US3338289A

US3338289A - Folding gate

Info

Publication number: US3338289A
Application number: US427295A
Authority: US
Inventors: Catalano Joseph
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-01-22
Filing date: 1965-01-22
Publication date: 1967-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-29

Description

Aug 29, 1967 J. CATALAN@ 3,338,289

FOLDING GATE Filed Jan, 22, 1965 v VvE/vm? JOSEPH CATALANO United States Patent O 3,338,289 FOLDING GATE Joseph Catalano, 1218 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60622 Filed Jan. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 427,295 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-161) The present invention relates to a folding gate.

A broad object of the invention is to provide a folding gate arranged for transversely closing an opening, and having an overhead track for securing the upper edge of the gate.

Previously, objectionable limitations existed as to the Width of a span which a folding gate could effectively close. If the span or opening were too wide, the mesh of the gate, when in extended and closed position, would wobble and could easily be dellected transversely of the plane of the gate. There was no effective way to guide or secure the upper edge of the mesh because, due to the inherent characteristics of the folding gate, the mesh changes height between open and closed positions and consequently if the overhead securing means were in a position to secure the upper edge of the mesh in one position of the gate, it would not be in position to secure it in another position of the gate.

Another and principal object of the invention therefore is to provide a folding gate with an overhead track for securing the upper edge of the mesh thereof, which moves vertically with the mesh in the movements of the gate between open and .closed positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding gate with an overhead track of the character just referred to, together with novel guide means for guiding the track in its vertical movements.

Still another object is to provide a folding gate with an overhead track of the character just referred to, in which the overhead track is free floating in the guide means provided therefor, to facilitate opening and closing movements of the gate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel folding gate of the character mentioned in which there is no necessity for specially designing the door structure in which it is to be used.

Still another object is to provide a folding gate of the foregoing general character, which is of extremely simple construction and the time and expense for installing the gate is from a practical standpoint not greater than that required for a standard gate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detail description taken in conjunction with the` accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View of a folding gate incorporating the features of the present invention, shown mostly in perspective, but with the mesh of the gate shown in elevation, this ligure showing the closed position of the gate in full lines in open position in dot-dash lines;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken at line 2 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the gate;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse horizontal section taken at line 5 5 at FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, attention is directed first to FIGURE 1 showing the gate as a whole. The gate proper is indicated 'at 12 and includes a mesh 14 which may be a standard and known form of mesh including strips 16 arranged in two sets with those of each set pivoted to these of the other, in the usual way. If desired the mesh may be of the type shown in Patent No.

3,338,289 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 ice 2,990,880, issued July 4, 1961, to Marie E. and Marlene F. Catalano and in such case would include auxiliary strips 18 secured to the first mentioned strips 16.

The mesh 14 is secured to end rails 20 and 22 in the usual way. These rails are provided with vertical slots 24 receiving pins 26 which form rivets for pivotally interconnecting the ends of certain ones of the strips 16, these rivets having extended ends for working in the slots.

The folding gate is positioned in a doorway 28 extending between door jambs 30 and 32, the jamb 30 being that adjacent which the folding gate is positioned when in open position. The rails 20 and 22 may be of any known type, in this case being in the form of angle irons.

The rail 20 is fixed in position adjacent the jamb 30 and in the present instance includes a pin 34 at the lower end fitted in a hole in the oor. At the upper end is another pin 36 fitted in a hole in a channel member 38a of a guide means 38 for the overhead track, the guide means having an opposite channel member 38b at the opposite side of the doorway. This guide means will be referred to again in connection'with the overhead track. It is also within the scope of the invention to have the rail 20 secured directly to the jamb 30, but the securement of the upper end thereof to the channel member 38a adds to the simplicity of the invention, particularly in the installation of the gate.

The folding gate may ride on the lioor or be supported at the bottom in any known and desired manner, and in the present instance a channel member 40 is provided, secured to the floor in any suitable manner. Preferably a plurality of sets of rollers 42 are mounted on the extended ends of pins or shafts 44 which also serve as rivets for pivotally interconnecting the lower ends of the strips 16 of the two sets. The number of rollers 42 provided may be as is desired, for example two or three or four sets, the sets being spaced along the gate. If desired the rail 22 at the moving end of the gate may ride directly on the bottom of the channel. Suitable locking means indicated diagrammatically at 45 may be provided if desired.

The overhea-d track constituting the principal feature of the invention is shown at 46. This overhead track,

shown in section at FIGURE 2, preferably is in the form of a known type of track used for other kinds of doors, having a web portion 48, side lian-ges 50, and return-bend elements 52, the extended edges of the latter being spaced apart leaving a space 54 for receiving the upper end of the mesh. In this case also rollers 56 are provided, mounted on the extended ends of pins or shafts 58 which form rivets lfor pivotally interconnecting the upper ends of the strips 16. In this case also the number of sets of rollers 56 provided may be as desired, for example two or three or fou-r. The overhead track 46 rests on these rollers and rides vertically thereon in the opening and closing movements of the gate. As is known, the mesh 14 changes in height in the opening and closing movements of the gate, being higher when the gate is open and the mesh in contracted position, and lower when the mesh is extended and in closed position. The gate is shown in extended and closed position in full lines, and in contracted and open position in dot-dash lines.

The ends of the overhead track 46 are loosely and slideably received in the channels 38a and 38b, with suicient play to avoid binding. These channels are open U-shape channels secured to the jambs 30 and 32 in any desired manner, the webs of the channels being butted to the jambs and the open sides of the channels of course facing each other across the doorway.

Preferably the lower end of the channel 38a has a transverse horizontal element 59 which may be lformed as an extension of one of the elements of the channel, and welded in position, or may be a separate element welded thereto. This element has an aperture receiving the pin 36 on the rail 20. This arrangement simplifies installation of the gate, eliminating the necessity for secu-ring the rail directly to the door jamb 30.

Preferably the end of the overhead track adjacent the extended edge of the gate, i.e., the left end as viewed in -FIGURE 1, indicated at 46a is suspended by a tension spring 60 secured to a suitable iixed element in the installation, While the other end is supported only by the mesh of the gate. The spring 60 serves to support that end of the track When the gate is in open position, that end otherwise tending to drop when the gate is in open position.

' In the closing movements ofthe gate when the free edge of the mesh is moved toward the second jamb 32, the wheels 56 engage the bottom elements 52 off the overhead track and lower the end 46a of the track against the lifting effect of the spring 60.

The overhead track 46 is free of securement to any of the xed members of the installation, such as the door structure, being confined solely against transverse movement by the flanges of the channel members 38a and 38h. The tact that the guide channels 38 are separate from the doorjambs, and secured thereto, renders the folding gate of the invention adaptable to a standard door structure and eliminates the necessity for specially designing the door structure.

This overhead track is efective for securing the mesh 'against deflection or displacement in directions transverse to the plane of the mesh, and the mesh therefore becomes in effect a relatively rigid plane member. Even the intermediate portion, such as at the center of the mesh when in extended position, cannot be deliected to any appreciable amount because of the rigidity of the strips forming the mesh. The channel 40 at the bottom of course adds to the securement of the mesh, but even without this channel the mesh is unusually rigid by reason of the securement by the overhead track. When the mesh is secured along three edges, as in the present case, namely the two vertical edges and the top edge by the overhead track, the mesh is unusually rigid, without other securement. The inherent rigidity of the strips 16 making up the mesh, serves to greatly resist deiiection of the bottom edge of the -mesh when secured at the other three edges as stated.

The overhead track 46, aside from the operative engagement of its ends with the guide means 38, is in itself operative for resisting deflection of the mesh because of its length and its rigidity in directions transverse to the plane of the mesh.

The overhead track 46 oifers practically no resistance to the opening and closing movements of the folding gate and as a result such a gate with an overhead track can be provided of extremely great lengths for correspondingly wide doorways.

While I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the scope of the a-ppended claims.

I claim:

1. A folding gate for use in a doorway between opposed doorjambs comprising in combination, a mesh including pivoted sets of strips secured at one end to a first doorjamb and movable toward and from a second doorjamb, the mesh having an open position in which it is contracted and disposed adjacent the iirst doorjamb, and a closed position in which it is extended across the doorway with its free extended end adjacent the second doorjamb, the mesh changing in height in moving between open and closed positions, a continuous and integral overhead track operatively connected with the upper edge of the mesh and securing the latter against deection in directions transverse to the plane of the mesh, said overhead track having such connection with the mes'h as to enable free and full movement of the mesh relative thereto in moving between open and closed positions, the overhead track being supported by the mesh and freely movable bodily vertically with the upper edge thereof, and means other than the mesh for yieldably suspending the end of the overhead track adjacent the second doorjamb, and operative for retaining that end off the overhead track substantially at the same height as the end adjacent the first doorjamb when the mes-h is in open position and contracted.

2. The invention set out in claim 1 wherein the overhead track is in the form of a channel having an open side facing downwardly and receiving the upper edge of the mesh, an open space is formed between interfacing edges of inwardly directed elements on the lower ends of the flanges of the channel, and the upper edge of the mesh has elements disposed in the channel, engageable with said lower elements whereby upon movement of the mesh toward closed position with its -free edge moving toward the second doorjamb, said elements on the mesh engage said elements on the overhead track and lower the end of the track adjacent the second doorjamb Vagainst the lifting action by said yieldable suspending means.

y References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 331,066A 4/1833 Goodwin et al.- 39-76 447,102 2/1891 Bushman 16o- 161 n 494,323 4/1893 Pm 16o-137x 582,098 5/1897 Ruemmlerret al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 355,137 11/1960 Great Britain. 159,679 7/1957 sweden.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. 'HARRISON R. MosELEY, Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A FOLDING GATE FOR USE IN A DOORWAY BETWEEN OPPOSED DOORJAMBS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A MESH INCLUDING PIVOTED SETS OF STRIPS SECURED AT ONE END TO A FIRST DOORJAMB AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND FROM A SECOND DOORJAMB, THE MESH HAVING AN OPEN POSITION IN WHICH IT IS CONTRACTED AND DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FIRST DOORJAMB, AND A CLOSED POSITION IN WHICH IT IS EXTENDED ACROSS THE DOORWAY WITH ITS FREE EXTENDED END ADJACENT THE SECOND DOORJAMB, THE MESH CHANGING IN HEIGHT IN MOVING BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, A CONTINUOUS AND INTEGRAL OVERHEAD TRACK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF THE MESH AND SECURING THE LATTER AGAINST DEFLECTION IN DIRECTIONS TRANSVERSE TO THE PLANE OF THE MESH, SAID OVERHEAD TRACK HAVING SUCH CONNECTION WITH THE MESH AS TO ENABLE FREE AND FULL MOVEMENT OF THE MESH RELATIVE THERETO IN MOVING BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, THE OVERHEAD TRACK BEING SUPPORTED BY THE MESH AND FREELY MOVABLE BODILY VERTICALLY WITH THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF, AND MEANS OTHER THAN THE MESH FOR YIELDABLY SUSPENDING THE END OF THE OVERHEAD TRACK ADJACENT THE SECOND DOORJAMB, AND OPERATIVE FOR RETAINING THAT END OF THE OVERHEAD TRACK SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE END ADJACENT THE FIRST DOORJAMB WHEN THE MESH IS IN OPEN POSITION AND CONTRACTED.