and 33 which taper gradually from left to right (FIG. 2). As seen in FIG. l, the arm in plan narrows slightly from left to right. The recess terminates at its left hand end near the spindle 24 in a narrowed down generally U-shaped socket portion 34. The opposite end of the channel terminates in a smooth generally horizontal bearing surface 36. The arm is somewhat thicker at the bearing surface 36 and a threaded aperture 3S is provided therethrough for a purpose which will be described later. The free end of the arm is `relieved on top as at 40.

A cylindrical `bushing 42 having a hexagonal head is received through an aperture 44 in the relieved arm end section 40 and is freely rotatable therein. A machine screw i6 passes thro-ugh the bushing 42 in an eccentric position at 48 and is threaded into an expander clamping assembly 50 therebeneath.

The clamping assembly 50 comprises upper and lower die cast plates 52. and 54 having a soft rubber expander S6 received therebetween. As best seen in IFIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the expander comprises a generally rectangular hollow section 58 and an end tab 6U. Ihe tab 60 includes a concave recess 62 on either side thereof to facilitate manual gripping. The rectangular section 58 comprises a pair of

ends

64 and 66 having llanges 63 projecting inwardly from the top and bottom thereof and opposed sides 70 and '72 which have tapered top and bottom surfaces. As best seen in FIG. 4, the tapered surfaces are trapped between tapered sides 74 `and '76 on the upper Iand lower plates respectively.

The upper plate 52 (FIGS. 9 and `10) is rectangular and includes a generally hublike central boss 78 with a central aperture Sli. The portion surrounding the hub section 78 is recessed and supporting ribs 82 project radially from the hub portion. The peripheral edge 84 is substantially flush with the hub section 78. At both ends of the top plate 52 are a pair of elongated flanges 86 and d8 located at the bottom thereof which iit between the franges 68 on the expander to retain the upper plate in the expander. As previously indicated, the sides of the top plate are tapered as at 74.

The lower plate 54 is a generally flat rectangular element with a central hub portion 9G projecting upwardly into the aperture 8G in the top plate. The hub portion 9G includes a threaded bore `92 for receiving the screw 46. The lower plate also includes outwardly extending flanges having `tapered upper side edges 76 which bear against the lower tapered surfaces of the rubber expander 58 and flanges 94' and 96 at the ends which it inside the rubber flanges 68.

The components of the expander assembly can be handled las a unit, since the top and bottom plates are embraced at their ends by the rubber flanges 68.

Reference to FIGS. l, 2, ll, and l2 may be had for explanation of the door mounted latching assembly 26. This assembly comprises a spring anchor mounting plate 199 which `is substantially rectangular in cross section and is preferably drop forged. The plate 19t] is secured to the surface at the bottom of the cavity in lthe door rail 20 by means of three screws 2'7 received through apertures 162 in the plate. The plate includes downwardly extending boss portions 104 at these apertures so that the plate can conform to any irregularity in the door surface Without twisting.

A pair of spaced bosses 106 and liiS project upwardly from the plate and these bosses are drilled to provide axially aligned apertures 11) and 112 through which a sliding bolt 114 is reciprocably received. A coil compression spring 116 is received around the bolt 114 between the bosses 6 and 1028 and bears against the boss 108 and a washer 120 which engages a cross pin 11S passed through the bolt. In the relaxed position, the spring urges the pin 114 into engagement with the boss i106. A rectangular opening 119 in the central portion of the plate between the bosses provides clearance for the spring and washer 120 The ends of a pair of tapering ridges 122 and 124 (FlG. l) on the upper surface of the mounting plate provide shoulders 126 and 128 `for a leaf spring 136. The spring y130 is a generally rectangular, slightly tapered strip of spring steel material. The left hand end (FIG. 3) of the spring 130 is secured to the upper surface of the mounting plate by means of a pair of rivets 132, and its free end is bent upwardly for engagement With the bear ing surface 36 of the arm 2S when the device is assembled. The free end 134 of the spring 136 is arcuately shaped and slightly tapered back-wardly at the bottom for mating pivotal sliding engagement with a corresponding `arcuate tapered shoulder 136 formed near the end of the arm 28. The axis for the arcuate spring end 134 and the arcuate shoulder 136 is at i138. The socket 34 and rounded end 149 of the spring loaded bolt 114 permit pivotal movement of the mounting plate 100 and leaf spring 130 with respect to the arm 28 about the center at 138. This, as will appear, permits angular adjustment of the door with respect to the arm 28.

The assembly of the door 21 to the door jamb 23 proceeds as follows. Assume that the door `frame isreceived as a completely assembled unit with the door check 22 mounted in place Within the overhead jamb 23 at the factory. The door frame is installed in a well known manner with the spindle 24 projecting downwardly from the overhead jarnb. The arm 28 and the arm cap 22 in a typicalinstallation may be connected to the spindle Iat the factory and therefore no assembly on the site is required.

The door mounted assembly `26 is .also of the type which may be preinstalled in the door at the factory by securing the spring anchor plate 10)l of the door mounted assembly to the surface within the overhead door rail by means of the three screws 27. The spring 130 of the door mounted -assembly will have been secured to the spring mounting plate prior to its assembly to the door, and the sliding bolt 114 will have been received within the bosses 142:5 and 108 and retained in place by means of the pin 118, washer 12d, and the spring 116. The expander assembly Sil, including the eccentric 42 and screw 46, will be supplied `separately or will be removed by taking out the screw d6 prior to fitting the door.

After the door frame has been set in place, the arm 28 is moved to door open position in a conventional manner depending upon the type of door check being used. With the arm 28 projecting outwardly from the frame, the door is brought into an assembly position with its overhead rail substantially `in alignment with the arm. The hinged edge of the door is guided over the arm and the door is pushed inwardly until the lbolt end 140 is guided into the socket 34 of the door arm channel. When the bolt end bottoms in the socket, the door is urged further inwardly toward the spindle, forcing 4the bolt rearwardly against the pressure of the spring 116 until the leaf spring 13d snaps into place fwith its free end against the shoulder 136 and the :bearing surface 36. The resilient yforce of the springs l116 and '130 will hold the assembly in place.

At some Itime during or prior to this operation, the door bottom pivot is connected. The sequence will depend upon the nature of the bottom pivot, and since the bottom pivot `forms no part of the present invention, this sequence cannot of course be given.

Next, the expander assembly is held by the tab 60 and slid into place, the eccentric 42 and screw 46 are fitted and the screw partially tightened. The door is then swung to closed position. lf the door is not properly aligned with the frame in this position, the `door will be opened and the eccentric 42 turned to shift the position of the end of `the arm 2S relative to the 4faces of the door to correct the misalignment, the bolt 114 pivoting in the socket 34 about the axis 138, and the arcuate end 134 of the leaf spring 130 sliding along the shoulder 136. The door is again closed to check the door alignment. This procedure is repeated as necessary to achieve satisfactory alignment.

When the door is properly positioned, the screw 46 is tightened, bringing the bottom plate 54 toward the top plate 52. This compresses the resilient element 56 vertically and causes its transverse expansion into tight compressive engagement with the door channel side rails. Tightening the screw also lfixes the position of the eccentric Ybushing 42 `relative to the other elements.

The resilient connection between the expander 56 and the door rail absorbs shock forces 'transverse to the plane of the door, the spring-loaded resilient connection between the door arm 28 and the spring loaded bolt 114 and the resilient expander absorb horizontal shock forces, and the resilient connection between the bearing surface 36 of the door arm and the spring I absorbs vertical shock forces. The life of the door arm and door control mechanism is thus appreciably lengthened, maintenance is minimized and operation is substantially silent, particularly since there is resilience but no lost motion in the assembly.

To remove the door from the frame, the door is opened; the screw 46 is removed from the expander assembly 50; and the bushing 42 and expander assembly are taken out. The screw is threaded into the aperture 35S- which has the same screw thread-in the door arm and turned downwardly until it pushes the end of the spring 1'30 from the shoulder 136. The screw is then removed and the top of the door is free to be pulled outwardly. Thus a rapid assembly and removal of the door is provided.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by

the following claims, to include Within the scope of the invention all such modications and variations by which substantially the results thereof may be obtained by substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

l. An overhead pivotal door control arm mechanism comprising, a horizontal arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle and having a short vertical dimension for concealed positioning in the top rail of a door, a member adapted to be secured within the door top rail and held between linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilient compressive forces for arcuate adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces being positioned near the spindle connection and the other of said surfaces being remote therefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door, and means carried by the arm for holding the door in the selected position.

2. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a rigid arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, a member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door and held for pivotal movement between linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilient compressive forces for angular adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces being positioned near the spindle connection and the other of said surfaces being remote therefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door, and means carried by the arm for holding the door in the selected position.

3. An overhead pivotal door control arm mechanism comprising, a first elongated member adapted for oonnection to an overhead spindle, a second elongated member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door and held between linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilient compressive forces for pivotal adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces being positioned near the spindle connection and the other of said surfaces being remote therefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door, and means carried by one of the members for locking the door in the selected position relative to the arm.

4. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a horizontally elongated rigid larm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, a member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door, a pivot element carried by the member, a pivot mechanism carried by the arm at a position adjacent the spindle connection, said pivot element and said pivot mechanism adapted to interengage to provide a pivoting axis for said member relative to said arm at a position adjacent the spindle connection, said arm and said member providing interengaging arcuate surfaces at a position remote from said pivot element and said pivot mechanism in a direction toward the free edge of the door to provide for angular adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the arm, and means carried by the arm for holding the door in the selected position.

5. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a pair of horizontally elongated members, one of the members being adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, the other member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door, means pivotally mounting one of the members between longitudinally spaced surfaces on the other member under resilient longitudinally directed compressive forces for angular adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the spindle, and means carried by one of the members for holding the door in the selected position.

6. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a rigid arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, and anchor member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door, an elongated flat spring carried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof,

a spring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projecting from the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having a socket element receiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor member relative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the position of the socket element, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with the pivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, the distance between the pivotal axis and the shoulder being less than the distance between the pivot member and the free end of the spring in their relaxed positions for compressive engagement of the pivot member and spring with the arm, the spring and arm engaging each other at an angle for cornpressive loading of the spring, the free end of the spring being arcuate for movement relative to the shoulder to lpermit limited angular positioning of the door relative to the rigid arm, and a fastening assembly having resilient means expandable into tight engagement with the door top rail and carried by the arm for limited transverse movement to lock the door in its selected position relative to the arm.

7. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, an elongated arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, an anchor member adapted to be secured to the top rail of a door, an elongated flat spring carried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof, a spring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projecting from the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having a recess receiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor member relative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the position of the recess, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with the pivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, the distance between the pivotal axis and the shoulder being less than the distance between the pivot member and spring in their relaxed positions for compressive engagement of the pivot member and spring with the arm, the spring and arm engaging each other at an angle for compressive loading of the spring, the free end of the spring being arcuate for movement relative to the shoulder to permit limited angular positioning of the door relative to the spindle, and means for locking the door in its selected position relative to the spindle.

8. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising a horizontally elongated rigid arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle and having a short vertical dimension for concealed positioning in the top rail of a door, an anchor member adapted to be secured within the top rail, an elongated flat spring secured at one end to the anchor member and projecting upwardly at a shallow angle from one end thereof, a pivot member reciprocably carried by the anchor member and projecting from the other end thereof, the arm having a socket receiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor member relative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the position of the socket element, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with the pivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, a bias spring urging the pivot member toward the socket for compressive latching engagement of the pivot member and flat spring with the arm, the ilat spring engaging the arm at an angle for vertical compressive loading of the flat spring, the free end of the spring being arcuate for movement relative to the shoulder to permit limited angular positioning of the door relative to the spindle, and means for locking the door in its selected position relative to the spindle.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 in which the locking means comprises a pair of vertically spaced plates, a bushing rotatably carried by the arm on a vertical axis, a screw eccentrically carried by the bushing and securing the plates to the bottom of the arm, and a resilient member positioned between the plates and expandable outwardly for clamping engagement with the door rail upon movement of the plates toward each other by the screw, the bushing being rotatable on the arm to adjust the plates spaanse and resil-ient member transversely for movement of the door rail relatively to the arm.

10. An overhead door control mechanism comprising, an elongated rigid arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, an anchor member adapted to be secured to the top rail of a door, an elongated flat spring carried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof, a spring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projecting from the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having an element receiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor member relative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the position of the element, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with the pivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, the distance between the pivotal axis and the shoulder being less than the distance between tne free end of the spring and the pivot member in their relaxed positions for compressive engagement of the pivot member and spring with the arm, the free end of the spring being arcuate for sliding movement relative to the shoulder to permit limited angular positioning of the door relative 'to the spindle, an assembly having resilient means received within and expandable into tight engagement with the door top rail, and an eccentric .bushing and expanding means carried by the arm for 4supporting the assembly in alignment with the top rail in all References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,895 Norton Jan. 3l, 1933

Claims

3. AN OVERHEAD PIVOTAL DOOR CONTROL ARM MECHANISM COMPRISING, A FIRST ELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO AN OVERHEAD SPINDLE, A SECOND ELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED WITHIN THE TOP RAIL OF A DOOR AND HELD BETWEEN LINEARLY SPACED SURFACES ON THE ARM UNDER RESILIENT COMPRESSIVE FORCES FOR PIVOTAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE DOOR INTO A SELECTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE ARM, ONE OF SAID SPACED SURFACES BEING POSITIONED NEAR THE SPINDLE CONNECTION AND THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACES BEING REMOTE THEREFROM IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE FREE EDGE OF THE DOOR, AND MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS FOR LOCKING THE DOOR IN THE SELECTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE ARM.