US3584414A

US3584414A - Door control mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3584414A
Application number: US872118A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erwin B Bahnsen
Original assignee: Steiner American Corp
Current assignee: Steiner American Corp
Priority date: 1969-10-29
Filing date: 1969-10-29
Publication date: 1971-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-15

Abstract

A door control mechanism for controlling the movement of a sectional door between the closed position and the opened position thereof, wherein the door is biased toward the closed position thereof, the mechanism accommodating manual movement of the door to the open position followed by an automatic movement of the door to the closed position, followed by an automatic movement of the door to the open position and then followed by a manual movement of the door to the closed position, the mechanism including a continuous carrier partly oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by the carrier, a first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding the door in its open position and having a slide-releasing condition for permitting movement of the slide and the door to the closed position thereof, a door-driving device connected to the carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a second latch mechanism having a door-holding condition for holding the door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing the door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger for selectively operating the first and the second latch mechanisms, and biasing means for selectively rendering the trigger operable to change the condition of only one of the first and the second latch mechanisms at one time.

Description

United States Patent [72] inventor Erwin B. Bahnsen Hinsdale, Ill. [21] Appl. No. 872,118 [22] Filed Oct. 29, 1969 [45] Patented June 15, 1971 [73] Assignee Steiner American Corporation Salt Lake City, Utah [54] DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM 42 Claims, 37 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 49/272, 49/264,49/267,49/360,49/379,160/188 [51] Int. Cl E05f 13/00 [50] Field of Search 49/197- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,265,214 12/1941 Whittlesey 49/272 2,605,100 7/1952 Matchett 160/189 2,882,044 4/1959 Ginte 160/189 X 2,883,182 4/1959 Bornemann..... 160/189X 3,096,815 7/1963 May 49/200 X Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell AttorneyPrangley, Clayton, Mullin, Dithmar and Vogel ABSTRACT: A door control mechanism for controlling the movement ofa sectional door between the closed position and the opened position thereotflwherein the door is biased toward the closed position thereof, the mechanism accommodating manual movement of the door to the open position followed by an automatic movement of the door to the closed position, followed by an automatic movement of the door to the open position and then followed by a manual movement of the door to the closed position, the mechanism including a continuous carrier partly oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by the carrier, a first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding the door in its open position and having a slide-releasing condition for permitting movement of the slide and the door to the closed position thereof, a door-driving device connected to the carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a second latch mechanism having a door-holding condition for holding the door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing the door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger for selectively operating the first and the second latch mechanisms, and biasing means for selectively rendering the trigger operable to change the condition of only one of the first and the second latch mechanisms at one time.

PATENTEU JUN] 5 I971 sum u UF 7 60m MOM III IIIIIIJ. VJ

.1. won

YIIII NOM mmm mmm A PATENTEU .IUHI 51s];

SHEET 6 BF 7 oov 6 m on Rw m 9v I I l 1 v KN QT. WW $3. Q2 on. g 6 1 Lm wkm no MM HH ul lum 0 V k nvv RN Ml Nov wmv 3N K 3 2m w Swat In I; wkw a kmw no 4 Th? L 0 m NQV Q? NMIVK WWW O IIIJIIL H N con Qmw mmw NW 6 P DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM This invention is directed to a door control mechanism of the type useful with garage doors and the like, and particularly useful in combination with sectional overhead doors.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination incorporating the improved door control mechanism for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance the door so that the door is biased toward the first position thereof, the door control mechanism being for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by the one reach of the carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding the slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of the door and a slide-releasing condition pennitting movement of the slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of the door, a door-driving device for the control mechanism and operatively connected to the carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with the carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding the door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing the door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby selective operation of the second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the second position thereof and selective operation of the first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and the first latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the first position thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a first latch member mounted on the slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to the carrier for engagement with the first latch member, engagement of the first and second latch members holding the door in the second position thereof and disengagement of the first and second latch members releasing the door for movement to the first position thereof, a third latch member mounted on the carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to the carrier for engagement with the third latch member, engagement of the third and fourth latch members holding the door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of the third and fourth latch members placing the door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a trigger selectively operate the first latch mechanism for operating the first latch mechanism between the slideholding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on the second latch mechanism for operating the second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door is movable between a closed position and an open position thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a trigger selectively operable on the second and fourth latch members to move the second and fourth latch members into and out of engagement with the first and third latch members respectively.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a control element disposed in front of the doorreceiving opening and operatively connected to the trigger to activate the trigger in response to operation of the control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes means biasing the trigger into a first position for operating the first latch mechanism into a slide-holding condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the doorreleasing condition thereof, movement of the slide to the position thereof corresponding to the opened position of the door moving the trigger against the biasing means into a second position for operating the first latch mechanism into a slidereleasing condition thereof and the second latch mechanism into the door-releasing condition thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a drive element fixedly mounted on the one reach of the carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage the slide to move the slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, the doordriving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving the carrier to cause the drive element to engage the slide and to move the slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a camming member mounted on the slide and movable therewith, the camming member being movable with respect to the slide between a retracted position and a release position, the camming member in the release position thereof preventing engagement of the first and the second latch members when the slide is in the door-opened position thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination of the type set forth, in which the door control mechanism includes a control element disposed in front of the door-receiving opening, the door control mechanism in the closed position of the door accommodating both manual opening of the door and automatic opening of the door by actuation of the control element, the door control mechanism in the open position of the door accommodating automatic closing of the door by actuation of the control element after a manual opening of the door.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an automobile in front of a garage having therein a garage door in a door-opening therein and including a door control mechanism incorporating the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the garage door of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view in section of the garage door of FIG. 2 in a closed position taken along line 3-3 thereof and particularly showing the counterbalance mechanism therefor;

FIG. 4 is a view partly in section of the garage door shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 4-4 thereof and particularly showing the drive connection between the door and the door control mechanism therefor;

FIG. 5 is a side view partly in section of the garage door and the control mechanism therefor and particularly showing the door in the open position thereof;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view partly in section of the top of the garage door and the lock mechanism therefor;

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged side view in section of the top of the garage door and the lock mechanism therefor;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the garage door shown in FIG. 2 particularly showing the lock mechanism therefor;

FIG. 9 is a side view partly in section of the door control mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a top view partly in section of the door control mechanism shown in FIG. 9 taken along the line 10-10 thereof;

FIG. 11 is an expanded top view of the pulley system of the door control mechanism shown in F IG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an expanded view showing the spatial relationship between a portion of the carrier assembly, the four latch members and the trigger therefor;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of the top of the trigger;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view partly broken away of the cable clamp and latch member shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a view in section of the cable clamp shown in FIG. 14 taken along line 15-15 thereof;

FIG. 16 is a view partly in section of the cable clamp and latch mechanism shown in FIG. 14 taken along line 16-16 thereof;

FIG. 17 is a top view partly in section showing the four latch members and the pulley mounting plate;

FIG. 18 is a view partly in section of the latch mechanism and pulley mounting plate shown in FIG. 17 taken along line 18-18 thereof;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged side elevational view of the slide and two latch members showing the spatial relationship therebetween when the door has been manually opened;

FIG. 20 is a view partly in section of the slide and latch members shown in FIG. 19 taken along line 20-20 thereof;

FIG. 21 is a view partly in section of the slide and latch members shown in FIG. 19 showing the spatial relationship therebetween when the door has been automatically opened;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element after the door has been manually closed;

FIG. 23 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches after the door has been manually closed;

FIG. 24 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element when the door is being manually opened;

FIG. 25 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches when the door is being manually opened;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element after the door has been manually opened;

FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches after the door has been manually opened;

FIG. 28 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element when the door is being automatically closed;

FIG. 2? is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches when the door is being automatically closed;

FIG. 30 is a plan view of door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the door-driving device and the drive element after the door has been automatically closed;

FIG. 31 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches after the door has been automatically closed;

FIG. 32 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element when the door is being automatically opened;

FIG. 33 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches when the door is being automatically opened;

FIG. 34 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element after the door has been automatically opened;

FIG. 35 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches after the door has been automatically opened;

FIG. 36 is a plan view of the door control mechanism showing the relative positions of the latch mechanisms, the doordriving device and the drive element when the door is being manually closed;

FIG. 37 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the trigger cams and the cam openings in the associated latches when the door is being manually closed.

There is illustrated hereinafter a garage door 1 10 and a door control mechanism 200 including a carrier assembly 235 therefor which accommodates movement of the door 110 between a first (closed) and a second (open) position that includes a manual door-opening operation followed by an automatic door-closing operation and then by an automatic dooropening operation and thereafter by a manual door-closing operation. The door 110 has operatively connected thereto a counterbalance mechanism 140 to counterbalance the door 110 to either the first or the second position, the door control mechanism 200 being adapted to selectively add or subtract an additional force thereby to accomplish selective automatic movement of the door 110 from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position thereof.

With reference to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 to 4,

thereof, there is shown an automobile having two spacedapart front wheels and two spaced-apart rear wheels 102, the car 100 being positioned on the ground or driveway 103 in front of a garage 105. The garage 105 includes two spacedapart upstanding sidewalls (not shown), a rear wall 106 (see FIGS. 22, 24, etc.) interconnecting the sidewalls, a slanted roof or top wall 107, and a front wall 108 also interconnecting the two sidewalls. The front wall 108 has centrally located therein a door-receiving opening 109, the door opening 109 being of sufficient height and width to receive therein an appropriate sectional door 110 of the type for a one-car or a twocar garage.

The sectional door 110 includes a plurality of sections 111, four sections 111 being illustrated herein, the sections 111 being identical in dimension and hingedly fastened one to another by means of a plurality of hinges 112, each of the hinges 112 including two attachment flanges 113 interconnected by a hinge pin 114, each attachment flange 113 of every hinge 112 is connected to an adjacent section 11 l of the door 110, thereby to hingedly connect the sections 111 of the garage door 110 one to another. As particularly shown, each section 111 of the door 110 is fastened to the adjacent section 111 by three hinges 112, the hinges being positioned one at each outer edge of the sections 111 and one midway between the outermost hinges 112. The door 110 is further provided on each of the outer edges thereof adjacent to the bottom of the door with two cable pins 116, the cable pins 116 being for a purpose hereinafter explained; the door 110 further is provided with a handle I17 suitably mounted on a shaft 118, the handle 117 being positioned in the center of the second section 111 from the bottom of the door 110 only for purposes of illustration. As is well known in the art, a handle may be positioned on the inside of the door 110, but is not here shown.

Adjacent to the outer edges of the door-receiving opening 109 in the front wall 108 of the garage 105 are two tracks 120, the tracks 120 being spaced apart a distance slightly in excess of the width of the door-receiving opening 109, the tracks 120 each being channel-shaped in cross section and including two spaced-apart sidewalls 121 interconnected by a web 122. The tracks 120 each include a substantially vertically extending flight 123 and a substantially horizontally extending flight 124, the

flights

123 and 124 of the two tracks 120 being generally parallel one to another, the

flights

123 and 124 being interconnected by an arcuate flight 125. The tracks 120 are connected to the front wall 108 adjacent the bottom of the garage by the usual means (not shown) and the tracks 120 are connected at the reannost part of the substantially horizontal flight 124 to the garage roof 107 by means of struts (not shown) each of the tracks 120 being provided with an attachment strut. The substantially vertical flights 123 are somewhat diagonally inclined toward the rear of the garage 105, i.e., away from the front wall 108, and the substantially horizontal flights 124 of the tracks 120 are inclined upwardly toward to top 107 of the garage 105, all to facilitate movement of the door 110 in the tracks 120.

The door 110 is provided with a plurality of roller assemblies 130, the roller assemblies 130 each being shown by way of illustration associated with a hinge 112, it being understood that the roller assemblies 130 may be independently placed, if so desired. Each of the roller assemblies 130 includes an L- shaped flange 131 having an abutment portion 132 fixedly connected to one of the attachment flanges 113 of the associated hinge 112, the abutment portion 132 being preferably connected to the flange 113 connected to the upper adjacent section 111 of the door 110, the L-shaped flange 131 further including a transverse portion 133 extending outwardly from the section 111 and carrying on the distal end thereof a stub shaft 134 having a wheel 135 journaled thereon, each of the wheels 135 being so sized as to fit between the sidewalls 121 of the tracks 120. As may be seen from the drawings, the four-section door 110 is provided with a total of roller assemblies 130, the roller assemblies 130 providing for rolling action of the door 110 from the closed position thereof to the open position thereof along the tracks 120.

There is also provided, particularly as shown in FIG. 3, a counterbalance mechanism 140 positioned above the door 110 adjacent to each of the tracks 120 and being connected at one end to the rear of the tracks 120 and at the other end of the front wall 108 of the garage 105 and to the door 110. The counterbalance mechanism 140 includes two attachment flanges 141 positioned on the front wall 108 of the garage 105, one of the attachment flanges 141 being provided on each side of the door opening 109. Each of the attachment flanges 141 is provided with an eyelet 142 and below each of the attachment flanges 141 and fixedly secured to the front wall 108 of the garage 105 is a pulley bracket 143, each of the pulley brackets 143 is U-shaped and supports a stub shaft 144 between the legs thereof, each of the shafts 144 having suitably journaled thereon a pulley 145. Toward the rear of the horizontal flight 124 of the tracks 120, on each of the tracks 120, there is positioned an upstanding anchor member 148, each of the anchor members 148 being provided with eyelet 149 therein. Two coil springs 150 are provided, one of the coil springs 150 being positioned above each of the horizontal flights 124 of the tracks 120, each of the springs 150 having the rear end thereof suitably fastened in the eyelet 149 of the respective anchor member 148 and the front end thereof suitably fastened to a corresponding pulley bracket 153. Each of the pulley brackets 153 is generally U-shaped and supports a stub shaft 154 between the legs thereof, each of the stub shafts 154 having journaled thereon a pulley 155. Two cables 157 operatively connect the door 110 with the coil springs 150, each of the cables 157 being connected at one end to the respective cable pin 116 positioned near the bottom of the door 110, each of the cables 157 passing upwardly along the respective side of the door over the respective pulley between the pulley 145 and the front wall 108 and then behind and around the respective pulley 155 to be suitably and fixedly connected to the eyelet 142 in the respective attachment flange 141. It will be seen therefore that the counterbalance mechanism 140 exerts a counterbalancing force on the door 110 due to the force exerted on the door 110 by the coil springs through the pulleys 145 and and the cables 157 acting against the effective weight of the door 110 to counterbalance the same toward either the open position or the closed position thereof depending upon the tension in the coil springs 150. During the opening of the garage door 110 each of the coil springs 150 contracts and and moves toward the rear of the garage 110 thereby to take up the cables 157 as extra lengths thereof are provided when the door 110 opens.

A positive lock mechanism 160 is provided above the door 110 mounted on the front wall 108 of the garage 105, the lock mechanism 160 being particularly show in FIGS. 2 and 6 to 8. The lock mechanism 160 includes an angle bracket 161 fixedly secured to the top edge of the door 110 midway between the sides thereof, the angle bracket 161 including an abutment flange 162 suitably secured as by bolts 163 to the top of the door 110, the angle bracket 161 further including a transverse flange 164 extending upwardly from the top of the door 110 and having a shoulder 165 therein. A cam 166 is eccentrically journaled on a pivot 167 extending from the transverse flange 164 of the angle bracket 161, the cam 166 being pivotable with respect to the flange 164 and having on the forward end thereof a camming surface 168 and having at the rear thereof a connection rod 169, the camming surface 168 cooperating with the shoulder 165 in the transverse flange 164, as hereinafter explained.

There is also provided a bar 170 vertically positioned in the middle of the front wall 108 of the garage 105 directly above the angle bracket 161 for cooperation therewith. The bar 170 is mounted on an angle bracket 171 having an abutment flange 172 suitably secured to the front wall 108 of the garage 105 by bolts 173, the angle bracket 171 having a transverse flange 174 extending rearwardly of the front wall 108 and carrying a pivot 177 on which is journaled the bar 170 for pivotal movement thereabout. The bar 170 has a connecting rod 175 adjacent to the top end thereof extending transversely from and an eyelet 176 spaced below the rod 175, the rod 175 having connected thereto a cable 179 extending rearwardly into the garage 105 for a purpose hereinafter explained. Along the bottom portion of the bar 170 is an offset bar 180 having an abutment portion 181 suitably fixedly connected to the bar 170 such as by welding, the bar 180 further including a portion 182 spaced apart from the bar 170 and interconnected thereto by means of a transversely extending rod 183 interconnecting the bar 170 and the bar 180. As shown in FIG, 6, the bar 170 is pivotal between the full line position and the phantom-line position. The bar 170 is biased toward the fullline position thereof by means of a spring 185 extending through a hole 184 in the front wall 108 of the garage 105 and fixedly secured at one end to the eyelet 176 in the bar 170 and at the other end to a cover plate 186 on the outside of the front wall 108. When the door 110 is closed, the top of the bar 170 is biased toward the front wall 108 by the spring 185 thereby to force the rod 183 into the area formed between the shoulder 165 on the transverse flange 164 and the camming surface 168 on the cam 166 to prevent upward movement of the door 110 to lock the same. When the door 110 is to be manually opened, turning the handle 117 rotates the shaft 118 which thereby moves a finger 187 connected to the shaft 118 downwardly rotating the cam 166 in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 7, due to a cable 189 extending between the connecting rod 169 on the rear of the cam 166 with an eyelet 188 in the finger 187. Pivotal movement of the eccentrically mounted cam 166 throws the rod 183 out of the area formed by the shoulder 165 and the camming surface 168 due to the movement of the camming surface 168 thereby to pivot the bar 170 from the full-line position to the phantom-line position to remove the bar 170 from the blocking position thereof or to unlock the door 110 and to allow upward movement of opening of the door 110. Pivotal movement of the bar 170 from the full-line position to the phantom-line position is also provided automatically as will hereinafter be described.

There is further shown a door control mechanism 200 positioned above and intermediate the tracks 120. An elongated housing 205 for the door control mechanism 200 is generally channel-shaped and includes a first downwardly depending sidewall 206 extending the length of the housing 205 and spaced apart from a second downwardly depending sidewall 207, the two

sidewalls

206 and 207 being interconnected by a top wall 208. The housing 205 forms an inverted U with the top wall 208 thereof being positioned closest to the roof 107 of the garage 105, the housing 205 having the longer dimension thereof extending generally normal to front wall 108 of the garage 105. As seen particularly in FIG. 0, the sidewall 206 is on the left-hand side of the housing 205 when the housing 205 is viewed from the rear thereof looking toward the front wall 108 of the garage, thereby the sidewall 207 is on the right-hand side of the housing 205. Hereinafter reference to the front or the rear of any apparatus of element will refer to that part of the apparatus or element closest to the front or rear of the garage 105, respectively.

As seen in FIGS. 6, l and 18, there is provided an aperture 211 in the sidewall 206 near the front of the housing 205, an aperture 212 in the sidewall 206 near the back through which the cable 179 passes for a purpose hereinafter explained, and a downwardly depending tang 213 in the top wall 208 of the housing 205, the tang 213 being positioned in the center of the top wall 205 for a purpose hereinafter explained. The housing 205 is mounted to the front wall 108 of the garage 105 by a support bracket 215, the support bracket 215 having a top horizontal leg 216 with an attachment flange 217 depending downwardly therefrom and connected to the front wall 108 by means of bolts 218, the top leg 216 of the bracket 215 being attached to the top wall 208 of the housing 205 by means of bolts 219. The support bracket 215 further includes a horizontal bottom leg 221 spaced from and generally parallel to the top leg 216, a web 222 interconnecting the top leg 216 and the bottom leg 221, the web 222 being disposed generally normal to the top leg 216 and the bottom leg 221, and a diagonal leg 223 extending toward the front wall 108 and downwardly from the bottom leg 221, the diagonal leg 223 having at the distal end thereof an attachment flange 224 secured to the front wall 108 of the garage 105 by bolts 225. The housing 205 is connected at the rear thereof to the garage 105 by bracket means (not shown). Extending outwardly from the rear of the housing 205 is an angle iron 227, the angle iron 227 having attachment flange 228 suitably secured to the sidewall 206 of the housing 205 and a support flange 209 extending normal to and outwardly from the sidewall 206 of the housing, the support flange 229 being for a purpose hereinafter explained. There is also provided at the front of the housing 205 another angle iron 230, the angle iron 230 having an attachment flange 231 suitably secured to the sidewall 206 of the housing 205 at the front of the housing 205 and a support flange 232 extending normal to and outwardly from the sidewall 206, the support flange 232 being for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The door control mechanism 200 further includes a carrier assembly 235 disposed in and adjacent to the housing 205. The carrier assembly 235 includes a pulley bracket 240, as seen in FIGS. 9 to 11, positioned within the housing 205 toward the front thereby the pulley bracket 240 being channel-shaped and including a top leg 241 spaced apart and parallel to a bottom leg 242, the top leg 241 and the bottom leg 242 being interconnected by a bight 243. The top leg 24] of the pulley bracket 240 has extending outwardly and upwardly therefrom an attachment flange 244 suitably connected to the top wall 208 of the housing 205, thereby to fixedly secure the pulley bracket 240 in the housing 205 with the top leg 241 and the bottom leg 242 disposed generally parallel to the top wall 208 of the housing 205. There is further provided an upper pulley 245 suitably journaled on a shaft 247 secured respectively in the top leg 241 and the bottom leg 242 of the pulley bracket 240 and a lower pulley 250 also journaled on the shaft 247 and spaced from the upper pulley 245, the lower pulley 250 being rotatable about the shaft 247 independently of the upper pulley 245.

As is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 9, 17 and 18, there is further provided an elongated pulley mounting plate 255 in the housing 205 abutting the top wall 208 toward the rear thereof, the pulley mounting plate 255 is generally U-shaped and includes a right-hand sidewall 256, a left-hand sidewall 257 spaced apart and generally parallel to the sidewall 256, the

sidewalls

256 and 257 respectively have

tangs

258 and 259 bent inwardly therefrom for a purpose hereinafter explained, the

sidewalls

256 and 257 being spaced apart a distance less than the sidewalls 207 of the housing 205. interconnecting the

sidewalls

256 and 257 is a top wall 261, the top wall 261 being suitably secured to the top wall 208 of the housing 205 such as by welding, the top wall 261 having therein a channel 262 in the middle of the top wall 261 between the front and rear ends thereof and extending thereacross. The channel 262 in the top wall 261 includes two spaced-apart downwardly depending sidewalls 263 interconnected by horizontally disposed web 264, the web 264 being spaced from the top wall 208 of the housing 205. A cable pulley 265 is suitably journaled on a headed bolt 266, the headed bolt 266 being secured to the web 264 of the channel 262 by a nut 267, and there is also provided a washer 268 about the headed bolt 266 positioned between the cable pulley 265 and the web 264, thereby to provide for free rotation of the cable pulley 265 without frictional interference by the web 264. The top wall 261 of the pulley mounting plate 255 is further provided with two tangs 269 extending downwardly therefrom and spaced apart across the width of the top wall 261, the tangs 269 being for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The door control mechanism 200 is further provided with a door-driving device 270 in the form of a coil spring fixedly connected to the carrier assembly 235 for providing movement of the door 110 in cooperation with the carrier assembly 235. The coil spring 270 is connected at the rear end 271 thereof to an eyelet 272 connected to a rod 273, the rod 273 extending through the support flange 229 and is held thereby against vertical movement. The rod 273 is connected to the rear wall 106 of the garage as shown in FIGS. 22, 24, 26, etc., however, the rod 273 may also be connected to the top wall 107, it being a mere matter of preference. The front end 274 of the coil spring 270 is connected to an idler bracket 275, the idler bracket 275 being generally U-shaped and having at the rear thereof an eyelet 276 for connecting thereto the coil spring 274. A shaft 277 is secured between the legs of the idler bracket 275 and has an idler pulley 280 suitably journaled thereon for rotation with respect thereto.

The door control mechanism 200 further includes, as part of the carrier assembly 235, a carrier cable 285, the carrier cable 285 including a cable-extension reach 290, the extension reach 290 having at one end thereof a hook 291 connected to an eyelet 292 of a connecting rod 293, the connecting rod 293 extending through the support flange 232 thereby to prevent vertical movement of the rod 293 and to position the same, the rod 293 being fixedly connected to the front wall 108 of the garage 105. The cable-extension reach 290 extends from the rod 293 around the idler pulley 280 between the pulley 280 and the bracket 275 therefor and from the pulley 280 around the upper pulley 245 toward the cable pulley 265. Intermediate the upper pulley 245 and the cable pulley 265, the cable-extension reach 290 is formed into a cable loop 295, as will hereinafter be explained, the cable loop 295 extending around the cable pulley 265 and the lower pulley 250, thereby interconnecting the same, the cable loop 295 having a righthand reach 296 thereof and a left-hand reach 297 thereof.

As seen particularly in FIGS. 11, 12 and 14 to 16, the cable extension reach 290 is formed into the cable loop 295 at a cable connector and latch assembly 300, the assembly 300 including two spaced-apart upstanding sidewalls 301 interconnected by a plurality of spacers 302 mounted on stub shafts 303 fitted in aligned apertures 304 in each of the sidewalls 301 thereby to rigidly connect the sidewalls 301 at a fixed spacedapart distance. Each of the sidewalls 301 of the assembly 300 has an offset portion 307 thereof, the offset portion 307 of each of the sidewalls 301 is aligned one with the other and has at the rear end thereof a beveled edge 308. Toward the rear of the assembly 300 there is provided a latch member 310 in the form of a roller suitably journaled for rotation about a shaft 311 having an attachment flange 312 secured to the sidewall 301 of the assembly 300, the latch member 310 cooperating to latch the assembly 300 against movement thereof, as hereinafter explained.

Each of the sidewalls 301 of the assembly 300 is provided with a front rectangular cutout 316, and a rear rectangular cutout 317, the rectangular cutouts 316 in each of the sidewalls 301 being aligned and in registry and the rectangular cutouts 317 in each of the sidewalls 301 being aligned and in registry. The

rectangular cutouts

316 and 317 respectively each receive a

cable clamp

320 and 325, the cable clamps 320 and 325 each consisting of two

hemicylindrical members

321 and 322 having therein a central aperture extending therethrough slightly smaller in diameter than the carrier cable 385, thereby to lock the same against longitudinal movement with respect to the cable clamps 320 and 325. As may be seen particularly in FIG. 11, the cable-extension reach 290 is fixedly secured in the cable clamp 325 and the loop 295 is formed by the cable 285 exiting from the assembly 300 and the clamp 325, passing around the cable pulley 265, the lower pulley 250 and terminating at the cable clamp 320, thereby to form the loop 295.

It is seen therefore, that the spring 270 has an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, the energy-storing condition being where the spring 270 is extended and prevented against contraction thereof as will be explained hereinafter, the door-driving condition being where the spring 270 is permitted to contract thereby to rotate the loop 295 in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10, to drive the door 110 to the open position thereof as hereinafter explained.

There is further provided, as particularly shown in F165. 11 and 17 to 21, a slide latch assembly 330 engageable on and guided by the left-hand reach 297 of the cable loop 295 forming a part of the carrier assembly 235. The slide 330 is positioned over the reach 297 and slidable with respect thereto toward and away from the opening 109, the slide 330 including a U-shaped body 331 tapered from the front end 332 thereof to the rear end 333 thereof, the front end 332 being larger in vertical extent than the rear end 333. The slide assembly 330 carries on the inner surface thereof a liner 335, the liner 335 being fixedly secured to the inside of the slide assembly 330, thereby to facilitate sliding movement of the slide 330 along the reach 297, the liner 335 may be of nylon. The slide latch assembly 330 further includes positioned in the larger front end 332 thereof in both of the legs of the U- shaped body 331 two aligned apertures 337, the apertures 337 being for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The slide latch assembly 330 is also provided with a latch member 340 in the form of a roller positioned toward the rear end 333 of the latch assembly 330. The roller 340 is suitably journaled on two stub shafts 341 mounted on the legs of the U- shaped body 331 of the slide 330. Toward the front 332 of the latch assembly 330, are two

guide pins

343 and 344 interconnecting the legs of the U-shaped body 331, the guide pins 343 and 344 are positioned horizontally and are spaced apart longitudinally of the slide assembly 330. A camming member 345 in the form of a bar is mounted inside the slide assembly 330, the bar 345 contains therein two elongated longitudinally spaced-apart

slots

346 and 347. The

slots

346 and 347 receive therein respectively the guide pins 343 and 347 thereby to permit sliding movement of the bar 345 with respect to the slide assembly 330. There is further provided an eyelet 348 in the front portion 332 of the slide 330 and an eyelet 349 in the bar 345 positioned slightly to the front of the slot 346, the

eyelets

348 and 349 being interconnected by a spring 350 extending therebetween and fixedly secured therein, the spring 350 thereby biasing the bar 345 to the left as shown in FIG. 19.

The slide assembly 330 is further provided with a trigger biasing plate 355 located, as shown in FIG. 17, at the rear end 333 of the slide 330, the trigger biasing plate 355 including an abutment portion 356 extending outwardly from the righthand leg of the U-shaped body 331, as viewed when looking at the slide 330 from the rear thereof, and an attachment flange 357 extending normal to the abutment flange 356 and being fixedly secured to the leg of the U-shaped body 331 by bolts 358.

The door-control mechanism 200 further includes a driveconnection 360 in the form of an elongated bar 361 journaled about a pivot shaft 362 mounted in the aligned apertures 337 in the forward end 332 of the slide 330, the drive connection 360 being connected at the other end thereof to an angle bracket 365. The angle bracket 365 includes an attachment flange 366 fixedly secured to the center of the door 110 on the uppermost section 111 thereof, the angle bracket 365 further including a transverse flange 367 carrying thereon a pivot shaft 368 having journaled thereon for pivotal movement therewith the drive connection 360. It is seen therefore, that the slide 330 is operatively and pivotally connected to the door 110 so that movement of the door 110 provides corresponding movement of the slide 330 along the reach 297 of the carrier assembly 235 and movement of the slide 330 will provide corresponding movement of the door 110 in the tracks 120, the slide 330 being movable between two positions, one position corresponding to the open position of the door 110 and the other position corresponding to the closed position of the door 110.

A drive element 370 is fixedly secured to the reach 297 of the carrier assembly 235, the drive assembly 370 being in the form of a block having rivets or bolts 337 therethrough, thereby to prevent movement of the drive element 370 with respect to the reach 297. The drive element 370 is positioned forward of the slide 330 when the slide 330 is in a position corresponding to the closed position of the door 110, thereby to maintain the slide assembly 330 slightly spaced apart from the drive element 370 when the door 110 is in the closed position thereof. Movement of the slide 370 toward the rear of the garage, as will hereinafter be explained, drivingly engages the drive element 370 with the front end of the slide assembly 330, thereby to move the slide assembly toward the rear of the garage and to move the bar 345 along the

slots

346 and 347 thereof to the right, as seen in FIG. 21, against the biasing of the spring 350. It is seen therefor, that the bar 345 is movable between a leftmost position denoted as the retracted position and a rightmost position denoted as the extended position, all for a purpose hereinafter explained.

With particular reference to FIG. 12, there is provided a first latch and cam-receiving mechanism 380 positioned to the left of the cable pulley 265 and extending both forward and rearward thereof, the mechanism 380 including a latch bar 381 extending parallel to the left-hand reach 297 of the carrier cable 285, the latch bar 281 being positioned slightly below the reach 297. The latch bar 381 has at the rear end thereof a pivot hole 382 and at the forward end thereof a camming surface 383, the camming surface 383 extending re arwardly to a notch 384 having at the forward end thereof an abutment surface 385. The first latch and cam-receiving mechanism 380 also includes a cam-receiving member 391 positioned to the right of the latch bar 381, the cam-receiving member 391 including a first attachment flange 392 extending parallel to the bar 381 and attached securely thereto, the rear flange 393 integral with the first attachment flange 392 and extending normal thereto to the right thereof, a support flange 394 extending forwardly of the rear flange 393 and parallel to the bar 391, the support flange 394 having therein a pivot hole 395 in registry with the pivot hole 382 in the bar 381. The camreceiving member 391 further includes a diagonal flange 396 connected at one end thereof to the support flange 394 and at the other end thereof to a second attachment flange 397, the second attachment flange 397 being parallel to and attached to the bar 381, a diagonal flange 393 extending from the bar 381 to the right thereof for a distance less than the distance from the bar 381 to the support flange 394. integral with the distal end of the diagonal flange 398 is a forwardly extending flange 399, the flange 399 extending parallel to and being spaced apart from the bar 381 and containing therein a cam opening 400. The cam opening 400 in the flange 399 is L- shaped and includes a lower leg 401 and a rearwardly extending leg 402, the rearwardly extending leg 402 is formed at the bottom thereof by an abutment surface 405.

A second latch and cam-receiving mechanism 410 is positioned to the right of the cable pulley 265 and is generally parallel to the first mechanism 380, the mechanism 410 including a latch bar 41 1 extending forwardly and rearwardly of the cable pulley 265 and positioned below and parallel to the right-hand reach 296 of the carrier cable 285. The latch bar 411 includes at the rear thereof a pivot hole 412, the pivot hole 412 being in registry with the pivot holes 382 and 395, and the latch bar 411 is further provided, at the forward end thereof, with a camming surface 413 extending from. the front of the bar 411 rearwardly to a notch 414, the notch 414 having at the forward end thereof an abutment surface 415. Positioned to the left of the bar 411 is a cam-receiving member 421, the cam-receiving member 421 being generally horizontally aligned with the cam-receiving member 391. The camreceiving member 421 includes a first attachment flange 422 extending parallel to the bar 411 and attached securely thereto, a rear flange 423 integral with the first attachment flange 422 and extending normal thereto to the left thereof, a support flange 424 extending forwardly of the rear flange 423 and parallel to the bar 411, the support flange 424 having therein a pivot hole 425 in registry with the pivot holes 412 in the

bar

411, 395 in the

support flange

394 and 382 in the bar 381. Although FIG. 12 shows the first latch and cam-receiving mechanism 380 and the second latch and cam-receiving mechanism 410 in spaced-apart relationship thereto, as seen in FIG. 17, when. assembled, the mechanism 380 and the mechanism 410 are so positioned that the

support flanges

394 and 424 abut. Extending diagonally forward and to the right of the support flange 424 is a diagonal flange 426 and extending forwardly of the diagonal flange 426 is a second attachment flange 427, the flange 427 being parallel to and attached to the bar 411. A second diagonal flange 428 extends to the left and forwardly of the attachment flange 427, the diagonal flange 428 extending to the left of the bar 411 a distance less than the support flange 424. integral with the distal end of the diagonal flange 428 is forwardly extending flange 429 extending parallel to and being spaced apart from the bar 411 and containing therein an L-shaped cam opening 430. The cam opening 430 in the flange 429 includes a lower leg 431 and a forwardly extending leg 432 being formed at the bottom thereof by an abutment surface 435. Because the

diagonal flanges

398 and 428 do not extend inwardly as much as the

diagonal flanges

396 and 426, the

flanges

399 and 429 containing therein the

cam openings

400 and 430, respectively, are spaced apart although the

support flanges

394 and 424 abut. As shown in FIG. 18, the diagonal flange 426 is provided with an eyelet 437 therein and a spring 438 is positioned between the eyelet 437 and the right-hand tang 269 extending from the top wall 261 of the pulley mounting plate 255. it being understood that the first latch and cam-receiving mechanism 380 is also provided with a corresponding spring extending between the diagonal flange 396 and the left-hand tang (not shown) depending from the top wall 261 of the pulley mounting plate 255, thereby to bias the

mechanism

380 and 410 to the horizontal position. A pivot shaft 440 extends through the

sidewalls

256 and 257 of the pulley mounting plate 255 and through the pivot holes 382, 395, 425 and 412 respectively, in the bar 381, the support flange 394, the support flange 424 and the bar 411, thereby to pivotally mount the first mechanism 380 and the second mechanism 410 for movement between an engagement position and a disengagement positron.

It is seen therefore, that the latch bar 381 is movable or pivotable between an engagement position and a disengagement position, the latch bar 381 in the engagement position thereof being adapted to engage the roller 340 on the slide 330, thereby to position the slide 330 and the mechanism 380 in the slide-holding condition thereof with the slide 330 in a position corresponding to the open position of the door 110, the latch bar 381 in the disengagement position thereof being pivoted downwardly to disengage the roller 340, thereby to position the slide 330 and the mechanism 380 in the slidereleasing condition thereof with the slide 330 in position to move to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of the door 1 10. Similarly, the latch bar 411 is movable or ivotable between an engagement position and a disengagement position, the latch bar 411 in the engagement position thereof being adapted to engage the roller 310 on the latch assembly 300, thereby to position the latch assembly 300 and the mechanism 410 in the door-holding condition thereof with the assembly 300 and the carrier cable 285 fixed against movement thereof to maintain the spring 270 in the energystoring condition thereof, the latch bar 411 in the disengagement position thereof being pivoted downwardly to disengage the roller 310, thereby to position the assembly 300 and the mechanism 410 in the door-driving position thereof with the spring 270 free to contract and the carrier cable 285 free to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 10, to move the drive element 370 to the right and thereby the slide 330 to move the door to the open position thereof.

The door control mechanism 200 further includes a trigger 445 positioned intermediate the cam-receiving member 391 and the cam-receiving member 421, the trigger 445 being in the form of an elongated bar having at the top end thereof an eyelet 446 connected by a spring 447 to the tang 212 depending from the top wall 208 of the housing 205, the trigger 445 further including at the bottom thereof an eyelet 449 for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. The trigger 445 also includes a cam 450 and a cam 455, the cam 450 being positioned within the cam opening 400 and the cam 455 being positioned in the cam opening 430, the

cam

450 and 455 being formed from the trigger body and each extending at an angle of 90 therefrom, the

cams

450 and 455 being angular spaced one from another. The trigger 445 has at the front thereof positioned slightly below the

cams

450 and 455 an abutment surface 456, the abutment surface 456 being adapted to cooperate with the abutment surface 356 of the angle bracket 355 connected to the slide 330 thereby to move the trigger against the action of the spring 447 as hereinafter explained.

It is seen therefore, that the trigger 445 is movable between a first and a second position, the first position being the biased position thereof due to the action of the spring 447 with the cam 450 in the forward position thereof so that downward movement of the trigger 445 results in the cam 450 moving into the lower leg 401 of the cam opening 400, the cam 455 in the forward position thereof so that downward movement of the trigger 445 results in the cam 455 moving onto the abutment surface 435 of the cam opening 430. The first position of the the trigger 445 corresponds to the slide-holding condition of the slide 330 and the mechanism 380 and the door-releasing condition of the assembly 300 and the mechanism 410 because downward movement of the trigger 445 in the first position thereof results in movement of the latch bar 411 to the disengagement position thereof but does not move the latch bar 381 from engagement position thereof. The second position of the trigger 445 is rearward against the spring 447 due to contact of the abutment surfaces 356 and 456 of the plate 355 and trigger 445 respectively, the second position of the trigger 445 being that with the cam 450 in the rearward position thereof so that downward movement of the trigger 445 results in the cam 450 moving onto the abutment surface 405 of the cam opening 400 and the cam 455 being in the rearward position thereof so that downward movement of the trigger 445 results in the cam 455 moving into the lower leg 431 of the cam opening 430. The second position of the trigger 445 corresponds to the slide-releasing condition of the slide 330 and the mechanism 410 and the door-holding condition of the assembly 300 and the mechanism 410 because downward movement of the trigger 445 in the second position thereof results in movement of the latch bar 381 to the disengagement position thereof but does not move the latch bar 411 from the engagement position thereof.

There is further provided, particularly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 19, a control element 460, the control element 460 being positioned below the trigger 445 and operatively connected thereto and includes a solenoid 461 having extending upwardly therefrom a core stem 462 connected at the distal end thereof to the eyelet 449 in the trigger 445 thereby to cause downward movement of the trigger 445 in response to operation of the solenoid 460. Electrical leads 465 connect the solenoid 460 with a lock 475 positioned on a post 470 located adjaeent to the driveway 103, thereby to allow operation of the solenoid 460 by an occupant of the automobile 100. There is further provided a pulley 468, as particularly shown in FIG. 6, for the cable 179 connected to the eyelet 175 in the bar 170 to pass over and be operatively connected to the core stem 462, thereby to cause movement of the bar 170 from its full-line or locked position to its phantom-line or unlocked position upon operation of the solenoid 460 automatically to unlock the door 110 for movement to the open position thereof in response to operation of the solenoid 460.

The operation of the door 110 through a complete cycle consisting of a manual door opening, followed by an automatic door closing, followed by an automatic door opening, followed by a manual door closing, will hereinafter be explained. The door control mechanism 200 is in the position il lustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23 when the door 110 manually has been closed, When the door 110 is in the closed position thereof, the mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 are in the door-holding condition thereof in which the roller 310 is engaging the abutment surface 415 of the latch bar 411 and the mechanism 380 and slide 330 are in the slide-releasing condition thereof in which the slide 330 is out of engagement with the mechanism 380, the latch bar 381 being in the biased position thereof ready to engage the roller 340 of the latch 330. The spring 370 is in the energy-storing condition thereof, i.e., the spring 270 is in the extended position thereof. The trigger 445 is biased to the first position thereofin which the cam 450 is positioned above the lower leg 401 in the cam opening 400 and the cam 455 is positioned above the abutment surface 435 of the forward leg 432 of the cam opening 430.

Upon a manual opening of the door 110, the door control mechanism 200 assumes the position shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. The mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 remain in the door-holding condition thereof in which the roller 310 is in engagement with the abutment surface 415 of the latch bar 411. The slide 330 pivotally connected to the door 110 and shiftable along the reach 297 of the cable assembly 285 is moved rearwardly along the reach 297 toward the mechanism 380. The spring 270 remains in the energy-storing condition thereof due to the fact that the cable assembly 285 does not move. The trigger 445 and hence the

cams

450 and 455 remain in the same position as when the door was in the closed position thereof.

When the door 110 is in the open position thereof, the door control mechanism 200 is in the position shown in FIGS. 26 and 27. The mechanism 410 and assembly 300 remain in the door-holding condition thereofin which the roller 310 is in engagement with the abutment surface 415 of the latch bar 411. The slide 330 and the mechanism 380 are in the slide-holding condition thereof, in which the roller 340 is in engagement with the abutment surface 385 of the latch bar 381 thereby to latch the slide 380 and therefore the door 110 pivotally mounted thereto in the open position of the door 110. The spring 270 remains in the energy-storing condition thereof because the cable assembly 285 has not moved. The trigger 445 has been moved from the first position thereof to the second position thereof, the second position being that with the cam 450 positioned above the abutment surface 405 in the rear leg 402 of the cam opening 400 and the cam 455 being positioned above the lower leg 431 of the cam opening 430.

When the automobile leaves the garage and the solenoid 460 is activated, the trigger 445 is moved downwardly in response to the movement of the core 462 of the solenoid 460. The mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 remain in the door-holding condition thereof in which the roller 310 is in engagement with the abutment surface 415 of the latch bar 411. The slide 330 and the mechanism 380 move from the slide-holding condition thereof to the slide-releasing condition thereof in which the latch bar 381 moves to the disengagement position thereof, thereby to permit the slide 330 to move slidably along the reach 297 to a position corresponding to the door-closed position of the door 110. The spring 270 remains in the energy-storing condition thereof because the cable assembly 285 has not moved. Movement of the trigger 445 in response to actuation of the solenoid 460 results in movement of the latch bar 381 to the disengagement position thereof because the cam 450 engages the abutment surface 405 of the cam opening 400 thereby to pivotally move the mechanism 380 about the shaft 440 while the cam 455 positioned in the lower leg 431 of the cam opening 430 does not move the mechanism 410 from the door-holding condition thereof.

FIGS. 30 and 31 show the position of the door control mechanism 200 subsequent to an automatic closing of the door 110, the position of the door control mechanism 200 being the same after an automatic closing of the door as after a manual closing of the door 110 as may be seen by a comparison of FIGS. 30 and 31 with FIGS. 22 and 23, respec tively.

Upon an automatic opening of the door 110, the door control mechanism is in the position shown in FIGS. 32 and 33. Operation of the solenoid 460 results in a downward movement of the trigger 445, thereby to cause the mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 to assume the door-driving condition thereof in which the latch bar 411 is moved to the disengagement position thereof, thereby to disengage the abutment surface 415 and the roller 310, thereby to permit movement of the assembly 300. The slide 330 is moved by rotation of the cable loop 295 and hence movement of the drive element 370 which drivingly engages the slide 330, the cable loop 295 being moved by the action of the spring 270 which is in the door-driving condition thereof. Movement of the mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 to the door-driving condition thereof permits the spring 270 to contract, thereby to cause rotation of the idler pulley 380, the upper pulley 245, the lower pulley 250 and the cable pulley 265, thereby to cause rotation of the cable loop 295 in the counterclockwise direction with a corresponding movement of the idler pulley 280 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 32. With the movement of the slide 330 to the right by the drive element 370, the door 110 is moved from the closed position to the open position thereof, the lock mechanism being moved from the fullline position to the phantom-line position in FIG. 6 by the cable 179 operatively connected to the stem 462 of the solenoid 460, thereby to permit the door 110 to open. The trigger 445 is pulled downwardly in response to operation of the solenoid 460 to cause disengagement ofthe latch bar 411 from the roller 310 because the cam 455 is positioned over the abutment surface 435 of the latch opening 430 while downward movement of the cam 450 has no effect on the latch bar 381 because the cam 450 is positioned over the lower leg 401 of the cam opening 400.

After the door 110 has been automatically opened, the door control mechanism 200 is in the position shown in FIGS. 34 and 35. The mechanism 410 and the assembly 300 are in the door-driving condition thereof in which the latch bar 411 is disengaged from the roller 310 and the assembly 300 is in its left-handmost position thereof. The slide 330 and the mechanism 380 remain in the slide-releasing condition thereof, because although the slide 330 is in the right-handmost position thereof, the bar 345 has been moved from the released condition thereof to the extended condition thereof because the drive element 370 drivingly contacts the slide 330 thereby to cause movement of the bar 345 along the

slots

346 and 347 contained therein. The spring 270 is in the door-driving condition thereof in which the spring 270 is in a contracted position with the idler pulley 280 being move to its right'handmost position thereof with the corresponding movement of the cable loop 295 to its counterclockwisemost position. The

cams

450 and 455 are in the position thereof corresponding to FIG. 27 after the door had been manually opened because the plate 355 carried by the slide 330 has contacted the trigger 445 to move it to its second position in which the cam 450 is positioned over the abutment surface 405 of the cam. opening 400 and the cam 455 is positioned over the lower leg 43] of the cam opening 430.

Upon a manual closing of the door 110, the door control mechanism 200 is moved to the position shown in FIGS. 36 and 37. The assembly 300 is moved to the right in response to the clockwise rotation of the loop 295 due to the engagement of the slide 330 with the drive element 370, the drive element 370 being fixedly connected to the reach 297 of the cable loop 295 and the slide 330 being pivotally connected to the door 110, thereby closing of the door 110 moves the slide 330 from its position corresponding to the door-open position thereof to a position corresponding to the door-closed position thereof thereby to cause the cable loop 295 to rotate in the clockwise direction. As the slide 330 moves to the left, as shown in FIG. 36, the spring 270 is extended toward its energy-storing condition due to the movement of the pulley 280 to the left. Rotation of the cable loop 295 in the clockwise direction results in rotation of the upper pulley 245, the lower pulley 250 and the cable pulley 265 in the clockwise direction and rotation of the idler pulley 280 in the counterclockwise direction. The cam 450 is positioned over the lower leg 401 of the cam opening 400 and the cam 455 is positioned over the abutment surface 435 of the cam opening 430 while the trigger 445 is in the first position thereof due to the action of the spring 447.

After the door 110 has been closed, the door control mechanism 200 is in the position shown in FlGS. 22 and 23 and is therefore ready for a manual opening of the door 110.

As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is further provided a safety device 525 positioned adjacent to the drive element 370, the safety device 525 includes two spaced-apart flanges 526 suitably journaled respectively on two spaced-apart pivot shafts 527, the flanges 526 being urged together by a spring 528. The pivot shafts 527 depend from a bracket 530 suitably connected to the top wall 208 of the housing 205. The safety device 525 insures that the door control mechanism 200 is temper-proof in that when the door 110 is out of the closed position thereof and the slide 330 has moved to the right as seen in the Figures, the flanges 526 of the safety device 525 are urged together thereby to prevent movement of the drive element 370 to the right under the urging of the door driving device 270 to slam against and damage the slide 330 upon premature release of the assembly 300. When the door 110 is in the closed position thereof, the slide 330 is positioned intermediate the flanges 526 thereby to separate the same and move them against the urging of the spring 528. Upon release of the assembly 300, as hereinbefore explained the cable loop 295 rotates thereby to move the drive element 370 and the slide 330 to the right as hereinbefore described, the slide 330 being positioned between the flanges 526 of the safety device 525 when the door 110 is in the closed position thereof rendering the safety device 525 inoperative to prevent movement of the drive element 370 to the right. It is seen therefore, that the safety device 525 is operative to prevent premature release of the door-driving device 270 and the drive element 370 only when the door is out of the closed position thereof.

The invention hereinbefore set out is readily adaptable to be manufactured in a kit form, the kit including all the mechanism carrying a reference numeral 200 or greater except for the solenoid 460, which may or may not be included in the kit. The housing 205 of the door control mechanism 200 is readily adaptable to be sectionalized as particularly seen in FIG. 9, which shows that the housing 205 may be broken into

sections

501, 502 and 503, the sections being defined from the

points

505, 506, S07 and 508, respectively, thereby to allow the housing 205 to be more attractively and easily packaged. It being understood that the housing 205 must be at least as long as the height of the door 110, thereby to permit movement of the slide 330 along the reach 297 between a position corresponding to the door-closed position thereof and the dooropened position thereof.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided an improved door control mechanism and an improved combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein for shiftably and pivotally operating a sectional door between the closed position and the open position thereof. While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the first position thereof, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slidereleasing condition thereof and said first latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the first position thereof.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said first position of said door is a closed position with respect to the opening and said second position of said door is an open position with respect to the opening.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier includes an elongated cable.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier includes an elongated cable in the form of a loop, said reach being part of said loop.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier includes an elongated cable in the form of a loop, said reach being part of said loop, said loop being disposed in an essentially horizontal plane.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier includes an elongated cable in the form of a loop and an elongated cable extending from said loop, said reach being part of said loop, said door-driving device being connected to said extension from said loop.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said doordriving device is fixedly secured at one end thereof to the associated building and fixedly connected at the other end thereof to said carrier.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said doordriving device includes a coil spring, said spring being extended when said door-driving device is in the energy-storing condition thereof.

9. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the first position thereof, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the second position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the first position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engage ment of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to said first position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to said second position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the second position thereof.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said second latch member is pivotable between an engagement position with said first latch member and a disengagement position with said first latch member.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said fourth latch member is pivotable between an engagement position with said third latch member and a disengagement position with said third latch member.

12. The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said second latch member and said fourth latch member are pivotable about a common axis.

13. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counter balance said door so that said door is biased toward the first position thereof, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier mounted including at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the first position thereof.

14. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slideholding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slidereleasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energystoring condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a doorreleasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slidereleasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the doorreleasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

15. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening,

counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to a door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, door control mechanism for mounting of the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the closed position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-dirving device in the door-dirving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said second and fourth latch members to move said second and fourth latch members into and out of engagement with said first and third latch members respectively, whereby operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said first and second latch members and engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said third and fourth latch member effects automatic movement of said door to the opened position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause engagement of said first and second latch members effects holding of said door in the opened position thereof.

16. The combination set forth in claim 15, wherein said trigger is positioned between said second and fourth latch members.

17. The combination set forth in claim 15, wherein said second latch member and said fourth latch member each have an opening therein respectively to receive a portion of said trigger.

18. The combination set forth in claim 15, wherein said trigger has extending therefrom two outwardly disposed cams, said cams extending at an angle of about 180 from each other, said trigger being positioned between said second and said fourth latch members, said second and said fourth latch members each having therein an opening respectively to receive a cam extending outwardly from said trigger.

19. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slideholding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slidereleasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energystoring condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said doordriving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a doorreleasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slidereleasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the doorreleasing condition thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger to activate said trigger in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

20. The combination set forth in claim 19, wherein said control element moves said trigger downwardly in response to operation of said control element.

21. The combination set forth in claim 19, wherein said control element is a solenoid operation thereof activating said trigger.

22. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slideholding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slidereleasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energystoring condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a doorreleasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slidereleasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the doorreleasing condition thereof, means biasing said trigger into a first position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-holding condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-releasing condition thereof, movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door moving said trigger against said biasing means into a second position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-holding condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the first position thereof.

23. The combination for use with an associated building having a doonreceiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier mounted including at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the door-opened position thereof and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the door-closed position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the doorreleasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

24. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to a door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith; a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the closed position thereof, a camming member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, said camming member being movable with respect to said slide between a retracted position and a release position, said camming member in the release position thereof preventing engagement of said first and second latch members when said slide is in the dooropened position thereof, means biasing said camming member to the retracted position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, said drive element in driving engagement with said slide biasing said camming member from the retracted position thereof to the release position thereof, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement with said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the opened position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members effects holding of said door in the opened position thereof.

25. The combination set forth in claim 24, wherein said second latch member is pivotable between an engagement position with said first latch member and a disengagement position with said first latch member, said camming member in the release position thereof pivoting said second latch member to the disengagement position thereof.

26. The combination set forth in claim 24, wherein said camming member is slidable between said retracted position and said release position thereof.

27. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement of said door between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, said door control mechanism including a control element therefor disposed in front of the door-receiving opening, said door control mechanism includ ing a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier for selective automatic movement thereof between said closed and open positions of said door, said door control mechanism in the closed position of said door accommodating both manual opening of said door and automatic opening of said door by actuation of said control element, said door control mechanism in the open position of said door accommodating both manual closing of said door and automatic closing of said door by actuation of said control element after manual opening of said door.

28. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slideholding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slidereleasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energystoring condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a doorreleasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slidereleasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding releasing condition thereof, a lock device operatively associated with said door and having a locked condition for holding said door in the closed position thereof and an unlocked condition for releasing said door to permit the same to move to the open position thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger and to said lock device to activate said trigger and operate said lock device in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exit ing from the associated building, whereby operation of said control element and hence said lock device to the unlocked condition thereof and selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof by said trigger effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof respectively by said trigger effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

29. The combination set forth in claim 28, wherein said lock device is pivotal between the locked condition and the unlocked condition thereof.

30. The combination set forth in claim 28, wherein said lock device includes an elongated bar vertically positioned above the door-receiving opening and pivotally mounted on the garage, said lock device in the locked condition thereof being disposed above the top of said garage door to prevent upward movement thereof.

3l.'A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding con dition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of the door, a doordriving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energystoring condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a doorholding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the doordriving condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the first position thereof.

32. The door control mechanism set forth in claim 31, wherein the first position thereof with respect to the opening and the second position of the door is an opened position thereof with respect to the opening.

33. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the second position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing the door for movement to the first position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a doordriving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement to said first latch member, said third and forth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to said first position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to said second position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the second position thereof.

34. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a condition carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of the door, a doordriving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a doorholding condition for holding said door-driving device in the

Claims

1. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the doorreceiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the first position thereof, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftablE toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a doorreleasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said first latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the first position thereof.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said door-driving device is fixedly secured at one end thereof to the associated building and fixedly connected at the other end thereof to said carrier.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said door-driving device includes a coil spring, said spring being extended when said door-driving device is in the energy-storing condition thereof.

9. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a first position and a second position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the first position thereof, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the second position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the first position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourTh latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to said first position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to said second position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the second position thereof.

14. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

15. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to a door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, door control mechanism for mounting of the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the closed position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-dirving device in the door-dirving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said second and fourth latch members to move said second and fourth latch members into and out of engagement with said first and third latch members respectively, whereby operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said first and second latch members and engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the closeD position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said third and fourth latch member effects automatic movement of said door to the opened position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause engagement of said first and second latch members effects holding of said door in the opened position thereof.

18. The combination set forth in claim 15, wherein said trigger has extending therefrom two outwardly disposed cams, said cams extending at an angle of about 180* from each other, said trigger being positioned between said second and said fourth latch members, said second and said fourth latch members each having therein an opening respectively to receive a cam extending outwardly from said trigger.

19. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger to activate said trigger in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

22. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination compRising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, means biasing said trigger into a first position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-holding condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-releasing condition thereof, movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door moving said trigger against said biasing means into a second position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-holding condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the first position thereof.

23. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier mounted including at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the door-opened position thereof and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the door-closed position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connecTed to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

24. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to a door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith; a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding said door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing said door for movement to the closed position thereof, a camming member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, said camming member being movable with respect to said slide between a retracted position and a release position, said camming member in the release position thereof preventing engagement of said first and second latch members when said slide is in the door-opened position thereof, means biasing said camming member to the retracted position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, said drive element in driving engagement with said slide biasing said camming member from the retracted position thereof to the release position thereof, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition therEof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement with said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of said door to the opened position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members effects holding of said door in the opened position thereof.

27. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement of said door between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, said door control mechanism including a control element therefor disposed in front of the door-receiving opening, said door control mechanism including a slide pivotally mounted on said door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier for selective automatic movement thereof between said closed and open positions of said door, said door control mechanism in the closed position of said door accommodating both manual opening of said door and automatic opening of said door by actuation of said control element, said door control mechanism in the open position of said door accommodating both manual closing of said door and automatic closing of said door by actuation of said control element after manual opening of said door.

28. The combination for use with an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein, said combination comprising a door mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position with respect to the opening, counterbalance mechanism for mounting on the associated building adjacent to the door-receiving opening to counterbalance said door so that said door is biased toward the closed position thereof under the urging of gravity, a door control mechanism for mounting on the associated building and including a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on said door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of said door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of said door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively opeRable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding releasing condition thereof, a lock device operatively associated with said door and having a locked condition for holding said door in the closed position thereof and an unlocked condition for releasing said door to permit the same to move to the open position thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger and to said lock device to activate said trigger and operate said lock device in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building, whereby operation of said control element and hence said lock device to the unlocked condition thereof and selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof by said trigger effects automatic movement of said door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof respectively by said trigger effects automatic movement of said door to the closed position thereof.

31. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the first position thereof.

33. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the second position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing the door for movement to the first position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement to said first latch member, said third and forth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to said first position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to said second position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the second position thereof.

34. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a first position to a second position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the second position to the first position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the first position to the second position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the second position thereof to the first position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a condition carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the second position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the first position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said sEcond latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the first position thereof.

35. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof, to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof.

36. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing the door for movement to the closed position thereof, a door-driving device for said controL mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said third latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said second and fourth latch members to move said second and fourth latch members into and out of engagement with said first and third latch members respectively, whereby operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said first and second latch members and engagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to the opened position thereof and operation of said trigger to cause engagement of said first and second latch members effects holding of the door in the opened position thereof.

37. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger to activate said trigger in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof.

38. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein tO accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, means biasing said trigger into a first position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-holding condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-releasing condition thereof, movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the open position of the door moving said trigger against said biasing means into a second position for operating said first latch mechanism into a slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism into the door-holding condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the second position thereof and selective operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the first position thereof.

39. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the door-opened position thereof and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the door-closed position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, and a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, whereby selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof.

40. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an open position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier between a door-closed position and a door-opened position, a first latch member mounted on said slide and movable therewith; a second latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement with said first latch member, engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the open position thereof and disengagement of said first and second latch members releasing the door for movement to the closed position thereof, a camming member mounted on said slide and movable therewith, said camming member being movable with respect to said slide between a retracted position and a release position, said camming member in the release position thereof preventing engagement of said first and second latch members when said slide is in the door-opened position thereof, means biasing said camming member to the retracted position thereof, a drive element fixedly mounted on said one reach of said carrier and movable therewith and positioned drivingly to engage said slide to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof driving said carrier to cause said drive element to engage said slide and to move said slide from the door-closed position thereof to the door-opened position thereof, said drive element in driving engagement with said slide biasing said camming member from the retracted position thereof to the reLease position thereof, a third latch member mounted on said carrier for movement therewith, a fourth latch member mounted adjacent to said carrier for engagement to said first latch member, engagement of said third and fourth latch members holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, whereby disengagement of said first and second latch members together with engagement with said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof and disengagement of said third and fourth latch members effects automatic movement of the door to the opened position thereof and engagement of said first and second latch members holding the door in the opened position thereof.

41. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a control element for said door control mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier for selective automatic movement thereof between said closed and opened positions of the door, said door control mechanism in the closed position of the door accommodating both manual opening of the door and automatic opening of the door by actuation of said control element, said door control mechanism in the open position of the door accommodating both manual closing of the door and automatic closing of the door by actuation of said control element after manual opening of the door.

42. A door control mechanism for use with a door mounted in an associated building having a door-receiving opening therein to accommodate a manual movement of the door from a closed position to an opened position thereof followed by an automatic movement of the door from the opened position to the closed position thereof under the urging of a biasing means and then by an automatic movement of the door from the closed position to the opened position thereof and then by a manual movement of the door from the opened position thereof to the closed position thereof, said door control mechanism comprising a continuous carrier having at least one reach oriented essentially normal to the opening and shiftable toward and away therefrom, a slide pivotally mounted on the door and movable therewith and engageable on and guided by said one reach of said carrier, first latch mechanism having a slide-holding condition for holding said slide in the position thereof corresponding to the open position of the door and a slide-releasing condition permitting movement of said slide to the position thereof corresponding to the closed position of the door, a door-driving device for said control mechanism and operatively connected to said carrier and having an energy-storing condition and a door-driving condition, second latch mechanism operatively associated with said carrier and having a door-holding condition for holding said door-driving device in the energy-storing condition thereof and having a door-releasing condition for placing said door-driving device in the door-driving condition thereof, a trigger selectively operable on said first latch mechanism for operating said first latch mechanism between the slide-holding condition and the slide-Releasing condition thereof and selectively operable on said second latch mechanism for operating said second latch mechanism between the door-holding condition and the door-releasing condition thereof, a lock device operatively associated with the door and having a locked condition for holding the door in the closed position thereof and an unlocked condition for releasing the door to permit the same to move to the open position thereof, and a control element for said mechanism disposed in front of the door-receiving opening and operatively connected to said trigger and to said lock device to activate said trigger and operate said lock device in response to operation of said control element upon a wheeled vehicle entering into and exiting from the associated building, whereby operation of said control element and hence said lock device to the unlocked condition thereof and selective operation of said second latch mechanism to the door-releasing condition thereof by said trigger effects automatic movement of the door to the open position thereof and selected operation of said first latch mechanism to the slide-releasing condition thereof and said second latch mechanism to the door-holding condition thereof respectively by said trigger effects automatic movement of the door to the closed position thereof.