Abstract: A roll-up door has a bottom bar attached to the flexible curtain of the door. The bottom bar has transverse openings at each end adjacent to the jambs of the door frame. A breakaway shaft travels in a track in each jamb and has one end normally seated in a respective transverse opening by the interaction of spring loaded ball detents and detent recesses in the shaft and bar. The opposite ends of the shafts are connected to a counterforce mechanism that urges the shaft downwardly and are also connected to a strap wound with the curtain drum to urge the shafts upwardly against the counterforce. The breakaway shafts will separate from the bar upon impact to free the bar from engagement with the jamb and prevent damage to the door. The breakaway shafts may then be reconnected with the bottom bar and reset by unwinding the curtain to an overtravel position that is beyond the normal closed position of the door.

Abstract: A goods-handling door having a raisable curtain for closing a door-bay, the door including two rigid side uprights disposed on either side of the door-bay, each upright including a slideway, the door further including a curtain disposed between the uprights, the vertical edges of the curtain sliding in respective ones of the slideways, each upright including a rigid web that faces said door-bay, each slideway including a vertical slot formed through said rigid web, said vertical slot being delimited by two edges, wherein each slideway further includes a flexible draft-proofing cloth interconnecting its two edges over substantially the entire height of the slot, thereby delimiting a vertical pocket on its side opposite from the door-bay, which pocket is designed to receive an edge of the curtain, said edge bearing flexibly against the bottom of the pocket, which bottom has sufficient clearance to absorb movements and deformations of the edge of the curtain.

Abstract: An overhead roll door includes a breakaway guide follower having a first part attached to a raising and lowering mechanism and a second part attached to the door. The first part defines a pivotable latch plate having a slot therein, and the second part of the guide follower defines a pin received in the slot. A detent mechanism resists rotation of the latch plate out of a retaining position, in which the first and second retaining elements are held together, to a release position, in which the second retaining element is allowed to move transversely with respect to the first retaining element to allow the door to breakaway in response to an impact.

Abstract: A vertically-opening door installation which is exposed to cold on one side includes a vertically-opening flexible curtain (6) and two risers to guide the respective side edges of the curtain. Each riser includes a lining (12) made of a material which is a poor conductor of heat and which lines the inside of the channel section bar, and at least one longitudinally-extending cavity (14) providing a cushion of air between the outside surface of the channel section bar and the inside surface of its lining. The inside surface of lining (12) is smooth. At least one of the longitudinally-extending cavities (14) may include electrical heater resistance (15) or similar heating devices. The riser is provided to prevent frost and ice from forming around the side edges of the curtain of a goods-handling door which is exposed to the cold.

Abstract: A lifting curtain industrial door including a flexible curtain capable of being gathered together at the top of the door by being rolled up or folded, and of being lowered in a plane between two vertical side uprights each including a slideway, each slideway having a guide wall on either side of the plane of the curtain, the curtain having lateral portions which slide in said slideways, said lateral portions being adapted to escape from the slideways in the event of an abnormal transverse force, wherein the wall of the upright including the slideway includes at least one moving wall element capable of deforming elastically so as to form a path enabling a lateral portion of the curtain to pass from the outside to the inside of the slideway, but not in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A sliding skid for the end of a reinforcing bar of a curtain of a raisable-curtain industrial door of the type comprising a curtain and a rigid door frame including two vertical lateral uprights disposed on either side of the door, forming or containing slideways, and interconnected at their top ends by a horizontal cross-member, said curtain being capable of being lowered or raised between the uprights to be collected together at the top of the door, and being reinforced by equidistant horizontal reinforcing bars, the edges of the curtain and the ends of the reinforcing bars sliding in the slideways, the bars being disposed in sheaths formed by localized double thicknesses of the curtain, wherein the skid is generally semi-cylindrical in shape, having fixing means for fixing to the curtain, and having a radial finger at one of its ends for being engaged through a slot in the sheath of the curtain to limit displacement of a reinforcing bar whose end may come into abutment against said finger.

Abstract: A closure assembly which is adapted to be used with structural members has a pair of guides and a closure member which is in mechanical interengagement with the guides so as to permit relative sliding movement in opening and closing the closure. The closure member has a pair of tracking members disposed on opposite edges which may take the form of tape members. These tracking means are retained within the guides. The guides may have secured thereto shoes which are engaged within guide channels secured to frame members so that relative lateral movement between the guides and frames is permitted. A biasing assembly which enhances lateral tension on the closure member may be employed.

Abstract: A lifting curtain door comprising a frame constituted by two vertical side uprights interconnected at their top ends by a cross member, the side uprights each constituting or including a slideway, each slideway having a guide wall on either side of the plane of the curtain, which curtain may be gathered together at the top of the door by being rolled up or folded, the curtain being reinforced by horizontal bars whose ends slide in the slideways. At least one of the bars has sufficient flexibility at least one portion of its length to enable it to escape from at least one of the slideways in the event of an abnormal transverse force being applied to the bar, without the bar being deformed permanently which could impede subsequent operation of the curtain.

Abstract: A roll-up door in which the bottom bar is attached to the flexible door curtain has a transverse opening at an end adjacent to a jamb of the frame of the door. A breakaway shaft travels in a track in the jamb and has one end that normally seats in the transverse opening and provides a link between the bottom bar and the jamb. The other end of the shaft is restrained so that the shaft is held in a generally horizontal attitude. The opening in the bar and the breakaway shaft have cooperating means to normally retain the shaft in the opening but which are releasable upon a force striking the curtain or bottom bar. The breakaway shaft will separate from the bar upon impact thereby freeing the bar from engagement withthe jamb and preventing damage. The breakaway shaft may thereafter be reinserted into the opening in the bar to reconnect the bottom bar to the track and permit continued operation of the door.

Abstract: An industrial door includes a door panel that is movable between an open position and a closed position where the door panel encloses a doorway. A flexible beam is attached to the lower edge of the door panel and the beam is composed of superimposed strips of resilient material, such as rubber, with flexible metal strips disposed between adjacent resilient strips. Each end of the beam is provided with a longitudinal open-ended slot and an extension of a guide member is mounted within each slot in a manner such that the extensions will freely slide in the slots in a direction parallel to the plane of the door panel and will be released from the slots if the beam is subjected to a substantial accidental impact.

Abstract: A roll-up door for enclosing the doorway in a building. The door comprises a horizontal rotatable drum mounted above the doorway and a flexible door panel is wound on the drum. A pulley is secured to each end of the drum and the first ends of a pair of belts are secured to each pulley and the belts are wound in overlapping relation on pulley so that adjacent convolutions of each belt are separated by convolutions of the other belt. The free end of one belt is dead-ended on the frame, and a counterbalancing weight is attached to the belt intermediate its ends and exerts a counterbalancing force to wind the door panel on the drum. The free end of the second belt is connected to the lower end of the door panel and a pair of springs are connected to the second belt intermediate its ends and the springs exert a tensioning force to stretch the door panel when the door panel is in the closed position.

Abstract: A screen assembly comprising a roll carrying screening material such as flyscreen material, a pair of guides at opposite sides of said roll and receiving opposite edges of said material and a strengthening element fixed for movement with the screen material and extending parallel to the roll, the strengthening element being formed of thin resilient non-extensible material. The element has an arcuate cross section to enable it to be rolled up onto the roll and apertures or slots at either end for engagement over guide tracks in the opposite guides.

Abstract: A roll out tarp cover assembly is situated across the front end of a truck box and contains a roller upon which the tarpaulin or cover engages. It is operated by a retractable hand crank at one end. Transverse stiffeners are secured to the cover with the ends engaging side rails secured to the upper edges of the truck box sides and the cover may be detachably secured by the free end thereof to the upper edge of the tailgate by snap fasteners, magnets or the like. The side rails have drainage holes and a rain shedding outer shroud fasteners are slideably engageable within a track formed on the under side of the side rails in order to secure the rails to the upper edges of the truck box.

Abstract: A device for locking a roll-up curtain used for protection of window openings and the like, in the fully drawn position, comprises a flap section that defines on its upper side, a seat for clamping the lower edge of the curtain. The flap section includes at opposite ends, two sliders which ride in respective vertical guides inserted in the posts of a frame enclosing the opening. Two latches are slidingly mounted in the flap section, and push-buttons have springs that drive the latches laterally into respective engagement with a lock seat provided in the base of each post. The lock seats are in post bases that are adjustable relative to the post. A fully unwound and locked curtain is released by simultaneously pressing the push-buttons.

Abstract: A roller door assembly comprises a roller door having on its vertical edges spaced restraining members, and guides at each edge of the door including opposing members forming a gap therebetween. The restraining members are on one side of the gap with the door on the other side thereof, whereby upto a desired pressure or force on the door the restraining members cannot pass through said gaps but at said desired pressure or force the restraining members are compressed and/or the gap expends for the restraining members to pass through said gaps to release the door.

Abstract: A reinforcing bar for stiffening and guiding a flexible curtain in a vertically raisable door is fixed horizontally to the curtain and each of its ends penetrates into a corresponding vertical guiding slideway (1). At each of its ends, the bar includes a zone of reduced mechanical strength to enable the bar to escape from the guideways (1) when it is subjected to a thrust of given force substantially perpendicularly to the curtain (2). The bar is constituted, for example, by tubular portion (3) having two protective end pieces (43) fitted to its respective ends, with the end pieces being designed to break at zones of weakness (433).

Abstract: A door assembly for a doorway opening, such as a garage opening, comprises a door with a flexible door panel. The flexible door panel is guided around rotatable guide wheels between a closed position and an open position. When in the open position, the flexible door panel is substantially horizontal to maximize the height clearance of the doorway opening.

Abstract: A flexible curtain (8) for a concertina-type door includes a strip (12) of flexible material running along each of its side edges and suitable for coming into contact with the bottoms of the edge-receiving grooves in each of the door posts (1). If the flexible curtain includes reinforcing bars (9) having guide-wheels (11) at their ends, the strips may include wheel-receiving gaps. Advantageously, the strips are constituted by brushes having long and flexible bristles. If the curtain has reinforcing bars which do not include guide-wheels (11) the reinforcing bars need not penetrate fully into the grooves in the door posts (1), thereby leaving room for the strips (12) to be constituted by the edges of the curtain (8) itself, with the curtain being wider than the distance separating the bottoms of the facing door post grooves. The strips (12) provide draft-proofing for the concertina-type door under all normal conditions, i.e.

Abstract: A roll-up or curtain type door is disclosed which has modular components which are interchangeable for use on either side of the door, thereby reducing significantly the number of parts which must be manufactured for the door. The number of hardware items is also reduced significantly by designing components which slide together in a secure locking fashion, resulting in better ease of assembly and installation. In one embodiment, the roll-up door of the present invention is used to secure a storage unit with shelves.

Abstract: A security door system using a roll-up door fabricated of curtain sections reinforced by extruded metal cross beams. The system is designed for installation in a closet doorway or the like to provide security for valuables which may be stored in the closet or to keep dangerous implements, such as guns, away from children in a household, and the like. The door has a slide lock with a re-lock assembly for back up in the event that the primary key lock is broken. The door is designed for shipment in kit form and includes a number of door track sections with mating splices for joining the sections together. The design and construction of the system provide a low cost solution to the problem of developing secure storage within a residence, school, business establishment or the like in a unit which is aesthetically pleasing in design and is inexpensive to purchase and install.

Abstract: A heatshield and sunshield for placement within windows or windshields may be coiled within a permanently installed cylindrical container for storage. The container includes a spring in order to bias the shield in the retracted position. Tracks are installed for the upper and lower edges of the shield in order to maintain a precise distance between the shield and the glass. Preferably two storage containers are installed at opposite sides of the glass or window which the shields are to cover, in order that the shields may be extended from each container and joined to each other near the center of the glass or window. The shields are preferably coated with an aluminized or highly reflective coating on their outer surfaces and are preferably formed of a material of relatively high thermal insulating properties.

Abstract: A device having a shutter windable around a spindle and especially adapted to close a bay or other opening by the unwinding of the shutter, the same having flexible side edges which project beyond the shutter plane and which are retained with reduced friction in substantially continuous guideways during the unwinding and winding up of the shutter, that shutter edges may disengage from their guideways when subjected to a predetermined pull transversely to guideway. Each guideway has near and upstream of the shutter spindle an access passage through which the projecting edge of any shutter which has disengaged from the guideway can re-engage, as the shutter winds around its spindle, in that part of the particular guideway concerned which is disposed beyond the passage.

Abstract: A screen assembly is provided having a web or sheet of material and a pair of spaced opposed elongate strengthening and supporting elements. A respective supporting element is secured to or formed along an edge of the material and each element is made from a relatively thin resilient non-extensible material. The assembly includes two opposed guide rails relative to which a respective element is received and guided for movement. The assembly includes a take-up roll on to and from which the material may be retracted and withdrawn.

Abstract: The invention provides a roll up closet door in a tubular housing. Spring or electrical roll up and roll down assist mechanics are included and the door housing is extendable to fit a variety of household closet door widths.

Abstract: A security door system using a roll-up door fabricated of curtain sections reinforced by extruded metal cross beams. The system is designed for installation in a closet doorway or the like to provide security for valuables which may be stored in the closet or to keep dangerous implements, such as guns, away from children in a household, and the like. The door has a slide lock with a re-lock assembly for back up in the event that the primary key lock is broken. The door is designed for shipment in kit form and includes a number of door track sections with mating splices for joining the sections together. The design and construction of the system provide a low cost solution to the problem of developing secure storage within a residence, school, business establishment or the like in a unit which is aesthetically pleasing in design and is inexpensive to purchase and install.

Abstract: A vertically-opening door installation which is exposed to cold on one side includes a vertically-opening flexible curtain (6) and two risers to guide the respective side edge of the curtain. Each riser includes a lining (12) made of a material which is a poor conductor of heat and which lines the inside of the channel section bar, and at least one longitudinally-extending cavity (14) providing a cushion of air between the outside surface of the channel section bar and the inside surface of its lining. The inside surface of lining (12) is smooth. At least one of the longitudinally-extending cavities (14) may include electrical heater resistance (15) or similar heating devices. The riser is provided to prevent frost and ice from forming around the side edges of the curtain of a goods-handling door which is exposed to the cold.

Abstract: A rolling window screen assembly is provided for a window frame having a sill, a head and opposite side jambs. The screen assembly comprises a screen mounted at the head of the window frame and being unrollable along the jambs thereof. A pair of guide members are mounted on and extend along each side jamb for guiding the opposite edges of the screen as the screen is unrolled along the jambs. Control levers adjacent each side edge of the screen frictionally engage the guide members so as to control the position of the screen along the guide members. The guide members are mounted to the window frame jambs by a plurality of L-shaped clips which extend through a corresponding slot in the respective guide members. A spring is positioned in each guide member for centering the unrolled screen between the pair of guide members.

Abstract: An operator for a rolling door having a curtain barrel shaft rotatable for actuating the door and including a drive gear adapted for connection to one end of the curtain barrel shaft and a second gear adapted for connection to one end of an idler roller. The idler roller in use engages one surface of the door and extends horizontally across the top of the door opening. A third gear is rotatably mounted in the region of the drive gear and the second gear and an electric motor is provided to rotate this third gear. In one version of the invention there is a moveable fourth gear in meshing engagement with the third gear and driven thereby. The fourth gear can be swung from a first position where it is in meshing engagement with the second gear to a second position where it is in meshing engagement with the drive gear. A chain loop connectable to the door is driven when the second gear and the idler roller rotate and it is provided to close the door even under pressure.

Abstract: A sliding door, which includes a winding tube, which is mounted on a winding shaft for winding up and unwinding a hanging door for opening and closing-off an opening, and a take-up and tensioning mechanism which is disposed between the free end of the hanging door and the winding shaft and which has traction members which are guided about guide pulleys. The take-up and tensioning mechanism for the hanging door includes take-up or tensioning pulleys, which are freely rotatably mounted on the winding shaft on both sides of the winding tube, and pretensioned leg springs which are disposed between the pulleys and the winding shaft.

Abstract: A rolling window screen assembly is provided for a window frame having a sill, a head and opposite side jambs. The screen assembly comprises a screen mounted at the head of the window frame and being unrollable along the jambs thereof. A pair of guide members are mounted on and extend along each side jamb for guiding the opposite edges of the screen as the screen is unrolled along the jambs. Control levers adjacent each side edge of the screen frictionally engage the guide members so as to control the position of the screen along the guide members. The guide members are mounted to the window frame jambs by a plurality of L-shaped clips which extend through a corresponding slot in the respective guide members. A spring is positioned in each guide member for centering the unrolled screen between the pair of guide members.

Abstract: A pressure differential compensating door includes a curtain for closing a doorway having a first upper end, a second lower end and side edges and a curtain winding mechanism having the first end of the curtain attached thereto for raising and lowering the curtain. In addition there is a pair of spaced apart guide channels in which side edge sections of the curtain are movable. These side edge sections are sealingly engagable with the channels. A door pressure releasing mechanism connects the door in sealing engagement with a door surrounding structure. The releasing mechanism is operable to move the door away from the door surrounding structure prior to the curtain being raised and to release any pressure differential existing on opposing sides of the door. Special friction reducing members are fixed to both of the side edge sections and extend therealong to reduce the amount of friction between these sections and their guide channels.

Abstract: An exteriorly mounted, insulated curtain-like window covering, which can be placed in and removed from covering relation thereto from the interior of the building. The covering comprises a weatherproof envelope including a pair of metallic film layers and an intermediate insulative barrier. An overlying driven roller and idler roller, along with side mounted keyways and upper and lower contacting seals, support and controllably permit the raising and lowering of the covering relative to the window and the storing of the covering when the window is uncovered.

Abstract: There is disclosed a window shade system which reduces heat transport through windows by providing an insulating seal between a shade and window sill. The insulating seal is effected by a resilient material attached to the bottom longitudinal edge section of the shade. When the bottom longitudinal edge section of the shade is positioned in engagement with the sill, the resilient material conforms to the contour of the sill, frictionally sealing the shade against the sill, thereby insulating and reducing heat transport through the window. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom longitudinal edge section includes a first depending longitudinal slat pocket for receiving a window shade slat, and a second depending longitudinal pocket configured to substantially enclose the slat pocket. A longitudinal void is provided between the pockets to permit the enclosing pocket to resiliently conform to the contour of the sill.

Abstract: An apparatus for insulating a surface area is disclosed having an insulating sheet mounted to a roller for winding and unwinding thereon. Sealing means are provided for sealing the edges of the sheet when the sheet is unwound to insulate the surface area.

Abstract: A roll type closure assembly for a window opening utilizing a roller shade mounted by brackets in the window opening. Side edge guides are provided which include a channel portion for receiving the side edges of the window shade, a mounting flange portion and a connecting portion between the mounting flange portion and the channel portion. A flex line is provided in the connecting portion to allow the mounting flange portion and the channel portion to be moved relative to each other between a first position extending generally perpendicular to a plane bisecting the channel portion for mounting on the window casing inside the window opening and a second position extending generally parallel to a plane bisecting the channel portion for mounting on the window casing outside the window opening. A U-shaped roller housing is provided for enclosing the roller and is mounted by end caps on the roller mounting brackets to provide a seal between the upper portion of the window shade and the top of the window casing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved thermal window shade construction characterized in that the same is sufficiently flexible to be installed in windows of a wide variety of sizes with a minimum number of stock parts. The invention is further characterized in that the shade is highly resistant to dislodgement in a lateral inward direction of the shade margins from the side seal components. A further characterizing feature of the invention resides in the novel mechanism which locks the shade in its downward or operative position and at the same time functions to form an effective top seal. Still a further characterizing feature of the invention resides in the ability of the stock parts supplied to form an effective sealing relationship with shades of a wide variety of thicknesses, whereby laminated shade constructions with desired decorative effects may be readily employed.

Abstract: A simple, relatively low cost system for sealing an ordinary roller shade with respect to the window frame sides, top and bottom is provided. The roller shade seal system essentially comprises a pair of edge seal assemblies in the form of elongate mounting strip members adapted to be permanently mounted to opposite vertical faces of the window frame trim, and a pair of sealing strip members in the form of elongate, generally U-shaped channels adapted to sealably engage the latter edges of the shade, releasably mounted to an associated mounting strip. The window shade sealing system is completed by a shade bottom edge seal comprising a rigid bottom strip reinforcing member, a sill sealing strip and a shade top sealing member.

Abstract: A thermal insulation arrangement for a door or a window comprises a transparent sheet drawn down from a spring-loaded roller at the top of the frame. The sides and preferably the base of the sheet are sealed by brush seals in channel-sectioned members. The sheet may be creased in a pattern to reduce rippling and billowing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-inflating solar curtain and to the mechanism for automatically raising and lowering same between its operative and inoperative positions in response to the direction of heat flow into and out of a confined space within which the temperature is to be controlled. The curtain comprises at least one double walled air-entraining envelope folded along its lower edge to provide a cradle supporting a rigid combination spreader, weight and guide member effective to maintain a permanent air pocket at the base thereof. Vents are provided in the envelope for taking air into the pocket as well expelling air therefrom as the curtain is raised into its inoperative position through the gap left between a pair of pinch rollers mounted overhead. The sides of the envelope are left open but confined and sealed within the opposed channels of a pair of tracks mounted alongside thereof.

Abstract: A storm window for sealing the entire interior surface of an existing window in a building. The storm window includes a flexible sheet which is extendably and retractably deployed from a shade roller mounted at the top of the existing window. A hinged cover member surrounds the roller and engages the top of the sheet to form an air tight seal therebetween. Hinged clamping members are mounted along the sides of the existing window and clampingly engage the side edges of the sheet when the sheet is in the full extended position to form an air tight seal. A drawbar is secured to the bottom edge of the sheet and has a sealing strip mounted to the bottom surface thereof to sealingly engage the window sill when the sheet is in the full extended position. The drawbar is biased into the sealing position by a boss which extends from the clamping member and engages a flange on the drawbar.

Abstract: An interior-use weather seal panel assembly which is easily installed at almost any window or door and openable for access through it includes a flexible transparent plastic sheet supported by a roller at one end, tracks on the sides and a lockable, detachable sealing member at the bottom; direct air-passage with the unit closed is substantially eliminated, by the sealing structure.Because of the support and locking feature, the unit can be installed at any orientation desired; when the unit is fully open, none of the plastic sheet is exposed, so that the unit can be safely stored in place in the sun indefinitely if desired. The sealing member at the bottom has a reservoir to contain condensation sliding down the plastic sheet, and when the sealing member at the bottom is removed for cleaning, the plastic sheet and roller can be removed at the top for cleaning. The sides are substantially self-cleaning when vertical.

Abstract: A roller blind cassette has two holders displaceable along the cassette to its ends when the cassette has been placed between two opposing elements of a window frame or the like, said elements having fixtures with projecting members engaging the holders at their end positions for holding the cassette in position.

Abstract: A flexible sheet rollup window structure used in conjunction with a conventional window sash frame as an auxiliary or storm window. The invention includes an elongated sheet of thin, flexible plastic material (vinyl) which is designed to be supported and stored or dispensed by means of elongated spring rollers. An auxiliary guide roller is provided to direct the film into a straight-line plane. A lower end of the sheet of material is provided with a structurally rigid edge lockable structure, with the support roller and guide roller being mounted at the upper end. A horizontal sealing element is secured to a surface of the film and is automatically brought into sealing engagement with the upper end of the window frame when the sheet is placed in a closed position with respect to the window frame. Additional sealing of the sheet of material is effected by longitudinally extending, vinyl sealing strips or ribs that are dielectrically welded to one surface of the sheet adjacent each longitudinal edge thereof.