US3353299A

US3353299A - Overhead door and operating means therefor

Info

Publication number: US3353299A
Application number: US478812A
Authority: US
Inventors: Castonguay Roger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-08-11
Filing date: 1965-08-11
Publication date: 1967-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-21

Description

Nov. 21, 1967 R. CASTONG UAY OVERHEAD DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

F'IG.1

INVENTOR.

7' TO/PNE VS Nov. 21, 1967 R. cASTONG UAY 3,353,299

I OVERHEAD DOOR-AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 11, 1965 4 a 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 CLOSED POSITION INVENTOR. ROGER CASTONGUAY NOV. 21, 1967 R CASTONGUAY I 3,353,299

OVERHEAD DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 11, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet :3

OPENED POSITION INVENTOR. l ROGER CASTONGUAY I I /6 /6 BY Z 7 F'|G.6 d Z4222 AT ORNEVS United States Patent Ofifice 3,353,299 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,353,299 OVERHEAD DOOR AND OPERATING MEANS THEREFOR Roger Castouguay, 3905 Beaconsfield, Detroit, Mich. 48224 Filed Aug. 11, 1965', Ser. No. 478,812 8 Claims. (Cl. 49-104) ABSTRACT OF THE DISELGSURE A door operating device is disclosed which is adapted to be associated with one or more doors mounted in a fixed support structure such as a garage, with each door mounted for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position. The door operating device includes a single power operated trolley movable on a track provided therefor. Each door is provided with pulley means. The door operating device further includes opening and closing cables for each door, with each cable having one end connected to the movable trolley and the other end connected to the fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of the cables being engageable with the pulley means provided on the corresponding door.

This invention relates to a door operating system and relates more particularly to a cable-operated system for one or more overhead type doors. The invention is characterized by the manner in which one or more doors are operated by opening and closing cables which are all operatively connected to a single power-operated trolley movable, as an example, on a track provided therefor.

The present invention has certain advantages over prior art door operator mechanisms including the important advantage that each door opens and closes quickly and smoothly under the operation and control of the opening and closing cables. The operating mechanism including the opening and closing cables is compact, easy to install and can be advantageously mounted in any convenient location in a building such as near a ceiling beam or the top edge of the door or even in a place remote from the door. The closing cable is effective when operated by the power operated trolley to forcibly close the door and lock the door in a vertically closed position Without the utilization of any counterweights or similar devices which are presently utilized in the art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cable operated system for opening and closing one door or a plurality of doors simultaneously.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable operated system for an overhead door comprising opening and closing cables which are all operatively connected to a single power-operated trolley which pulls on the cables to open and close the door.

Still another object of the present invention is to proivide an overhead door for a building which is properly balanced, easy to open and close and which requires a smaller amount of mechanical energy to operate the door than has been heretofore utilized.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a door structure for a garage or other building having a doorway, a door mounted in the doorway for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, means for opening and closing the door comprising an opening cable and a closing cable, each cable being operatively connected to the door for controlling the swinging movement thereof, and drive means connected to the cables for operating same to effect swinging movement of the door.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a door structure of the aforementioned type wherein power-operated drive means is provided and efiective to pull on the opening cable to open the door and to pull on the closing cable to close the door. With such a construction the opening cable is taut and the closing cable is slack during the opening movement of the door and the closing cable is taut and the opening cable is slack during the closing movement of the door.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a door structure comprising a plurality of doorways and a like plurality of doors mounted in the doorways for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, each door having operatively connected thereto opening and closing cables, and a single power-operated trolley operatively connected to the opening and closing cables, said trolley when driven in one direction being effective to pull on the opening cables to simultaneously open the doors and effective when driven in the opposite direction to pull on the closing cables to simultaneously close the doors.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a door operating structure of the aforementioned type wherein the closing cables are effective to close the doors and to hold the doors in a locked position until the power-operated trolley is energized.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cable operated system for an overhead door which does not require any counterweights or similar devices for closing the door.

It is thus another object of this invention to provide a simplified low cost structure of the aforementioned type having certain advantages contributing to efiiciency, reliability and long life as well as ease of maintenance.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of swinging doors and the cable operating system therefor.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the doors in a closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the doors in an open position;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the trolley and track assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the track and trolley; and FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of a garage having a pair of pivotally mounted doors.

In the present invention the door operating system is designed for one or more doors of a garage although it is to be understood that the door operating system may also be used with doors of other buildings. As illustrated in FIGURE 6, the garage is designated by the numeral 10 and comprises a pair of

door openings

12 and 14 in the front wall thereof. Mounted within the

door openings

12 and 14 are a plurality of pivotally mounted vertically swinging

doors

16 and 18 respectively. The present invention is designed to operate one door or both

doors

16 and 18 simultaneously although it should be understood that the cable operating mechanism of the present invention could be provided for each door independently of the other.

Each

door

16 and 18 is provided at thetop edge thereof with a pair of pivots or

pivot arms

20 and 22 which are carried by the frame, wall or support structure 23 of the garage 10. While pivoted overhead swinging doors are shown it should be understood that the present invention can be utilized with other types of doors such as overhead doors which utilize tracks, etc,

Mounted within the interior of the garage adjacent the ceiling thereof is an elongated track 24 of T-shaped cross section including a horizontal flange 26 and a vertical flange 28. The track 24 extends substantially perpendicula-r to the

doors

16 and 18 when closed. Appropriately mounted on the track 24 is a power-driven trolley 26. Means are provided for moving the trolley 26 along the track 14 in opposite directions toward and away from the

doors

16 and 18, said means including an endless drive chain 28 to which the trolley 26 is connected. The drive chain 28 is driven by the power-operated drive assembly 30 as will be subsequently described.

A bracket 32 is fixedly mounted on the top edge of each

door

16 and 18 and includes a horizontal flange 34 attached to the door and a vertical flange 36. Mounted on the vertical flange 36 of each bracket 32 are six sheaves or pulleys designated by the

numerals

38, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48. The sheaves are arranged in a pair of parallel rows, with the first

row including sheaves

38, 42 and 44 and the second

row including sheaves

40, 46 and 48. Sheave 40 is spaced laterally from and approximately midway between

sheaves

38 and 42. Sheave 44 is spaced laterally from and approximately midway between

sheaves

46 and 48. While all the sheaves are illustrated as being of the same size and diameter it is recommended for successful operation that at least the driving sheaves or

pulleys

40 and 44 be of the same size and diameter.

Carried by the frame or support structure 23 of the garage 10 are vertically arranged

brackets

52 and 54 each of which is provided on the lower end thereof with a sheave 56. The upper end of the

brackets

52 and 54 are each provided with a sheave 58. A bracket 60 is mounted above each of the

doors

16 and 18 and is connected to the support structure 23 in proximity to the bracket 32. Each bracket 60 is provided with a sheave 62. The support structure 23 is further provided with a bracket 57 having a sheave 59 mounted thereon and is also provided with a bracket 61 having

sheaves

63 and 65 provide-d thereon.

Door 16 is provided with an opening cable 66 and a closing cable 68. Door 18 is provided with'an opening cable 70 and a closing cable 72. Opening cable 66 for door 16 is fixedly connected and anchored to the vertcial bracket 52 as indicated by the numeral 74. Cable 66 extends from the fixed point or anchor 74 around

sheaves

48, 44, 46, 56 and 58 in the order mentioned and has the leading end thereof connected to the power driven trolley 26. The leading end of the cable 66 is provided with a turnbuckle 76 for adjusting the cable tension.

The closing cable 68 for door 16 is anchored at 80 to the support structure 23 and extends therefrom between

sheaves

38 and 42 and then around

sheaves

40, 62 and 65 in the order mentioned from where the leading end of the cable is attached to the power driven trolley 26. A turnbuckle 76 is provided near the leading end of the cable 68 for adjusting the cable tension.

The opening cable 70 for door 18 is secured and anchored to the lower end of the bracket 54 as indicated by the numeral 82. The cable 70 then extends around pulleys or

sheaves

48, 44, 46, 56 and 58 in the order mentioned and then transversely across the interior of the garage 10 where the leading end of cable 70 extends around pulley or sheave 59 and then through a turnbuckle 76 and fiinally is connected to the power driven trolley 26. The closing cable 72 for the door 18 is secured to the support structure as indicated by the numeral 85 and extends therefrom between

pulleys

38 and 42 and then around pulleys 40, 62, and 86 and then transversely across the interior of the garage where the leading end of the closing cable 72 extends around the pulley 63 from where it is fixedly connected to the power driven trolley .26. A turnbuckle 76 is also provided on the leading end of the closing cable 72 so as to permit the tension of the cable to be adjusted as is conventional in the art. The pulley or sheave 86 is appropriately connected to the support structure by means not shown.

The track 24, trolley 26 and the power-operated drive assembly 30 are manufactured and sold by the Heath Company, of Benton Harbor, Mich., a subsidiary of Daystrom Incorporated as part of its garage door operator mechanism Model GDA-20-3. The specific details of the track 24, drive chain 28, trolley 26 and the power-operated drive assembly 30 are illustrated and described in the catalog entitled Heathkit Assembly Manual copyrighted 1962 by the Heath Company.

More specifically, the power-operated drive assembly 30 includes a motor 90 and a receiver 92 (Heath Company Model GDA20-2) useable in conjunction with a Heath Company transmitter (Model GDA-20-1) not shown. The transmitter and receiver per se form no part of the present invention and provide a convenient means of quickly opening and closing the

garage doors

16 and 18 from the driveway without requiring a person to leave the automobile.

The motor 90 includes a shaft 94 provided on the outer end thereof with a pulley 96. The receiver 92 is provided with a rotatably mounted threaded element 98 which extends through the housing of the receiver 92. The upper end of the element 98 is provided with a sprocket 100 while the lower end is provided with a relatively large pulley 102 which is connected to the motor driven pulley 96 by means of a drive belt 104. The receiver 92 further includes various transformers, relays, switches and limit switches not illustrated and which are more adequately shown and described in the aforementioned catalog.

The sprocket 100 is located at the far end of the track 24. Mounted at the near end of the track 24 is a sprocket 106. The link chain 28 extends around

sprockets

100 and 106 with the opposing ends operatively connected to the trolley 26 as best illustrated in FIGURE 5. The transmitter, not shown, is designed to provide a signal for the receiver 92 which is effective to energize the motor 90 which in turn drives the member 98 through means of the sprocket 96, drive belt 104 and sprocket 102. Thereafter the drive sprocket 100 is rotated which is effective to move the chain 28 and also move the trolley 26 in one direction as will subsequently be described.

The trolley 26 as best illustrated in FIGURE 5 is disclosed and described in the aforementioned catalog and includes a body which is spring loaded by means of a pair of springs 111. The body 110 is provided with ways 112 which receive the longitudinal edges 114 of the track 24. The trolley 26 further includes a chain safety release 116 which is received in a groove of the body 110. The ends of the link chain are connected to the safety release 166. The trolley 26 further includes a safety release 118. The link chain 28 includes a turnbuckle not illustrated which permits the tension of the chain to be adjusted with respect to the drive sprocket 100 and the idler sprocket 106.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate the

doors

16 and 18 in a closed position with the trolley 26 located near the forward end of the track 24. When it is required to open the

doors

16 and 18, the operator sends a signal by means of a transmitter not illustrated which is picked up by the receiver 92 and is effective to energize the power-operated drive means 30. As a result thereof the threaded shaft 98 is rotated so as to rotate the sprocket 100 and thereby drive the chain 28. As a result thereof the trolley 26 is moved to the right as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3 as illustrated by arrow A. The trolley 26 as it moves to the right as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3 pulls on the opening

cables

66 and 70 and holds such cables taut. At the same time the

closing cables

68 and 72 become slack due to the fact that the trolley in effect is moving closer to the anchor ends 80 and 85 of

cables

68 and 72 respectively. Thus, in order to open the

doors

16 and 18 the trolley 26 pulls on

cables

66 and 70 so as to swing

doors

16 and 18 about the

pivots

20 and 22.

When it is required to close the doors from the open position illustrated in FIGURE 3 to the closed position illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 the operator sends a signal from the transmitter which is received by the poweroperated assembly 30 effective to rotate the drive sprocket 100 and link chain 28 in the opposite direction. Thereafter the trolley 26 is moved to the left as viewed in FIGURE 3. At such time the trolley 26 is effective to pull on the

closing cables

68 and 72 and to hold such cables taut during the closing movement of the doors. As the trolley moves to the left the opening

cables

66 and 70 are slack. As the trolley 26 approaches the forward limiting position illustrated in FIGURE 2 the

closing cables

68 and 72 pull on the

doors

16 and 18 respectively so as to positively and forcibly close the door. The

closing cables

68 and 72 tensioned by the trolley 26 are effective to not only close the doors but also to hold and lock the doors.

With the present invention no gear boxes, tracks, counterweights or counterbalances are required. The opening and closing cables control the speed at which the doors open and close. While the present invention is primarily designed for overhead doors it should be understood that the teachings of this invention can be applied to other types of doors. Only one motor and one receiver are required to operate one or more doors. Each closing cable not only closes the corresponding door but also looks the door. The speed at which each door opens and closes is dependent upon the number of pulleys or sheaves utilized.

Additional features of the present invention are that the doors will open slowly and safely under the control of the pulley and cable system; each door has approximately twenty pounds pressure against the cables whether the door is open or closed; said pressure results in less wear and strain on the receiver and other component parts of the system and the pressure permits the motor to be started easier than heretofore.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved overhead door and operating means therefor in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a fixed support structure having a doorway: a door mounted in said doorway for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position; pulley means carried by said door; a track; a trolley movably supported by said track; cable operating means connected between said fixed support structure and said trolley and including intermediate portions engageable with said pulley means; and means for moving said trolley in opposite directions to pull on said cable operating means and thereby move said door.

2. A structure comprising a fixed support structure having a doorway, a door mounted in said doorway for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, a track, a trolley movably supported by said track for movement in opposite directions, pulley means carried by said door, cable operating means including an opening cable and a closing cable interposed between said fixed support structure and said trolley for respectively opening and closing said door, said opening and closing cables each having one end connected to said movable trolley and the other end connected to said fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of said cables engageable with said pulley means, and power-operated means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cable to open said door and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cable to close said door.

3. The combination with a fixed support structure having a doorway, a door mounted in said doorway for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position: a track; a trolley movably supported by said track for movement in opposite directions; pulley means carried by said door; cable operating means interposed between said support structure and said trolley for opening and closing said door, said cable operating means comprising an opening cable and a closing cable; said opening and closing cables each having one end connected to said movable trolley and the other end connected to said fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of said cables engageable with said pulley means; and means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cable to open said door and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cable to close said door, said opening cable being taut and said closing cable being slack during the opening movement of said door and said closing cable being taut and said opening cable being slack during closing movement of said door.

4. A structure comprising a fixed support structure having a doorway, a door mounted in said doorway for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, a track, a trolley movably supported by said track for movement in opposite directions, pulley means carried by said door, cable operating means interposed between said fixed support structure and said trolley for opening and closing said door, said opening and closing cables each having one end connected to said movable trolley and the other end connected to said fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of said cables engageable with said pulley means, said cable operating means comprising an opening cable and a closing cable, and power operated means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cable to open said door and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cable to close said door, said opening cable being taut and said closing cable being slack during the opening movement of said door and said closing cable being taut and said opening cable being slack during closing movement of said door.

5. The combination with a fixed support structure having a plurality of doorways: a plurality of doors in said doorways for simultaneous swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position; pulley means on each of said doors; a track; a trolley movably supported by said track; means for opening and closing said doors comprising opening and closing cables for each door which are connected between the fixed support structure and said trolley and including intermediate portions engageable with the pulley means on the corresponding door; and means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cables to simultaneously open said doors and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cables to simultaneously close said doors.

6. A structure comprising a fixed support structure having a plurality of doorways, a plurality of doors in said doorways for simultaneous swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, a track, a trolley movably supported by said track, pulley means carried by each of the doors, means for opening and closing said doors comprising opening and closing cables for each door which are connected between the fixed support structure and said trolley and including intermediate portions engageable with the pulley means on the corresponding door, and power operated means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cables to simultaneously open said doors and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cables to simultaneously close said doors.

7. The combination with a fixed support structure having a plurality of doorways, a plurality of doors mounted in said doorways for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position: a track; a trolley movably supported by said track for movement in opposite directions;v pulley means carried by each of the doors; cable operated means interposed between said support structure and said trolley for opening and closing said doors; said cable operating means comprising an opening cable and a closing cable for each of said doors; the opening and closing cables for each door each having one end connected to said movable trolley and the other end connected to said fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of the cables engageable with the pulley means on the corresponding door; and means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cables to simultaneously open said doors and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cables to simultaneously close said doors, said opening cables being taut and said closing cables being slack during the opening movement of said doors and said closing cable being taut and said opening cable being slack during closing movement of said doors.

8. A structure comprising a fixed support structure having a plurality of doorways, a plurality of doors mounted in said doorways for swinging movement from a generally vertical closed position to a generally horizontal open position, a track, a trolley movably supported by said track for movement in opposite directions, pulley means carried by each of the doors, cable operated means interposed between said fixed support structure and said trolley for opening and closing said doors, said cable op erating means comprising an opening cable and a closing cable for each of said doors, the opening and closing cables for each door each having one end connected to said movable trolley and the other end Connected to said fixed support structure, with intermediate portions of each of the cables engageable with the pulley means on the corresponding door, and power operated means for moving said trolley in one direction to pull on said opening cables to simultaneously open said doors and in the opposite direction to pull on said closing cables to simultaneously close said doors, said opening cables being taut and said closing cables being slack during the opening movement of said doors and said closing cable being taut and said opening cable being slack during closing movement of said doors.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,390 1/1953 McFadden 160-188 3,207,500 9/1965 Kooy 49-28 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,118,416 3/1956 France.

25 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

I. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A FIXED SUPPORT STRUCTURE HAVING A DOORWAY: A DOOR MOUNTED IN SAID DOORWAY FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT FROM A GENERALLY VERTICAL CLOSED POSITON TO A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL OPEN POSITION; PULLEY MEANS CARRIED BY SAID DOOR; A TRACK; A TROLLEY MOVABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID TRACK; CABLE OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FIXED SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND SAID TROLLEY AND INCLUDING INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PULLEY MEANS; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID TROLLEY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO PULL ON SAID CABLE OPERATING MEANS AND THEREBY MOVE SAID DOOR.