US2987784A - Weather seal for overhead garage door - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1961 J. P. QUERIO 2,987,784

WEATHER SEAL FOR OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR Filed July 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 56 z L "i 4 John P. Ouerio 1N VENTOR.

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June 13, 1961 J. P. QUERIO WEATHER SEAL FOR OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed July 30, 1959 John R Ouerio 1N VEN TOR. BY QM WWW mg,

United States Patent 2,987,784 WEATHER SEAL FOR OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR John P.-Querio, 339 Walnut St., Vandergrift, Pa. Filed July 30, 1959, Ser. No. 830,592 11 Claims. (Cl. 20-68) This invention relates to garage-doors and more particularly to seals for overhead doors.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive but very eifective weather seal for a garage door of the type which operates from a lowered closed position upwardly and ordinarily horizontally as constrained by a track.

Briefly, seals in accordance with the invention are automatically actuated to the door sealing position as the door is returned to its lowered position. The seals are along both vertical edges and the top horizontal edge of the door.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation :as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a door equipped with seals in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is-an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of one of the seals and the door showing one position thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a partially sectional view and a partially elevational view of the seal and door in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the seal and door of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the seal in a retracted position.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 showing the mechanism for operating the upper seal.

' FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a bracket constituting a part of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another bracket used in conjunction with and as a part of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated an overhead door 10 adapted to be raised and lowered between the closed and open positions. The door is selected from the group of commercially available overhead doors and merely diametrically represents a selected door from many manufacturers makes. As shown in FIGURE 4 door 10 operates in conjunction with a track 12 with a roller 14 disposed in the track and constraining the motion of the door.

Seal 16 on the left side of the door as viewed from the inside, is identical to seal 18 on the right side thereof and both seals are operated simultaneously. Seal 16 is shown in full detail and includes an elongate angle strip 20 parallel to the left edge of door 10. Backing 22, for instance felt or rubber or suitable plastic, is adhered to one surface of the angle strip 20 and is adapted to bear against the left edge of door 10 when seal 16 is in the closed position.

A plurality of operating mechanisms, for instance mechanisms 28and 30, each of which is identical, are mounted 'on the garage (or other) wall adjacent to the left edge of door 10. Mechanism 28 consists of an essentially U-shaped mounting bracket 32 attached to wall 11 and'having a pair of plates 34 and 36 protruding laterally therefrom. These plates have apertures therein, one of which is equipped with a bushing 40 through which push rod 42 extends. The push rod extends also through the aperture in plate 34. One end of rod 42 is fixed to strip 20, and there is a spring 44 seated on rod 42 and on a collar 46 made secure to rod 40. The purpose of the rod and spring is to push the seal member 20 toward the left edge of door 10.

Rod 50 is mounted longitudinally with reference to the left edge of door 10. The rod 50 has a pair of arms 52 and 54 riveted or otherwise secured thereto, arms 50 and 54 being for mechanisms 28 and 30 respectively. Rollers 56 and 58 are at the ends of the arms 52 and 54 and they bear against angle strip 20. The arms are also connected with mounting brackets 32 and 30 of the mechanisms 28 and 30 by means of pivots 60.

A tension spring 62 is anchored at one end for instance by hook 64 in'a ceiling joist or someother suitable place, and secured at the other end by a link 66 .to the upper extremity of rod 50.

Latch operator 70 is secured to the door 10. Operator 70 is made of a flat plate with an ear 72 projecting laterally therefrom (FIGURE 7). It is used to engage bracket 74 which is riveted or otherwise secured to red 50. Bracket 74 has been offset 76 at one end to assure that it will be in the path of travel of the ear 72 of the latch operator 70.

In operation of seal 16, it is assumed that the overhead door is open and in the process of being closed. When the door is almost closed (FIGURE 5) operator 70 bears against bracket 74 forcing bracket 74 androd .50 downward. This causes both arms 52 and '54 to swing and the rollers 56 'and 58 to bear against angle strip 20. Since the angle strip is supported for horizontal displacement on rods 42, the pad 22 comes to bear against the left edge of the door. Springs 44 aid in projecting the strip 20 and pad 22 to the door edge contacting position.

When the door is opened, bracket 74 is released because operator 70 moves vertically upward. Spring'62 reacting on rod 50 elevates the arms 52 and 54 while springs 44 and the corresponding unnumbered spring of the mechanism 30 aid in retracting the seal away from the edge of the door.

The upper seal is seen best in FIGURES 5 and 6. Upper seal is made of an angle strip 102 having a pad 1040f material identical to pad 22, adhered to the back face thereof. A plurality of angle brackets 103 are connected, for instance by screws to the upper portion of door 10, and they each support mechanisms 112 for projecting strip 102 and its pad 104 against the surface 114 above door 10. The surface 114 may be a trim strip, sealing joist, etc. Mechanism 112 is made of a rod 116 extending through a bushing 11 8 in one side 120 of a U-shaped bracket 122. The U-shaped bracket is secured to the upper flange of angle bracket 108 (FIGURE 6) positioning rod 116 to correctly operate the angle strip 102. The spring 124 is concentrically mounted on rod 116 and seats on plate 121 of bracket 122 as well as a collar or other suitable stop made secure to rod 116. The bias of spring 124 is in a direction to project the rod 116 toward surface 114 so that automatically, when the door 10 is pulled to the closed position, either manually or by a power operator, the pad 104 comes to bear against surface 114 with sufficient force to form an effective seal at the upper edge of the door.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention'as claimed.

What is claimed as new is'as follows:

1. Automatic seals for an overhead'moving door, said automatic seals comprising for at least one edge of the 3 door a spring provided with a pad adapted to contact said edge of the door, a plurality of seal actuating mechanisms associated with said strip and each including a rod, a mounting bracket movably carrying said rod, and a spring reacting on said rod and bra cketto pull said rod in a direction which separates the strip from said edge of the door. V

2. Automatic seals for an overhead moving door, said automatic seals comprising for at least one edge of the door a spring provided with a pad adapted to contact said edge of the door, a plurality of seal actuating mechanisms associated with said strip and each including a rod, a mounting bracket movably carrying said rod, and a spring reacting on said rod and bracket to pull said rod in a direction which separates the strips from said edge of the door, an arm pivoted to said bracket at one end of the arm, means at the other end of said arm engaging said strip, and means connected with the door for moving said arm forcibly against said strip in response to closing movement of the door. 7

3. Automatic seals for an overhead moving door, said automatic seals comprising for at least one edge of the door a spring provided with a pad adapted to contact said edge of the door, a plurality of seal actuating mechanisms associated with said strip and each including a rod, a mounting bracket movably carrying said rod, and a spring reacting on said rod and bracket to pull said rod in a direction which separates the strips from said edge of the door, an arm pivoted to said bracket at one end of the arm, means at the other end of said arm engaging said strip, and means connected with the door for moving said arm forcibly against said strip in response to closing movement of the door, the last mentioned means including an operator attached to the door, a bracket attached to said arm and in the path of movement of said operator.

4. Automatic seals for an overhead moving door, said automatic seals comprising for at least one edge of the door a spring provided with a pad adapted to contact said edge of the door, a plurality of seal actuating mechanisms associated with said strip and each including a rod,

a mounting bracket movably carrying said rod, and a spring reacting on said rod and bracket to pull said rod in a direction which separates the strips from said edge of the door, an arm pivoted to said bracket at one'end of the arm, means at the other end of said arm engaging said strip, and means connected with the door for moving said arm forcibly against said strip in response to closing movement of the door, the last mentioned means including an operator attached to the door, a bracket attached to said arm and in the path of movement of said operator, said means for contacting said strip including a roller at one end of said arm.

5. Automatic seals for an overhead moving door, said automatic seals comprising for at least one edge of the door a spring provided with a pad adapted to contact said edge of the door, a plurality of seal actuating mechanisms associated with said strip and each including a rod, a mounting bracket movably carrying said rod, and a spring reacting on said rod and bracket to pull said rod in a direction which separates the strips from said edge of the door, an arm pivoted to said bracket at one end of the arm, means at the other end of said arm engaging said strip, and means connected with the door for moving said arm forcibly against said strip in response to closing movement of the door, the last mentioned means including an operator attached to the door, a bracket attached to said arm and in the path of movement of said operator, an elongate strip to which said arm is fixed, a spring reacting on said elongate strip and opposing the movement of said elongate strip in the direction at which said first mentioned strip moves toward said edge of said door and for returning said arm to the position at which said first mentioned strip separates from said edge of said door in response to release of said operator from said bracket.

6. The combination of claim wherein there is a sealing strip at the upper edge of the do r, means movably mounting said sealing strip on said upper edge of said door so that said sealing strip at said upper edge of said door automatically functions in response to the closing of the door.

7. In an overhead door, a plurality of automatic seals at least for the side edges of the door, each seal including a strip, means mounting said strip for essentially horizontal movement toward and away from one side edge of the door, an arm pivotally mounted at one end and having roller means at the opposite end in contact with said strip for displacing said strip substantially horizontally, an operator attached to said door and movable therewith, and means connected with said arm and engaged by said operator for pivotally moving said arm in response to motion of said operator as the door is being moved between the open and closed position.

8. In an overhead door, a plurality of automatic seals at least for the side edges of the door, each seal including a strip, means mounting said strip for essentially horizontal movement toward and away from one side edge of the door, an arm pivotally mounted at one end and having roller means at the opposite end in contact with said strip for displacing said strip substantially horizontally, an operator attached to said door and movable therewith, and means connected with said arm and engaged by said operator for pivotally moving said arm in response to motion of said operator as the door is being moved between the open and closed position, said means mounting said strip for essentially horizontal movement including spring loaded rods with the bias of the springs in a direction to return said strip when said operator is removed from pressure contact with said means on said arm whereby said strip automatically separates from said edge of said door in response to opening movement of the door. Y

9. In an overhead door, a plurality'of automatic seals at least for the side edges of the door, each seal including a strip, means mounting said strip for essentially horizontal movement toward and away from one side edge of the door, an arm pivotally mounted at one end and having means at the opposite end in contact with said strip for displacing said strip substantially horizontally, an operator attached to said door and movable therewith, and means connected with said arm and engaged by said operator for piovtally moving said arm in response to motion of said operator as the door'is being moved between the open and closed position, said means mounting said strip for essentially horizontal movement including spring loaded rods with the bias of the springs in a direction to return said strip when said operator is removed from pressure contact with said means on said arm whereby said strip automatically separates from said edge of said door in response to opening movement of the door, additional means movable approximately parallel to said edge of said door and connected with said arm and having a spring associated therewith for aiding in moving said arm in a direction to withdraw said strip from said edge of said door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,582 Beck June 12, 1956

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