GB1039179A - Improvements in or relating to sliding doors - Google Patents

Abstract

1,039,179. Vehicle doors. BECKETT, LAYCOCK & WATKINSON Ltd. Oct. 9, 1964 [Oct. 31, 1963], No. 43093/63. Heading B7J. A " flush-type " sliding vehicle door is supported and controlled at its front end on an arm 10 rigidly attached to a vertical bearing member 9 which is pivotally mounted in the door, and at its back end by a pair of grooved pivotable wheels 5 running on opposite sides of the web of a T-section rail 6, the arm 10 having at its end remote from the door a forked portion 11 and is pivotally mounted in a U-shaped runner 12, this runner being movable in a direction parallel to the sill 17 of the door on a wheel 18 attached to a side flange 19 of the runner, the second side flange 20 being provided with a ball race 21 which co-operatea with a complementary race 22 fitted to a face 23 of the sill to prevent the runner tilting under the weight of the door. When moving the door from the open to the closed position the door first moves in a direction parallel to the sill 17 until the fork portion 11 of the arm 10 engages a stud 32 fixed to the sill. This engagement prevents any further movement of the door in the parallel direction but enables the front end of the door to pivot about the member 9 and the stud 32 thereby moving the front end of the door adjacent to the bodywork 3. The back end of the door may then be pushed into its final position so the door fits flush with the bodywork. Rotation of the arm 10 before it reaches the stud 32 is prevented by a latch member 26, Fig. 4, having a projection 27 which engages a cut-out 28 of the arm, the latch being released only by engagement with the stud.