US3151665A

US3151665A - Vertical louver doors

Info

Publication number: US3151665A
Application number: US226772A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emmet G Stack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-09-24
Filing date: 1962-09-24
Publication date: 1964-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1981-10-06

Description

Oct. 6, 1964 E. G. STACK VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1962 .lrldrf m M Oct. 6, 1964 E- s. STACK VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1964 E. s. STACK 3,151,665

VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS "iled Sept; 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,151,665 VERTICAL LOUVER DOORS Emmet G. Stack, was SW. Vista, Portland, Greg. Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 226,772 2 Claims. (Cl. 160206) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 75,021, filed December 9, 1960.

My invention relates to louver doors of the vertical type.

The principal objective of my invention is to provide such a door that is cheaper to fabricate, more simple, more rugged and much cheaper to install.

A further objective is to extend the use of the panel shown and described in Patent No. 2,700,192, issued to me on January 25, 1955.

A still further objective is to provide better control over the overhung type or" verticfl louver doors especially those for wide openings.

How this is accomplished is illustrated in .the accompanying drawings of which FIG. 1 is an elevation (broken) of the louver panel; FIG. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a full size elevation (broken) through the panel showing the top and bottom connections; FIG. 4 is a full size vertical section (broken) on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a full size elevation (broken) showing the anchor panel stop means; FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the track and stop pins; FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the center panel support; FIG. 8 shows an end elevation of said support; FIG. 9 is a side elevation thereof; FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a pantagraph link connection; FIG. 11 shows a plan view of a pantagraph link; FIG. 12 shows a side elevation thereof; P16. 13 is a plan view (top or bottom) showing the pantagraph arrangement for moving the panel; FIG. 14 shows the panel lap; FIG. 15 shows the top and bottom support flanges positioned between the panel cover sheets; PKG. 16 shows the top track groove formed in the top door jamb; FIG. 17 shows the upper track formed with a deep groove; FIG. 18 shows an enlarged vertical section of the spring-supported pin shown in FIG. 4 provided with a tracl -contaot ball.

Throughout the drawings and the specification similar numerals refer to similar parts.

The panel of Patent No. 2,700,192 and several others of the same configuration, granted to me, admit of many uses, such as, grain doors, house doors, and building panels for various purposes. The great strength inherent in the above panels is not required for the instant purpose. Therefore, /8" plywood cover sheets separated /4" at the center has proven adequate for vertical louver door panels.

The louver panel P may be made of material other than plywood and may be of any suitable width and length. A panel 8%" in width looks well and five cover sheets may be ripped from one four foot wide commercial sheet of plywood, hardboard, or other suitable material with a milimum of waste. The panel proper comprises two arched cover sheets 1 and 2 glued together at their sides 3 for a distance of approximately and separated on the longitudinal centerline 4 by a spreader 5 which may be ripped from a 'lieet of /4" plywood. in the drawings (see FIG. 2) this spreader 5 has been made 1%" wide and has the edges thereof eased to provide an intimate contact between the spreader and the cover sheets and the cover sheets and the flanges 6 of the panel supports 7 and 8. it is to be noted that one cover sheet serves as the haunches of the other cover sheet.

In my vertical louver door I provide a guide or track 9 secured to the floor F and a guide or track 10 secured to the top jamb T. These guides or tracks 9 and 1! ex- Patented Oct. 6, 1954 tend from side jamb S to side jamb S of the door opening. Both tracks are similar in overall configuration except that the bottom track 9 is provided with a groove 11 curved in cross section for the reception of the ball bearing 12 mounted in the bottom panel support 7 while the top track 10 is provided with a rectangular groove 13 for the reception of the ball bearing assembly 14 carried by the top panel support 8. Both tracks 9 and 19 may be an extrusion of a hard tempered aluminum alloy such as 6063T-6.

The top and bottom panel supports 8 and 7 are similar in overall configuration and may be aluminum die castings of the alloy noted above. The flanges 6 on both the top and bottom panel supports 8 and 7 respectively, fitsnugly over the panel P on the centerline 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and are further clamped to the panel P by the screw 15.

In FIG. 15 the flanges 6 on both the top and bottom supports 8 and 7 respectively, are positioned between the cover sheets 1 and 2--each cover sheet being secured to its respective flange 6 by a screw 15.

The boss 16 on the bottom panel support 7 is provided with a counterbore 17 for the reception of a large ball bearing 12 and a pad of small ball bearings 18 which rest upon said large ball bearing 12. The weight of the panel P [is transferred through the

bearings

18 and 12 to the track 9 on the floor F. This construction permits the ball bearing 12 to be moved along the groove 11 in the track 9 and the panel P supported by said ball bearing 12 to rotate about its vertical centerline or axis 4. The ball 12 is prevented from dropping out of its counterbore 17 by the extension of the boss 16 crimped in below the centerline of said ball bearing 12 as at 19.

The boss 2% on the top panel support 8 is provided with a counterbore 21 for the reception of the pin 22 slidable therein. This pin has a shoulder 23 on which is supported the inner race 24 of the ball bearing assembly 14 whose outer race 24A is free to roll along the sides of the rec tangular groove 13 formed in the track 16. The pin 22 is also counterbored for the reception of a coil spring 25 whose function is to just keep the ball bearing assembly 14 positioned within the groove 13 yet permit said assembly to be moved along said groove.

It is to be noted (FIG. 4) that the pin 22 does not extend to the bottom of the counterbore 21. As a consequence the panel P with its support 7 may be raised vertically upwud to remove the ball bearing 12 from its groove 11 and incidentally the panel P or for that matter the whole assembly of panels from their normal position between the tracks 9 and 1%. This expedites the assembly and disassembly.

In FIG. 17 the upper track 19A is shown formed to provide a deep groove 13A in which event the spring 25 may be dispensed with and the pin 22 lengthened to rest upon the bottom of the counterbore 21.

In FIG. 16 the deep groove 13A is shown to be formed in the top door jamb T. When said jamb T is used for the top track it should be made of some dense grain wood as hard maple.

Whenever the deep groove is used it should be wide enough to permit the ball bearing assembly 14, or the solid roll 14A shown in FIG. 17, to be entered into or removed from the groove 13A in the assembly or disassembly of the door panels P.

In the construction shown in FIG. 4 the boss 20 on the top panel support 8 is raised into contact with the track 1% without raising the ball bearing assembly 14 when it is desired to remove the ball bearing 12 from its groove 11 in the lower track 9.

In the construction shown in FIG. 17 the roller 14A is raised up into the deep groove 13A when it is de- 3' sired to remove the ball bearing 12 from its groove 11 in the lower track 9.. The function of the ball bearing assembly 14 is synonymous with the roller 14A. The groove 13A should be deep enough so that the roller 14A will never come into contact with the bottom of said groove 13A.

Where the ball bearing assembly 14 is spring-supported as shown in PEG. 4 the pin 22 is provided with a top counterbore 21A for the reception of balls B for antifriction purposes should the spring 25 be more than sufficient to lift the pin and assembly. The use of the balls B eliminates close adjustment of the springs 25 in the several panels P constituting the door opening closing means. See FIG. 18.

FIG. 13 shows the pantagraph arrangement A used .with my invention. As shown it comprises four long links 26 and one half link 27, the length of the long link 26 corresponding tothe width of a panel P as shown in FIG. 2. These links 26 are provided with a centrally positioned hole 28 for the reception of the

bosses

16 and 20 on the panel supports 7 and 8, respectively. These long and half links 26 and 27 are hingedly connected to three long connecting links 29 and one half link 30 at predetermined points. These links 29 and 30 are also provided with a centrally positioned hole 28 for the reception of the

bosses

16 and 20 of the panel supports 7 and 8, respectively. At the predetermined points holes as 31 are provided in the a links for the reception of rivets (FIG. 10) as 32. FIG.

10 shows a washer preferably of nylon positioned between the connecting links.

It is quite apparent that the whole pantagraph arrangement A shown in FIG. 13 may be pre-assembled as a unit ready for the reception of the pre-assembled panels and their respective top and bottom panel supports. The centrally positioned link holes 28 are slipped over the

bosses

16 and 20 provided for them. At the top of the panel P the links rest upon the top of the panel support 8 while at the bottom of the panelP the links of the pantagraph rest upon a collar 34 pressed on the boss 16 of the bottom panel support 7. See FIG. 4.

When the complete assembly is ready it may be positioned between the top and bottom tracks as a unit. It is pointed out that it may also be removed from between said tracks as a unit.

In this pantagraph arrangement A the half width panel 35 (FIG. 13) is positioned adjacent the side jamb S and is anchored against endwise movement but is free to rotate similar to the full width panels 36 adjacent thereto whose rotation has been previously described. In the instant case the half width panel 35 is kept from longitudinal movement by the opposed pairs of longitudinally spaced upper and lower stop pins 37 in the tracks 9 and 10. Each pair of pins 37 is adapted to impound one of the

bosses

16 and 20 between them. See FIG. and 6. It will be apparent, without illustration, that punchouts formed in the tracks 9 and may function as do the pins 37.

The location of the holes 31 in the pantagraph links will now be considered. Assuming the opening to be 2'-8" between the side jambs S to be closed by four panels P 8 /3" Wide and one half panel 4 3 wide with the holes 31 spaced 6%" center to center. The above assumptions give an overall extension of 2'8% for the five panels and a panel overlap of The above example should be clue enough for any one skilled in the art to figure out the most satisfactory arrangement for the conditions encountered.

The general idea behind the invention admits of modifications. For instance, the panel supports 7 and 8 may be spot welded as at 38 (FIG. 7) to the panel links 26 and 27 adjacent thereto or they may be dowelled together, Further, the flanges 6 of the narrow top and The construction presented admits thin extruded tracks 7 and links, die cast narrow panel supports, and commercial bearings, which makes for an inexpensive arrangement. There are no rights and lefts. The top track may be secured to any type of overhead jamb construction. The floor track may rest upon the floor, beset flush therewith, or it may rest upon the carpet if the same extends through the opening. The floor takes all the weight and so the opening may be four feet wide or forty and more. Since the panels are anchored at the floor a baby, a dog, or a thief cannot push the panels aside and crawl under.

I claim: 7

1. In a bottom-supported top-guided vertical louver door which includes a plurality of full Width panels disposed in vertical parallel relation, 21 single half width panel in vertical parallel relation to said full Width panels at one side thereof, said panels being movable from an opened position wherein they are disposed in abutting face to face relation toa closed position wherein they are disposed in substantially edge to edge relation, a door opening including frame members formed with upper and lower horizontal grooves providing upper and lower tracks; the improvement including in combination, a top panel support secured to the top of each panel on the vertical median line of each full width panel and on the edge or" said half width panel each support including a cylindrical boss with a vertically disposed pin having a free upper end projecting upwardly therefrom, a horizontally disposed roller rotatably mounted on said free upper end of each pin said roller being engaged with the. upper track groove for movement therealong, said upper track groove being deeper thanthan the width of the roller plus the depth of the lower track groove, each panel having a bottom panel a support in vertical alignment with its top panel support each panel support including a cylindrical boss having a ball projecting therefrom in rotatable engagement with said bottom track groove to rotatably support said panels for movement along said groove, means preventing longitudinal movement along said track groove while permitting free rotation of said half width panel, top and bottom pantagraph means each mounted on the panels for moving and rotating the panels to and from said open and closed positions, all of said panels, pantagraph means and rollers being adapted to be raised as a unit sufficiently to permit said ball to clear the bottom track groove and allow removal of said door from said frame.

2. The structure of'claim 1 in which the means preventing longitudinal movement of the half width panel includes pin-like members projecting from both the top and bottom tracks on each side of the panel support bosses of the half width panel said pins being 'of a length and so spaced as to prevent longitudinal movement of said bosses, allow tree rotation thereof, and permit their removal from between said pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,864 Schoening July 16, 1918 2,577,884 Garubo Dec. 11, 1951 2,579,910 Dixon Dec. 25, 1951 2,616,497 McCarthy Nov. 4, 1952 2,860,701 Wood et a1 Nov. 18, 1958 2,938,578 Stull May 31, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,855 Finland Feb. 10, 1954

Claims

1. IN A BOTTOM-SUPPORTED TOP-GUIDED VERTICAL LOUVER DOOR WHICH INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF FULL WIDTH PANELS DISPOSED IN VERTICAL PARALLEL RELATION, A SINGLE HALF WIDTH PANEL IN VERTICAL PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID FULL WIDTH PANELS AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID PANELS BEING MOVABLE FROM AN OPENED POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE DISPOSED IN ABUTTING FACE TO FACE RELATION TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY EDGE TO EDGE RELATION, A DOOR OPENING INCLUDING FRAME MEMBERS FORMED WITH UPPER AND LOWER HORIZONTAL GROOVES PROVIDING UPPER AND LOWER TRACKS; THE IMPROVEMENT INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A TOP PANEL SUPPORT SECURED TO THE TOP OF EACH PANEL ON THE VERTICAL MEDIAN LINE OF EACH FULL WIDTH PANEL AND ON THE EDGE OF SAID HALF WIDTH PANEL EACH SUPPORT INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL BOSS WITH A VERTICALLY DISPOSED PIN HAVING A FREE UPPER END PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ROLLER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FREE UPPER END OF EACH PIN SAID ROLLER BEING ENGAGED WITH THE UPPER TRACK GROOVE FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG, SAID UPPER TRACK GROOVE BEING DEEPER THAN THAN THE WIDTH OF THE ROLLER PLUS THE DEPTH OF THE LOWER TRACK GROOVE, EACH PANEL HAVING A BOTTOM PANEL SUPPORT IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH ITS TOP PANEL SUPPORT EACH PANEL SUPPORT INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL BOSS HAVING A BALL PROJECTING THEREFROM IN ROTATABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOTTOM TRACK GROOVE TO ROTATABLY SUPPORT SAID PANELS FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID GROOVE, MEANS PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT ALONG SAID TRACK GROOVE WHILE PERMITTING FREE ROTATION OF SAID HALF WIDTH PANEL, TOP AND BOTTOM PANTAGRAPH MEANS EACH MOUNTED ON THE PANELS FOR MOVING AND ROTATING THE PANELS TO AND FROM SAID OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, ALL OF SAID PANELS, PANTAGRAPH MEANS AND ROLLERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE RAISED AS A UNIT SUFFICIENTLY TO PERMIT SAID BALL TO CLEAR THE BOTTOM TRACK GROOVE AND ALLOW REMOVAL OF SAID DOOR FROM SAID FRAME.