US3067814A - Door panel - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 R. F. ANTHONY DOOR PANEL Filed May 2, 1960 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

V/ 5 M Wm m .A m 8 v m n M M m R .0 u i United states atent @ilfire 3,067,814 DUGR PANEL Russell Francis Anthony, Waterloo, Qntario, Canada,

assignor, by mesne assignments, to Massey-Ferguson Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Qanada, a corporation of Canada Filed May 2, 1960, Ser. No. 25,969 2 Claims. (1. 160-235) This invention relates to panels and more particularly to the type of panel incorporated in a sectional garage door which is adapted to be moved in a first plane for a distance substantially equal to the area of the door jamb and thereafter pivoted inwardly in a second plane substantially at right angles to said first plane.

Heretofore, many types of such doors have been proposed and, in the main, each of such doors has been constituted by a plurality of interlocking panels hingeably connected together along their opposite marginal edges so as to permit relative movement therebetween.

Obviously, when considering doors having metal interlocking panels, the hingeable connections therebetween must be maintained lubricated in order to give the best possible operation. However, heretofore, the hingeable connections have been so arranged that when lubricant has been applied thereto, a certain amount of the latter has, due to the choice of design, flowed down the exterior of the door panels thus giving an unsightly appearance.

Moreover, due to the types and designs of hitherto known hingeable connections employed between the panels, a danger has existed of a person, when opening or closing such doors, catching his fingers between the panels with the possible consequence of serious injury, and it is the object of this invention, therefore, to overcome the above disadvantages.

According to one aspect, therefore, this invention relates to a panel for incorporation in a sectional door constituted by a seriatim assembly of such panels hingeably connected together, said panel being constituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and second shields angularly disposed to one another, .a main body portion integrally connecting said shields together each at one side thereof, an extension on said first shield projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in an axle housing located between said first and second shields and serving as the oint of hingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, and an extension on said second shield projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel.

According to another aspect, this invention relates to a sectional door constituted by a seriatim assembly of panels hingeably connected together, each of said panels being constituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and second shields angularly disposed to one another, a main body portion integrally connecting said shields together each at one side thereof, an extension on said first shield projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in an axle housing located between said first and second shields and serving as the point of hingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, and an extension on said second shield projecing parallel with said main body portion and terminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel.

T he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken through a pair of panels of an upwardly acting door constituted by a seriatim assembly of such panels hingeably connected together, the door being in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the door in partially opened condition.

It will be appreciated that the panels form a conventional upwardly acting door constituted by hingeable sections and as is normally positioned within the wall opening of a garage. The wall opening is provided with a conventional frame and vertical as well as horizontal tracks of channel-section within which, wheels carried by each panel are guided for movement during raising and lowering the door. As this invention relates specifically to a panel per se and .a door formed by such panels, it is considered necessary only to elaborate on the details appertaining to the panels.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that each panel, which is of a length to accommodate the wall opening, is constituted by a first shield, generally indicated at l, and a mutually opposed second shield generally indicated at 2, angularly disposed thereto. A main body portion 3 integrally connects the shields 1, 2 together, each at one side thereof.

The first shield 1 of each panel is provided with a curved portion 4 and a projecting extension 5, parallel with the main body portion 3, which terminates in an axle housing 6 located between the first and second shields 1, 2. One such axle housing 6 is provided .at each end of a panel and serves to locate a stub axle 7 which carries a track wheel (not shown) for movement in known man ner in the guide track, also not shown.

The second shield 2 of each panel is provided with a first projecting extension 8 and a second projecting extension both of said extensions being parallel with the main body portion 3 and connected together by means of a curved portion 10 of said second shield 2, normally overlying the curved portion 4 of the first shield 1 of the next successive panel. The second projecting extension 9 of the second shield 2 terminates in .a socket 11 which is adapted to embrace the axle housing 6 of the next successive panel.

Both of the curved portions 4, 10 of the respective first and second shields l, 2 together with the axle housing 6 and cooperating socket 11, are coaxial.

It will thus be appreciated that each pair of stub axles 7 serve as the point of pivotal connection between a pair of adjacent panels and, due to the fact that the pivotal connection is located between the first shield 1 and the main body portion 3, lubricant Will be unable to escape and run down the front of the main body portion 3. Moreover, the rubbing surfaces of the housing 6 and sockets 11 are effectively concealed from view in all positions of the door.

Moreover, due to the projecting extension 8 of each second shield 2, as well as the fact that the curved portions 4 and 10 are concentric, it is virtually impossible for a person operating the door accidentally to insert his fingers between adjacent panels of the door.

Although the invention has been described and shown as applied to a vertically acting door, it will be appregiated that it is also applicable to a horizontally acting I claim as my invention:

1. A panel for incorporation in a sectional door constituted by a seriatim assembly of such panels hingeably connected together, said panel being constituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and second shields angularly disposed to one another, a generally flat main body portion integrally connecting said shields together each at one side thereof, a portion of said first shield being curved, an extension on the opposite side of said first shield projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in an axle housing located within said curved portion of the first shield and between the latter and the second shield, said axle housing serving as the point of hingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, a first extension intermediate the sides of said second shield projecting parallel with said main body portion, and a second extension on said second shield at the side remote from its connection with the main body portion projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel, a portion of said second shield between said projecting extensions thereon, being curved and normally overlying the curved portion of the first shield of the said next successive panel, both of said curved portions, together with the axle housing and cooperating socket being coaxial.

2. A sectional door constituted by a seriatim assembly of panels hingeably connected together, each of said panels being constituted by a pair of mutually opposed first and second shields angularly disposed to one another, a generally flat main body portion integrally connecting said shields together each at one side thereof, a portion of said first shield being curved, an extension on said first shield at the side remote from its connection with the main body portion projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in an axle housing located within said curved portion of the first shield and between the latter and the second shield, said axle housing serving as the point of hingeable connection between said panel and the preceding panel, a first extension on said second shield intermediate the sides thereof projecting parallel with said main body portion, and a second extension an said second shield at the side remote from its connection with the main body portion projecting parallel with said main body portion and terminating in a socket adapted to embrace the axle housing of the next successive panel, a portion of said second shield, connecting said projecting extensions thereon, being curved and normally overly in" the curved portion of the first shield of the said next successive panel, both of said curved portions, together with the axle housing and cooperating socket being coaxial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 897,990 McCloud Sept. 8, 1908 926,139 Rush June 29, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS 766,703 France Apr. 16, 1934 1,019,482 France Oct. 29, 1952 1,119,116 France Mar. 26, 1956 1,133,582 France Nov. 19, 1956

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