US2495672A - Garage door - Google Patents

Description

1M 24,, W o. L. DAUTRICK GARAGE DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1946 INVENTOR. 02am /7 6 g S T Q Q 6 g L 2 00 2 Z M w W 0. L. DAUTRICK GARAGE DOOR 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Film Aug. 2, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patentecl Jan. 24, 1950 GARAGE DOOR @wen ll. Dautrick, Detroit, Mich, assignor of onehalf to Stewart J.

Dautrick, Detroit, Mich.; said Stewart J. lllautrick, executor of said Owen L. Dautrick, deceased, assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Robert H. Wendt, Chicago, Ell.

Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 688,046

41 Claims. l

The present invention relates to garage doors, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved garage door of the overhead type.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved garage door structure which is adapted to eifect a tight seal by flatly engaging the inside of the door frame.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved garage door structure .of the overhead type which is easy to install, cheaper to manufacture, requires a minimum amount of head room, and which maintains all parts of the moving door inside the garage so that the lower edge of the door does not project toward the user when it is being opened, as is the case with some doors of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved door guiding and supporting structure by means of which an overhead door may be held in tight engagement with the inside of the door frame, or it may be moved away from the door frame and upwardly by the user, with a minimum amount of effort, and requiring only a minimum amount of head room.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved overhead garage door hardware which is adapted to be manufactured more cheaply and to be more easily installed than the doors of the prior art, and which may therefore be manufactured at a price within the range of a vast number of users.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved overhead garage door utilizing only two door sections, which involves the use of less door hardware and cheaper woodwork, and which is, nevertheless, sturdy, weathertight, and adapted to be used for a long period of time without necessity for repair or replacement of any of its parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are two sheets:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of an overhead garage door structure embodying the invention. showing the door in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the door n full lines in open position and in dotted lines in the course of being opened.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the arrangement of the track and supporting rollers for the upper edges of the door sections.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-8 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the arrangement of the tracks at a point just above the lower door section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the arrangement of the tracks and rollers at the bottom of the lower door section.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical elevational view, with the track in partial section, showing the roller and track arrangements at one of the lower corners of the lower door section.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it indicates, in its entirety, the overhead garage door and its upporting structure which preferably includes a pair of door sections it and i2. By reducing the number of door sections to a minimum, such as two, the amount of hardware required, such as hinges, is substantially reduced, and the two door sections it and it may be joined by a plurality of standard hinges 53, M, 85.

The two door sections it and it may be substantially identical in structure, each comprising a frame it provided with a plurality of panels l7, and the widest part of the frame of the upper section i i may be turned uppermost, while the widest part of the frame of the lower section 52 may be turned downwardly to engage the sill. The size of the door section assembly H and i2 is preferably such that it overlaps the edge of the door frame it, which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, on both sides and the top of the frame, and by means of my improved structure the door assembly may be brought into tight sealing engagement with the door frame at all points when the door is closed.

In order to support and guide the door sections from suitable tracks the sections are provided with a plurality of roller assemblies, and the roller assemblies are indicated at iQ-H in Fig. 1. The roller assemblies i9; 20, 22 and 23 may be identical in construction, as they are intended to engage the same track. The tracks for the rollers comprise two assemblies on each side of the door, such as the track assembly 25, for guiding the lower part of the lower door section 42 and the track assembly 26 for guiding the upper section and the upper part of the lower door section.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that track assembly 25 extends vertically of the door frame just inside the frame, while the track assembly 26 is disposed inwardly of the track 25 adjacent the upper part of the door frame, and, also, track 26 extends diagonally upward and horizontally below the ceiling of the garage. Each of the tracks 25 and 26 may be substantially identical in construction on each side of the door, except that they are turned with the open side of the channels opposing each other.

Referring again to the roller assemblies I9, 20, 22, 23, each of these may be substantially as shown in Fig. 4, where the roller assembly 26 is shown on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1. This roller assembly includes a supporting bracket 21 having an attaching flange 28 and a roller supporting flange 29. This attaching flange 28 has a pair of bores 36 for receiving the screws 3| by means of which it is attached to the lower door section |2 adjacent the upper edge of the section.

By locating the roller assemblies 28 and 23 adjacent the upper edge of the lower section these rollers may be used to guide not only the upper edge of the lower section but the lower edge of the upper section, as the sections are hinged together at this point.

The roller supporting flange 29 is provided with a cylindrical through bore 32 which is countersunk at 33 on its inner face so that the reduced cylindrical portion 34 of the roller pin 35 may be riveted over on the inside of the bracket 21 in the countersunk portion 33 of the aperture 32. The roller pin 35 may consist of a substantially cylindrical metal member having the reduced cylindrical portion 34 at its inner end to be secured to the bracket 21.

The bracket flange 29 is clamped between an annular shoulder 36 and the riveted portion of the roller pin. At its opposite end the roller pin has another annular shoulder 31 serving as a thrust bearing for the roller 38 and it has a reduced cylindrical portion 39 serving as a trunnion for the roller.

The reduced portion 39 is preferably formed with a partially circular groove adapted to receive a retaining spring washer 48, which is split to spring apart for removal from or insertion into the groove. The washer 40 projects from the groove in the roller pin 35 sufficiently to serve as a thrust bearing for the outer side of the roller 88.

Roller 38 may consist of a circular metal member having flat sides 4| and 42 and having a partially circular edge 43. Each roller has a through bore 44 within which is held, by friction, a bearing bushing 45 which is pressed into place, and which preferably comprises a bronze bearing of the type which is porous, and which is impregnated with lubricant as well as including graphite in its composition, so that the bearing bushing 45 is constantly self-lubricating.

Bearing bushing 45 has an inner cylindrical bore 46 serving as the bearing for engaging the reduced cylindrical portion 39 which comprises the trunnion of the roller pin 35. Thus the rollers are supported for rotation with a minimum friction at all times, and never require lubrication throughout the natural life of the garage door.

The width of the roller supporting flange 29 of the bracket 21 is such that it supports the roller 38 inwardly of the door frame and of the track 25 in position to be located in the track 26 when the upper door section II lies flatly against the door frame l8, and the upper part of the face of the lower door section I2 is also in engagement with the edge of the door frame Hi. The inner edge 56 of each roller supporting flange 29 may be beveled at its lower side merely for the purpose of saving material, as the full width of this flange 28 is required only at the point where the roller pin is supported.

The track 26 is shown in section in Fig. 4 and Fig. 3. It consists of a vertical portion 41, a rearwardly extending diagonal portion 48, and. an upper horizontal portion 49. Each of these track sections "-48 is of the same shape in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 3. including a lower and inner partially circular track groove portion 50, a flat body flange 5|, and a right angular retaining flange 52.

The partially cylindrical groove portion 50 is joined to the body flange by a diagonally extending track portion 53, and the groove portion 56 also extends diagonally and outwardly at 54. The diagonal portion 53 of the track section locates the roller 38 inwardly of the body flange 5| by locating the groove 50 inwardly sufllciently to cause the end of the roller pin to have a clearance with respect to the body flange 5|.

The right angular flange 52 has a clearance with respect to the roller, 38, but it prevents the roller from getting out of the groove 50 of the track. The track section is, of course, open on its inner side to permit the roller pin to extend inwardly from the roller to the roller supporting bracket which carries the door.

The track sections 41 and 48 are joined by a spacer plate 56 which also serves as a supporting bracket, and may therefore be called a trackjoining bracket. This bracket (Fig. 2) has an attaching flange 51 which is at right angles to its body flange 58 and which has apertures for securement to the door frame in a manner similar to the flange 28 of the bracket 21 (Fig. 4). Its body flange 58 is of sumclent width inwardly to engage the track section 26, a short track corner 59 of trapezoidal shape in elevation, and track section 48.

The body 58 of bracket 56 may be spot-welded to the body flanges 5| of each of these two track members 26 and 59.

For convenience in shipping, the sections 48 and 49 are preferably made separable from the sections 26 and 25 at the bracket 56, and this may be accomplished by providing the body of the track section 48 with a plurality of integral, punched-out metal tabs, for example, three of them, which pass through complementary rectangular apertures in the bracket 56, and which are bent over to secure the track section 48 to the bracket 56.

The short track corner 59 and the track section 26 have their body flanges welded to the bracket 56, and the tracksection 25 may also have its body flange welded to the bracket 56. The bracket 6| at the lower edge of section 26 comprises a right-angle bracket having an attaching flange 62 for securement to the door frame by means of a single wood screw or other attaching member, and its supporting flange 63 extends inwardly at right angles and is spot-welded to the body flange of the track section 25 and of the track section 26. Thus the track sections 25 and 26 are supported on the door frame parallel to each other and in proper position to support the door. by means of its rollers, on each side of the door frame.

The track section 48 extends diagonally inward and upward toward the ceiling of the garage,

and is secured by means of a track spacer plate 641 to the track section 49. The track spacer plate is of substantially trapezoidal form, but has a depending flange portion 65 with a through bore 66 adapted to be used for receiving the track spacer rod 61 (Fig. 1).

This track spacer rod extends into the spacer plates 64' of the track on each side of the door,

and has a reduced threaded portion 68 at each end which is provided with a pair of nuts 89, 10 (Fig. l) threaded into proper position on the reduced threaded end 88 to clamp the spacer plates 84% and hold the two tracks at this point in proper spaced relation to each other. Thus the tracks are made more rigid and are held at the proper spacing for the rollers of the door.

It should be noted that the track sections 26, I8, 49. and the short corner section 59, are all properly beveled at their ends to fit the adjacent sections, and when the body flanges are welded to the spacer plates the sections are held in one rigid assembly.

The upper track section 49 may be supported by additional brackets ll, 12 welded to the body flanges of the channels and having attaching flanges secured to transverse beams l3, 14 carried by the side walls of the garage, or held by depending wood members carried by the ceiling. The section 48 of the track is then given support from thefront door frame and from the section Many diflerent modes of support of the upper track sections 48, 49 may be used in different installations, but the supporting members should preferably be on the lower side of the track section W so as not to interfere with the door sections which are shown in dotted-line position in Fig. 2.

The lower roller assemblies 2i and 2% are identical in construction but oppositely disposed, and each one includes, a roller bracket 15 (Fig. 6) having an attaching flange It with a pair of apertures for wood screws for securement to the lower corner of the lower door section 02. The bracket it also carries a roller supporting flange ill which has a roller pin 18 riveted thereto and constructed substantially as described with respect to the roller pin 35.

Roller pin it, however, has a cylindrical surface l9 serving as a trunnion for the roller 8t which is preferably of the flanged type, having a cylindrical rolling surface Bi and a radially projecting flange 82. Like the rollers 38, the roller til is preferably provided with a similar self-lubricating bearing bushing 45 providing for constant self-lubrication.

Roller pin it is long enough also to support a lower cable clip 83! which may be of substantially U-shape and have its depending legs provided with cylindrical apertures for receiving the roller pin it on each side of the roller 80. The legs of the cable clip 88 are preferably spaced from a spring washer M in a groove in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the roller pin 35 of Fig. 4.

Cable clip 83 has its yoke 86 provided with an inwardly projectin slot B'l terminating in a cylindrical aperture 88 for receiving and securing the end of a cable 89 which carries a frustoconical metal ferrule 90. The ferrule itself preferably engages in the cylindrical bore 88, thus saving the cable from wear, and the size of the 6 slot 81 is sufllcient to pass the cable but not the ferrule.

The cable may be secured to the ferrule by" providing the ferrule of such size that the cable will pass in at its smaller aperture, after which Each channel preferably comprises a yoke 9| and a pair of inwardly projecting side flanges The side flanges 92, 93 are spaced sufficiently to receive the cylindrical portion 8| of roller 80, and the side flanges are of sufllcient width to receive the assembly of the roller 80,

its pin 18 and cable clip 83 when the roller flange 82 engages the edges of the side flanges 92, 93. Thus the track sections 25 are adapted to support and guide the rollers 01" the roller assemblies 2! and 24 at the bottom of the lower door section I2.

As the lower door section l2 pivots from the full-line position of Fig. 1 to the dotted-line position of Fig. 2 the lower outer corner 94 (Fig. 2) moves outward, and if the track 25 at which the rollers happen to be at the time of this pivotal movement wereimmediately adjacent the door frame, the pivotal motion of the lower section l2 would not be permitted.

In order to have the door flatly against the door frame when it is closed, and also to permit door frame, the track section 25 is preferably provided with a diagonally and outwardly extending offset portion 95 adjacent its lower end and terminat in a parallel, short, lower sec-' to clear the door frame.

At the upper end and middle of the doorassembly, roller assemblies I9 and 22,-20 and 28,

the offset 95 in the tracks 25.

It should also be noted that no such offset is required for the lower outer corner 9'! of the upper door section II because this door section The assembly is preferably provided with a s mple and economical form of counterbalance for holding the doors in their uppermost position and lifting a portion of the door weight when it i: being opened. The amount of counterbalance may be suitably adjusted so that when the door is unlocked it will automatically open, or it may be adjusted so that the door will stay in any position to which it is moved, but the springs will assist in the opening of the door.

For this purpose a pair of coil springs 90, 99 are provided, one on each side of the door frame, and the springs are preferably of sufficient length when expanded to extend substantially the full length of the door frame, as shown in Fig. 1. When contracted they have sufllcient tensile force to support a part of the weight of the door, or, in some cases, to lift the door if the lock is released.

Each of the chains I may be hooked to a a hook formation or a loop, which is preferably attached to a chain I00. The chain provides a convenient method of spring tension adjustment, as it may be made long enough to take care of any tension condition.

Each of the chains I00 may be hooked to a bracket IOI which has its attaching flange I02 secured to the door frame by wood screws, and has a right-angle flange I03 provided with a hook. The bracket IOI may also serve as a support for the track section 25, having another supporting flange I04 adjacent the yoke 9| of the track section spot-welded. Thus the bracket IOI supports the lower section of the track 25 and serves for attachment of the counterbalancing of the chain I00 which counterbalances the door.

The counterbalancing mechanism for the door sections includes, in addition to the springs 99, 99, and the attaching means for the lower end of the spring, sheaves I09, H0 at the end of each spring, the cables III, H2, and the supporting pulleys H3, H4, Fig. 1.

The supporting pulleys H3, H4 (Fig. 2) may consist of a pair of circular, stamped sheet metal members formed with diverging flanges to provide a groove for the cable H2, and with a central recess for supporting a self-lubricating bearing 45 of the same type as that used on the rollers. The two pulleys are alike, and each is supported upon a bracket II5 (Fig. 2) consisting of a pair of sheet metal strips, each of which has attaching flanges IIS secured by the same wood screws to the door frame, and each of which has a body flange H1, III! of the same length, but the legs of these members are of different lengths, so that the body flanges II! and H8 are spaced sufficiently to provide space for the pulleys H9 or II4.

Each pulley is pivoted upon a cylindrical pin H9 which is provided at its ends with grooves for thrust washers 40, as described with respect to the roller 38 (Fig. 4). The sheaves I09, III! are each supported upon an identical pulley link, and these pulley sheaves may be of similar construction to the pulleys H3, H4 and provided with a similar pin H9,

The pulley link I in each case comprises a pair of strips of sheet metal spaced at one end for reception of the sheave I09, welded together at acentral portion I2I and spaced again at an end portion I22 for insertion of the hooked end of spring 98, 99 on a transverse pin, such as a cotter pin. The cables III, II2 are arranged the same way on each side of the door, and each one has its fixed end I23 secured to a bracket IIS by being provided with a ferrule 90 substantially as described and arranged in Fig. 6. From this point the cable passes downward around pulley I09 (Fig. l). upward around pulley H3, and'downward in the channels 25 at each side of the door for attachment to the clip 80, as

25 to which this flange may be 8 shown in Fig. 6, at the lower edge of the lower door section I2.

The operation of the door mechanism is as follows: When the door. sections are in the position of Fig. 1 the outer face of these door sections presses flatly against the edge of the door frame I8, effecting a weather-tight closure, and exposing nothing but the outer face of the door sections and the handles which are usually provided.

The door may be provided with any desired type of lock mechanism. When the lock mechanism has been released the operator may lift upon one of the handles provided on the outside of the door, and his effort will be assisted by means of the springs 98, 99. As he lifts the door, the bottom of the lower section l2 will be moved away from the door frame I8 by the offset in the track sections 25, so that the corner 94 of the door can clear the door frame whenever the lower section l2 begins to pivot.

The lower edges of the lower section I2 are guided by the roller assemblies 2I and 24 in the channels 25, to move upward in a vertical direction. The upper edge of the lower door section I2 is guided by the roller assemblies 20 and 23 in the channels 26, to move upward in a vertical direction. The upper portion of the door section II is guided by the roller assemblies I9 and 22 from the vertical position in which this section contacts the edge of the door frame I8 into the track corner 59 and diagonally rearwardly and upwardly extending track 49, so that this upper door section moves into the dotted-line position shown at I2 in Fig. 2.

As the upward movement of the door section continues the roller assemblies I9 and 22 move over into the horizontal track 49, followed by the roller assemblies 20 and 23 which are flnally locatedin this horizontal track section 49 also when the bottom door section I2 reaches the horizontal dotted-line position shown at the top of Fig. 2. Thus the present construction provides for the complete lifting of the two door sections into a horizontal position on the ceiling, but it will be observed that a minimum amount of head room is required above the tracks.

When the door is to be closed the operator need only grasp the edge of the lower door section I2 or the handle, and pull down on this edge and the operation is reversed, the lower door section having its lower edge guided by the vertical tracks 25, and the rest of the roller assemblies being guided by the tracks 41, 48, 49 to the fully closed and weather-tight position.

The present door construction is adapted to seal flatly against the inside of the door frame at all sides and at the top. The doors stay inside the garage, and are not projecting in front of the door frame, and when the operator lifts the door the bottom of the door does not project toward the operator, which is an undesirable feature of many of the doors of the prior art.

The present construction is easy to install; it utilizes a minimum amount of hardware; and the woodwork is cheaper to construct because it involves only two sections. All of the parts of the mechanism may be made either from standard stock sections or sheet metal stampings, and a minimum amount of machine work is required. It is thus adapted to be manufactured at a low cost and sold within a price range which makes it available to a vast number of users who could not afford the more expensive 9 and complicated types of garage doors of the prior art.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A counter-balancing and guiding assembly for roller-supported garage doors, comprising an upright metal channel, a U bracket having one channel, a tapered ferrule carried by the other end of said cable, clearance with the flanges of' said channel, an angle bracket for securement to the door panel, and having a stub shaft supporting said roller and engaging inside the yoke of said channel,

gage the tapered side of said ferrule.

2. A counter-balancing and guiding assembly for roller-supported garage doors, according to claim 1, in which a second channel is provided for guiding the upper part of the door, said second channel comprising straight sections extending upwardly, diagonally, and horizontally, and means carried by the door at its upper edge to be guided by said second channel.

10 3. A counter-balancing and guiding assembly for roller-supported garage doors, according to claim 1. in which a second channel is provided guided by said second channel, comprising a toroidvrimmed roller carried by an angle bracket and stub shaft, said second channel having its inner part grooved complementary to said latter roller to prevent possibility of the roller dropping out of the channel.

4. A counter-balancing and guiding assembly for roller-supported garage doors, according to diagonally, by the door movement on opening is to free the door of its frame.

OWEN L. DAUTRICK. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,530,762 Dautrick Mar. 24, 1925 2,023,664 Clark et a1 Dec. 10, 1935 2,042,158 McKinney May 26, 1936 2,066,558 Dautrick Jan. 5, 1937 2,227,571 Clark Jan. 7, 1941

Images