US3368307A

US3368307A - Door operators

Info

Publication number: US3368307A
Application number: US551586A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick A Purdy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-05-20
Filing date: 1966-05-20
Publication date: 1968-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1985-02-13

Description

F. A. PURDY DOOR OPERATORS Feb. 13, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1966 F. A. PURDY DOOR OPERATORS Feb. 13, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1966 Feb. 13, 1968 F. A. PURDY 3,368,307

DOOR OPERATORS Filed May 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,368,307 DOOR OPERATORS Frederick A. Purdy, 870 United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017 Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,586 3 Claims. (Cl. 49-280) This invention relates to a door operator and, more particularly, to apparatus for locking such a door in its closed position.

In my copending US. application Ser. No. 401,264, filed Oct. 2, 1964, there is shown and described an operator for opening and closing a garage door in response to light emitted from the headlight of an automobile. In such operator, the light from the headlight beam energizes a light-sensitive cell, appropriately positioned on the door frame to receive the light. The photoelectric cell, when lighted, energizes a circuit and motor to open, or close, the door.

In the apparatus of the aforementioned application, the motor is connected, through gearing, to a two-piece grip sheave, or pulley. The two halves, or pieces, of the pulley are spring pressed into engagement with a cable connected, as an endless belt, to the door linkage. When the motor, actuated by the light-sensitive cell, is driven in one direction, the motor opens the door. When the motor is driven in the opposite direction, the motor closes the door. If, in closing, the door should engage a car passing through the door opening, a tool, a person walking through the opening, or the like, the spring tension on the grip sheave, or pulley, is pre-set so that the pulley slips on the cable thereby avoiding damage to the motor, the door, and the object in the opening engaged by the door.

When the door in the aforementioned application is closed, the gearing arrangement between the motor and pulley prevents the cable from turning the pulley if attempt is made to open the door manually. However, the spring pressure gripping the two halves of the grip sheave, or pulley, against the cable is such that the cable can slip on the pulley and permit the door to be raised manually. Thus, when closed, the door in such an arrangement is not locked or secured against manual opening, such as, by an intruder.

One of the objects of the instant invention is to provide an improved door operator.

A further object is to provide such an operator that,

when the door is closed, locks the door in its closed position.

Still a further object is to provide such an operator that is simple, easily installed and easily maintained.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the following description and attached drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a side view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the apparatus of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts broken away;

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section and taken along line 44 of FIG. 2, showing the locking apparatus of the instant invention in its locking position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the lock in its open position;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view along line 77 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line 88 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the instant invention on the door operator of the aforementioned application, door 2 is connected by bracket 4 and pin 6 to interconnected links 8, 10, 12, 14, 16. Links 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 are interconnected by pins 18, 20, 22, 24. Rollers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 are rotatably mounted on pins 6, 18, 20, 22, 24, respectively. Roller 36 is rotatably mounted on pin 38 connected to the end of link 16.

Rollers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 roll in horizontal track 40 and arcuate track 42. The lower end of arcuate track 42 is aligned with vertical track 44. Tracks 40, 42, 44 are supported by means, not shown, from the stationary structure 50 of the garage in a conventional manner.

Spring 52 is connected by yoke 54 and pulley 56 to cable 58. Cable 58 passes over pulley 60, rotatably supported on pin 62 carried on structure 50. Cable 58 is connected at its lower end in a manner, not shown, to the door. Spring 52, cable 58, and pulleys associated therewith, counterbalance the weight of the door in the conventional manner.

Cable 70, interconnected at its opposite ends by an adjustable turn-buckle 72 to form an endless belt, passes over pulley 74 at one end, adjacent the top of door 2 and, at its opposite end, over grip sheave, generally designated 76. Pulley 74 is mounted for rotation on pin 78 mounted at an appropriate angle on structure 50 so that the sides of the endless cable belt pass on opposite sides of track 40, 42. Cable 70 is connected by detachable lug 80 to the end of pin 38. Lug 80 is retained on pin 38 by pin 82, the end of pin 82 carrying ring 84.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, grip sheave 76 is in two parts, having an inter-engaging recessed disc and a shouldered disc 92, both keyed for rotation with shaft 94 by a fiat 96 (FIGS. 4 and 5) on the shaft. Hub 92' of shouldered disc 92 extends through frame 98 into engagement with one side of washer 100 carried on shaft 94. Spring 104 is compressed at the end of shaft 94 with one of its ends against the opposite side of washer 100 and its opposite end in engagement with locking nuts 102 threaded on the end of shaft 94. By adjusting nuts 102, the compression of spring 104 and the gripping engagement of

discs

90, 92 on cable 70 is adjusted. Shaft 94 and

discs

90, 92 are driven by motor driven worm 106 and gear 108 keyed to shaft 94.

Lock control plate 110, having outwardly projecting flange 112, is positioned on hub 92'. For reasons more apparent hereinafter, one end of compression spring 114 engages plate 110 and the opposite end of compression spring 114 is in engagement with washer 100. Bailer rod 116 is connected, at one end, to flange 112 of plate 110 and, at its other end, to the horizontal wall of channel catch 118, pivotally mounted on pin 120, fixedly mounted in bracket 122, fastened to housing 98. Catch 118 is held on pin 120 by cotter pin 124 and is pivoted on pin 120 by bailer rod 116 in a manner to be described. The free end of channel catch 118 straddles cable 70.

' Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5,

shifters

130, 132, interconnected at one of their ends by tracer 134, are pivotally mounted

onpins

136, 138, respectively, carried on housing 98. Shippers, generally designated 140, tightened in the desired location, are positioned on the upper and lower runs of endless belt cable 70 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5). Each of the shippers is made up of a threaded stud 142, drilled to receive cable 70, and nuts 144, 146 (FIG. 8). Nuts 144, 146 are tightened on stud 142 to engage cable 70 and lock the shipper in place on the cable.

As described in more detail in the aforementioned application, interconnected

shifters

130, 132 and tracer 134 are connected to a motor reversing switch, not shown. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the motor energized by the photoelectric, light-sensitive cell has closed door 2 by turning grip sheave 76 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, and shipper 140 has rotated

shifters

130, 132 and tracer 134 in a clockwise direction around

pins

136, 138. In moving clockwise around

pins

136, 138,

shifters

130, 132 and tracer 134 have reversed the polarity of the door drive motor and have opened the motor circuit, stopping the door in its closed position and, at the same time, conditioning the motor control circuit for a subsequent operation of the light-sensitive, photoelectric cell, for energization by the headlight beam of an automobile to open the door.

As is also described in more detail in the aforementioned application, when the light-sensitive, photoelectric cell is subsequently energized the motor turns grip sheave 76 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, to open the door and, when shipper 140 (FIG. 1), on the upper side of the loop of belt cable 70 contacts shifter 132,

shifters

130, 132 and tracer 134 are rotated counterclockwise about

pins

136, 138 and the motor reversing switch is again actuated to reverse the polarity of the motor, open the motor circuit and re-set the circuit for subsequent operation by a headlight beam to close the door. The door is in the open position until the light-sensitive, photoelectric cell is re-energized.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, grip sheave 76 is rotated by the motor through shaft 94. When rotated by the motor, shaft 94 turns both

discs

90, 92, nuts 102, spring 104, washer 100 and spring 114. When shaft 94 and grip sheave 76 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction to open the door, lock control plate 110 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and, through bailer rod 116, catch 118 is pivoted in a clockwise direction on pin 120 lifting the free end of channel catch 118. Thus, the free end of catch 118 is lifted clear of cable 70 and shipper 140 on the lower side of cable loop 70 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and, as cable loop 70 is moved in a counterclockwise direction around pulley 74 and grip sheave 76, shipper 140 on the lower cable loop clears the free end of catch 118. As the door approaches its fully opened position, shipper 140, on the upper loop of cable 70,

contacts shifters

130, 132 and tracer 134 rotates

shifters

130, 132 counterclockwise to reverse the door drive motor and open the motor control circuit as described above.

When the light-sensitive photoelectric cell is reenergized, the motor drives shaft 94, and grip sheave 76, in a clockwise direction. Lock control plate 110 is moved ClOCk'WiSe on shaft 94, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5. Bailer rod 116 rotates catch 118 counterclockwise around pin 120 and moves the free end of channel catch 118 into a straddle position over cable 70. Cable belt 70 is rotated in a clockwise direction around pulley 74 and grip sheave 76. As shipper 140 on the lower side of cable loop 70 passes under the free end of channel catch 118, shipper 140 raises the free end of the catch, passes under the catch, and the free end of the catch again moves into straddle position over cable 70 by the continued rotation, in the clockwise direction, of grip sheave 76 and shaft 94.

In the normal operation of the door, i.e., by the lightsensitive photoelectric cell, channel catch 118 is moved out of cable straddling position when the door is being opened and into straddle position when the door is being closed. Channel catch 118 does not, in any way, interfere with the automatic operation of the door.

As has been noted above, because of the two-piece construction of grip sheave 76 and the gripping engagement of

discs

90, 92 with cable 70 by the tension of compression spring 104, cable 70 slips on grip sheave 76 if door 2 meets an obstruction. Because of the position of channel catch 118 straddling cable 70 when the door is closed, if an attempt is made to manually lift the door, cable 70 slips on grip sheave 76, but when shipper 140 on the lower cable loop contacts the end of channel catch 118, the door is locked and manual opening of the door is prevented. If, subsequent to such an attempt at manual opening, the light-sensitive photoelectric cell is energized by the automobile headlight beam in the customary manner, the rotation of grip sheave 76 and shaft 94 rotates plate counterclockwise, lifts the free end of channel catch 118 off cable 70, and allows the door to be automatically operated by the motor in its normal manner.

As is apparent from the preceding description, the locking arrangement of the instant invention is easily installed and requires no maintenance. The arrangement does not interfere with the normal automatic operation of the door, yet, if an attempt is made to open the door manually, such as by an intruder, the door is locked. Should power fail, with the door closed, the cable connecting the door to the operator can be disconnected from inside the garage, as described in the aforementioned application, or channel catch 118 may be lifted manually from inside of the garage to release the cable.

The locking arrangement of the instant application has been described in conjunction with the apparatus of copending application Ser. No. 401,264. It is to be understood, however, that this description is for the purpose of illustration. The arrangement has similar utility with other door operators.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door operator having a door, a sheave, a cable on said sheave connected to said door and a motor connected to said sheave for driving said sheave and said cable in a first direction for opening said door and in a second direction for closing said door, means for locking said door closed comprising, a latch, means on said motor shaft for lifting said latch out of engagement with said cable when said cable is driven in said first direction to open said door and for moving said latch into engagement with said cable when said cable is driven in said second direction to close said door and means on said cable for engaging said latch for locking said door in its closed position when an attempt is made to open said door manually.

2. In a door operator as recited in claim 1 in which said means on said motor shaft includes a plate, means connecting said plate to said latch and means on said shaft for rotating said plate in a first direction on said shaft to lift said latch out of engagement with said cable and in a second direction to move said latch into engagement with said cable.

3. In a door operator as recited in claim 2 in which said means on said cable is fixed to said cable for movement therewith in said first and second directions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,703,235 3/1955 Reamey 49280 3,332,472 7/1967 Wiegand l60188 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. J. KARL BELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A DOOR OPERATOR HAVING A DOOR, A SHEAVE, A CABLE ON SAID SHEAVE CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR AND A MOTOR CONNECTED TO SAID SHEAVE FOR DRIVING SAID SHEAVE AND SAID CABLE IN A FIRST DIRECTION FOR OPENING SAID DOOR AND IN A SECOND DIRECTION FOR CLOSING SAID DOOR, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID DOOR CLOSED COMPRISING, A LATCH, MEANS ON SAID MOTOR SHAFT FOR LIFTING SAID LATCH OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CABLE WHEN SID CABLE IS DRIVEN IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO OPEN SAID DOOR AND FOR MOVING SAID LATCH INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CABLE WHEN SAID CABLE IS DRIVEN IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION TO CLOSE SAID DOOR AND MEANS ON SAID CABLE FOR ENGAGING SAID LATCH FOR LOCKING SAID DOOR IN ITS CLOSED POSITION WHEN AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO OPEN SAID DOOR MANUALLY.