US2471197A - Bracket for mounting rollers on overhead doors - Google Patents

Description

May 24, 1949- H. B. CLARK 2,471,197

BRACKET FOR MOUNTING ROLLERS 0N OVERHEAD DOORS Filed Oct. 11, 1944 I Gttorneg Patented May 24, 1949 JITED STATES @t OFFICE BRACKET FOR MOUNTING ROLLERS ON OVERHEAD DOORS 1 Claim. l

This invention relates particularly to brackets especially designed for mounting rollers on the lowermost panel sections of doors of the so-called overhead type such as shown in my Patent No. 2,227,571. These doors usually include `a plurality of panel sections hingedly connected at their edges on horizontal axes so that the panel sections may be arranged in a common plane in a door opening for closing the door and may pivot-u ally relatively move to permit raising of the panel sections and movement thereof from the vertical plane into a horizontal plane overhead for opening the doors, the panel sections being mounted on rollers running in tracks. A chain or cable on each side of the door has one end fixed to a stationary part of the top of the track, its intermediate portion passing over a pulley connected to a spring, and its other end fastened to the lower end of the lowermost panel section, for counterbalancing the movement of the door.

Heretofore such rollers at the bottom of the door were mounted on brackets permanently fastened to the lower panel section and `secured-to such section by bolts or screws which penetrate the panel section. Such brackets and their fastening to the door are not as strong as is desirable and require considerable time to apply to a door. These roller brackets are subjected to severe strains while the door is in open position overhead and when the pull rope is pulled to start the lower panel section downward over the curved track. Therefore, the screws or bolts are also subjected to severe strain during the operation of the door and tend to loosen and pull out as well as to splinter and disgure the wood adjacent to the screws or bolts. The lower corners of the door are more exposed to water than other parts of the door, due to splashing and dripping of rain and wash water, and the water easily enters the holes around loose bolts so as to promote decay of the door. Also the brackets being bolted on the door sections cannot be removed or interchanged conveniently. Furthermore, the lower corners of the door are subjected to blows upon striking the sill or oor as the door is lowered, which tends to split and deface the door.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved bracket, especially designed for use on the lower corners of the lowermost panel section of the door` for mounting the roller and for protecting the corners of the door.`

Another object is to provide such an improved corner bracket with novel means for securing it to the panel section whereby the strains incident to operation of the door will be transmitted to the panel section directly through the bracket rather than through screws or bolts, so that tendency to pulling of the bolts or screws out of the panel section and consequent splintering or crack ing of the wood of the panels shall be reducedto a minimum.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved construction and combination of such a bracket with the panel section whereby the bracket shall be directly interlocked with the panel section, and fastening members such as screws shall be required merely to prevent displacement of the bracket from such interlocked relation to the panel section.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved combination of panel section and bracket which shall eliminate screw or bolt heads on the outside of the panel section and thereby insure a neat appearance on the front of the door.

A still further object is to provide a bracket 'of this kind that is readily mounted in position on the panel section and is adapted to reinforce the panel section at the corners.

A further object is to provide a bracket of this kind that is simple and rugged in construction and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Yet another object is to provide an improved roller carrier for the lowermost panel section' which is adapted to be interchangeable for use with the corner bracket and to be used at either' the rightehand or left-hand corner of the panel and is too expensive in construction and installay tion. Therefore, a still further object is to provide improved means for anchoring the lowermost end of the counterbalancing chain or cablefto the door. v

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the description thereof to follow taken in connection with` the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is an elevational view of a part of the lowermost panel section of an overhead door embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on .the plane of the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the plane f the line 5 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is `a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

In my Patent No. 2,227,571 dated January 7, 1941, I have described and shown an overhead door comprising aplurality of panel sections including the lowermost panel section together with the rollers and tracks and the chains for counterbalancing the door. For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, I have shownV it in connection with an overhead door that includes a plurality of panel sections A, preferably formed of wood, only the left-hand corner portion of the lowermost panel section beingshown.

On each of the lower right-hand and left-hand corners of the lowermost panel section, I provide a bracket member formed of sheet metal and indicated generally at Iii. rlhe two brackets are identical except one is right-hand and the other is left-hand. This bracket comprises a substantially rectangular plate il tted over the lower r corner and positioned in contacting relationship with the rear surface of the panel section. The plate is formed on one of its long edges with an integral flange i2 perpendicular to the plate Ii and extending forwardly of the section and in engagement with the side edge oi the section. Another integral flange i3 is formed on and perpendicular to the bottom edge of the plate Il and extends forwardly in abutting relationship with the lower edge of the panel section.

At spaced intervals, the material of the flange l2 is instruck to form aligned securing lugs or legs IG and the bottom flange is similarly formed with securing lugs or legs i'l. These lugs or legs are disposed at an angle to the flanges and can be provided with curved and slanting edges terminating in pointed ends to facilitate cutting into and penetration of the edges of the wooden panel section. Preferably the side edge of the panel section has grooves, rabbets, kerfs or slots i8 to receive said lugs l5, and similar grooves may be provided for the lugs Il. The plate is mounted on the corner of the panel section by slipping it over` said corner and forcing it longitudinally and transversely of the section so that the lugs enter the corresponding grooves or will be driven into the edges as the case may be. Near its upper and inner edges, the plate may be provided with an opening to receive a screw I9 to prevent its displacement in relation to the panel section, especially in the oblique direction that would cause disengagement of said flanges from the edges of the panel section.

Near its bottom edge, the plate is formed with two sets Ul and I5 of out-struck ears or lugs, each set including a plurality of ears spaced apart in the direction parallel to the bottom edge of the plate and each integrally connected at one end to the plate and having its main portion in spaced and parallel relation to the face of the plate and extending in a direction opposite to that of the other set.

The carrier or bracket for the roller 2li is formed of sheet metal and comprises a tubular bearing portion 2i, a anged base portion 22 of a thick- '4 ness about equal to the distance of the ears I4' and l5 from the face of the plate, and a web portion 23 connecting the base portion and bearing portion, all of said portions being integrally formed. The flanged base extends laterally on both sides of the bearing portion and such extended portions have their edges at both sides formed with notches 2li.

In assembling the plate `and carrier, the leading end edge of the base of the carrier is slipped under the two sets of ears Il and l5 and the carrier is then moved laterally of the plate with the web portion moving between the ends of the opposite sets of ears with the tubular bearing 'portion outside the face of the plate when. the notches on the end edge opposite the leading end edge will have been moved into alignment with openings in the plate for receiving screws 25 to prevent displacement of the carrier relative to the plate and which also assist in securing the plate onto the panel section.

t will be noted that the position or arrangement of the notches is such that the carrier can be used with the plate on either the left hand y corner or the right hand corner.

The tubular bearing portion 2i receives an axle or pintle 2t which mounts the roller 2li, whichI roller is adapted to move in a track 2l, extending from the top to the bottom of the door frame.

If desired to more securely mount the carrier on the bracket, another arm 28 may be provided at the edge of the Iplate adjacent the roller 265 to abut and overlie the end of the base portion 22: of the carrier.

The door is slid upwardly and downwardly along the tracks and such movement is counterbalanced by a chain, cable or the like 2l, associated with a spring or springs as usual at each side of the door, and my invention contemplates novel and improved means for anchoring said chain or cable to the side edge of the lower panel section. For this purpose, I provide a screw Sil having a shank portion formed with threads 3l for cutting through wood and with a portion formed with screw threads 32 for coacting with threads on a metal surface and with a head 33. The screw extends through a screw threaded opening 3@ in the iiange l2 and into the wooden panel section. The lower end of the cable is provided with an eye member 35 through which the screw extends, the head of the screw being sufficiently large to prevent passage through the eye member. A washer t may bel interposed between the eye member and the nange l2. By reason of this construction, the

cable is securely fastened andk may be readily' the prior art and the appended claim.

I claim: A corner piece for doors comprising a substantially flat plate to abut one face of a door slipping it over said door corner and forcing it longitudinally and transversely of the door so that said lugs will be driven into said edges of the door.

HENRY B. CLARK. 5

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the le of this patent: 10

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 220,489 Morris Oct. 14, 1879 444,274 Cole et al Jan. 6, 1891 Number

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