US2353263A - Door mounting - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1944. HERCE 2,353,263

DOOR MOUNTING Filed April 19, 1943 22 Q ZI /7557525255 INVENTOR.

Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR MOUNTING Ernest El Pierce, Dallas, Tex.

Application April 19, 1943, Serial No. 483,586

9 Claims.

This invention relates to doors of the type designed to be opened by swinging them to a position overhead and it has particular reference to improved mounting mechanism.

The principal object of the invention is to pr vide a door mounting of such simplicity that it can be produced at an exceptionally low cost but more important, it'requires no unusual skill for its installation, by virtue of certain provisions not heretofore known, for accomplishing certain minor adjustments after installation of the door and through which the latter may be kept in good working condition irrespective of distortions of the door frame due to expansion and contraction or other causes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple garage door mounting consisting in part of a pair of arms, each being comprised of a length of angle or channel iron, tubular material or the like, bent at right angles and secured for limited but temporary pivotal adjustment on the door intermediate its top and bottom and offset laterally so that the rearwardly extending portion of the arm will lie against the side wall of the building to be pivotally connected thereto, the said offset obviating any obstruction to a vehicle or persons alighting therefrom in the garage.

Another and highly important object of the invention is to provide a bearing block serving as the pivotal support for the door mounting and which is mounted on a base capable of longitudinal adjustment on its support and which in turn supports the bearing block for lateral adjustment with respect to the major axis of the base, the said bearing block being provided with an offset having a set screw affording a thrust for the pintle affixed to the door mounting and through which lateral adjustments can be effected to obtain accurate alignment of the door with its opening after installation. Moreover, the bearing block is provided with a semicircular cam face on the end confronting the door mounting and having a high point in vertical alignment with the base of the bearing block. Ridin upon this cam face is a pair of adjustable screws, mounted in an arm of the door mounting, the combination being efiective to create a lateral thrust on the mounting without affecting the pivotal radius thereof in relation to the door header.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to certain features of accomplishment, to become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of the interior of a garage looking toward the door and showing the mounting of the latter.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the garage in elevation with the door in vertical section, and further showing the mounting.

Figure .3 is a detail perspective view of one of the mounting arms, partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the bearings, and

Figure 5'is a plan view thereof.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is primarily made to Figure 1 wherein l0 denotes the walls of a building, such as a garage, while numeral ll denotes the door thereof. As the sole supporting means for this door, a pair of right angle arms 12 is provided and which may be constructed from angle iron, as shown, pipe or channel iron, as desired. In any case, that portion a of each arm I2 which is to be affixed to the door is provided in its extremity with a transverse slot l3 and a series of aligned bolt holes M.

In securing the arm to the door, the height of the latter is determined and the arm is secured at a point intermediate the top and bottom thereof. First, a single bolt is passed through a selected one of the holes I4 and into the base Ma on the door between the studs l5, after which a bolt is passed through the slot l3 and into the base Ma. Neither bolt is tightened until the opposite ends of the arms are secured in their respective bearings, the latter to be described presently. By thus temporarily mounting the arms on the door, a limited degree of movement is afforded the rearwardly extending portions of the arms 12 with which it is possible to secure accurate alignment so highly necessary in mounting a door of this type, before actual securement is effected.

The rearwardly extending portions of the arms [2 must be strictly parallel and after accurate measurements have been made from the door rearwardly to determine the radius of the are on which the door must be constrained to travel, the position of the pivotal points of the arms is ascertained and the bearings installed.

The specially constructed bearing is illustrated in Figure 4 and consists of a base [6, adapted to be mounted upon a support ll affixed to the studs [8 of the garage walls II]. It is necessary, of course, that these supports also be carefully aligned to insure proper positioning of the bear.

ings. The base is is provided with slots [9 near each end and parallel with its major axis, to receive bolts which hold the base on its support.

Supported on the base l6, between spaced ribs 2| thereon, is the sub-base 22 of the bearing block 23. The sub-base 22 has slots 24 which are in transverse relation to the slots l9 of the base 16 and receive bolts 25, which secure the bearing onto the base l6.

Cast integrally with the sub-base 22' and the bearing block 23 is a, lug 26, disposed perpendicular to the sub-base 22 and provided with a threaded opening receiving a bolt 21.

Each of the arms l2 has a pintle 28 welded or otherwise secured thereto to extend outwardly to be received in the bearing block 23, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 particularly. This pintle is sufliciently long to extend through the bearing block where it is engaged by the bolt 21, for the purpose to be presently explained.

A pair of springs 29 are provided as a means for counterbalancing the door ll, one being arranged on each side, having one end connected in one of a series of holes b in the arm 12 while the opposite end extends upwardly and rearwardly and is anchored at c to a rafter or other point of securement in the building.

As a means for reinforcing the door ii, especially a double door, angle irons 29a are affixed along the inner side edges above and below the point of attachment of the arms and are longitudinally adjustable to accommodate doors of different height, made so by virtue of the series 0'1 holes 0 therein, certain of which correspond to the holes in a reinforcing plate 33 overlying the arms I2 where they cross the said angle irons 29a.

In installing the mounting, it is simply necessary to first locate a point on the door commensurate to proper balance and secure the arms by passing a bolt through one of the holes l4 and through the transverse slot 13 near the end of each arm. The position of the bearing support I! is then determined, whereupon it is installed and the bearing plate It mounted thereon. The bearings 23 are mounted upon the pintles 28 and placed upon the plates 16 and secured by the bolts entering the slots 24. However, before finall tightening either the bolts 25 or those 20 fastening the plate 22, the door must be centered in the opening. This requires but little manipulation and afterwards, these bolts are secured tightly and the bolts which fasten the arms to the door are likewise tightened. It will be noted that thelatter bolts are reinforced by the plates or strips which areshaped to overlie the arms t2 adjacent the outer edges of the door. These plates 30, as apparent in Figure l, are affixed over the reinforcing angle irons 29a.

As'stated previously, it is highly important that adjustment provisions be made to compensate for various disalignments occurring frequently in the walls, jambs, header and other parts of the conventional garage and which cause consequent disalignment of the door, however, accurately it may have been original-lyinstalled. In addition to the provisions just described for adjusting the bearing to effect changes in the radius of the mounting with re spect to the header, a means in the form of a flange ill on the bearing block 23 is provided to cooperate, with adjusting screws 32, mounted in the arms l2, whereby the arms may be constrained to move laterally in either direction to prevent the door from rubbing on the jambs, depending upon the location of the obstruction, and which may be accomplished without changing the radius on either side, with respect to the door header.

The flange 3| is provided with a cam face d confronting an arm 12 and while it is shown as eing a part of the bearing block 23, it may, as a matter of fact, be separated therefrom or mounted instead on the arm, opposite to its position as shown to produce the same or equal results, as will become apparent presently.

Assuming that distortions occurring in the frame of the building cause the door II in its opening or closing movements to frictionally engage the jamb on one side or the other. It is simply necessary to retract the screws 21, which normally function to control lateral displacement of the mounting and project the screw 32 which overlies the pintle when the arms are in horizontal position, this adjustment being made on the side where interference occurs between the door and jamb. At the same time, the companion screw 32 on the same side is correspondingly adjusted to insure proper displacement of the mounting as the latter is raised to vertical position. In effect the flange 3|, with its face (1, combined with the screws 32, serve in the capacity of a variable cam.

There are two sets of the adjusting screws 32 in each of the mounting arms l2, the pairs of screws being in opposite but corresponding positions in relation to the bearings 23 so that when the arms i2 are in horizontal position, one screw of each pair will overlie the high point of the cam surface on the flange 3| of the opposed bearings and when the arms l2 are in vertical position, the companion screws of the opposed pairs will assume a position overlying the high point of the cam. In other Words, the screws 32 are radially disposed in relation to their respective pintles 28 and as the arms 12 are moved the screws change positions with respect to the high point of the cam.

In order to prevent undue strain on the mounting, the screws 32 on the opposite arm [2 are manipulated so that this arm will yield to the displacement of the companion arm, one riding off the high point of the cam face d as the corresponding screw on the opposite arm rides upon the high point thereof. Thus, it will be seen that there will be effected a positive and controlled lateral movement of the door as it approaches the closed as well as the opened position, the degree of such movement being also controlled by predete'rmining the distance to which the screws 32 are projected or retracted. It is understood that when the screws 32 are in operative positions for the purposes explained, the pintle screws 27 are not in use but should the defects in alignment be corrected, the screws 2! may resume their function to maintain centered position of the door.

The method of installing the mounting just described may be altered to suit various conditions'but it is important to observe that the peculiar construction of the door supporting arms is such that limited displacement of the arms relative to their points of final securement may b effected to provide for slight differences in elevation of the door at the sides; further, the bearings are constructed so that they may be moved'forwardly or rearwardly to insure true relative parallelism between the door and adjacent front wall of the building. Moreover, the adjusting bolts 21 may be advanced or retracted to correspondingly act upon the pintles 28 thereby to accurately centralize the door. All of these steps lie within the abilities of an unskilled person to perform even to the actual installing of the mounting elements.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a counterbalanced door, a mounting device including a right angled arm, one leg of which is secured to and in offset relation to the side of a door and intermediate its top and bottom, the other leg thereof extending rearwardly, a, pintle carried by the latter leg of said arm, a bearing supported for longitudinal and lateral adjustment relative to the rearwardly extending leg of said arm and receiving its pintle, means supported on said bearing for axially adjusting said pintle in said bearing, a cam on said bearing and adjustable means carried by said arm and cooperating with said cam to likewise axially displace said pintle.

2. In a mounting for a counterbalanced door, a suspension member comprising a right angled arm, one leg of which is provided with a transverse slot adjacent its end and a series of aligned holes, the other leg of said arm having a laterally extending pintle thereon, a bearing rotatably receiving said pintle, a longitudinally adjustable base on which said bearing is laterally adjustable, means supported by said bearing and adjustably bearing on said pintle for changing its operative position relative to said bearing, a cam faced flange on said bearing and means adjusta'bly mounted in the arm adjacent said bearing and adapted to engage said cam face at predetermined positions of said arm to axially displace said pintle.

3. In a mounting for garage doors and the like, a pivoted arm connected to said door and adapted to support the latter for arcuate displacement to an overhead position, a bearing for pivotally supporting said arm, said bearing comprising a, base plate adapted for longitudinal adjustment on its base to effect changes in the pivotal axis of said arm, a journal block mounted on said base plate for lateral adjustment to effect changes in the lateral displacement of said arm, cam faced means supported by said bearing block and means carried by the pivoted portion of said arm and cooperating with said cam face to control the axial displacement of the pivot of said arm.

4. In a mounting for a counterbalanced door, an arm bent at right angles, having one leg secured to said door and the other leg extending rearwardly of said door and carrying a lateral pintle, a bearing revolvably retaining said pintle, comprising a longitudinallly adjustable base plate and a bearing block supported on said base plate for lateral adjustment, a cam supported by said bearing block, adjustable screws carried by said arm and cooperating with said cam to eifect adjustment in the axial position of said pintle and means for exerting an upward force on said arm at a point intermediate said door and said pintle.

5. A door mounting as set forth in claim 4 in which the leg of the arm secured to the door is provided with a transverse slot and a plurality of aligned circular apertures, one of the latter and said slot having bolts therein, retaining said arm on said door to provide for limited pivotal displacement of said arm preparatory to adjustment and ultimate fixation thereof on said door.

6. In a garage door mounting, an arm bent at right angles and affixed to a door to support said door for arcuate movement to a position overhead, a bearing pivotally supporting said arm, and comprising a base and a bearing block adjustably mounted thereon, a cam carried by said bearing confronting the pivotal leg of said arm and a screw adjustably mounted in said arm in radial relation to the pivot thereof and adapted to ride on said cam as said arm is actuated to displace the same laterally to compensate for disalignment of said door and its opening.

'7. In a mounting for a garage door, an arm having a portion adjustably secured to said door, with another portion extending rearwardly and pivoted to the side Wall of a garage, a bearing pivotally supporting said arm through said rearwardly extending portion, and means carried jointly by said bearing and said arm for constraining said arm to move laterally as the latter approaches both vertical and horizontal planes to similarly mov said door whereby to compensate for irregularities of alignment of said door with respect to its opening.

8. In a mounting for a garage door, an arm having a portion adjustably secured to said door, with another portion extending rearwardly and pivoted to the side wall of a garage, a bearing pivotally supporting said arm, a cam formed on the face of said bearing, and adjustable means carried by said arm and bearing on said cam as the arm is raised to effect lateral displacement of the pivotal point thereof to compensate for irregularities of alignment between said door and its opening.

9. In a door mounting, an arm mounted on said door and extending rearwardly, a bearing for said arm pivotally supporting the same for arcuate movement and adjustable both laterally and longitudinally and means carried jointly by said bearing and arm for exerting a lateral thrust on the latter as it approaches both vertical and horizontal planes.

ERNEST E. PIERCE.

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