US3510984A - Control linkage for biswinging door - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1970 F.J. KALOG ET AL 3,510,984

CONTROL LINKAGE FOR BISWINGING DOOR Filed Jan. 17, 1969 F IG. Z0 401/434: A G Zfi 'l' hi l; 4 52 I l Q 14 i I 36 7 I 50, "OPEN IN LL-J a f 32 58 {/2 M INVENTORS FRANCIS J. KALOG FRANK T. SIGHINOLFI ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONTROL LINKAGE FOR BISWINGIN G DOOR Francis J. Kalog, New Britain, and Frank T. Sighinolfi,

Forestville, Conn., assignors to The Stanley Works,

New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 792,017 Int. Cl. E05f /12 US. Cl. 49-326 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A freely reversible linkage for an operator mechanism offset from the pivot of a biswinging door continuously connects the door to the drive spindle of the operator. The linkage includes a crank generally parallel to the door "when closed and having one end fixed to the spindle for rotation therewith. The crank is rotatably connected at its other end with a follower which is movably connected with a track on the door and is generally perpendicular to the door when closed. A control link, generally parallel to the door when closed, is rotatably attached at one end between the follower ends and at its other end to a pivot fixed offset from the spindle, to guide the follower along the track and control the movement of the linkage as the door is moved through 180 of swing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to swinging doors and the like and is more particularly directed to control linkage which facilitates the use of powdered biswinging doors during both routine and emergency conditions.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide control linkage for use with a door of the type described which at all times maintains the door free for full opening swinging movement in both directions from its closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a powered swinging door incorporating means accommodating reverse opening of the door without disconnection from the operator, thereby eliminating all emergency release linkage and obviating the need for resetting the mechanism after reverse opening of the door.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automated swinging door with control linkage of the type described which is readily adapted to a variety of doors.

Another object of this invention is to rovide an automated pivoted door with durable, lightweight and inexpensively fabricated control linkage of the type described which is compact, unobtrusive, and reliable in operation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE .DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of the invention fitted to an operator and a door and showing the door closed position in solid lines and open positions in broken lines; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view, partly in section, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

3,510,984 Patented May 12, 1970 "ice DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in greater detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, a door or similar panel 10 is mounted by a pivot 12 within a door frame 14. A drive spindle 16 of a suitable door operator 18 which is normally mounted to the door frame above the doorway inside the building, is offset from the pivot 12 and is connected to drive the door through its normal opening and closing movement through control linkage 20. As shown, the control linkage 20 includes a generally L-shaped crank 22 having a relatively short stepped arm 24 and a long arm 26 fixed thereto with the free end of the short arm being fixed to the drive spindle 16. The control linkage 20 also includes a generally L-shaped control link 28 having a relatively short stepped arm 30 pivotally attached at one end to a fixed pivot 32 on the operator 18 with the pivot 32 being positioned intermediate the spindle 16 and the door pivot 12. The control link 28 further includes a long arm 34 fixed to the other end of the short arm 30.

A follower link 36 has one end 40 pivotally connected to the free end of the crank arm 26. The arm 34 of the control link 28 is rotatably connected with the follower link 36 intermediate the ends thereof so that the arms 26 and 34 are held in approximately parallel relationship and the follower link 36 is approximately at a right angle with the door 10 when the door is closed. The free end of the follower link 36 is attached to the door by a drive pin 42 which may include a suitable roller 44 positioned to reciprocate in a track 46 mounted at the top of the door 10. Adjustable stops 48 at the ends of the track 46 are provided to limit the effective length of the track and the opening movement of the door in both directions. As shown in FIG. 1, the free end of the follower link 36 is provided with a plurality of apertured knockoff segments 38 to vary the length thereof to accommodate the different dimensions of reveals in dififerent door installations. The track 46 may also be cut to different lengths to accommodate such different dimensions of reveals.

In operation, as the door is moved in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 1) from its closed to its normal full open position, the follower link 36 and the crank 22 fold toward each other about the follower link end 40. Simultaneously, the roller 44- normally moves in the track 46 toward the door pivot 12, thereby facilitating collapse of the follower link 36 relatively to the door 10, so that with the door in normal full open position the control linkage compactly fits within the confined space available between the door and the adjacent Wall.

The control link 28 maintains positive and smooth mechanical control of the linkage 20* during powered phases of operation, and prevents dead-centering of the crank arm- 26 and the follower link 36- which would preclude manual operation of the door. As can be most readily seen in FIG. 2, a step 50 of the control link short arm 30 and a step 52 of the crank short arm 24 reduce headspace need and facilitate mutually relative movement of the linkage members as the door is moved from its closed position.

In addition to the foregoing features, the linkage 20 is designed to so shift during emergency or reverse opening of the door, whether by operator or manual function, that when the door is in emergency or reverse full open position the linkage will remain interconnected, eliminating need for any resettable emergency release arm, and expediting subsequent smooth and efficient closing of the door without requiring even partial reassembly. As the door is opened counterclockwise, or in the reverse direction, the control link 28 pivots counterclockwise, about the pivot 32, and pushes the follower link 36 clockwise about its end 40, thereby moving its free end supporting the pin 42 away from the door pivot 12, whereby the door is opened to its reverse full open position. The control link also prevents the follower link from moving to or beyond a dead center position relative to crank 22.

As the door is subsequently moved clockwise toward closed position, the control link rotates clockwise about the pivot 32 and prevents the follower link from further collapsing outwardly or away from the door pivot 12 which condition might result in a dead-centering of the follower link with respect to the crank long arm 26, precluding manual closing of the door. The control link in fact draws the follower link 36 toward the door pivot 12 during closing of the door from the reverse open position, thereby ensuring prompt closing of the door.

It will be understood that the various angular relations specified above are exemplary and not critical.

The door operator linkage of the invention thus provides for fully 180 movement of a door to which it is attached, utilizes no breakaway linkage, and therefore requires no resetting or attention after reverse opening of the door to which it is attached. The linkage affords positive and smooth mechanical control of the door during powered phases of door operation, and precludes dead centering of the linkage that could prevent further operation of the door. The linkage can be retrofitted to appropriately modified doors of various sizes, and is accommodated in limited headspace and wall-to-door gaps.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a biswinging door having an operator with a drive spindle offset from the pivot axis of the door, a freely reversible drive linkage connecting the spindle to the door continuously throughout the swinging movement thereof comprising a crank having one end fixed to the drive spindle for rotation therewith and the other end rotatably connected to a follower link, and a control link having one end pivotally connected to a fixed pivot oifset from the drive spindle and the other end pivotally connected to the follower link at a position spaced from the connection therewith of the crank, the door having a track mounted thereon and said follower link including a drive pin engageable with said track for reciprocating movement therealong.

2. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control link to follower link connection is intermediate the ends of the follower link.

3. The drive linkage as set forth in claim -1 wherein the control link, the crank, and the door are mutually relatively generally parallel when the door is closed.

4. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the follower link is generally perpendicular to the door when the door is closed.

5. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the crank and the control link include stepped portions for positioning them below the top of the door header.

6. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control link includes a stepped portion for passing said link beneath the drive spindle during opening of the door in the direction of the operator relative to the door.

7. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the track is mouned in a cavity in the top of the door and is provided with adjustable stops at the ends thereof for limiting movement of the door in both directions of swing.

8. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 including apertured knock-off segments on the follower link for accommodating its length to door installations having different reveals.

9. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the track is reducible in length to accommodate various reveal dimensions thereby enhancing effectiveness of the stops to limit bidirectional opening movements of the door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,195 6/1906 Sperry 49-346 X 2,569,565 10/1951 Hiser 49346 2,725,099 11/19-55 Frie et a1. 49345 X 3,332,169 7/1967 Lohr et al 49340 X 3,344,555 10/1967 Hugle 49340 FOREIGN PATENTS 354,692 6/ 1961 Switzerland.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 49346

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