Mounted For Movement To Facially Stacked Position Patents (Class 49/125)
  • Patent number: 7175226
    Abstract: A split glass rear side window assembly is separable along a generally horizontal longitudinally extending line into an upper glass member and a lower glass member separated by a seal carried by the lower glass member to receive the upper glass member when raised to cover the corresponding body opening. The upper and lower glass members are connected by side links that are pivotally connected to the lower glass member and slidable along the ends of the upper glass member to permit the upper and lower glass members to be stored in a parallel orientation spaced transversely within the limited storage area above the rear wheel well in the vehicle body. A spring device urges the lower glass member into a pre-selected storage pocket spaced transversely of the path of movement of the upper glass member. A rack and pinion apparatus vertically moves the window members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Lawrence Queener
  • Patent number: 7134242
    Abstract: A dispenser that includes one or more sliding user doors for selectively restricting access to items disposed within the dispenser. In one embodiment, the dispenser includes a unique locking and drive mechanism that allows a single actuator to both: (1) lock and unlock a sliding user door; and (2) move the user door into and out of driving engagement with a drive mechanism that may be used to open and close the user door. In a particular embodiment, the dispenser further includes a door support that supports the weight of a downward-opening sliding user door when the downward-opening user door is in a closed position, but that may be selectively repositioned to facilitate the movement of the user door from a closed to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Innovative Product Achievements, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 7003916
    Abstract: A vehicular rear window assembly for a vehicle comprises a first fixed pane, a second fixed pane, and a sliding pane, which is supported for horizontal movement between open and closed positions. The window assembly includes a support system with an upper horizontal member, a lower horizontal member, and a pair of spaced apart vertical members, which interconnect the upper horizontal member and the lower horizontal member to define a central opening. The fixed panes adhesively mount to the upper and lower horizontal members. The vertical members have exposed exterior surfaces that are preferably generally flush with the exterior surface of the fixed panes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Nestell, Darin J. Snider, Loren Brent Renkema, Jim Galer
  • Patent number: 6902224
    Abstract: A slider window assembly for an automotive vehicle comprises a fixed glass panel adapted to be installed in a window frame defined by a body panel. The fixed glass panel is bonded to the window frame by an adhesive bead and defines an opening. A sliding window opens and closes the opening and includes an edge that is received in a guide rail that is adhesively bonded to the fixed glass panel. The guide rail defines a channel for the edge of the sliding window and also includes an extension that is bonded to the window frame by the adhesive bead. In this manner, the guide rail continues to support the sliding window in the event that the fixed glass panel is unable to provide the primary support function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick M. Weinert, Thomas M. Cleary, Paul J. Kolokowski, Michael J. Lesle
  • Publication number: 20040049984
    Abstract: An access system for a building structure includes an access opening formed in the structure and a horizontally oriented track extending across the opening. Panels are slidably mounted on the track. A pulley-track system opens and closes the panels. The system is controlled with a manually operated control panel mounted on the building structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: Eric Dant Pfaff
  • Publication number: 20030205002
    Abstract: The invention is a sliding door assembly for an H-frame rack system. The H-frame rack system includes a plurality of substantially vertical posts, and a plurality of substantially horizontal beams connected to these vertical posts. Merchandise-carrying shelves are supported by the horizontal beams. The sliding door assembly includes at least one sliding door. Rollers are secured to the sliding door or doors for facilitating lateral movement of the sliding doors along the H-frame rack system. Channels secured to at least one of the horizontal beams are positioned above the sliding doors. The rollers are guided within these channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventor: Raymond John Gradecki
  • Patent number: 6553715
    Abstract: A device for turnable and slidable suspension of sheet elements including a coupling member (100) which is supported by a rail and has an elongate groove (101) in essentially the same direction as the rail, and a coupling pin which is non-rotationally arranged on the sheet element coinciding with its pivot axis and which is slidable in the groove of the coupling member. The groove of the coupling member has an inclined lateral cam surface (102) and at least one essentially part-circular recess (104), with a center axis (E) which is essentially parallel to the pivot axis of the sheet element, in the inclined lateral surface (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Inventor: Benth Lönnberg
  • Patent number: 6539678
    Abstract: A pre-fabricated service bay used for providing service access to the underside of vehicles. The service bay is fabricated as a single monolithic unit and then positioned in an excavated hole within a service building. The service bay has multiple safety cover grids that are hydraulically activated to enclose the bay's opening when not in use. An access stairway is retractable within the bay during use with a deployable safety handrail that collapses upon stairway retraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventors: Robert E. Campbell, T. Scott Campbell
  • Patent number: 6460293
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for moving elements of a multi-leaf sliding wall into a parking magazine whereby a storage rail branches in the region of the parking magazine from a guide rail which carries the elements, and whereby each element has a drive assembly. The invention is directed thereto that the first element next to the parking magazine in the region of the free end of the guide rail is journalled to be swingable about an axis of rotation and is exclusively guided with its associated drive assembly by the storage rail, whereby between the first element and the drive assembly there is disposed a coupling link configured to support a tension to pull and to support a compression to push.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Dorma GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Bischof
  • Patent number: 6276092
    Abstract: A combined sliding and pivot window assembly including a plurality of sashes separately pivotally mounted on substantially C-shaped sash support frames that are slidably fixed on rails provided on an outer window frame. The window assembly includes combined sliding and locking mechanisms that allow the C-shaped sash support frames to slide on the rails when the sashes are pivotally closed, or to be locked on the rails when the sashes are pivotally opened, or to be pushed to one side in the outer window frame while allowing all the sashes to be pivotally opened; pivot mechanisms that allow the sashes to be pivotally opened and stay at any desired open position relative to the sash support frames; and elastic two-end locking mechanisms that are mounted in a vertical member of the sashes to lock the sashes at upper and lower ends to the sash support frames simply by laterally shifting an external adjusting key of the two-end locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Ser Lee Neo
  • Patent number: 6276091
    Abstract: An assembly for use in a generally rectangular sliding doorway. The assembly includes two sliding glass doors and a stationary screen that are provided in the doorway. The sliding glass doors can be slid within the doorway to allow access across the doorway, to seal the doorway, or to permit ventilation across the doorway through the screen. The assembly also includes a coupling rod provided in a frame of one of the sliding glass doors to be selectively extended into a frame of the other sliding glass door. The sliding glass doors can be locked together to slide as a unit in a fixed relation to each other. The sliding glass doors can also be locked together to lock the sliding glass doors in a closed position to seal the doorway. The same coupling rod serves to lock the sliding glass doors together in the position where they slide together as a unit and in the closed position. The assembly is fully adjustable to be configured with the screen on the right or left side of the doorway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Jaime Carl Ridgway
  • Patent number: 6243988
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuating device for a closing element movable in a vertical direction within openings which are guided in lateral guides, with the door weight being taken up by a spring-loaded tension element or being compensated by a counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Arturo Salice S.P.A.
    Inventor: Luciano Salice
  • Patent number: 6161334
    Abstract: A child and pet security gate is disclosed for use in larger passageways. The security gate includes multiple (at least three) telescopically sliding panels that extend to close the passageway and retract to minimum width. The extension and retractive relative sliding movement is progressive; thus, only one panel moves relative to another until it reaches its fully extended or retracted position. The security gate also includes mounting hardware that permits the gate to either hingeably pivot or to be removed for storage. A latching member securely closes the gate and is operable only by an adult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: North States Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John Walter Goodin
  • Patent number: 6141907
    Abstract: A panel assembly comprises first and second bi-parting panel groups. Each group has at least a first and a second panel movable between a retracted and an extended position for opening and closing the panel assembly. The second panel in each group travels farther than and across the first panel in each group when the panels move between their retracted and extended positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen Parazader
  • Patent number: 6138417
    Abstract: A roof structure for enclosures for swimming pools, spas, or patios and the like includes a plurality of laterally spaced angled roof beams each having a plurality of vertically spaced tracks on facing sides of adjacent beams for sliding receipt of one roof panel in each opposed set of tracks. The trailing ends of each higher panel is releasably latched to the leading end of each succeeding lower panel within their respective tracks, whereby the succeeding lower panels can be successively used to push or pull the preceding higher panels by hand along their respective tracks during assembly and removal of the panels from the roof structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Florida Enclosure Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Woodard, Jeffery O. Bemis
  • Patent number: 6094306
    Abstract: An energy saving window system operates selectively in different seasons and climatic conditions to optimize transfer of the sun's radiation through the window into an interior space. Two sets of diffraction gratings are deployed, with two mode settings--a summer or capture mode and a winter or transmittance mode. In the summer mode, transfer of heat into the interior is undesirable. Unwanted heat rays are redirected to a scupper by additive diffraction through two diffraction gratings in series. The scupper redirects the undesired radiation to a heat sink or back out through the window. In the winter mode, transfer of heat into the interior is desirable. By repositioning the two diffraction gratings so that their deflections are subtractive, the sun's rays are redirected to be essentially undiffracted so as to miss the scupper and enter the room. The essentially undiffracted light rays are acceptable as a view and are effectively unblocked as to solar heat gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Anvik Corporation
    Inventor: Kanti Jain
  • Patent number: 6088963
    Abstract: A retractable cover for an opening of an automotive bay pit wherein the retractable cover is formed by movable and stackable panels. The panels are normally positioned adjacent one another. Each panel includes supporting and spanning edges. Positioned on the supporting edges are slide rails. The slide rails are slidable in two horizontal directions in tracks of the automotive bay pit. The ends of the slide rails are inclined, and abutting ends of the slide rails of adjacent panels are parallel to one another. Because the abutting ends are parallel, an operator's application of a strictly horizontal force to a panel causes the panel to wedge under or slide over an adjacent panel. Therefore, the operator is not required to apply any vertical lifting force to a panel to create an opening in the cover. The operator may move any panel in the cover and move it in either horizontal direction to create the opening in the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Inventors: Mark C. Cawthon, Ken A. Miller
  • Patent number: 6052981
    Abstract: An extendable arm has a first arm portion, a second arm portion extendable and retractable relative to the first arm portion to extend and contract the arm, and a flexible elongated pulling element having opposite ends connected to the second arm portion and passing around a rotatable spool secured in position on the first arm portion. Rotation of the spool causes the second arm portion to extend or retract relative to the first arm portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventor: Osvaldo Pavone
  • Patent number: 6012767
    Abstract: A louver arrangement for a vehicle sun roof designed to limit sun into the vehicle and to limit the vibration of the louvers. The louver arrangement has two or more louvers that are guided between parallel guide profiles. At least one louver has a deviating longitudinal radius of curvature such that when the louver is in the closed position at least one portion of the louver is fastened to a component perpendicular to the plane of the sun roof opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicles Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Rolf Farmont
  • Patent number: 5996282
    Abstract: The mechanism comprises longitudinal rails and, for each door, a double slide assembly of which a first slide slides along the rails and a second slide, constrained to the door, moves at right angles to the first slide between a retracted position in which the door is closed and an extracted position in which the door is opened, at a distance from said first position at least equal to the thickness of the door or a multiple thereof. A longitudinal traverse of the slide assembly is allowed only when the second slide is in the extracted position with respect to the first. The retracted position is forced by spring means between the second slide and the first slide. The width of the slide assembly is smaller than the width of the door, generally being half, a third or a quarter thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Inventor: Antonio Giovannetti
  • Patent number: 5992095
    Abstract: Curved transparent panels, suspended from a pair of parallel, curved tracks, are deployed in overlapping relationship to one another on top of a curved counter from a storage enclosure in which the panels are in stacked relationship to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Conoco Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Tilley
  • Patent number: 5983568
    Abstract: An opening system in which the glass doors (1, 2) move longitudinally along a customer's side between a load bearing upper bar (3) and a lower bar (4); one or more glass doors (1) are held by upper holding bar (22) and lower holding bar (23) which have rollers (20, 21) on their inner ends; the rollers (20, 21) slide transversely along the horizontal part of the T-shaped bars used as carriages (18, 19) which are equipped with wheels (9, 14) that slide longitudinally along slideways (6, 7, 11, 12) which have horizontal bases which extend longitudinally. Two slideways (6, 7) are positioned in the load bearing upper bar (3) and their bases are placed at the same height from ground level; the remaining slideways (11, 12) are positioned in the lower bar (4) and their bases are placed at the same height from the ground level too.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: N.E.M. Nord Est Meccanica S.n.c
    Inventor: Alessandro Cianetti
  • Patent number: 5890323
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the design of a modern theater for providing live entertainment performances. The theater comprises an auditorium which is defined in part by a modular central core which encloses a defined space. The theater further comprises a modular stage and a two-tier balcony module. The central core module, the stage and the balcony module are each supported by independent foundations and load bearing columns. The balcony module includes an upper level with open seating and a lower level with enclosed suites. The suites are designed so as not to adversely affect the acoustics of the theater. The theater also has two side wing modules for increasing the seating capacity of the theater and other modular structures abutting the central core module. The theater also includes partitions for closing part of the side wing modules and a novel jack system for supporting the acoustic panels forming the partitions when the panels are in their extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Inventor: Robert M. Errato
  • Patent number: 5860371
    Abstract: A security window having one or more vertically movable panels, suitably of a transparent, rigid plastic that is bullet-resistant. The security window is useful for a clerk in a convenience store. The security window is provided with a safety mechanism that is operatively associated with the one or more vertically movable panels, and prevents direct vertical manual movement thereof by a would-be robber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Protec Company
    Inventor: Michael K. Shelley
  • Patent number: 5839543
    Abstract: An elevator includes a housing having three door panels and a lever swung to operate the door panels. A casing is secured on top of the housing and has three tracks for slidably receiving three slides which are secured to the door panels. A wire couples two of the slides to the casing for guiding the slides to move relative to the tracks, and another wire couples the other slide and the middle slide for guiding the other slide to move relative to the middle slide and for allowing the door panels to be moved safely and smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Inventor: Tai Tien Chiu
  • Patent number: 5636579
    Abstract: A security window having one or more vertically movable panels, suitably of a transparent, rigid plastic that is bullet-resistant. The security window is useful for a clerk in a convenience store. The security window is provided with a safety mechanism that is operatively associated with the one or more vertically movable panels, and prevents direct vertical manual movement thereof by a would-be robber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Protec Company
    Inventor: Michael K. Shelley
  • Patent number: 5631088
    Abstract: A material used to fabricate sashes used by window assemblies. The material comprises a foam core covered by a cladding material. The foam core acts as a filler and provides insulation, while the cladding material protects the foam core from the environment and physical abuse. Often, a structural assembly or member is provided to stiffen the sash material. The cladding and structural assembly are placed into a mold and resin is injected into the mold between the cladding and the structural assembly. The resin cures to form the foam core. The foam core bonds the cladding and structural assembly together to form the sash material. The sash material is cut with woodworking tools to form a sash for a window assembly. The cladding is configured such that, when the window assembly is installed in a wall, interior vapor barrier material and exterior air barrier material applied to the wall overlap with the cladding material to reduce air flow through the wall around the window assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Inventor: Ross Harper
  • Patent number: 5630438
    Abstract: A warewashing machine has a washing chamber with an enlarged height to increase the chamber's capacity without increasing the warewashing machine's surface area, and has collapsible doors to facilitate larger openings to the enlarged washing chamber. The larger openings and enlarged capacity allow the warewashing machine to wash oversized wares. The collapsible doors allow the full access to the enlarged openings without significantly increasing the minimum height of the ceiling over the warewashing machine. The warewashing machine door also includes a pivoting handle with an downward curving arcuate section to allow the operator to easily reach the handle when the door is fully opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Richard Hoover, Ron Grise, Gary Hoying
  • Patent number: 5548926
    Abstract: A hinge arrangement for hinging a sliding element (2) movable in guidance of, and carried by, a pair of fixed guide sections (1.sup.1, 1.sup.2) for turning about a hinge axle (3) affixed to the sliding element. The hinge arrangement comprises a first coupling member (4), connected to the hinge axle (3), and a second coupling member (5), connected to the guide section (1.sup.1, 1.sup.2), and the first coupling member and the second coupling member are arranged to become coupled with each other when the first coupling member is in register with the second coupling member, and thus to lock the hinge axle (3) relative to the guide section to be substantially immovable, for the turning of said sliding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Inventor: Jarmo Sjoholm
  • Patent number: 5448855
    Abstract: A sliding element system has a rectangular sliding element (1) with a first side (2) and a second side (3), these sides being substantially parallel to each other; guide wheel sets (4, 5) which are attached on the first side (2) and the second side (3) of the sliding element, each such guide wheel set (4, 5) having a number of wheels (6, 7, 8) and an axle (9) on which the wheels are rotatably carried one after the other to be separately rotatable, and the axle being fixed at right angles to the first and/or, respectively, the second side of the sliding element; a stationary pair of guide sections (10, 11) has a first guide section (10) located on the side of the sliding element's first side (2) and a second guide section (11) located on the side of the sliding element's second side (3), and the guide section (10, 11) has supports (12, 13, 14) running parallel with the guide section, for guiding and carrying the guide wheel sets, of which at least one first support (12) is in contact on one side of the first w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventor: Jarmo Sjoholm
  • Patent number: 5448860
    Abstract: A prefabricated observatory dome structure comprising a base portion constructed from connectable arcuate panels, a rotatable dome constructed from connectable panels and a vertically slidable shutter. The flange design of the base portion provides a water-tight non-caulked wall. A semi-door permits easy access to the observatory structure. The shutter has three sections that slide together using a latching system to slide back to expose more that half of the opening to permit observation at the zenith of the unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Inventors: John L. Menke, Mary E. Menke
  • Patent number: 5228238
    Abstract: A storm shutter for protecting glass windows and doors employs one or more transparent unbreakable panels having edges effectively increased in thickness to be retained in respective tracks in the shutter frame, the track having openings narrower than the thickened panel edges. To accommodate different coefficients of thermal expansion for the panel and frame, the track cross-sectional area is considerably larger than the thickened panel edge, yet the narrowed track opening retains the thickened edges, even if the panel is bowed by applied forces. Edge thickening may be effected by securing strips of the panel material along the panel edges. The shutter frame is pivotably mounted on a casing, and a retainer is slidable on the casing to lock or release the frame for pivoting relative to the casing. If the panel is movable along its tracks, a motor has a drive shaft fixed to the casing and about which support strips are wound to pull on the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Gerald Steinberg
    Inventor: Randall M. Fenkell
  • Patent number: 5103589
    Abstract: An apparatus for securing telescoping sliding panels, which are essentially oriented in parallel, vertical planes, against movement perpendicular to their sliding directions, includes a track, parallel first and second carriages which retain the lower edge of each panel and ride along the track, a lip projecting from the first carriage having an upturned free end, a lip projecting from the second carriage, having a downturned free end which extends between the first carriage and the upturned end of its lip. The carriage for each panel preferably includes a body portion which is tubular and has wheels mounted beneath it and gripping members projecting from the top of it for holding a vinyl channel which receives the lower edge of the panel. The track has an upper surface with channels recessed into it for guiding the carriages. An edge of the track is turned upward at a right angle to form a wall for retaining the carriages. The wall is provided with a lip described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Inventor: Ralph E. Crawford
  • Patent number: 5088236
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pivotable glazing for a balcony. There are previously known balcony glazings which comprise four or more panes which move in an overlapping manner on two adjacent tracks. Such a structure requires considerable sealing and frame structures which detract from the outer appearance of the building. Furthermore, the balcony aperture can be opened at maximum 50%, and it is difficult to wash the outer surfaces of the panes. According to the present invention, these disadvantages are eliminated by fitting all the panes of glass adjacently in the same double-rail track. At the upper edge of each movable glass pane (1) there are two slides (3, 4), of which one moves on a straight outer rail and the other on an inner rail, which curves inwards and towards the side wall (13) of the balcony. Within the curved portion (18) of the inner rail the trailing edge of the pane turns inwards and the pane can be opened against the side wall (13) of the balcony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Lemminkainen OY
    Inventor: Niilo Karhu
  • Patent number: 5067766
    Abstract: A pair of telescoping panels covers the bed of a pickup truck. An axle member at the trailing end of the rear panel is biased to lift that trailing end upwardly so that it can clear the tailgate of the truck when a latch is released and so that the rear panel can be slid forwardly when so released. A latch at the leading end of the forward panel similarly releases an upwardly biased axle so that the leading end of that panel can clear the forward wall of the truck bed when it is desired to slide the front panel rearwardly. A third axle is positioned at the leading end of the rear panel. All three axles carry wheel members at their opposite ends that are mounted for lateral movement within longitudinally extending tracks mounted to opposite side walls of the truck bed. The lateral moveability allows the structure to be positioned on differing models of pickup trucks. The panels are arched and ribbed for structural strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Inventor: Olaf K. Lovaas
  • Patent number: 5022454
    Abstract: A collapsible double door assembly includes a number of serially connected panels each provided with a pair of inwardly and outwardly deviated pivotal suspension rollers, a horizontal guide rail constituted by an inner rail member and an outer rail member arranged in parallel in close proximity for separately guiding the suspension rollers, and one or two door storage areas extending perpendicularly from the guide rail at one or both ends thereof and formed by separating and independently bending the two rail members with different radiuses of curvature each defining an arc of a quarter of a circle. The radius of curvature of the outer rail member is relatively greater than that of the inner rail member. The distance between the two rail members in a door storage area is slightly smaller than the distance between the two suspension rollers of a panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Toyo Exterior Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kobayashi, Keishirou Hori
  • Patent number: 4922666
    Abstract: A porch is provided having a ceiling, floor and at least three walls, the fourth wall being in most cases the wall of a house or other building to which the porch is attached. Each wall is made up of a plurality of identical window units or modules in side-by-side relationship and each window module includes a pair of laterally spaced apart vertically disposed parallel frames, one frame on each side. A multi-channel window track is mounted on the side of each frame. Both the frames and the tracks extend from the ceiling down below the floor of the porch. Independently movable window sashes are slidably mounted in each of the channels and are stored when not in use in a pocket at least partially below the floor level so that the lower edge of each window opening is spaced above the floor by a distance less than the height of one of the sashes so that the window openings are close enough to the floor to help promote a visual illusion of being outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Inventors: Bernard J. Rotter, Timothy M. Whitten, Silas A. Brown
  • Patent number: 4920698
    Abstract: A slidable pane power window assembly for mounting in the rear window of truck cabs is disclosed. The assembly comprises a frame dimensioned to fit in the rear window opening of a truck cab and fitted with one or more fixed and slidable window panes. A slidable pane is moved horizontally into an opened and closed position by a rack and pinion drive, wherein a rack affixed to the slidable pane is engaged by a pinion powered by a motor connected to the pinion via power transmission cable. Another embodiment uses a push-pull mechanism for operating the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Noran
    Inventors: Donald E. Friese, James W. Brown, Frank MacEwen, E. G. LeVan, Michael Smith
  • Patent number: 4852300
    Abstract: A pair of stacking gates or doors has a trailing gate and a leading gate which roll along parallel tracks between a retracted position with the gates approximately side-by-side and an extended position with the leading gate further from the retracted position than the trailing gate. Flexible roller chains are used to retract and extend the gates. A retraction chain has one end connected to an anchor fixed between the gates, is wrapped around a rear idler sprocket on the rear of the trailing gate, and is connected at the other end to the leading gate. An extension chain has one end connected to the fixed anchor, is wrapped around a front idler sprocket near the front of the trailing gate, and is connected at the other end to the rear of the leading gate. As the trailing gate is moved, the idlers move, changing the lengths of the reaches of chain and moving the leading gate twice as far as movement of the trailing gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Inventor: Alfred W. Keast
  • Patent number: 4829710
    Abstract: A disengaging device which is constructionally simple and operationally reliable for a wing of a window, door or the like which is required to take up a configuration parallel and disengaged from a stationary frame in order to be slidable horizontally for opening and closing. The wing is connected to the frame with upper and lower swingout arms in pairs. The lower swingout arms are each pivotally mounted at the lower transverse wing bar at one end and to a traveling carriage at the other end. A releasable blocking device is provided for the lower swing out arms which is activated when they are in the disengaged and stable parallel position. The blocking device is activated through a control arm associated with the lower traveling carriages. The control arm can be brought into and out of operative connection with a thrust bearing located on the stationary frame. The control arm is mounted on the traveling carriage and limited to basically horizontal planar motion in a limitedly swivelable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Siegenia-Frank KG
    Inventor: Karl H. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4735023
    Abstract: In the illustrated embodiment, the guardrail window assembly includes three outer stationary rectangular superstructures. Each superstructure forms a wall section of the assembly and adjacent superstructures are connected together by vertical posts that rise from the patio or balcony area. Each superstructure longer than four (4) feet has a header, a footer and a pair of upright jambs. Window panes are retained by window frames. Each superstructure has at least one telescoping column uprightly attached to the footer. Each telescoping column includes, in this embodiment, three column segments. The lower column segment is fixed to the footer and the upper column segments telescope from the lower column segment. The window frames are attached on one side to one column segment and the opposing side of the window frame is either set within a groove in the jamb or is affixed to another column segment of an adjacent telescoping column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Inventor: Carole Posner
  • Patent number: 4619074
    Abstract: A hybrid sliding-pivoting door or window structure comprises one or more pairs of cooperative panels each including a first swinging panel and a second sliding panel. The sliding panel can be moved from a fully closed position in which it is end-to-end with the swinging panel to a semi-open position of the structure in which it is juxtaposed face-to-face with the swinging panel and both panels can then be swung as a unit to fully open the structure and provide substantially unimpeded access across the width of an opening in which the structure is located. The sliding panel is received in a fixed track section when in the fully closed position and moves into a swinging track section associated with the swinging panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Inventors: Ignatius Y. P. Leung, Adolfo A. Diaz
  • Patent number: 4616451
    Abstract: A movable roof structure for a patio, building, swimming pool or the like is comprised of a plurality of roofing units which are in an overlapping shingle-like arrangement. The roofing units are telescopically movable with respect to each other between a closed position where they partially overlap each other and an open position where they are substantially stacked one on top of the other. Each roofing unit includes a pair of end extrusions and an elongated intermediate extrusion. Each extrusion carries roof panels on the side edges thereof so that said panels are joined end to end in the direction of the width of the roof. The extrusions also carry wheel and track members which cooperate with the extrusion immediately above and below so that the roofing units are movable. A power driven chain or the like moves the roofing units between their closed and open positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Inventor: Sidney E. Glick
  • Patent number: 4503837
    Abstract: Commercial baking oven with sliding doors; the doors are mounted closely parallel by cylindrical shoes of low friction material fitted to the door bottoms, the shoes slide in a plurality of equidistant bottom vee tracks, the upper part of the doors being located by guide shoes of a low friction material operating in an upper track; heat retaining lips mounted on door edges abut when the doors are closed; a heat retaining zee strip is mounted between the cylindrical shoes; the vee track is shorter than the fully closed measurement of the doors so debris is forced out of the vee track as doors are open and closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Inventors: Gilbert L. Smith, David L. Swanson, Gilbert Trick
  • Patent number: 4438594
    Abstract: To permit swinging movement of the door panel (2a) about vertical hinges (8) of a sliding door (2), suspended from hangers (13) running on a roller track (9, 19), without tilting or twisting of a vertical frame member (11) of the door, and in which a horizontal frame member (10) is secured to the hangers (13), a massive metallic angle (12) is inserted in the horizontal and vertical frame members and prestressed by engagement of a tension bolt (15) with the angle (12) in the horizontal frame element to provide a counteracting force on the vertical frame element (11) when the door panel (2a) is unhooked from the horizontal element (12) to permit swinging movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1984
    Assignee: AG fur Turautomaten
    Inventor: Helmut H. Bunzl
  • Patent number: 4388778
    Abstract: An enclosure for a bathtub or shower having a sliding door assembly and comprising a header or supporting assembly including a front header and a side header operatively connected thereto, each header having a pair of tracks, one for each door, the tracks of the front header communicating with the respective tracks of the side header at a bevel joint, a pair of doors each having hanger assemblies mounted on their upper edge, each hanger assembly having a glider member at its end engaged in one set of said tracks, said doors being adapted to be alternatively positioned in front of the enclosure or to be slid to a storage position along a side wall of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: United States Gypsum Company
    Inventor: Michael E. Brooke
  • Patent number: 4192100
    Abstract: Sliding door apparatus for closing large openings in large building structures. The invention is characterized by a sliding door engaged with a building structure and having at least one edge aligned to slide parallel to a portion of the door frame, the edge and frame portion defining a gap therebetween and constituting two relatively moveable adjacent members one of which has a magnetically receptive surface extending along the gap, the other having a flexible magnetic sealing strip along the gap and spanning the gap to magnetically engage the surface when the sliding door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Inventor: Kenneth G. Klema
  • Patent number: 4180942
    Abstract: Window insulating apparatus consisting of a plurality of low thermal conductivity panels slidably carried in a conventional window frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Inventor: Ernest Saucier
  • Patent number: 4115953
    Abstract: The system includes a plurality of movable heat insulating shutter sections forming a barrier to produce a "dead air gap" adjacent the interior of a window and increasing the heat insulation capacity of the windows. The sections are suspended by wheels, rollers or gliding fittings from guide tracks situated above the shutters and are movable therealong between opened and closed positions. The sections are provided with vertical and horizontal friction or pressure seals which, when the sections are in the closed position, seal the sections together and to the window embracement. The tracks and the suspending fittings are formed such that the sections can be pendulum-like pivoted away from the window in order to disengage the pressure of the seals and thus facilitate movement of the sections between the open and closed positions without friction at these seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Assignee: Tekram Associates
    Inventor: Karl Hilding Brosenius
  • Patent number: 4107878
    Abstract: In a connection member of a slideable partition including at least one displaceable plate for a tub, the connection member being attached on a side adjoining the slideable partition to the displaceable plate and having first and second sidepieces embracing the plate, a combination including a crosspiece rigid with, and forming a U-shaped member together with the sidepieces and an extension member rigid with the crosspiece and attachable to a wall together with one of the sidepieces extending on the other side of the connection member. The latter either subtends an angle with a wall panel of the slideable partition, or includes a projection member bulging therebeyond, the extension member protruding therefrom within the region of the second sidepiece at an equidistance with the projection member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Inventor: Heinz Georg Baus