US2603826A - Multiple pintle hinge for overhead doors - Google Patents

Description

July 2 1952 w. J. BOBISCH MULTIPLE PINTLE HINGE FOR OVERHEAD DOORS 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed May 21, 1948 W. J. BOBISCH MULTIPLE PINTLE HINGE FOR OVERHEAD DOORS July 22, 1952 2 SPEETSSHEET 2 Filed May 21, 1948 Patented July 22, 1952 William J. Bobisch, Altadena, Calif., assignor to The R. H. Osborne Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 21, 1948, Serial No. 28,360

Claims.

My invention relates generally to overhead door hardware and more particularly to suchhardware that is adapted to permit the installation of a door of this general type where there is a minimum of clearance.

The use of an overhead door on a garage has a number of advantages to recommend its installation, some of these being its ease and simplicity of operation, and its general freedom from being blown closed by a wind. However, to permit such an installation to be made on many existing buildings, it is necessary that the door have hardwarewhich wmrequire a minimum of upward movement of the top of the door as the latter is opened'or closed. For example, in many garages the vertical distance'betw'een the ceiling and the upper edge of the opening of the door is approximately six inches or less, providing a minimum ofclearance or headroom. Cfonsequentlyif an overhead door is tobe installed insuch a garage, it is necessary that the hardware'be of I the type. which does not requirethe upper edge=of the door to travel more that thissmall distance vertically inmoving" from closed to-op'en position. Previously, certain hardware has been available which meets this requirement but has permitted a relatively large portion of the door to extend outwardly beyond theouter face of the building when the door is in open position, this being known as overhang. Since a door of this type is rather delicately balanced, this overhang has prevented the use of such hardware in localities where snow is likely to accumulate upon the projecting portion of the open door. Y

. It is therefore a major object of my invention to provide an improved overhead door construction.

Another'object of my invention is to provide an overhead door construction which has a relatively small overhang, when open.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of this type wherein the vertical space or'headroom necessary to operate'the door may be quite small, for example, fourinches.

Still another object of: my invention'is to provide such a door whose ;.operation is ver-y smooth and easy, requiring aminimum of effort to move it fromv one limiting position to another.

It is a still further objectof my invention to provide hardware for axdoor of .this type which may be inexpensively manufactured, and installed by relatively unskilled labor. 1

2 from the drawings illustrating that form, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved hardware installed where there is a very small amount of headroom available for the operation of the door, the latter being shown in its closed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the hardware shown in Fig. 1, it being understood that there is a similar set of hardware at the opposite end of the door which is substantially identical to the set of hardware shown;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2,

but with the door in its open or upper limitin position; Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a similar but unsat isfactory type of hardware which requires additional headroom because of the absence of-the ofiset member of one of the arms;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a hardware constructecl'in accordancewith the present invention showing the improved results obtained from the use of the offset pivotal connection;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the hardware I requirements and substantially complete absence of overhang. However, guideways of thistype are always subject to jamming and stickingland are never satisfactory from the standpoint of ease of operation. 'In' addition, the use of this type of hardware presents lvery' difficult problems in connection withcounter-balancing the weightof the door, and while these problems are not insol-v ub1e,- they, combined with the disadvantages of a guideway, rendera solution ofithis type impractical.

open to closed-position. This moveinen-tis similar to that obtained by the use ofa parallelogram linkage, but, aswill be pointed out, 'otli erjmhveby this type'of linkage. 7

merits must be provided wa s e nnaessences.

4. In this diagram, a door Ill'is'pivotally attached at a point H to a main supporting arm I2, the other end of which is pivotally attached at a point [3 to the wall or other convenient supporting structure. The forward or lower end of the door 10 is pivotally attachedat a point 14a to an auxiliary or guiding arm a whose other end is pivotally connected to a point it to a wall or other similar rigid structure. As the door is moved from its upper limiting position, shown in solid line and indicated by the letterA, the forward end of the door moves downwardly and forwardly a considerably. greater distance than the central portion of the door, resulting in the doors being moved to the position shown in dotted outline and designated by the letter A. The tipping of thedoor It) results in its rear end being raised above itsnormal horizontal position, requiring a considerable amount of headroom for a door of this type. resents a considerable advance over the majority of overhead doors now in use, it still requires more headroom'than is often available when a door of this type is to be installed in an existing building. 7

.{ljhe principal causeof ,this excessive tipping of, the door is foundinthe length of the auxiliary or guiding rod [5a whose length is such that a given angular rotation of the arm causes a considerabletverticaltravel of the pivot point, I ia.

I have found'thatby providing .a member to off-.-

set the pivot point from the surface of the door, I am able to shorten the lengthof the auxiliary arm I5a and thereby materially. improve the-operation of. the door. r

In Fig. 5, I have illustratedschematically the construction and operation ofa'door using my improved hardware, the door .ltl being pivotally connected at-a point II to a main arm l2. whose other end is pivotally attached'to a wall or sup.-. At the forward or lower.

portingstructure I 3. end of the door 'I provide an offset member I! having a pivotal connection [4 at its lower or length .of the-auxiliary arm l5, thereby decreasingits vertical travel downwardly for a given angular rotation; Consequently, when the door I!) is moved from'its limiting position, shown in ,full line and. designated by the: letter A, to the: position A, corresponding to the same position shown in Fig. lg-the rear. end of the door-is not appreciably raised but instead remains at substantially the same elevation.

7 Turning now to the preferred embodiment of my inventionas illustrated in the remainingfiguresiof the drawings the numeral l0 designates generally' a. doorof any suitable. and well known 'type adapted for overheadoperation.

.Attachedto the door. l0. ata point ll isa main supporting arm l2 which is also pivotallyattached at a point l3 to a pivot block;,2 0, that is,

While this type of construction rep- 4 firmly and rigidly held as by the structure of the garage itself. An offset member I! is attached at the lower end of the door I0, and carries a pivot point M to which an auxiliary or guiding arm I5 is attached, the other end of this arm being pivotally attached at a point IE to the previously mentioned pivot block 20. These elements, with the exception of the pivot block Zil, will be recognized as being the same elements previously mentioned in conjunction with the diagrams of Figs.

4 and 5. In addition, I have illustrated a beam 2| extending across the opening of the garage,

"and a ceiling 22 or other member which impairs the headroom available for the operation of the hardware.

. garage which the door I!) is adapted to close.

As indicated in Figs. 1: and 6, the pivot block 20 is mounted on the rear surface of the jamb 23, extending inwardly from the outer face of the garage and in a direction generally perpendicular to the door Ill when the latter is in its closed position. As best shown in these figures and in Fig. 7, the pivot block 20 is preferably formed of relatively heavy sheet metal 28 which may have a generally trapezoidal shape with a vertically extending forward wall 24, substantially horizontal upper and lower walls or edges 25 and 26 respectively, and an angularly positioned rear wall 21. As will become apparent, the shape of the pivot block 29; and its various walls is relatively unimportant so long as the relative positioning of the various pivot points is maintained. The outer face 28 of the pivot block 20 is provided with holes I3a and Mia near its rear edge 21, these holes corresponding to the pivot points l3 and I6 previously mentioned. The upper hole l3a is located rearwardly of the lower hole [6a, the exact positioning of these various holes being so correlated with the remainder of the hardware in a manner hereinafterdescribed as to produce the desired results.

surface provided by the boss is offset to provide the proper clearance between the arms I2 and I5. The hole 16a, on the other hand, is not surrounded by a boss but instead is formed directly in the outer surface 28. I

It will be appreciated that the sides 2 25, 23, and 2! of the pivot block 2B act as reinforcing flanges to provide the latter with the requisite strength and rigidity. In addition, the forward wall 24 is provided with generally horizontally extending slots 3! adapted to receive lag screws, bolts; or other attaching means 32 for securely holding thepivot block 20 th thejambl23. Ad- Ja ntt se 53 I prefer tuform generally elliptical or vertically extending cut-outs 33 in the outer face 28 of the pivot block 20 to permit a wrench to be inserted for tightening. the screws or bolts 32. In 'many. instances, theuse of the apertures 33.,Will be'unnecessa'ry since there will be sufficientuclearancebetween the. jamb 23 and the side wall ofthegarage to. permit the insertion of a wrench in thatispace. However, where there is insufiicient space-fertile free movement ofsuch a wrenchgthe apertures 33 may be used to considerable advantage. I 7 v 1 To insurethe correctpo'sitioning of the pivot points :1 and I4 and the offset member n with respect to the door In, .-I-provide an attaching member 3 3 preferably in. the form o fan angle memberiattachedfto the side. or 'edge-ofthe door.

In addition, a boss is formed, adjacent the upper hole,l3a so that the bearing 5.. As indicatedin Figs. 1 to 3, the angle member 34 includes a'flange which is bolted or otherwise securely held to the rear or inside surface of the door It] while a perpendicular flange extendsrearwardly, away from the surface of the door. At the proper location, the width of the rearwardly projecting flange may be increased, and a hole formed therein to receive a bolt or pin which acts as the pivot point II.

At the lower end of the angle 34, I mount the offset member II which is preferably formed as a rearwardly projecting generally triangularly shaped member attached to the rearwardly projecting flange of the angle member as by bolting, riveting, welding, or other suitable means. At the rearmost end of the offset member IT, a hole is formed to receive a bolt or pin adapted to act as the shaft constituting the pivot point I4.

To form the main or supporting arm I2 extending between the pivot points II and I3, I preferably select a section of tube, pipe, or other structural form of sufficient strength, form a hole at one end thereof to receive the bolt II, and form another hole near the center to receive the bolt or pin I3. This leaves a section of the arm I2'extending beyond the pivot point I3 in a direction away from the door Ill, and an adjustable clamp 35 is s'ecurelyattached to the arm at a point between its end and the pivot point I 3. Near the base of the jamb 23 I mount an angle bracket 36 which is securely held to the jamb, and between the clamp 35 and the bracket 36 I place a helical tension spring 31. While the spring 31 is herein shown as extending the entire distance between the clamp 35 and bracket 36, it is to be understood that if desirable, the length of the spring may be shortened and'a tension adjusting member such as a turnbuckle inserted therein in the well knownmanner tocontrol the force exerted by the spring. The spring 31 thus tends to rotate the arm I2 about the pivot point I3 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, while the weight of the door In opposes this rotation and tends to rotate the arm in a counterclockwise direction. By properlyadjust-- ing thetension of the spring 37, these two'opposing forces may be made substantially equal so that the door Illwill remain in either of its two limitin positions, but may be easily moved fro1 one of those positions to the other. I

The auxiliary or guiding arm I5 acts principally arm I2, while the opposite or door end-is properly aligned with the offset member I1.

From a studyof the geometry of the hardware and its operation, it will be seen that my improved overhead .door mounting may be used with doors of any height provided that the pivot block 20 is'maintained a predetermined distance below the header or beam 2I. However, since the variousiel'ements of the hardware are attached to the rear or inward surface of the door, while it is theouter surfacewhich bears against the beam 2I and which would bear against-the ceiling '22 if the hardware were improperly: placed, provisionmustbe made for these variationsin door, thickness". I have solvedfthis "problem 1 by mounting the pivot block 20 a distance below the lower surface of the beam 2| equal toxapredetermined fixed distance, plus the thickness of the door I0. In this way, I. am able to provide a set of mounting instructions which mayeasily be followed by inexperienced personnel, while at the same time providing very satisfactory hardware which is suitable for doors of diiferent heights, the height of the door determining the amount of overhang which exists when'the door is in its open or upper. limiting position.

' By way of example only and not as a limitation, I have foundthat if the following dimensions are used, very satisfactory results will be obtained. The pivot point I3 is located 10%" rearwardly from the rear face of the stud 23, and a distance equal to 26 plus the thickness of the door beneath the lower surface of the beam 2|. The pivot point I6 which attaches the auxiliary arm I5 to the pivot block 20 is located 10 below the pivot point I3 previously men'- tioned, and is located 5% rearwardly of the stud 23.

The pivot point I4 in the end of the offset member I1 is located 10 rearwardly of the rear face of the stud 23, and that pivot point is located 38" from the pivot point I5, measured along the auxiliary arm I5. The pivot point II,

almost all of the standard size doors now in use.

The use of a quadrilateral linkage having these general proportions gives rise to new and beneficial results in addition to the advantages of reduced headroom. and clearance. It may be shown by experiment and analysis that as the door I0 is lowered from its open position, the turning moment exertedby the door because of its weight increases gradually until it reaches a maximum near the mid-position of the door. Thereafter the turning moment decreases until the door is completely closed, giving a moment curve having the general shape of a parabola, while the spring 31 exerts a turning moment upon the main supporting arm I 2 in-a direction opposite to that provided by the door, the moment curve of the spring generally following the moment curve of the door. However, because of the particular type of linkage used, the moment exerted by the door suddenly decreases as the fully closed position is approached, while the moment of the spring decreases relatively uniformly. As a result, a checking effect is had which slows-the movement of the door. as it is lowered, greatly reducing the possibility of any banging or slamming. and also acting to render The action of the opening of the door easier. the spring 37 may be varied by changing its tension, moving 'thecollar 3 5 along the arm I2, and 5 by Shlftll'lgfi the point-of connection of the spring with respect to the axis of the arm I2. This latter action may be secured byproviding the collar.

35 with a series of connectingholes in themanner; illustrated, thus. making use of the means I and effect disclosed in the co-pending application Q 5 .Qff RfilPh H.- Osborne, entitled .Improved. Hardware for Overhead Doo rs,f 1 Serial .No

fils i J l Y- 1 1:1947. now .Eabandoned.

forwardly from saidpivotblock. 2. Overhead door hardware which includesij a;

pivot point Mon the extension I1, I secure what I believe-to be the optimum results. By'varying the variousidistances and ratios; the amount of headroom required and the amount of overhang thisconstructiomI' am able to'mount an over.-

headdoor where the clearance above the bottom of the bcam'zl is no more than 3", and with a minimumiamount of overhang when the door is in its open position. While the actual amount of overhang. will vary with thethickness of the door, a seven foot door will project approximately beyond the vertical line passing through the pivot point '11, or expressed differently, approxigmately 30" outwardly from-the rear face of the stud 23. As the height of the door is increased, this increasewill be added, directly to the amount of overhang, but will seldom if ever become ob jectionable with doors of conventional size;

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined herein. Consequently, I do not wish to be restricted V to the particular-form or arrangement of-.- parts herein described and my claims.

Iclaim: 1 7 W V 1. Overhead door hardware which includes: a pivot block adapted "to be rigidly attached to a structure; a mounting plate adapted to be rigidly attached to a door associated with. said structure; a main supporting arm pivotally attached to said shown, exceptas limited by pivot block adjacent thefrearwardmost part thereof, and pivotallyfattachedto said mounting plate; T

anofiset memberrigidly connected to said mounting-plate andextending rearwiardly therefrom;. andan auxiliary arm pivotally attached tosaid pivot-block at a point forward of jthepivotal -31}.- tachment of saidmain supporting arm to said pivot block and tosaid offset member adjacent the rearwardmost part thereof, and adapted to extend downwardly and rearwardly from said pivot block 7 when said dcor'is in'avertical position, while said main arm is adapted to extend downwardly and pivot block a'dapted to be rigidly attachedito a' structure; a mounting plate adapted to be'rigid-f 1y attached'to a doorassociated with said struc'-.

I door: substantiallyhorizontally outward during.

1 rearwardly of said door and a second prede- V .termineddistancebelow the top of said doorway;

a second pivotal support adapted to be attached said pivot block adjacent the rearwardmost'part' thereof at a point locateda predetermined distance rearwardly from said plate, and pivota-lly extending :rearwardly. therefrom; and-an a u'xi-lia'ry.armpivotttllyattached to said "pivot block at a point forwardlof th'e pivotal attachment of said mainarm; to saidgpivot block, and pivotally tit-- tachedfto saidaoffset member adjacent thefrearward'most partithereb f at a point located'said predetermined distarice rearflwardly of said late; V t I wherebysaid auxiliary arm is adapted to extend th'1rd pivotal support, "thereby causingsaid door 8.. downwardly and rearwardly from said pivot block' when said door is in a vertical position.

3. Overhe'addoor hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith, the door being movable from a, vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including:' a pivot block adapted to be rigidly mounted on said structure, having a first pivotal support at a point spaced rearwardly a predetermined distance from the rear surface of said door; a main supporting arm adapted'tobe pivotallyattached to said door at a point adjacent the rear surface thereof and to said first pivotal support; an offset member adapted to beri'gidly attached to said door near the lower edge thereof, having a second pivotal support located at a point substantially vertically aligned with said first pivotal support when said door is in its vertical position; and an auxiliary armpivotallyconnected to said pivot block at a point forward of said first pivotal support, and to said second pivotal support, whereby said auxiliary arm is adapted to extend downwardly and rearwardly from said pivot block when said door is closed. I

4. Overhead door hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith; the door being movable froma vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including: a pivot block adapted to be rigidly connected to said structure and having first and second pivotal supports therein, said first pivotal support being located at a point spaced a predetermined distance rearwardly from said door, and said second pivotal support being located at a point intermediate said door and said first pivotal support and below the latter; a main arm adapted to be pivotally connected to said door and to said first pivotal support; and an auxiliary arm adapted to be pivotally connected to said door and to said second pivotal support, whereby a quadrilateral linkage is formed having the characteristic of moving said the first portion of; the travel'thereof from open to closed position, said auxiliary arm, when said door is in closed position, extending downwardly and rearwardly-from said second pivotal support, while said main-arm extends downwardly and forwardly from said first pivotal support.

5. Overhead door hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith, the door being movable-froma vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including: a first pivotal support adapted to be attached to said structure at a point located a first predetermined distance to said structure at a point located below said first pivotal supportand intermediate the latter and said door; a thirdpivotal' support adapted'to be attached to saiddoor at a pointbelow said second pivotal support; a fourth pivotal support adapted to be attached to said door at a point located below'said third pivotal support and rearwardly thereof a distance equal to said first pre- 7 determined distance; amain arm pivotally connected to said first .and third pivotal supports;

and an auxiliary arm 'pivotally connected to said second and fourth pivotalsupports, whereby said dooris'rotatable about said first pivotal support while; simultaneously being rotated about said to be held and moved substantially horizontally while near its open position, said auxiliary arm extending downwardly and rearwardly from said second pivotal support when said door is closed, while said main arm extends downwardly and forwardly from said first pivotal support.

6. Overhead door hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith, the door being movable from a vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including: a pivot block adapted to be attached to said structure and having a first and second pivotal support therein, said first pivotal support being at a point located a first predetermined distance rearwardly of said door and a second predetermined distance below the upper margin of said doorway, and said second pivotal support being at a point located intermediate said door and said first pivotal support and below the latter; a connecting member adapted to be attached to said door, having a third pivotal support at a point located immediately adjacent the rear surface of said door and below said second pivotal support; an offset member rigidly attached to said connecting member, having a fourth pivotal support therein at a point located below said third pivotal support and said first predetermined distance rearwardly thereof; a main supporting arm pivotally connected to said first and third pivotal supports; and an auxiliary arm pivotally connected to said second and fourth pivotal supports, whereby a quadrilateral linkage is formed comprising a portion of said pivot block, said main arm, said auxiliary arm, and said connecting member and said offset member, and said door is so guided by said linkage that said door is held and moved substantially horizontally when near its open position.

7. Hardware as described in claim 6 in which said pivot block is adapted to be mounted so that said first predetermined distance is approximately 82 units of length and said second predetermined distance is approximately 212 units of length plus the thickness of said door, said second pivotal support is approximately 81 units of length below and 41 units of length forward of said first pivotal support, the distance between said first and third pivotal supports, measured along said arm, is 227 units of length, andthe distance between said second and fourth pivotal supports, measured along said second arm, is 304 units of length.

8. Overhead door hardware of the class described, for a structure and a door associated jacent the rear surface thereof and at a point 6 below said second pivotal support; a fourth pivotal support adapted for attachment to said door at a point located said predetermined distance rearwardly of said third pivotal support and below the latter and at a point near the lower end of said door; a main arm connected to said first and said third pivotal supports for pivotal movement about the axes of such pivotal supports with respect to said structure and said door; and an auxiliary arm connected to said second and said fourth pivotal supports for pivotal movement about the axes of such pivotal supports with respect to said structure and said door.

9. Overhead door hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith, the door being movable from a vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including: a pivot block adapted for rigid mounting on said structure adjacent said door, said pivot block having a first pivotal support at a point located a predetermined distance rearwardly of said door, and a second pivotal support at a point located between said first pivotal support and said door and below said first pivotal support; a main supporting arm adapted to be pivotally connected to said door and to said first pivotal support; an offset member for rigid attachment to said door, having a third pivotal support located at a point near the lower end of said door and spaced rearwardly said previously mentioned predetermined distance from said door; and an auxiliary arm pivotally connected between said second and third pivotal supports.

10. Overhead door hardware for a structure and a door associated therewith, the door being movable from a vertical position closing the doorway to an open, horizontal position at the top of the doorway, the hardware including: a pivot block adapted for rigid mounting on said structure adjacent said door, having a first pivotal support at a point located a predetermined distance rearwardly of said door, and a second piv otal support at a point spaced rearwardly from said door a distance less than said first pivotal support and located lower than said first pivotal support; a third pivotal support adapted to be attached to said door at a point immediately adjacent the rear surface thereof, below said second pivotal support; an ofiset member adapted to be connected to said door near the lower end thereof, said member carrying a fourth pivotal support at a point located said previously mentioned predetermined distance rearwardly of said third pivotal support and located below said third pivotal support; a main arm pivotally connected between said first and third pivotal supports; and an auxiliary arm pivotally connected between said second and fourth pivotal supports.

WILLIAM J. BOBISCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,107,993 Fox Feb. 8, 1938 2,162,381 Guth June 13, 1939 2,259,819 Holmes Oct. 21, 1941 2,441,742 Wread May 18, 1948

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