US3248630A - Door-operators - Google Patents

Description

INVENTOR F. A. PURDY April 26, 1966 DOOR-OPERATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed June 15, 1962 F. A. PURDY DOOR-OPERATORS April 26, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1962 INVENTOR F. A. PURDY DOOR-OPERATORS April 2 6, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 15, 1962 INVENTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. A. PURDY DOOR-OPERATORS IIIIII April 26, 1966 Filed June 15, 1962 United States Patent 3,248,630 DOOR-OPERATORS Frederick A. Purdy, Scarsdale, NY. (870 United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y.) Filed June 15, 1962, Ser. No. 202,817 2 Claims. (Cl. 318266) This invention relates to door-operators and controls therefor, and has particular reference to devices for opening, closing and controlling the operation of, doors at garages, residential and commercial. This application is a continuation in part of US. patent application Serial No. 687,509 filed October 1, 1957 now Patent No. 3,048,761.

Actuation of a door to open and close by directing light from the headlamp of an automobile to a light sensitive cell, set in the garage-structure, requires that the headlamp beam, or the practice of its application, difier from sunlight which may reach the cell at some garage exposures, especially towards sunrise or sunset.

I have preferred, for simplicity, to differentiate from sunlight by having the door actuated, not when light is applied by the headlamp, but when it is extinguished or withdrawn, since applied light may be extinguished at will; the practice being to extinguish or withdraw the light within about a second or two after application, and pro- 3 148,63 0 Patented Apr. '26, 1966 the motor and door-drive controls and connections fully below the level of the track as shown in FIG. 4. Broader utility in a device of this kind is gained if the device may be installed under any conditions, whether of low ceiling or limited side-room between track and wall. Progress in this direction is disclosed in my patent application Serial No. 669,143, filed July 1, 1957, as observed'on the last line of page 1, and the first five lines of page 2.- There -vide that application of light through a longer period as I with sunlight will disable the controls as to effectiveness for door-actuation.

This has been the principle in each of my patent applications:

Serial --No. 526,035, filed August 2, 1955, now US. Patent No. 2,876,002.

Serial No. 628,036, filed December 13, 1956, now

Patent No. 2,902,276.

'Serial No. 669,143, filed July 1, 1957, now Patent No. 3,147,001, and in U.S. application filed by John Hofer and myself as co-inventors, Serial No. 705,712, filed December 27, 1957, now abandoned; and it continues to be the principle-in this application. But here the invention disclosed is of extreme simplicity, dependability, and

economy.

It uses a two chambered gravity-timer of the hourglass type, having two chambers interconnected by a neck through which any suitable material, granular or liquid, held in one of the chambers, may be transferred to the other chamber by gravity in a time period prede' termined by the size of the orifice through the neck. In

the embodiment here shown, sand will be the material used and referred to for convenience, and the two-chambered gravity-timer may be called a sand-timer.

Thetimer is positioned endw-ise from a pivot so that one of the chambers, the inward one, is close to the pivot, and the other, the outward one, is farther removed from the pivot. The timer, normally hanging vertically from the pivot, is swung upward, above the'level of the pivot, by a solenoid, and thus poised into potential switch-throwing position, when light is applied at a light sensitive cell held in the doorway frame. If the light is promptly extinguished or withdrawn, the timer falls with its weight of sand kept in the outward chamber at high leverage, sufiicient to throw a switch to operate the motor which drives the door open or closed. But if there-is a delay, as normally occurs with sunlight, the sand drains by gravity from the outward chamber to the inward chamber, reducing the leverage so that, when the sunlight passes,

the switch. Thus sunlight is nullified as to door-operating effectiveness. Lightning is too rapid to rock the timer as far as to set up switch-closing momentum on the return swing. v v A further object of the invention is the placement of the timer falls without the force of inertia needed to throw 1 the installation is noted as substantially below tracklevel. But, as observable in FIG. 1 of that application, about half the body of the motor is above the level of the track. It will be observed in FIGS. 1 and 2 of that application that the idler strand of cable 45 (the strand which connects to turnbuckle 45) lies above the driver-strand (the strand which is clamped at 34 to the articulated driving link-age). This arrangement was necessitated by the condition that plus for door rollers running in the track such as pin 18, FIG. 2 of that application, and similar pins following, would obstruct a strand of cable put below the track level, colliding with shipper and turnbuckle moving in the reverse of the direction of door-movement and preventing door-operation. And since the upper and lower strands of cable 45 lined up with shaft 33 and the gearhead of the motor, the motor had, perforce, to take its conditions almost as strong as the suns rays from above. ,Thelower visor has the value of reducing snow-reflections to little more than ambient daylight.

An object of the invention is to provide a control that responds, as herein described for a light-signal, to any other signal, whether radio, electronic, or otherwise.

These and other objects'will appear in the development of the description. j

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustration, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, but the invention is 'not limited to this embodiment. Y

FIG. 1 is an elevation-view, toward one jamb of a garage-doorway, of a bracket on the doorways inner facing and cable-pulleys on the bracket, also a curved track and ends of vertical and horizontal tracks held by the bracket;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view, partly in elevation and partly in section along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; I

FIG. 3 is an elevation or face view of a cabinet con taining motor and controls set on the rearward end of the horizontal track, some ,of the motor being cut away;

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail elevational view, in the plane of FIGS. 1 and 6, of a cylinder imbedded in a doorjamb, housing a light sensitive cell;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view and wiring-diagram; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of an alternative timer-assembly in miniature.

The door 15 is of the conventional overhead type, in several sections hinged together, of which the upper end of the top section appears in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 2 against trim 11. It is carried by pins from its sectionhinges to rollers that travel in vertical track 16, curved track 17, and horizontal overhead track 18, the door moving between vertical closed position at track 16, and

(FIGS. 3 and 4) supports the remote or rearwapdend of track 18 from the ceiling. The door is counterbalanced by a spring 14 in the'usual way, connected to a cable that runs to the door over pulley 13, FIG. 1. i

The door-drive is efiected by a reversible gear-head motor 20, FIG. 3, set in a cabinet 25 which is mounted by bracket 26 from the rearward end of track 18; the shaft 21 of which motor carries a double-disc cable-grip sheave 22 driving a cable 23, which cable extends in endless-belt fashion between grip sheave 22 and a pulley 30 on bracket 10, and has attached to it an articulated linkage 27 that runs within tracks 17 and 18 and connects to the door, as shown and described in detail in my application Serial No. 669,143, filed July 1, 1957.

The characteristic that distinguishes the arrangement in this application from that in Serial No. 669,143 is that pulley 30 is set at an angle to carry cable 23 down under the horizontal arm of bracket and out to the side of bracket 10 and of track 18 that is away from, and clear of interference with, the several support-pins which extend from section-hinges to track-rollers, such as pin 29 in FIGS. 1 and 2. As appearing in FIG. 2, pulley 31) is held to bracket 10, at an angle of 45 out of vertical or horizontal, by a positioner 31 of for-med sheet-metal which is hung in a slot 10' punched in bracket 10, through two flanges of which positioner 31 a pivot-bolt 32 passes, this bolt being shouldered to seize positioner 31 without binding pulley 30, directioned by a 45 tapered washer 33, and tightened and locked by respective nuts 34 and 34. Pulley 30 appears in FIG. 2 in position relative to a cross-section of track 18, receiving in the upward level of its groove that strand of cable 23 which is the drivestrand 23', and carrying cable 23 down below the level of track 718 and out under the horizontal arm of bracket 10 to the side of track 18 that is clear of roller-pin interference, such as by pin 29 in FIG. 2; the idler strand 23" of cable 23 running thence rearward into cabinet 25 and around grip-sheave 22, returning thence forward as the upper strand, drive strand 23, clamped at 28 to the articulated linkage 27. The upper strand of cable .23, where clamped at 28, FIG. 1, is on a level higher than the level of the top of grip-sheave 22 in FIG. 3 about seven feet away. Accordingly, as clamp 28 moves toward cabinet 25, cable 23 assumes a slant somewhat more steep than appears in the gradual slant of FIG. 3. The entry into cabinet 25 of the cable, and of shipper 4-1 on the cable, is provided for by a vertical slot punched in the cabinet wall. Cables and shippers may enter the cabinet through hole 25' and slot 25" indicated in the cabinet wall leftward of FIG. 3.

Within the cabinet are two switchers 35 and 36-, one each side of grip sheave as seen in FIG. 3, pivoted on threads of respective studs 37 and 37 locked on back wall of cabinet. A button or shipper 40 on the lower strand 23 of cable 23 is in position as when door is fully closed, and in this position has thrown the lower end of switcher 35 against grip-sheave 22 and, in the throw, has thrown a reversing switch and opened a power switch. Another shipper button 41 on strand 23, FIG. 1, throws top end of switcher 35 against grip-sheave when door reaches fully opened position.

Switchers 35 and 36 are interconnected by link '39 upon which a two-fingered shifter 38 is riveted for throwing handle 46 of reversing switch 45 leftward as the door reaches closed position and rightward as the door reaches open posit-ion, thus conditioning the circuit to motor for a direction of drive when motor is next energized that will be the opposite of the doors direction at the end of which the switch throw is effected.

The interconnection of switchers 35 and 36 makes unnecessary any relocating of parts to install on track at the opposite side of the garage.

Among these parts are the motors field-leads (FIG. 6) which, for establishing a direction of motor-rotation when the door-operator is being installed, have (in earlier practice) needed to be interchanged by the installing man according to whether he is mounting the door-drive at the right-hand track or at the left-hand track (depending upon available space and other conditions). The changes in direction of flow of current, obtained by interchanging the motors field-leads, are explained in my Patent No. 2,758,836 issued August 14, 1956, column 4, lines 72 to 75 inclusive, and column 5, lines 1 to 30 inclusive, and are shown in wiring-diagram FIG. 23 of that patent.

Now with the adoption of two switchers 35 and 36 opposite each other, interconnected by link 39 (FIG. 3), it is not necessary for the installing man, who may be an untrained do-it-yourself home-owner, to give attention to relocating the positions of the motors field-leads. Once the direction of motor-rotation is set at the factory for correct operation of the door, it need not be changed whether the right-hand track or the left-hand track is chosen for mounting the door-drive.

Viewing the motor as in FIG. 3, the mounting may be called a right-hand installation. Both strands of cable 23 extend rightward of FIG. 3 to the door at the right.

The door connection is on the cables drive-strand 23'.

To open the door, strand 23' would drive leftward of FIG. 3, and the driving sheave 22 would turn counterclockwise of FIG. 3. That is, the position for the next door movement, made effective by shipper-button 40 on idler-strand 23" having thrown switcher 35 and switcher 36 with it at the termination of the closing movement of the door.

If one were to chose a left-hand installation, the door being at the left of FIG. 3, both strands of cable would extend leftward from sheave 22. The positions of switchers 35 and 36 as seen in FIG. 3 would be that for an open door, and shipper 41 on the upper strand 23' would have put the switchers into this position. The next movement of the door would be to close, the upper strand of cable to move leftward and the direction of sheave rotation to be counterclockwise. Thus it is seen that to close the door from the position of switchers 35 and 36 in FIG. 3 at a left-hand installation and to open the door from the same position of switchers at a righthand installation, requires a counterclockwise rotation of motor 20 and sheave 22. In either case the door movement correctly obeys the rotation. Similarly a reversed positioning of switchers 35 and 36 whether effected by button 41 moving from the right or by button 40 moving from the left, would set switch 45 to produce for the next door movement a clockwise rotation in motor 20 and sheave 22. That is, what would be needed to move a closed door open at a left-hand installation or an open door closed at right-hand installation. Whether the installation is right-hand or left-hand the door correctly obeys the direction of motor rotation. No relocating of motors field-leads is entailed upon the installing man.

The light sensitive cell 60, of FIGS. 5 and 6, is held in the door jamb 11 on one side or other of doorway, as shown in all of my patent applications referred to on the first page of this application, in position conveniently for reception of a light beam 61, FIG. 6, as from the headlamp of an automobile.

The cell may be any suitable device which, when lighted, provides for flow of electric current to relay 65 or to solenoid 59, and when dark, reduces or terminates such flow. It may be a crystal, such as shown by John Hofer in application Serial No. 473,572, filed December 7, 1954, or it may be a self-generating or voltaic cell, having a light sensitive material bonded to a metal disc, which generates electric current when lighted, or it may be a junction-type semiconductor, such as shown by I. N. Shive in Patent 2,641,713 issued June 9, 1953, or it may be any other device adaptable for the purpose.

Re FIGS. 5 and 6: the cell 60 is held by a disc 63, FIG. 5, which is press fitted into cylinder 62. behind a day-light filter 64 also held by press fit. Cylinder 62, imbedded in a bore in door-jamb 11, has, at its end which faces toward the automobile headlamp, upper and lower visors integral, 62' and 62" respectively, the upper visor for intercepting light rays from above, and the lower visor for intercepting light rays from snow-reflections of bright sunlight.

A sand-timer 50 of glass, in two opposite chambers connected by a neck, containing suitable sand in quantity to fill one of the chambers, is supported by a channelformed cradle 51 pivoted on threadsof stud 52 locked to rear wall of cabinet. The glass has around it a first, or inner, wrap of elastic adhesive tape 53, FIG. 3, by which it makes a resilient fit between the flanges of cradle 51; timer and cradle together have a second, or outer, wrap of tape 54.

A power switch 55 closed by a button 55', is held by bracket 56 pivoted to back Wall of cabinet, and positioned so that cradle 51 when swung leftward in FIG. 3 may depress the button to close the switch.

A latch 47, biased downward by spring 48, to engage the upper end of cradle 51 and hold the switch closed, is pivoted on the threads of stud 49 locked to rear wall of cabinet. This latch is punched with a rectangular hole 47' into which a prong 44 communicates, which prong is held by a press fit through both flanges of switcher 35. The prong swings with the switcher through an arc, to lift latch 47, and thus release cradle 51, and timer 50, to move rightward by gravity to tree button 55' and to open the circuit of power to the motor, whenever switcher 35 is thrown in either direction by respective shipper 40 or 41 whenever the door reaches a short distance short of open position or short of closed position respectively.

A pull-rod 57 engaged in the top extremity of cradle 51 connects to plunger 58 of solenoid 59, so that a pull inward by the plunger swings cradle and timer to the upward position 50' indicated in broken lines of FIG. 3. As in FIG. 6, schematic and wiring diagram, two wires 66 and 67, bonded into the cell 60, conduct current from or through the cell, the wire 67 conducting to the energizing coil of relay 65. If house current is used for the cell, the direct current output of rectifier 68, smoothed by resistor 69, protects the cell. Push button 70 may be used to shunt between conductors 66 and 67 to energize relay 65 and solenoid 59. Or a push button 71 may be mounted on the under wall of cabinet 25, or any counterpart of its may be located anywhere, to energize solenoid 59 directly. A master switch or night-lock 72 may be mounted on cabinet 25, or in any convenient location.

In FIG. 7, a two-chambered gravity timer80 is outlined as contemplated in a diminutive size which may be associated directly with a relay, or with a miniature solenoid, to eliminate one or other of these magnets. The one magnet 85 may be supported to cabinet wall, as also may be the motor circuits switch 75, pivot 79 of gravity-biased latch 77, and pivot 82 of cradle 81 which carries timer 80, carries a bar 84 to be attracted by the magnet, and has a tip 81' to be engaged by latch 77, and disengaged by horn 44 already described. Button 75' is spring biased within the switch body to be pressed outward into the position shown in FIG. 7.

The drainable material within the two-chambered gravity-timer may be mercury, to afford an optimum weight, when elevated as stored energy, in proportion to the weight of non-drainable parts. If the magnet 85 were of the character of a solenoid, its plunger would be attached pivotally to cradle 81 at 84. The magnet is illustrated as a relay having a contact 85' opposite bar 84.

Upon a light-beam reaching cell 60, FIGS. 5 and 6, as from an automobile headlamp, current flows from the cell to energize relay 65, which closes a circuit to energize solenoid 59. Energization of the solenoid elevates the timer, to position 50' to store potential switch-closing energy in the form of sand in the outer chamber. If the light beam or push-button is promptly withdrawn,

6 de-energizing the solenoid, the stored energy brings the timer downward under gravity with a force of inertia suflicient to close the switch, and the circuit to the motor, and thus to actuate the door to open or close.

If a light beam from the sun reaching the cell 60 should elevate the timer, it would hold the timer upward as long as the lightshould be sustained. The orifice in the neck of the timer is such that the sand flows from one chamber to the other in a period of 5 to 10 seconds, and, as the timer is held elevated, the sand drains off from the outer chamber to the inner one, to reach a level about that indicated at 50" in FIG. 3. The stored potential energy at optimum leverage thus is drained to a lower leverage, and, upon the sunbeam having passed and the solenoid having been de-energized, the timer drops, counterbalanced by the plunger of the solenoid, and without a force of inertia or a momentum sufficient to close switch 55, or to actuate the door. Thus a light beam from the sun is nullified as a door actuating agent, withdrawal of light being delayed beyond a predetermined time period such as needed for withdrawal or extinguishment of light conveniently after application of it.

The diminutive design of FIG. 7 becomes more and more practical as the art advances in light-sensitive cells so that more and more current is made to flow from or through the cell. Within three years past, the effective current through the cadmium sulphide crystal has more than doubled. Electric switches carrying amperage for motors of adequate size to drive doors, have been developed in which operating pressure is a fraction of an ounce, as in coin operated machines.

The parts in FIG. 7 are shown in normal inert positions, cradle 81 having been released from latch 77, motor control switch75 being open, and its button 75 having pressed the cradle 81 away to hold cradle released. Upon coil of relay 85 being energized from light-sensitive cell 60, relay 85 attracts bar 84 on cradle 81, raising timer to its position 80'. Prompt de-energization of magnet permits fall of timer to depress button 75', close switch 75, energize motor, and hold button by latching with 77 while the motor drives the door. Towards the termination of door movement, horn 44, communicating into hole 77', unlatches cradle 81, allowing switch 75 to open, and stop the motor, as already described in the case of latch 47. The same effect follows in the event of delay in withdrawal of light, as by sunlight, as already described for timer 50, the mercury draining from the outerchamber of timer 80 so that upon the withdrawal of light, the timer falls without the leverage and without the force of inertia that would close switch The terms and expressions which have been employed nized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A door-operator comprising, a door, a motor for driving said door into opened and closed positions, power means connected to said motor, a power switch intermediate said power means and said motor, a reversing switch in said power means for delivering power to said motor to drive said motor in a first direction to open said door and in a second direction to close said door, means connecting said motor to said door, and means on said connecting means for controlling said reversing switch to position said'reversing switch in a first position to drive said motor in said first direction to open said door and to a second position to drive said motor in said second direction to close said door, said means on said connecting means including means for holding said power switch in closed position and maintaining said power means connected to said motor while said motor is driving said door and for releasing said power switch and disconnecting said power means from said motor as said connecting means repositions said reversing switch.

2. A door-operator comprising, a door, a motor for driving said door into opened and closed positions, power means connected to said motor, a power switch intermediate said power means and said motor, a reversing switch in said power means for delivering power to said motor to drive said motor in a first direction to open said door and in a second direction to close said door, means connecting said motor to said door, control means for controlling said reversing switch having a first side and a second side, means on said connecting means for engagement with said control means, said means on said connecting means, when in engagement with said control means, alternately moving said control means from a first point to a second point for engaging said first side of said control means with said reversing switch and positioning said reversing switch in a first position to drive said motor in said first direction to open said door, and from said second point to said first point for engaging said second side of said control means with said reversing switch and positioning said reversing switch in a second position to drive said motor in said second direction to close said door, and means on said control means for engagement with said power switch to hold said power switch in closed position and maintain said power means connected to said motor as said control means is moved from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position, said means on said control means including means for releasing said power switch to disconnect said power means and said motor when said control means reaches said first and second positions, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,515 5/ 1935 Gross.

2,424,385 7/ 1947 Cook 318-266 2,532,722 12/1950 Kaytor 318266 2,752,150 6/1956 Richmond et al.

2,882,044 4/1959 Ginte 268- 59 2,909,718 10/1959 Lawick 318266 2,923,541 2/1960 Gessell 268-59 3,060,361 10/1962 Purdy 318266 ORIS L. RADER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DOOR-OPERATOR COMPRISING, A DOOR, A MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID DOOR INTO OPENED AND CLOSED POSITIONS, POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR, A POWER SWITCH INTERMEDIATE SAID POWER MEANS AND SAID MOTOR, A REVERSING SWITCH IN SAID POWER MEANS FOR DELIVERING POWER TO SAID MOTOR TO DRIVE SAID MOTOR IN A FIRST DIRECTION TO OPEN SAID DOOR AND IN A SECOND DIRECTION TO CLOSE SAID DOOR, MEANS CONNECTING SAID MOTOR TO SAID DOOR, AND MEANS ON SAID CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID REVERSING SWITCH TO POSITION SAID REVERSING SWITCH IN A FIRST POSITION TO DRIVE SAID MOTOR IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO OPEN SAID DOOR AND TO A SECOND POSITION TO DRIVE SAID MOTOR IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION TO CLOSE SAID DOOR, SAID MEANS ON SAID CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID POWER SWITCH IN CLOSED POSITION AND MAINTAINING SAID POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR WHILE SAID MOTOR IS DRIVING SAID DOOR AND FOR RELEASING SAID POWER SWITCH AND DISCONNECTING SAID POWER MEANS FROM SAID MOTOR AS SAID CONNECTING MEANS REPOSITIONS SAID REVERSING SWITCH.

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