US3846939A

US3846939A - Safety astragal

Info

Publication number: US3846939A
Application number: US00369224A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Weaver
Original assignee: SEDGWICK MACHINE WORKS Inc
Current assignee: SEDGWICK MACHINE WORKS Inc
Priority date: 1973-06-12
Filing date: 1973-06-12
Publication date: 1974-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-12

Abstract

A safety astragal particularly adapted for use with members in a common plane comprising a closure means for a shaftway opening is disclosed. The astragal includes a first open-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and a second open-ended channel section comprised of articulated links of similar material, each of which is supported by and protrudes from the open end of the first channel section and is receivable within that channel section when movement in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto. The disclosure also includes a novel arrangement of a non-flammable flame barrier overlapping the adjacent ends of the side walls of each of the articulated links whereby the astragal becomes substantially resistant to the passage of flames therethrough.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Weaver 5} Nov. 12, 1974 l l SAFETY ASTRAGAL Primary Examiner-Philip C. Kannan {75] Inventor. Herbert Schuyler Weaver Attorney, Agent, or F1rm-Carlt0n B. F1tchett Poughkeepsic, NY. [73] Assignce: Sedgwick Machine Works, Inc., [57] ABSTRACT Poughkccpsie. N.Y. A safety astragal part1cularly adapted for use w1th [221 Fllcdi June 1973 members in a common plane comprisinga closure l2l Appl. No.: 369,224 means for a shaftway opening is disclosed. The astragal includes a first open-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and a second open-ended [52] U5. Ll. 49/370, 49/26 Channel Section Comprised f articulated links f Simi- [511 int. Cl E06b 3/44, EOSf 7/00 lar materiah each f which is Supported by and [58] new of Search 49/370- 366, trudes from the open end of the first channel section 49/26 2&470'1 16O/40- 201i 187/58 and is receivable within that channel section when movement in a direction toward the same is imparted [56] References C'ted thereto. The disclosure also includes a novel arrange- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment of a non-flammable flame barrier overlapping 1.175.925 3/1916 Bumbarger 49 370 x the adjacent ends Of the sidewalls of each of the artic- 2.(5x7 455 8/1954 Norman 49 27 x l d links whereby the astragal becomes substan- 33521159 1 l/l967 Metz 49/27 tially resistant to the passage of flames therethrough. 3,537.21] l l/l97l) Guilbert. Jr. et al. 49/27 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I I l i I I 1 1 1 1 l 1 r'1 1] 1 11:: q 1 11 '1 1 A? l A I l g l l I ,/6c 1 2 l" i tj 1 I r m 1 /6 /6 as l 1 i 1.2 l //l/ 1' i I I1 {1 1 7;: 55512222. 1 1 L I 1 1 1 l l SAFETY ASTRAGAL The present invention relates to astragals and more astragals provide a non-crushing joint between the closure members, their ability to provide a flame barrier for-more than a short time leaves much to be desired.

The safety astragal according to the present invention includes a firstopen-ended fixed channel section of non-flammable material and a second open-ended channel section comprised of movable articulated links of similar material, each of which is supported by and protrudes from the open end of the first channel section and is receivable within that channel section when movement, in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto. The astragal herein disclosed is also provided with flame barriers of nonflammable material which overlap the adjacent ends of the sidewalls of each of the articulated links. j

j The 1971 edition of the American Standard Safety Code Section 110, Rule ll0.l2(d) applicable to closure members for shaftway openings requires compli- A more clear conception of the operation, construction and still further objects of the invention may be had from the following specification when read in the light of the attached drawings showing the astragal according to this invention applied to the bi-parting panels of a common form of closure for a shaftway opening in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of bi-parting panel if members showing the fixed section andarticulated ance with a National Standard test set out by the Unthe junction between the closure members arranged in a common plane whichwill satisfy the terms of the above-noted section of the American Safety Code and be eligible to bear the above-noted Underwriters Laboratories label, for manually operated or power operated closure members.

Another object is to provide on power operated doors a further safety means adapted to be actuated when 'one or moreof the movable links of the articulated astragal section is for any reason forced out of its normal position or alignment relative to the fixed astragal section, such actuation breaking a fail-safe or control circuit to thereby stop further movement of the closure members to'which the astragal has been applied. v

A further object is to provide a safety astragal that is simple in operation,'inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to install on new and/or existing closure members movable in a common plane for a shaftway opening in order to provide an effective flame barrier at the junction therebetween.

It will be understood that the term closure members and/or closure means as used herein includes a closure incorporating a-single panel. as wellv as biparting panel membersrln the. former arrangement, the

- astragal according to this inventionmay be inserted between the head or sill of the shaftway opening with the single movablepanel member adapted for vertical sliding movement to and from the head or sill. In the latter arrangement, theastragal according to the invention is inserted between the junction edges of the bi-parting panel members.

movable link section of an astragal according to the present invention in their closed position and includes a schematic representation of a human hand positioned between those sections;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bi-parting panel members of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a portion of the astragal shown in FIG. 1 in a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the astragal members taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 in a still larger scale;

FIGSLS, 6 and 7 are a partial side elevational view, a partial top plan view, and an end view, respectively, of one of the movable links of the astragal;

FIG. 8 is a partial side elevational view of the other end of the movable link shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a complete astragal according to this invention and shows a means for actuating a fail-safe circuit for power operated doors in connection with a displacement of any link of the articulated section of the same from its normal at-rest position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an astragal 10 according to the invention is shown, for illustrative purposes only and not by way of a limitation, secured to the upper of the bi-parting doors 11 and 12 of a closure for a shaftway of the type used by dum bwaiters, service elevators, etc. The doors 11 and 12 are arranged and supported within the frame 13 of an opening in the shaftway within which the dumbwaiter (not shown) is operated. As will be seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the astragal 10 is made up of a fixed channel section 14 secured at its base 14c by means such as welding to the junction edge 11a of the bi-parting member 11, and an articulated channel section 15 comprised of interconnected links 16, the links 16 being freely supported within the outer end 14a of the fixed channel section 14 as shown in detail in FIG. 4. The links 16 are adapted for movement into the space 14b within the channel section 14 should an obstacle be introduced between the upper edge 12a of the lower biparting panel member 12 and the outer end 16a of any of the links 16 of the articulated channel section 15 of the astragal 10. The space 16b within the articulated channel section 15 is so dimensioned as to receive therein the junction edge 12a and a portion of the lower bi-parting panel member 12.

The construction details of each of the interconnected links 16 are shown in FIGS.'5 through 8. In addition to the details already described above in connection with FIG. 4, it is here pointed out that a flame barrier piece 17 and a guide shoe 18 are arranged in a complementary relation (see FIGS. 6 and 8) at each end of each link 16, and further, the side walls at each end of each link 16 are cut on a slant as shown at 19 so as to accommodate arching of the links (see FIG. 1) when an obstruction is placed between the astragal 10 carried by the bi-parting member 11 and the other bipartingpanel member 12. A barrier piece 17 is secured to the side wall of eachlink 16 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 to cover the opening between the adjacent link side walls due to the slant cut 19 noted above. Each of the flame barriers 17 is likewise cut on a slant as shown at 17a to accommodate arching of the links (see FIG. 1).

With identical links 16 in the form described above and arranged in the device according to this invention, it will be obvious that the resultant astragal will, when used in connection with bi-parting panel members, provide a non-crushing edge and a substantial flame barrier at the joint between such members.

A further safety means may be easily included in the astragal according to this invention whereby a fail-safe control circuit for power doors may be activated to stop movement of the bi-parting panel members. One form of such a device is shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. As shown in the drawing, a switch arm driving wire is stretched between the outer edges of and within the fixed channel section 14 of the astragal just above the upper edge 160 of the links 16. Hence, when one or more of the links 16 is caused to arch upwardly, due to its encountering an obstacle when the bi-parting members 11 and 12 are moved to a closed position (see FIG. 1), the upper edge 16c thereof will engage the stretched wire 20 thereby activating switch 21 in a failsafe circuit (not shown) and stopping further movement of the bi-parting panel members.

It willbe apparent from the foregoing description and the drawings illustrating the invention in a preferred form that the objects attributable thereto will be fulfilled. The astragal herein disclosed includes flame barriers sufficient to enable it to meet the National Standard test set out by the Underwriters Laboratories,

Inc. and, in addition, provides a means for a mechanical non-crushing edge between manually operated panel members together with a fail-safe means for stopbase to the junction edge of the first panel member, the

second channel member being comprised of a plurality of articulated links, each of the said links being freely supported by and protruding from the open end of the first channel member and being receivable within the first channel member when movement in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto, the junction edge and a portion of the second panel being receivable within the second channel member when the members are moved to a closed position.

2. An astragal according to claim 1 in which the means supporting the articulated links of the second channel member include an inwardly extending flange at the open end of the first channel member and a cooperating outwardly extending flange at the closed end of each of the links of the second channel member.

3. An astragal according to claim 1 which includes means operable by any substantial entry of any link of the second channel member into the first channel member whereby further movement of the panel members is stopped.

Claims

1. An astragal for closing the junction between panel members movable in a common plane between an open and a closed position including, in combination, first and second panel members having adjacent junction edges, first and second open-ended channel members, said first channel member being fixedly secured at its base to the junction edge of the first panel member, the second channel member being comprised of a plurality of articulated links, each of the said links being freely supported by and protruding from the open end of the first channel member and being receivable within the first channel member when movement in a direction toward the same is imparted thereto, the junction edge and a portion of the second panel being receivable within the second channel member when the members are moved to a closed position.