US1786505A - Folding partition - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30,- 1930. E. J. G. PHILLIPS 1,786,505

FOLDING PARTITION Filed Oct. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mama/ w mefl/ mwg M D 3 E. J. G. PHILLIPS 1,786,505

FOLDING PARTITJ ION I Filed Oct. 12, 1928 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 En I g A E Patented Dec. 30, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ELLIS J. G. PI-IIILLIPS, OF AURORA,'ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARDS-WILCOX MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDING PARTITION Application filed October 12, 1928. Serial No. 311,990.

The present invention relates to improvements in folding partitions or doors of the type frequently employed as a temporary dividing wall in large rooms, or as a closure 5 or door for large entrances. These devices are usually made up of doors or units hinged together'in pairs, each pair forming a section of the partition. The several sections are usually mounted to slide or roll along upper 10 and lower guideways, with'the doors of each section free to pivot or swing transversely relatively to the doorway, so as to be capable of being moved to one or both sides of the room ordoorway andt-here folded together at right angles to their former position for leaving the major portion of the doorway clean. I

In closing the doorway the several sections 3 are straightened out or extended into edge- I wise relation in the plane of the doorway. At this time it is desirable that the adjacent edges of successive sections contact with each other in closely fitting relation so as to make 0 the partition as soundproof as possible and M to avoid openings permitting vision through the partition. This same closely fittlng rela tion should also prevail between the outer edges of the endrnost sections and the ambs Q0 at the sides'of the doorway. Heretofore, conb iderable difliculty has been encountered in attempting to retain such closely fitting relation between the sections and between the end sections and the side jarnbs across the entire width of the partition. The principal factor contributing to this ditiiculty has been the swelling and shrinking of the wood sections under different atmospheric conditions, the shrinking of the sections resulting in such spaces or openings, and the swelling of the sections frequently making it difficult to close the partition. In addition, to attempt to make closely fitting partition necessitates very accurate measurements and carpentry, 45 which is objectionable.

The general object of the presentinvention is to avoid these diiiiculties and objections by providing an improved construction and arrangement of spring pressed jambs for to transmitting spring pressure through the series of'door sections when the partitionis in closed position. I

These spring pressed ambs function automatically tomaintain closely fitting contact between the opposing edges of adjacent. sec-w tions and between the outer sections and the jambs,and insure easy operation of the partltlon, notwithstanding the swelling or shrinking of the sections or slight inaccu-f edges of the end sections which will permit thenecessary swinging rotation of said sec? tions incident to folding the same into open posltlon while sa1d sections are Lin-contact w1th, the' ambs. These cooperating surfaces avoid any tendency of the rotative movement of the end section springing the jamb sidewise or otherwise tending to injure the same. The present construction enables a spring pressed jamb to be employed in conjunction with that type of. partition in which the sections are-locked in folded position by upper and lower stops cooperating between the upper and lower edges of the section and the doorway. The present construction is also adaptable to partitions which separate at the center and fold each way, in which arrangement one of said spring pressed jambs is disposed at each side of the doorway. Other advantages of the invention will appear from the:following'description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiment:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the partition, illustrating in full lines the sections extended to closed position, and illustrating in dotted lines the sections folded to their open position;

Fig.2 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper guideway, showing the engaging relation between one of the end sections and the adjacent spring pressed jamb when the partition sections are folded; V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the arcuate bearing surfaces on the outer edge of the endmost section adapted to engage with the jamb;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of this end section in contacting engagement with the jamb;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upper guideway and illustrating the outer edge of the end partition section in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the arcuate bearing surfaces engaging between the upper part of the door and the upper part of the jamb;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 77 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the lower portion of the door and jamb.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the partition is composed of a plurality of independent sections A, B, C, D etc, four of such sections being shown, although it will be evident that a greater or lesser number may be provided, depending upon the Width of the room or doorway. Each, of these sections consist of two panels or door units 10 and 11, having their adjoining edges hinged together by hinge brackets '12 which are suitably secured to the panels. Such hinge connection permits each section to be folded together into closed position with the two panels 10 and 11 disposed back to back substantially in parallelism with each other, as shown in Fig. 2, and permits each section to be extended out into closed position with all of the panels disposed in edge to edge alignment across the doorway, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The weight of each section A, B, etc. is carried on caster wheels 13 which are mounted at the lower corners of the opposite or free edges of the panels 1011. The caster wheels roll along a lower track or rail 14 disposed in the floor (Fig. 4c) and each panel has pivotal mounting on its associated caster wheel, so as to permit the panel to swing angularly relatively thereto when the sections are being folded, as will be presently described. The upper corners of these me free edges of the panels 1011 have guided restraint in an upper guideway 15. Rollers 16 extend upwardly from each of these corners and engage in said guideway for holding the sections upright.

The axis of the upper roller 16 is vertically aligned with the swiveling axis of the lower caster wheel 13, thereby providing vertical pivot axes adjacent to each free edge of the section, around which the panels of the section can swing in the folding movement thereof. The detail structure of the mounting for the lower caster wheel 13 and of the upper guideway 15 need not be described, as such is well known and does not constitute a part of the present invention. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the upper guideway 15 is usually concealed in a wood frame structure built along the top of the doorway.

The sides of the doorway are defined by two vertical ambs 1S18. In the preferred construction both of these jambs are spring mounted, and the partition is arranged to separate at the center with the two lefthand sections A and B folding together against the jamb 18 at the lefthand side of the doorway and the two righthand sections C and D folding together against the jamb at the righthand side of the doorway, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Referring particularly to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, each jamb, which preferably consists of a wood bar extending the height of the doorway, has guided mounting for inward and outward movement in a guide slot 19 formed in the edge of a box-like frame structure 21 built at the side of the doorway. At spaced points along its length the jamb has guided support on long screws 22 which screw into a wood plate 23 in the frame strueture 21.

The heads 22 of said screws project into holes 24 extending through the jamb. The smooth shank portion of each screw has closely fitting engagement in a hole formed in a plate 25 which is secured to the rear side of the jamb. A compression spring 26 is mounted on the screw to bear against the plate 25, the other end of said spring preferably extending into a counterbore in the wood plate 23. The two or more screws 22 disposed at different points in the height of the jamb thus support and guide the amb by their engagement in the apertured plates 25 which are secured to the jamb. The compression springs 26 on these screws normally tend to force the jamb outwardly through the slot 19, movement thereof in this direction being limited by the heads 22 of the screws engaging the inner sides of the plates The foregoing construction is duplicated in the case of the other jamb 18 at the opposite side of the door way.

As shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 8, the outer edge of each amb 1.8 is preferably formed slightly concave in cross section, and the cooperating outer edge of the end partition section is comrespondingly formed convex, thereby providing two correspondingly rounded surfaces for engaging with each other when the partition is closed. These rounded surfaces extend continuously from top to bottom of the jamb and of the door, but it is desirable that wearing contact between these surfaces be confined. to certain vertically spaced points along the door and jamb, at which points metallic wear plates are embedded in the two surfaces.

Preferably these wear plates are disposed at top and bottom of the door and jamb. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the top plate 28 which is countersunk in the edge or face of the j amb,

being secured therein by screws as shown and having short flanges embracing the sides of the j anib. The outer face of this plate is formed concave correspondingly with the remainder of the edge of the jamb. Contacting with this wear plate 28 is a plate 29 which is recessed into the outer edge of the end panel 10 at a point directly opposite the plate 28. plate 29 is formed convex corresponding to the convex formation of the entire vertical edge of the panel, this convex surface being received within the concave surface along the edge of the amb 18. The two wear plates are preferably positioned at a height which will dispose the plate 29 at the upper corner of the panel, as shown in Fig. 3. Such plate is secured to the panel by screws 31 engaging in countersunkopenings in the plate, the at-' tachment of the plate to thewood panel being additionally reenforced againstlateral stresses by forming a vertical groove in the inner side of the plate which matches with a tenon projecting from the corresponding edge of the panel, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 3.

' On the inner side of the endmost partition 10, corresponding to what I have above referred to as the folding side of the partition, is an arcuate bearing surface 34 which is adapted to maintain contact with the jamb plate 28 when the partition sections are folded together to open position. As best shown in 3,this arcuate surface is preferably formed as a hollow rib projecting from the face of the plate 35 which is secured to the upper corner of the partition, as by the screws 36.' The end of tne arcuate surface 34 merges into the convex surface of the wear plate 29 with an "absence of corners or projecting shoulders at this point so that there will be nothing to strike the jamb in swinging the.

panellO between its open and closed posi! tions. Mounted on the other side of the panel 10, oppositely to the plate 35, is another plate 37 having a laterally projecting boss or protuberance 38 which is adapted to contact with a similar projection on the next adjacent panel when the panels are folded together, whereby to maintain adequate spacing between the folded panels so that there will be no possibility of the edges of the panels striking and amming with each other in the folding or unfolding movements of the sections. I

A similar arrangement of contacting wear plates is disposed at the lower corners of the endmost panel 10 and the jamb 18. Referring to Fig. 8, which is a section through these lower corners, a concave wear plate 28 is recessed in the face of the jamb 18, said plate being substantially a duplicate of the upper wear plate 28. The openings 24 in the j amb in which the guide screws 22 repose are preferably situated in, the same horizontal planes as the upper and lower wear plates 28 and 28 The outer face of the companionso that these plates cover the front ends of such openings, the removal of the plates permitting convenient access to the screws 22. Adapted for engagement with this lower wear plate 28, is a convex wear plate 29 which is secured to the panel 10 by screws 39. Said screws preferably tap into a box-like frame 41 which is recessed into the lower corners of the panel, and in which frame the lower caster wheel 13 has swiveled mounting. The sides of said mounting frame are closed over by plates 42 and 43 which finish the corner of the panel, said plates preferably extending partly over the sides of the convex wear plate 29, as shown in Fig. 8. These overlapping edges of the side plates may be secured to the wear plate 29 by transverse screws 44, as best shown in Fig. 3. The plate 42, which is disposed on the folding side of the partition, is formed at its lower edge with an outwardly extending hollow rib denning an arcuate bearing surface 34 similar to the bearing surface 34 at the upper corner of the panel.

This arcua-te bearing surface also merges into the convex surface of the wear plate 29 without any projections or shoulders intervening which might janib or wedge againstthe lower wear plate 28 of the jamb in the swinging movement of the panel. The side plates at the lower corner of the panel are also formed with projecting bosses or'protuberances 38, similar to the upper protuberance 38, for contacting with similar projections on thelower corner of the next adjacent panel to hold the panels properly spaced when in their folded positions. It will be understood that this same arrangement, of wear plates 2829, 2829 and arcuate hearing surfaces 34-34 is provided on the opposite jamb and endmost panel at the opposite side of the doorway. 7

It is customary to provide these folding partitions with looking parts for holding the sections together when folded back at the side of the doorway. A typical arrangement of such locking mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 2. Projecting upwardly from the outer corners of the panels 10 are locking lugs 46 16 which are adapted to engage with locking shoulders 4747 in a notched plate 48 when the sections are folded back to open position. As shown in Fig. 3, each locking lug projects upwardly alongside the vertical spindle or hearing pin 49 on which the upper roller 16 is journaled, the lug and pin preferably being formed as integral partsof a bracket 51 which is secured to the notched out upper corner-of the panel.

The roller 16 associated with the other edge of the section is mounted on a similar bearing pin 49 (Fig. 2), but there is no locking lug associated with this latter bearing pin. The upper guideway comprises a relatively narrow lower portion 15 through which the i ll "1 52 is omitted.

locking lugs LG-46 and bearing pins 4949 are free to move when the sections are ex tended into edgewise relation, but which narrow portion prevents the folding of the partition sections until the stop lugs 4(34( are in registry with their respective notched out openings in the locking plate 48 so that such lugs can swing into said openings in the folding movement of the sections, see Fig.2. With the locking lugs of each section thus engaged with the corresponding locking shoulders in the plate 48, it will he observed that the sections will be held in folded position at the side of the doorway so that they cannot tip in the guideways or move longitudinally thereof while in this folded condition. The locking plate 48 is set into the framework enclosing the upper guideway, see Fig. 5, being substantially concealed therein. The upper edges of the door panels are confined between molding strips 5252 except at the folding zones at the sides of the doorway, where the inner molding strip 52 is cut away to permit the folding movement of the sections.

It is also customary to provide cooperating locking shoulders between the lower outer corners of the panels 10 and the lower guideway 14, which lower locking shoulders need not be described as they are well known. The

arrangement is such that registry between the lower locking shoulder on each panel 10 and its cooperating locking shoulder associated with the lower guideway occurs at the same time that the upper locking lug 46 or 46 engages with the upper locking shoulder 47 or 47'. Additional guide or registration means may be provided for the sections in the form of pins 54 which are mounted on the panels 10 of the sections B and C, such pins being spaced from the hinge edges of said panels, as shown in Fig. 2. These pins are adapted to have guided movement in the narrow portion 15 of the upper guideway 15. As these sections are brought to the folding side of the doorway, said pins 54 are permitted to swing out of the narrow guideway 15' through an intercepting passageway 55 which opens outwardly therefrom through the upper guide frame structure. As soon as the pin 54 is freed from the guiding restraint of the guideway 15 the panels of that section are free to be folded, the section at this time being disposed in the folding Zone where the stop strip It will be understood that a similar intercepting passageway 55 is asso ciated with the narrow portion 15 of the guideway adjacent to the opposite side of the doorway for permitting the pin 54 of the other section C to move out of said guideway portion 15.

It will be seen from the foregoing that each spring pressed jamb 18 at each side of the doorway remains substantially in conti uous contact with the outermost panel 10 of its rcspective section A or D, as the case may be. That is to say, the jamb has resilient engagement with said partition section when the sections are all extended out to closed position, and also has resilient engagement with the section when the sections are folded back to open position. The resilient pressure thus transmitted to the endmost sections when the sections are extended out to closed position serves to maintain the contacting edges of all of the sections in tight engagement, and compensates for any swelling or shrinking of the panels, as previously described. This transmission of spring pressure across the entire series of sections from opposite sides of the doorway follows from the fact that each endmost section A and D has roller mounting in the upper and lower guideways and is hence free to move endwise for transmitting the pressure to the next adjacent sections.

The advantage of having the spring pres sure of the jambs act on the endmost sections when the partition is folded lies in the fact that such pressure aids in holding the locking lug 46 in proper locking engagement with the corresponding shoulder 47 (and also maintaining resilient contact between any lower stop lug and shoulder which may be employed) thereby preventing end play of the sections and holding the same in their properly folded positions.

The arcuate surfaces 34-34 extending from the convex wear plates 29-29 permit the sections to be folded into open or closed position While the spring jambs are pressing continuously against said sections. As previously remarked, these arcuate surfaces prevent the possibility of a corner edge on the panel 10 striking a corner of the janib in the folding movement and springing the jamb sideways in its mounting in the guide frame 21. These arcuate surfaces also maintain substantially the same pressure against the spring pressed jamb as the stop lugs 46 swing into and out of engagement with their corresponding stop shoulders 47. Preferably each jamb member 18 normally protrudes slightly from the guide frame 21 in which it is mounted (shown in Figs. 6 and 8) to provide for a simplified and better construction of the parts, but it will be understood that the arrangement may be such that the outer edge of said jamb member will normally lie substantially flush with the outer face of the guide frame 21.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a doorway havlng upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a yielding jamb at one side of said doorway, and cooperating surfaces on said jamb and on the adjacent end section 7 of folding partition sections movable along of the series adapted to haveresilient engagement with each other when the sections are extended to closed position and when said sections are folded'to open position. i

2. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a yielding jamb at one side of said doorway, and cooperatingsurfaces on said jamb and on the adjacent end section of the series adapted to have resilient engagement with each other when said section is folded back to open position. 7

3. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections comprising an end section movable in its entirety along said guideways, said end" section being folded into open position at the corresponding side of said doorway, retaining means adapted to prevent movement of said end section along said guideways when in open position, and a yielding j amb at the latter side of said doorway arranged to bear against said end section.

4. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a folding partition section movable along said guideways and adapted to be folded back at one side of said doorway, a second folding partition section movable along said .guideways and adapted to be folded back at'the other side of said doorway, both of said partitions having retaining means respectively associated therewith to prevent reverse movement of said partitions along said guide ways when in open position, and spring pressed jamb members at both sides of said doorways arranged to have resilient engagement with said partition sections when the sections are extended to closed position and when said sections are folded to open position.

5. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a folding I partition member mounted in said doorway, means adapted to hold said partition against movement'along said guideways when in open position, a spring pressed jamb member at one side of said doorway adapted to have yielding engagement with said partition member, and arcuate surfaces on one of sald members maintaining contact with the other of said members when said partition member folded at the side of said doorway.

6. The combination with a doorway hav upper and lower guideways, of a series said guideways, means adapted to lock said, partition sections against movement along said guideways when said sections are folded. into open position, a spring pressed jamb" member at one side of said doorway arranged to have a yielding engagement with the ad-. jacent end section of the series, and arcuate surfaces on said end section adapted to have rotatlve contact with said amb member when said latter section is folded back to open position. i

7. The combination with a doorway hav ing upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a spring pressed jamb mounted at one side of said doorway adapted to have yielding pressure engagement against the adjacent end section of the series, and arcuate surfaces projecting laterally from the side of said end section against which said jamb is adapted to bear as said end section is being folded back to open position.

.8. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a yielding amb mounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to have yielding contact with the adjacent end section of said series, and arcuate abutment surfaces extending around the edge and one side of said end section and against which said jamb is adapted to bear when said section is extended to closed position and when said section is being folded back to open position.

9. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower g'uideways, of aseries of folding partition sections comprising pivot-" ally connected panels movable along said guideways, a yielding amb mounted at one side of said doorway adapted to have a yielding engagement with the outer edge of the end panel of saidseries, said outer edge being rounded, and arcuate surfaces projecting from the side of said end panel substantially in continuation of said rounded edge and against which said jamb' is adapted to bear as said end panel is beingswung back to fold" ed position. V i

10. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections comprising piv- 'otally-connected panels adapted to move along said guideways, a spring pressed jainb mounted at one side of said doorway, said amb having a concave edge adapted to ena e with a convex ed e on the end panel of the series when said panel is extending substantially in the plane of the doorway, andarcuate surfaces pro ectlng from the side of said end'panel substantially in continuation of said convex edge for contacting with the edge of said amb when said panel is being folded back to a closed position substant ally at right angles to said doorway.

.11. The, combination with a doorway hav ing upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections comprising an" end panel slidably mounted for movement along said guideways, a spring pressed j amb mounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to transmit yielding pressure to said end panel when said sections are extended to closed position, and plate members mounted on the folding side of said end panel adjacent to the upper and" lower corners thereof and having protruding arcuate surfaces adapted to contact with said j amb when said panel is being folded back to open position.

12. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections comprising an end panel mounted for sliding movement along said guideways, a spring pressed. jamb mounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to have yielding engagement with said end panel, wear plates recessed in the opposing edges of said end panel and amb, and arcuate bearing surfaces extending from the wear plates in said panel around on the folding side of said panel.

13. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections comprising an end panel mounted for sliding movement along said guideways, means cooperating with said end panel for locking said panel against sliding movement when said panel is folded into open position, a spring pressed jamb mounted at one side of said doorway, concave wear plates recessed in the projecting edge of said jamb, convex wear plates recessed in the opposing edge of said end panel and adapted to contact with said first-named wear plates, and side plates mounted on the folding side of said end panel and having laterally projecting arcuate bearing surfaces extending substantially in continuation of said convex wear plates and adapted to e11- gage with the wear plates in said jamb when said panel is folded to open position.

14. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a guide frame at one side of said doorway, a jamb member mounted in said guide frame, screws extendingthrough holes in said jaInb member and engaging in said guide frame, said jamb member being guided for movement on said screws, and compression springs mounted on said screws between the inner edge of said jamb member and said guide frame, the outer edge of said jamb member protruding from said guide frame and adapted to have yielding engagement with the adjacent end section of the series of partition sections under the pressure of said springs.

15. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a plurality of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, stop shoulders associated with one of said guideways adjacent to the side of said doorway, locking lugs mounted on said sections and adapted to engage with said stop shoulders for holding said partition sections in folded position, and

a yielding jamb at the latter side of said doorway arranged to exert resilient pressure against the end section of the series when the locking lug of said section is engaging with its associated stop shoulder.

16. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, a yielding jamb at one side of said doorway arranged to exert resilient pressure against the adjacent end section of the series, cooperating stop shoulders on said sections, and associated with one of said guideways, for holding said sections in folded position, and arcuate surfaces on the end section of the series for maintaining contact with said yielding jamb when said end section is in folded position.

17 The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a plurality of folding partition sections each comprising hingedly connected panels all movable endwise along said guideways, one group of sections being adapted to be folded to one side of said doorway and the other group of sections to be folded to the other side of said doorway, spring pressed ambs at the opposite sides of said doorways, locking shouloers mounted on said sections adapted to engage with cooperating locking shoulders associ ated with one of said guid ways for holding said sections in folded poll on, pins mounted on certain of said sections for guiding morement in the upper guideway and adapted to pass out of said upper guideway through intercepting pa sageways when said sections are folded, and rounded abutment surfaces extending around t outer edge and. side of each end section for maintaining contact with said jambs when the sections are extended to closed position and when the tions are folded to open position.

18. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of a se 'ies of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, lockin means adapted to hold said partition secti dns in open position, and spring pressed jambs disposed at each side of said doorway resiliently engaging said partition sections when in either closed or open positions, said spring pressed jambs cooperating to urge said partition sections against said locking means when said partition sections are folded to open position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this third day of October, 1928.

ELLIS J Gr. Pl-HLLIPS.

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