US3526995A - Roller assembly for sliding doors - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1970 R. M. SAUNDERS 3,526,995

7 ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR SLIDING nooas 59 5'7 58 9 i Flled Feb. 5, 1969 K v l S $-25 as g g st INVENTOR Renata-r M.SAUNDE.BS

ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 49-420 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sliding door roller assembly with a no-jump feature, and wherein there is provided a replaceable wheel housing and a spring-loaded mechanism for maintaining the parts in their proper location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention pertains to roller assemblies as defined in Class 20, subclass l9, and Class 49, subclass Description of the prior art The prior art includes the following prior patents: 3,040,391, 3,060,524, 2,980,947, 3,298,136, 3,175,255.

Some of the differences or advantages that the present invention has over these prior patents is as follows:

The roller assembly for sliding doors of the present invention has a no-jump feature, and wherein there is provided a means for replacing the wheel housings, the roller assembly adapted to be used for various types of sliding doors, such as sliding screen doors, patio doors and the like. In addition, there is provided a spring-loaded mechanism for helping prevent the device from jumping its track, and wherein there is provided an improved adjustable feature, and there is also provided a means for facilitating initial installation of the door in its framework.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention there is provided a roller assembly for sliding doors which includes a bracket having a member pivotally connected thereto, and wherein a wheel housing is detachably or removably connected to the assembly, there being a screw member which permits adjustment of the parts to the desired location, and wherein there is provided a means for initially retaining or maintaining the wheel housing and associated parts in their raised position until the door is mounted or positioned in the frame whereby the parts can be subsequently adjusted to move the wheel down into engagement with its track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS there is illustrated a roller assembly which is indicated generally by the numeral 55, and the numeral 56 indicates a portion of a horizontally disposed track, while the numeral 57 indicates a portion of a sliding door, the door 57 includes vertically disposed spaced parallel side members 58, a panel 59, and a bottom rail 60. The side members 58 may have apertures or openings 61 therein for the "ice insertion therethrough of a portion of a screwdriver or other tool. The numeral 62 indicates a bracket or casting which includes a vertically disposed first leg or portion 63 which engages an inner surface of the member 58, and which may be secured in place by a securing element such as a screw 64. The bracket 62 further includes a horizontally disposed second portion 65, as well as an upstanding portion 66 which may be defined as a third portion 66. The bracket 62 also includes a depending vertically disposed fourth portion or leg 67 as well as a horizontally disposed fifth portion or leg '68 which is adapted to be secured in place by a securing element such as the screw 69.

The numeral 70 indicates an adjustable screw member which has a head 71 thereon that is adapted to be engaged by a screwdriver or tool extended through the aperture 61. A spring member or coil spring 72 has one end circumposed on a portion of the screw member 70, and the other end of the coil spring 72 abuts or engages a cross-piece 80 of an adjustable base unit 75. The numeral 73 indicates an enlargement or shoulder on the portion 68 of the bracket 62, and the enlargement 73 has an arcuate recess 74 therein. The base unit 75 has an integral rounded tongue 76 which is adapted to rockably or pivotally engage the recess 74. Base unit 75 further includes side portion 77, and the numeral 78 indicates a wheel or roller which is journalled between the side portions 77 as at 79, and the roller 78 is adapted to engage or move along the track 56. The portion 67 of the bracket 62 has a threaded aperture or opening 81 therein through which extends the screw member 70. The numeral 82 indicates a rupturable tab or tongue which is adapted to be initially connected to the bracket 62 as at 83, and initially the other end of the tongue 82 is connected to the base unit 75 as at 84, and this initial position of the parts is illustrated in FIG. 1. At the proper time, the parts can be adjusted so that the tongue 82 will separate at the point 84 from the base unit 75 so as to permit the roller assembly to move to its lower operative position after the door has been installed. This arrangement permits or facilitates installation of the door in its door frame inasmuch as the door can be readily installed in the door frame with the roller in raised position as shown in FIG. 1, whereby subsequently the parts can be adjusted or moved so that the roller assembly moves to its lowermost position so that the roller or wheel engages the track in order to permit the sliding door to move back and forth in the desired manner.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a roller assembly for sliding doors, and in use with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, initially the parts may be in a position such as that shown in FIG. 1 so that the wheel or roller and associated parts are arranged within the lower portion or bottom rail portion of the door. With the parts in the position of FIG. 1, the door can be readily installed or inserted in its frame, and because the wheel or roller 78 is in the retracted position of FIG. 1 there will be no interference with placement of the door in its frame. After the door has been inserted in the frame, the parts can be adjusted or moved so that they occupy a position such as that shown in FIG. 2, whereby the roller will engage the truck so that a door can slide back and forth along the track in the desired manner.

Attention is now directed to FIGS. 1 through 4 wherein it will be seen that there is provided a roller assembly 55 which has a no-jump feature. In the arrangement of FIGS. 1 through 4, the bracket 62 is adapted to be snugly mounted within each lower corner portion of a sliding door such as the door 57. With further reference to the roller assembly 55, the bracket 62 may be secured in place in the corner of the door by means of securing elements, such as the securing elements 64 and 69, and

initially when installing the door 57 in the door frame or in the proper position above the track 56, the parts are in the position shown in FIG. 1, and this serves to assure that there will be sufiicient clearance to facilitate mounting or installation of the door inasmuch as the roller 78 will be in a retracted or upward position. After the door has been mounted in its proper position above a track, such as the track 56, a tool such as a screwdriver can be arranged so that the shank or tip of the screwdriver is easily and readily inserted through the opening 61 to engage the head 71 of the screw member 70, so that the screw member 70 can be rotated or turned inwardly in the threaded opening 81 in the portion 67 of the bracket 62, and this will cause the inner end of the screw member 70 to bear against a portion such as the portion 80 of the base unit or wheel housing 75 so that the unit 75 can pivot or rotate about an axis extending through the portion 76 and the portion 76 can rotate or swivel in the recess 74 or the enlargement 73. This will cause the tab or tongue 82 to rupture or break such as at the point 84 so that the parts will move downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2, whereby the wheel 78 will properly engage the track 56. The coil spring 72 serves to exert the proper amount of pressure on the unit 75 so as to maintain the wheel or roller 78 in engagement with the track 56 so that the roller will not jump off the track, whereby the door will slide back and forth in the proper and desired manner.

It will be seen that the tongue 82 thus provides a means for initially and selectively retaining or maintaining the wheel 78 in its housing 75 in raised position until the door has been installed in its proper location, whereby the screw member 70 can then be adjusted or rotated to rupture the tongue or tab 82 at a point such as the point 84 so that the spring can maintain the wheel downward and below the lower edge portion of the door.

It is to be understood that the parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes and sizes as desired or required.

Also, it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention there has been provided a roller assembly for a sliding door which is rugged in construction and economical to make or manufacture as well as being eflicient to use and in addition the roller assembly is convenient and foolproof in operation as well as being easily and readily adjustable.

It will be seen that with the present invention the members such as the tab or tongue 82 hold the roller up inside the door until it is desired to release the roller, and

this makes it easier to install or mount the door in place because there are no downwardly projecting parts that will get in the way of door installation. After the door is in position, the tab or tongue can be moved or released to permit the roller and associated parts to move downwardly as previously described. With the present invention, the parts cannot be put in place incorrectly and there are a minimum number of parts which are ruggedly constructed. Also, the present invention is not limited to any particular configuration or construction of door. Other or alternative ways can be used for maintaining the roller in retracted position until it is desired to have the roller engage the track. The device is spring-loaded whereby the spring keeps the roller from jumping the track after the assembly has been properly adjusted. Due to the provision of the interengaging portions, the parts cannot be put together in improper manner since there is only one way that they will fit together. The parts can be molded, cast or stamped, or they can be made of solid materials, and in a very short period of time the wheel and wheel housing can be replaced without the necessity of removing the entire assembly, merely by removing screw 50, and this can be done without dismantling any other portion of the door.

The present invention is light in weight and is specially convenient to use on screen doors and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, the numeral indicates a roller assembly for a sliding door such as the sliding door 57. The door 57 may include vertically disposed spaced parallel side members 58, a panel 59, a bottom rail 60 having a cutout or opening 107, and the side members 58 have openings 61 therein for the insertion therethrough of a portion of a screwdriver or other tool.

As shown in FIG. 5, the roller assembly 90 includes a bracket 91 which includes a first leg or portion 92 that is vertically disposed, and the bracket 91 further includes a horizontally disposed second portion 93, as well as an upstandingthird portion 94. The bracket 91 also includes a vertically disposed fourth portion or leg 95 which has a threaded opening 108 therein. The bracket 91 also includes a horizontally disposed portion or leg 96. As shown in the drawings, there is provided a screw member 97. The screw member 97 has a head 98 on the outer end thereof. The numeral 99 indicates a coil spring which has one end circumposed on a portion of the screw member 97. The roller assembly 90 further includes a support member 109 that embodies or includes a body piece 100, as well as a base element 111, and the pieces 100 and 111 are adapted to be fastened together as, for example, by means of securing element 101. The coil spring 99 has an end hereof abutting a surface or portion 110 of the body piece 100. The portion 96 of the bracket 91 has a shoulder or rounded portion 102, and the shoulder 102 has an inner recess 112. The numeral 103 indicates a rounded tongue which is integral with the body piece 100, and the tongue 103 is adapted to selectively, rockably and pivotally move in the recess 112. The tongue 103 has a rupturable tab 104, and the shoulder 102 is provided with a groove 105 for selectively receiving the tab 104. The numeral 106 indicates a wheel or roller which is journaled in the base element 111.

It will, therefore, be seen that when using the roller assembly 90 of FIG. 5, initially the parts are in the position of FIG. 5 so that the tab 104 is seated in the groove 105. At the proper time the parts can be adjusted so that the tab 104 will rupture or separate from the tongue 103 so as to permit the roller assembly to move to its lower operative position partially through the cutout 107 after the door has been installed. This will permit installation of the door in its door frame with the roller in raised position as shown in FIG. 5. Subsequently, the parts can be adjusted or moved so that the roller assembly moves to its lowermost position whereby the roller or wheel 106 will engage the track therebelow in order to permit the sliding door to move back and forth as desired or required. As shown in FIG. 5, it is only necessary to insert a tool such as a screwdriver through the opening 61 to engage the head 98 so as to rotate the screw member 97 whereby the inner end of the screw member 97 will bear against or engage a portion such as the portion of the body piece 100, and when sufficient slight pressure has been applied in this manner, the tab 104 will rupture from its tongue 103 so that the coil spring 99 will bias or urge the support member 109 to a down position, after the door has been installed. Thus, the coil spring 99 functions to provide a no-jump feature to the assembly due to the fact that the wheel 106 will be urged or biased into engagement with its track in such a manner that the ability of the wheel 106 to jump from its track will be minimized or eliminated.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a no-jump roller assembly for sliding doors, a bracket, a pivotally mounted wheel housing operatively connected to said bracket, spring means operatively connected to said wheel housing, and retaining means for selectively maintaining the wheel housing in raised position, said retaining means comprising a rupturable tongue.

2. In a roller assembly for a sliding door, in combination with a horizontally disposed track, said sliding door including vertically disposed side members having apertures therein, said door further including a horizontally disposed bottom rail, a bracket including a ver tically disposed first portion, a horizontally disposed secend portion, an upstanding third portion, a depending fourth portion, and said bracket further including a horizontally disposed fifth portion, there being a threaded opening in said fourth portion of the bracket, a screw member extending through said last-named opening, a coil spring ci'rcumposed upon said screw member, a base unit engaging the other end of the coil spring opposite to the end on the screw member, a wheel journalled in said base unit, an enlargement on the fifth portion of said bracket and said enlargement having an arcuate recess therein, said base unit having a rounded portion swivelly engaging said last-named recess, and a rupturable tongue operatively connecting said base unit to said bracket.

3. In a roller assembly for sliding doors, a bracket, an adjustable screw member connected to said bracket, a coil spring circumposed on a portion of said screw member, a support member having said coil spring engaging a portion thereof, a shoulder on said bracket and said shoulder having a recess therein, said support member having an integral rounded tongue for selective rockable movement in said recess, a rupturable tab on said tongue, there being a groove in said shoulder for receiving said tab, and a roller connected to said support member.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said bracket includes a first vertically disposed portion, a horizontally disposed second portion, a vertically disposed third portion, a depending fourth portion having a threaded opening therein for receiving said screw member, and said support member including a body piece and a base element connected together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,175,255 3/1965 Saunders 49425 3,283,444 11/1966 Andres 49-420 3,386,208 6/1968 Banner 49-420 3,443,340 5/1969 Helmick et al. 49-420 J. KARL BELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 16-91; 49425

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