Overhead door

Oct. 25, 1938.

2,134,397

Η. B. CLARK

OVERHEAD DOOR

Filed Sept. 28, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2134397A_D0001.tif" />

Oct. 25, 1938.

Η. B. CLARK

2,134,397

OVERHEAD DOOR

Filed Sept. 28, 1936

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2134397A_D0002.tif" />

Oct. 25, 1938.

Η. B. CLARK

OVERHEAD DOOR

Filed Sept. 28, 1936

2,134,397

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2134397A_D0003.tif" />

Oct. 25, 1938.

2,134,397

Η. B. CLARK

OVERHEAD DOOR

Filed Sept. 28, 1936

Sheets-Sheet 4

<img file="US2134397A_D0004.tif" />

<img file="US2134397A_D0005.tif" />

Oct. 25, 1938. η. b clark 2,134,397

OVERHEAD DOOR Filed Sept. 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5

<img file="US2134397A_D0006.tif" />

Patented Oct. 25, 1938

2,134,397

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,134,397 OVERHEAD DOOR Henry B. Clark, Elizabeth, N. J.

Application September 28,1936, Serial No. 102,852

Claims.

This invention relates in general to doors of the so-called overhead type. These doors usually include a plurality of panel sections hingedly connected at their edges on horizontal axes so 5 that the panel sections may be arranged in a common plane in a door opening for closing the door and may pivotally relatively move to permit raising of the panel sections and movement thereof from the vertical plane into a horizontal 10 plane overhead for opening the doors, the panel sections being mounted on rollers running in tracks.

A door of this type to be satisfactory must be strong and durable to resist pressure normal 15 to the planes of the panel sections and also withstand tension in the planes of the panel sections incident to opening and closing of the doors. Furthermore, the doors must be capable to easy and quick operation. Known doors of 20 this type have generally been constructed of heavy material in order to provide adequate strength and durability, but such structures are necessarily heavy so as to entail difficult operation, and are also expensive to manufacture and 25 install.

One object of my Invention is to provide an overhead door which shall be light in weight to insure easy operation, shall be strong and durable, and shall be inexpensive to construct and 30 install.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved structure of door panel section and a novel and improved structure and combination of a hinge and roller mounting with such door 35 panel sections whereby the door shall be strong, easy to assemble and light in weight.

A further object is to provide such a door which shall include a novel and improved hinge for connecting the panel sections which shall 40 comprise two complemental U-shaped sections to be applied to adjacent panel sections and which can be easily and quickly pivotally connected to each other by simple insertion of a pintle for assembly of the panel sections into a 45 door.

Other objects are to provide a novel and improved structure for overhead doors whereby the hinges may be applied to the panel sections at the factory and panel sections may be Coupled 50 easily and quickly at the site of installation; to provide a novel and improved combined hinge and roller mounting wherein the hinge pintle shall also serve as an axle for a roller; to provide a novel and improved door panel section 55 structure which shall be light in weight and in(Cl. 20—20) expensive, and to obtain other advantages and results as will be brought out by the following description. Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding and like parts are desig- 5 nated throughout the several views by the same reference characters—

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of an overhead door embodying my invention showing the door in closed position. ₁₀

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 2—2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3—3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged 15 scale taken on the line 4—4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5—5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the hingA shown in Figure 5. 20

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 7—7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a front elevational view partially in section of the structure shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing 25 a modification of the hinge.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing another form of a hinge and roller mounting.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of one corner of one door panel section. 30

Figure 11A is a sectional view on the line HA—iiA of Figure 11.

Figures 12 and 13 are schematic sectional views showing the manner of assembling the panel sections in the tracks. _3g

Figure 14 is a front elevational view of another form of hinge and roller mounting.

Figure 15 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 15—15 of Figure 14.

Figures 16 and 17 are fragmentary transverse 40 sectional views showing the hinging relation of the panel sections illustrated in Figure 14.

Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 16 showing a modified form of the invention including a weather strip. 45

Figure 19 is a composite sectional perspective view of the form shown in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 20—20 of Figure 18.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary rear elevational ⁶⁰view of a modified form of door. ,

Figures 22 and 23 are horizontal sectional views on the lines 22—22 and 23—23, respectively, of Figure 21, and ., a,134,397

Figure 24 Is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a modification of the door structure.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 13 inclusive, the door comprises a plurality of panel sections A preferably formed of wood. Each panel section includes a pair of stiles I and a pair of rails 2. At one side of the panel section the stiles and rails have undercut rabbets 3 and 4 respectively in which is set a panel 5 preferably formed of ply wood. The adjoining ends of the stiles and rails are interlocked or mortised as at 6, and preferably muntins 7 extend across the front or face of the panel 5 between the rails 2 and preferably have mortise and tenon joints 8 with the respective rails. These muntins both reenforce the panel 5 and provide an ornamental appearance. With this structure, the door panel sections I may be light in weight and inexpensive, especially as compared with known door panel sections wherein the panels corresponding to the panels 5 are set in grooves disposed intermediate the front and rear sides of the stiles and rails.

For reenforcing the panel sections I and attaching hinges and roller mountings to the panel sections, I apply an angle bar 9, preferably of metal, to each rail 2 of each panel section. ' Preferably the angle bars have one flange 9^a secured to the panel section and extending inwardly thereof from the edges of the section, screws 9^bpassing through the angle bars, the rails and the respective panels 5 to reenforce the attachment of the panels to the sections I. The other flanges 9° of the angle bars project perpendicularly from the rear sides of the panel sections.

Secured to the flanges 9° of the respective angle bars are the sections of hinges and roller mountings. As shown, the hinge sections 10 may be identical and each comprises an approximately U-shaped strip of metal having its base portion I I secured as by welding or riveting to the corresponding flange 9° and its arms 12 projecting toward the edge of the respective panel section. The arms 12 of the complemental sections 10 are adapted to be juxtaposed in assembly and have alined openings 13 to receive a hinge pintle 14. The hinge pintles may also serve as the axle for rollers 15 on the hinges at the ends of the panel sections. If desired the pintle for the end hinge may consist of a tube 16 in which the axle 17 of the rollers may be fitted, and one end of the pintle tube 16 may serve as a receptacle for a wad of porous material 18 saturated with lubricant and held in position by a removable cap 19, whereby the axle 17 may be constantly lubricated.

While preferably the hinges are also located at the middle of the panel sections, it will be understood that the hinges may be arranged in any suitable locations.

Each pair of angle bars 9 for connecting adjoining sections and the hinges associated with said pair of angle bars, together constitute a construction unit. The angle bars with the associated hinge sections may be assembled on the panel sections at the factory and the panel sections may be connected together at the site of installation by the simple insertion of the hinge pintles 14. It will be observed that the flange 9^C of each angle bar normally is spaced from and parallel to the corresponding flange of the other bar, while the other flanges 9» are disposed in parallel planes as shown in Figure 6 and the hinge sections are connected to the first-mentioned flanges 9^C.

The upper and lower panel sections will require only one hinge section at each end of the cor responding panel to serve as a support for the roller axle.

In installing the door, a track 20 Is mounted at each vertical side of the door opening and includes a vertical leg 21 extending throughout the 5 height of the door opening and a horizontal leg 22 disposed above the door opening.

In assembling the panel sections in the tracks, the roller axles carrying the rollers will be inserted in the hinge sections at the bottom edge of 10 the lowermost panel section X and the rollers will then be slipped into the horizontal legs 22 of the tracks as shown in Figure 12. The next panel section Y will then be connected to the free edge of the lower panel section by slipping the 15 hinge pintles and roller axles through the openings 13 of the complemental hinge sections, as shown in Figure 12. Then the lower section X shown in Figure 12 is swung horizontally and the rollers connecting said lower section with the next 20 section are slipped into the tracks. The other sections are then arranged in the same manner until the complete door has been assembled, whereupon the sections may be slid along the tracks as shown in Figure 13. 25

As usual, the door will be counterbalanced as by a chain 23 connected at one end as at 24 to a bracket at the lower edge of the lower section X at each end thereof, which chains pass over corresponding guide rollers 25 and 26 and have their 30 other ends connected to a fixed support, for example in horizontal portion of the corresponding track 20. The rollers 26 float and are connected to the ends of the corresponding tension springs 27 the other ends of which are attached 35 to a fixed support such as the track mounting 28.

In operation of the door, the panel sections may be slid along the tracks 21 either manually as through a handle 29 at the front of the door 40 and a pull cord 30 at the rear of the door, or by automatic means, to locate the panel sections across the door opening to close the door or move them into the horizontal portions of the tracks to open the door. 45

In the form of hinge and roller mounting so far described, the hinge pintles and roller axles are coaxial in the respective hinges and disposed approximately along the line of the joint between the adjacent panel sections I connected 50 by the hinges. In Figure 10 a modification of the hinge and roller mounting is shown wherein the hinge sections 31 and 32 are in general the same as the hinge sections 10, but the arms of one of the sections are longer than the arms of 55 the other section. The arms of the two sections are formed with registering openings to receive the hinge pintles 33 and the section having the longer arms is provided with openings in its arms beyond the extremities of the arms of the other 60 section to receive a separate roller axle 34. With this construction, the axis of the hinge pintle lies approximately in the same plane with the joint between the panel sections, while the roller axle is disposed at one side of said joint. 65

If desired, the hinges may be covered by cover plates 35 secured to the angle bars 9 as shown in Figure 9, the covers being shaped so as to permit pivotal movement of the hinge sections and angle bars and overlie the hinges throughout the piv- 70 otal movement.

Another form of hinge and roller mounting is shown in Figures 14 to 17 inclusive. In this form of the invention an angle bar 36 is secured over the edge of each rail of adjacent sections 75

9,184,887 with one flange lying against the side of the panel section and the other flange lying along the edge of the panel section, as shown in Figure 16. The hinge sections 37 may be identical and 5 each includes a base 38 and arms 29 projecting perpendicularly from the base and having openings 40 to register with the corresponding openings of the other hinge section for receiving the hinge and roller axle. The bases 38 of the hinge 10 sections are secured to the flanges of the angle bars 36 which lie along the sides of the panel sections with the arms 39 projecting perpendicularly to the plane of the corresponding panel section. The openings 40 are so arranged that 16 when the complemental hinge sections of a hinge are connected by the hinge pintle, the axis of the pintle is approximately in the same plane as the meeting edges of the adjacent panel sections.

The angle bars 30 reenforce the panel sections 20 as do the angle bars 9, but do not project materially beyond the surface of the panel sections so as to provide a neater appearance. Also, the angle bars 36 reenforce the adjoining edges of the adjacent sections which the angle bars 9 do 26 not. The angle bars 36 and hinges constitute construction units just as do the angle bars 0 and the corresponding hinges, and normally, as shown in Figure 16, one flange of each bar is disposed in a common plane with the corre30 spending flange of the other, while the other flanges are disposed In approximately abutting parallel relation, and the hinge sections are secured to the first-mentioned flanges of the respective bars.

If desired, a weather strip may be combined with the angle bars as shown in Figures 18 to 20 inclusive. Here the angle bar 41 on one panel section extends along the edge of the panel section and has a seat 43 for a weather strip 44.

The angle bar 45 on the adjoining panel section may also have one flange 46 extending along the edge of the corresponding section to cooperate with the weather strip 44 to make a weathertight joint between the two panel sections.

Where automatic door opening mechanism is utilized, the door operator is usually connected to the top section of the door as indicated at 47 in Figure 24. Under these conditions, it may be desirable to reenforce the central zones of the _M door panels by securing a metal strap 48 to the angle bars 9 of each panel section, as by welding or riveting, so that said straps assist In assuming the strains incident to raising and lowering of the panel sections.

^The invention also contemplates door panel sections formed of metal as shown in Figures 21 to 23 inclusive. In this form of the invention, each door panel section may comprise a frame having stiles 49 and rails 50 formed of metal 60 such as angle bars with one flange disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the panel, and may comprise one piece of material or a plurality of pieces welded or riveted together. Within the flanges of the stiles and rails may be secured a 65 panel 5f of metal. With this form of the invention the hinges may be applied directly to the metal frame of the door section.

It is also possible to provide glass panels In the door sections as shown in Figures 21 and 22. 70 The door section may have a frame comprising rails and stiles Identical with the rails and stiles 49 and 50, and with one flange of each rail and the stile disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the section. Metal muntin strips 52 may be se76 cured to the other flanges of the rails to form seats for glass panes 53. The panes may be held in position by separable clamping straps 54 secured to the stiles and the muntins by bolts or screws >1.

Other modifications and changes in the data»» _sof structure of the door sections, hinges and roller mountings will occur to those skilled in the art as within the scope of the invention.