US3101507A

US3101507A - Door operating arm and rail

Info

Publication number: US3101507A
Application number: US161212A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael L Cecala
Original assignee: OSCAR C RIXSON CO
Current assignee: OSCAR C RIXSON CO
Priority date: 1961-12-21
Filing date: 1961-12-21
Publication date: 1963-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1980-08-27

Description

United States Patent This invention relates to an operating arm and rail assembly for center-hung doors operatedby an overhead concealed door-closer.

Center-hung doors, generally equipped with some form of door-closing mechanism, are hinged on top and bottom pivotal mountings the pivotal axes of which are vertically alined as close as practical to the jamb of a door-way frame. These top and bottom pivotal mountings comprise coaoting elements that are located, respectively, in or on the door ends and in or on the transom of the door-way frame and in or on the floor For example, the top mounting element, which is secured to the transom, includes a depending spindle to which is attached an operating arm secured to the upper end of the door; and the bottom mounting element, which is located in or on the floor, includes a thrust bearing. on which is ro-tatively seated a bracket element secured to the bottom end of the door.

Center-hung doors always have presented the problem of setting the door in the door-way frame in such a mannor as to make possible a facile positioning and securing of the door on the pivot mountings.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of door-operating arm and rail assembly for centerhung doors; to provide an improved door-operating device having an improved arm and rail structure permitting a very 'facile connection thereof to and/ or disconnection irom the requisite pivotal element; to provide an improved door-operating arm and rail in the form of telescoping parts separately attachable to the door and to the pivotal element to permit a quick-set of the door in the door-way opening and the quick removal of the door, :as circumstances may require; to provide improved means for locking the arm and rail in operative relationship; to provide improved means for effecting the relative adjustment of the operating arm and rail to insure a positive centering of the door in the door-way frame when the door is in its closed position; and to provide an improved door-operating arm and rail of this kind of such simple construction as to make very economical its manufacture, extremely facile its attachment respeotive-' 1y, to the door and one of the pivotal elements, and highly dependable-in its functioning.

in the adaptation shown in the accompanying drawin s: iFlGURE 1 is an elevational view of a conventional center-hung door indicating the positioning of an improved door-operating device constructed in accordance notched portions of the hub and cap form a rectangular with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an assembled arm and rail which constitute this door-operating device constructed v in accordance with this invention;

ice

of the two vertically alined pivotal elements which hinge a door in a framed opening and the other of which parts is adapted for seating in one edge of the door and for interlocking engagement with the first part 'whereupon, the door being positioned in horizon-tally angulated relationship to the plane of the door opening, the parts of the device'm-ay' be shifted into telescopic relationship for the quick setting'and securing of the door in functional position in the door-way frame.

A structure embodying the foregoing concept, for use with a center-hung door 16*, comp-rises an arm part 11 and a rail part 12, formed -for telescopic assembly and to be releasably retained in such relationship 'by a latch 13, subject to a relative angular movement by an adusting means 14, andto be secured in adjusted position by a locking means 16. 1

A conventional center hung door 10, such as shown in FIG. 1, is hinged on

pivotal mountings

17 and 18, indicated in dot-ted outlines. Generally, the upper pivotal mounting 17 is a concealed door-closing mechanism which includes .a vertically downward spindle 19 to which is attached the operating-arm device iZll'on the door 1d. The lower pivotal mounting 18 generally is a twopiece structure with a thrust bearing 22 for positioning on or in the floor, and some form of bracket element for fixing on the door and provided with a thrust-bearing seat.v The spindle 19 and thrust bearing 22 are vertical- ,ly alined usually closely adjacent to the door way jamb 23. Such amounting for doors It) presents the major problem of facile positioning of the door on these alined pivotal mountings and attaching the door to the spindle The :arm part 11 and the railpart 12 could be variously formed. As shown here, the arm 11 is a metal forging of rectangular cross section with a long tapered shank section 21 extending forwardly from an integrated and recessed hub section 24 mou-nting'a complementary-recessed hub extension or end cap 25. The rail 12 is channel-shaped and of a length somewhat greater than the over-all length of the arm 11, and is adapted to be mortised into and secured to the upper end of the door 10.

The tapered shank 21 of the arm 11 is bifurcated at its outer end by a notch 26 for seating a circular nut 27 of the hereinafter described adjusting means 14, and a transversely-disposed slot 28, inwardly of the outer end, for the reception of a retaining lug 29 on the latch 13. At will be explained presently, the slot 28 and the lug 29 are slightly arcuate in form.

Adjacent the notch 26 is a threaded hole 30 positioned in the arm 11't0 register with a transversely-elongated opening 31 in the outer end ofthe latch 13 for the reception of a screw 32 for locking the arm 11 and rail 12 in FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembled doo operating arm and rail shown in FIG. 2, indicating in full and dotted outlines the respective positions of the latch whereby the arm and rail are retained in or released from their functioning relationship;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional detail taken on the plane of the line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of the assembly shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the plane of the line 5--'5 of that figure.

The essential concept of this invention involves two coacting parts one of which parts is connected to one their angularly-adjusted relationship for centering the door 10in the door-Way opening.

j The arm hub-section 24 has the end cap 25 secured thereto by a pair of bolts 33 and the complementarily opening 3 4 for the operative receptionof the spindle 19 of the door-closing mechanism 17, the spindle 19 being of non-circular section at this point for non-rotative' connection with the arm 11. The end cap 25 being mounted on the hub section 24 in this manner makes for the facile attachment of the arm 11 to the spindle 19 and for the exact vertical location of the arm 11' relative to the bottom pivot 22 to accommodate the door 10, as presently will be explained more fully. As indicated at 35 in FIG. 3,

opposite corners of the spindle 19 are transversely notched to provide passage for the bolts 33 of the end cap.

As shown, the lateral sides of the arm 11 are tapered toward the opposite ends of the arm from rounded shoulders 36 at the forward end of the hub section 24 which abut limit pins 37 (FIG. 2) for a reason which will be explained presently.

The rail 12, as previously mentioned, is of channel shape. Adjacent the rear "end of the channel rail the flanges 38 are cut away for a short distance inwardly from the end and adjacently inward from the rear end of the flanges 38 are a pair of opposed transversely projecting lugs 41 integrated with the top edges of the flanges 38. These lugs 41 seat the upper ends of the limit pins 37, the opposite ends of which pins are seated in the base of the rail 12, the pins 37 being disposed in close relationship with the inner faces of the flanges 38. These pins 37 contacted by the shoulders 36 on the arm 11 serve to properly locate the arm 11 in the channel 12 when the door is being mounted and also' constitute fulcrums about which the arm 11 can rock or swing under the action of the adjusting means 14, as presently will be explained.

Pairs of holes 42 are formed in the opposite ends of the base of the rail 12 for the insertion of screws for securing the rail 12 in proper position in the upper end of the door.

The latch 13 here is shown as a short inverted-channel shaped member, of a size to nest within the rail 12 flush with the top edges of the flanges 38, and at its rearward end this member has the base cut away so that the side flanges form a pair of ears '43. This latch 13 is hinged to the rail 12 by rivets 4-4 seated in the ears 43 and positioned on the rail 12 about medially of its ends and so that when the latch 13 is in its nested position the opening 31 at its opposite end will register with the threaded hole 30 in the arm 11 when the latter is shouldered against the limit pins 37. Inwardly adjacent the Years 43 a portion of the base of the latch 13 is struck out to form the short, downwardly-extending, arm retaining lug 29 previously mentioned. As will be noted the perimeter of the opening 31, in the free end of the latch 13, is beveled to seat the conventional tapered head of the locking screw 32 to provide maximum frictional bearing on the latch.

tThe adjusting means 14- includes the previously-mentioned circular nut 27 rotatively threaded on a fixed shaft 45 spanning and secured to the flanges 38 of the channelrail 12. The nut 27 has a series of apertures 46 in its periphery to permit the insertion of a pointed instrument, if needed, to turn the nut 27 for the hereinafter explained relative angular adjustment of the arm 11 with respect to the rail 12.

When the arm 11 is secured in position on the rail 12 by the seating of the latch lug 29 in the arm slot 28 and with the nut 27 seated in the arm notch 26, the rounded arm shoulders 36 are in contact with the respective limit pins 37 (FIG. 2). Thus, the turning of the nut 27 alters the longitudinal angular relationship of the arm 11 and the rail 12 and adjusts the door relative to the arm to perrnit accurate centering of the door in the door-way opening when the closer 17 is at its door closed position. This is particularly important in the case of double-acting doors where door stops cannot be used. In the case of single-acting doors the arm adjustment is usually made so that when the door is closed against the stops there will still be some tension, in the closing direction, exerted by the closer mechanism. The tapering lateral sides of the arm 11, oppositely from these rounded shoulders 36, makes possible the aforesaid relative angular adjustment of the arm 11 and rail 12 and it is because of such swinging of the arm 11 that the arm slot 28 and the latch lug 29 are made slightly arcuate in form to permit the unhinding relative movement of the lug 29 in the slot 28 during the relative shifting of the arm 11 and latch 13 as the arm is adjusted by the turning of the nut 27.

Once the centering adjustment of the arm 11 and rail 12 has been efiected, the parts are securely locked in that relationship by the firm seating of the screw 32 against the beveled margin of the latch opening 31.

The use of this improved door operating arm and rail assembly for effecting the quick setting of a door '10 on l the axially alined

pivotal mountings

17 and 18 is as follows:

The arm 11 has the end'cap bolts 33 backed off just enough to enlarge the hub' opening 34 to easily receive the end of the spindle 19, on whatever type of door-closing mechanism is being used as a part of the pivotal mounting 17. Thereupon, the arm 11 is adjusted to its proper height above the bottom pivot 18 and the bolts 33 are tightened. The arm 11 is then used to turn the spindle 19 about or rotatively, to the hold-open position of the door-closer mechanism, or, if the mechanism is of a non-hold type, the valve controlling the checking action should be fully closed to prevent the spindle 19 from returning to the O or closed position. Meanwhile, the rail 12 will have been accurately positioned by means of a template and attached in a suitable channel at the upper end of the door by screws (not here shown) seated in the holes 42.

Then, with the latch 13 retracted or opened, as shown in full outline in FIG. 3, the ventically-positioned door 10 is moved edgewise to cause the arm 11 to enter the rail 12. As the arm 11 moves into the rail 12, the lower door-bi-acketwhateve-r its formis set onto the thrust bearing 22 and then, as the arm 11 moves into full telescopic relationship in the rail 12, with the arm notch 25 seated over the nut 27, the latch 13 is moved down into the closed, door-retaining, position shown in FIG. 4. This will cause the lug 29 to enter the slot 28 and firmly secure the door 10 to the operating arm 11.

The door 10 then is permitted to swing into its normally closed position in the door-way opening. If, in "this closed position, the door is not absolutely centered in the opening, or firmly against the door frame stops in the case of a single-acting door, the door is swung to a partlyopen position to permit access to the adjusting nut 27. The turning of this nut 27, one way or the other, will shift the arm 11 relative to the rail 12 so that positive centering of the door 10 will always occur when the door is permitted to swing to its normally closed position under the action of the closer mechanism. Once proper angular adjustment of the arm 11 and rail 12 has. been effected, the screw 3-2 is set to lock these parts in that adjusted relationship.

If, in the course of time, the door 10 should become slightly off center in its closed position, a partial opening of the door will permit access to the screw 32 and the nut 27 to make the necessary adjustment of the arm 11 to insure the desired center positioning of the door in its closed position.

When it becomes necessary to remove the door 10, equipped with this improved operating device 20, it may be accomplished as quickly as it was set. All that is required is the partial opening of the door to its holdopen position, removal of the screw 32, and lifting of the latch 13 to disengage it from the arm 11. Thereupon the door may be drawn outwardly to disengage the arm 11 and rail 12 and allowthe door to be shifted off from the thrust bearing 22.

If a door 10, equipped with this improved operating device 20 were also equipped with a lower bracket element and thrust bear-ing such as shown and described in my copending applications Serial No. 199,321, filed June 1, 1962, and Serial No. 199,507 filed June 1, 1962, the setting and removal of a door 10 could be accomplished more quickly than with the use of some conventional lower pivotal mounting.

The main advantages of this invention reside in the arm and rail construction whereby, each having been independently mounted on the closer spindle and the door, respectively, the two elements can be readily telescoped one within the other and quickly secured together so that the door is fully supported in operative position; in the arrangement of the armand rail assembly whereby all necessary adjustments for proper door operation can be made quickly, easily and with simple tools; and in the fact that a center-hung door can be quickly mounted and secured in operative condition by one man and without the need for special blocking up to hold the door while adjustments are being made. 1

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A door-operating device for center-hung doors, com prising a pair of telescopically positionable parts, having contacting pivotal shoulders permitting relative angular adjustment of the parts in their telescopically assembled relationship,

one means for attaching one part to a door,

another means tor attaching the other part to a pivot spindle,

the pair of parts being shiftable into operative telescopic relationship after attachment to the door and spindle, respectively, by the setting of the door on an opposed pivotal mounting,

latch means on one of the parts shiftable into and out of position to engage the other part for locking the parts in operative telescopic relationship, and

screw means interposed between the parts in their telescopically assembled relationship for eiiecting the angular adjustment of the parts relative to each other.

2. A door-operating device for center-hung doors, comprising a channel-shaped rail adapted for attachment to the upper end of a door,

an arm shaped for telescopic positioning in the rail and having a hub for attachment to a pivot spindle, abutting pivotal shoulders on the rail and on the arm for limiting the telescopic positioning of the arm in the rail and permitting relative angular adjustment of the arm. relative to the rail, the rail and arm being shiitable into operative telescopic relationship after attachment to the door and spindle, respectively,

latch means hinged on the rail and shiftable into and out of position to engage the arm for locking the arm in operative relationship in the rail, and

screw means rotatively mounted on the and engaging the telescopically positioned arm for effecting an angular swinging of the arm on the pivotal shoulders of the assembled rail and arm.

3. A door-operating device as set torth in claim 2 wherein the shoulders on the rail comprise a pair of transversely-opposed pins fixed inwardly adjacent one end of the rail and juxtaposed to the respective flanges of the rail normal to the bottom thereof to fulcrum the shoulders of the hub, and the screw means is a. nut threaded on a rod extending transversely across the rail inward of the other end with the nut seated in a notch in the opposed end of the telescopically assembled arm.

4. A door-operating device as set atorth in claim 2 wherein the latch means is a channel-shaped member hinged at one end medially oi the channelasliaped rail tor straddling the telescopically assembled arm, the said member having a lug extending downwardly firom the base thereof and the arm having a transverse slot for seating said lug when the member is depressed into nested position in the rail over the telescopically assembled arm.

5. A door-operating device iior center-hung doors, comprising an arm a channel-shaped rail adapted tor attachment to a door,

an arm shaped for telescopic positioning in the rail and having a hub tor attachment to a pivot spindle, abutting rounded shoulders on the rail and on the arm for limiting the telescopic positioning of the aim in the rail and permitting relative angular adjustment of the arm telescopically positioned in the rail, the rail and arm being shittable into operative telescopic relationship aiiter attachment to the door and spindle, respectively, latch means hinged on the rail and shiitalble into and out ot position to engage the aim for locking the arm in operative relationship in the rail, screw means rotatively mounted on the rail and engaging the telescopically positioned arm for eflecting an angular swinging of the arm on the pivotal shoulders or the assembled rail and arm, and locking means tor securing the bar in angularly-adjusted telescopic assembly with the rail. 6. A door-operating device as set fiorth in claim 5 wherein the latch means is a channelshaped member hinged at one end medially of the channel-shaped rail ior straddling the telescopically assembled arm, the mom her having a lug extending downwardly iirom the base thereof and said arm having a transverse slot for seating the lug when the member is depressed into nested position in the rail over the telescopically assembled arm, and the locking means comprises a screw extending through a transvensely elongated slot in the end of the latch member and threaded into the end of the arm to permit setting the screw head against the latch member.

7. A center hung door-operating device comprising, an arm having an elongated shank section integrated with a wider and shorter hub section, clamping means forming a part of the hub section for attaching the arm to the spindle of a pivotal mounting, the shank section of the arm having a transverse slot intermediate the hub section and the opposite end of the arm, a channel-shaped rail structured to telescopically receive the arm in dooroperating position and to permit a limited adjustment of the relative angulardisposition of the arm and rail, the mail having apertures for anchoring the rail in the end of a door, shoulders on the rail inwardly them one end for contact with the arm hub section adjacent its junction with the shank section and to fulcrum the arm in the rail tor angular movement therein, a channel-shaped latch hinged at one end to the rail intermediate the rail ends lfor swinging between a retracted position outwardly of the rail and a position parallel with the rail and embracive of the shank section of the arm, a lug on the latch seatable in the arm slot to retain the arm in door-operating relationship within the rail, and means for swinging the arm about the rail shoulders. to adjust the relative angular disposition of the arm and rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,373,955 Fuller i Apr. 17, 1945 2,972,788 Shean Feb. 28, 1961 2,987,756 Hollansworth June 13, 1961 3,003,495 Coultrip Oct. 10, 1961 3,059,271 Erilcson Oct. 23, 1962

Claims

1. A DOOR-OPERATING DEVICE FOR CENTER-HUNG DOORS, COMPRISING A PAIR OF TELESCOPICALLY POSITIONABLE PARTS, HAVING CONTACTING PIVOTAL SHOULDERS PERMITTING RELATIVE ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT OF THE PARTS IN THEIR TELESCOPICALLY ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP, ONE MEANS FOR ATTACHING ONE PART TO A DOOR, ANOTHER MEANS FOR ATTACHING THE OTHER PART TO A PIVOT SPINDLE, THE PAIR OF PARTS BEING SHIFTABLE INTO OPERATIVE TELESCOPIC