Abstract: A pulling device, which serves preferably to pull in and out a cloth or blind of a window blind assembly, has a pulling cable. Opposite ends of the cable are mounted at the bottom ends of guide rails that are arranged on opposite sides of the cloth. From such attached ends, the cable is guided over deflecting rollers in a hollow member and is wound at least once therein around two rollers that are forced apart by a spring element, in particular a gas pressure spring. The hollow member has at opposite ends thereof respective sliding elements that guide the hollow member along the guide rails. The hollow member is attached to the end of the cloth that is to be moved. The entire length of the cloth can be pulled outwardly uniformly by the pulling device.

Abstract: A support roller having a one-piece construction which can be cut to size to fit any sized doorway, with an outer perimeter of the support roller or flanges mounted on the support roller having a predetermined configuration to permit a rolling door, gate and the like to assume a substantially circular configuration when rolled up on the support roller, the support roller or each of the flanges being provided with a longitudinally extending recess therein and a longitudinally extending bulge portion thereon for securely mounting an end of the rolling door, gate and the like thereon, where the recess and the bulge portion of the support roller or a rail member provided within the support roller engages with collar portions of the roll-up mechanism to prevent relative rotation therebetween so that the support roller rotates with the collar portions The roll-up mechanism includes a coil spring mounted between the collar portions in such a manner that the innermost collar portion winds up the coil spring when the

Abstract: A torsion spring counterbalance assembly having one end of a torsion spring attached to a center support bracket with the other end attached to a torsion shaft around which the torsion spring is pre-loaded with the torsion shaft releasably locked to the center support bracket for allowing the tension of the pre-loaded torsion spring to be released after installation with an overhead garage door to counterbalance the garage door between open and closed positions via lift bands wound about drums mounted at the ends of the torsion shaft and secured to the door bottom by wire brackets. The drums are selectively connected for rotation with the torsion shaft and disconnected from rotation with the torsion shaft to permit adjustment of the tension and resulting torque of the torsion spring. A safety interlock mechanism limits the rotation of the torsion shaft relative to the center support bracket in the event of a malfunction upon initial installation.

Abstract: An articulated door and door guiding track covers storage bays of a beverage body. An articulated door is formed by engaging a plurality of polymeric panel sections into a sequence such that each panel section can be positioned at varying angles with respect to an adjacent engaged panel section. The articulated door is guided between an open position and a closed position by a door guiding track comprised of a left channel facing a right channel across a door opening. The sequence of panel sections is slidably positioned in the door guiding track by having a left end of each panel section extending into the left channel and a right end of each panel section extending into the right channel. A counter-balance comprised of a spring-loaded drum having a strap with one end attached to the bottom of the door and another end attached to the center of the drum is provided to assist in raising and lowering the door.

Abstract: Described herein is a door assembly that includes a flexible panel of flexible plate material which is guided in channels between a closed position to an opened position; the flexible panel assuming a substantially horizontal position in the open position and thereby increases the height clearance in the door opening.

Abstract: An overhead door mechanism with torsion type counterbalance springs includes a spring adjustment device comprising a housing suitable for attachment to a horizontal shaft and a gearing mechanism that allows angular adjustment of the attached end of the spring relative to the shaft. The gearing mechanism includes a toothed ring gear member adapted for connection to the spring and rotatably mounted in the housing. A threaded worm is also mounted in the housing so that it engages the teeth of the toothed member. Rotation of the threaded worm induces a corresponding rotation of the toothed member. The rotation, when conveyed to one end of a spring that is fixed at its other end causes the spring torsion to be altered without releasing the spring from retention by the adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for counterbalancing an overhead door includes a spring anchor assembly adapted to be connected between one end of a torsion spring and a wall of a building at an overhead door opening and a spring winding assembly adapted to be connected between the opposite end of a torsion spring and a shaft rotatably mounted on the wall and coaxial with the spring. The shaft carries a pair of winding drums attached by cables to the bottom of an overhead door. Both the spring anchor assembly and the spring winding assembly have spring attachment means which are adjustable to accommodate different diameters of torsion springs and compensate for the helical form of the spring.

Abstract: Counterbalancing mechanism for a garage door or other device in which a torsion spring end member is fastened to a second member to which it is connected during normal operation of the counterbalance by cooperating interfitting elements on the members which allow longitudinal movement of the end of the spring during a spring adjusting operation. The counterbalance hardware includes a self-locking winding mechanism for winding or unwinding one or more torsion springs which operates to fix one end of the spring connected thereto against movement during normal operation of the counterbalance. The structure connecting the ends of each torsion spring into the hardware is such that each end of the spring is always connected for rotation with either the torsion shaft of the counterbalance or the self-locking mechanism including during the adjustment or setting of the torsion in the springs.

Abstract: Sectional overhead garage door for low lintel heights, with the door leaf members of which, except for the one that is uppermost in the closed position, being guided in guide rails having a vertical, an arcuate, and a horizontal section, and with rollers of the uppermost door leaf member being guided in two guide rails, extending with an approximately horizontal section above and in parallel to the approximately horizontal primary guide section provided on the same side, and each of these being connected to an intermediate guide member adapted to be lowered from the horizontal in the direction of the upper frame zone, so that the uppermost door leaf member, when the door leaf is transferred into the closed position, passes into the plane of the closed door leaf along a shorter path than the remaining door leaf members.

Abstract: A overhead door assembly which includes a device to maintain the door in a raised position in the door opened position. The door is maintained in a position significantly higher than the position the door would normally assume thus providing an enlarged door opening. The door can be maintained in the raised position by either locating the point of attachment between the load balancing operator cable and the door or by blocking the path of the door in the door guide tracks. Various structures for relocating the cable attachment point and blocking the path of the door are contemplated.

Abstract: A spring retainer member of lightweight steel construction material formed in accordance with a method comprising the steps of die stamping a square blank of steel construction material, notching out triangular shapes at each of the midpoints between the four corners of the square blank to form between adjacent notches four radially oriented arms extending at 90 degrees to each other, die stamping a shaft-receiving hole centrally of the blank for the subsequent projection therethrough of a shaft, forming in an initial shaping step a cylindrical shape in the blank in the area of the shaft-receiving hole, and forming in a subsequent shaping step a completed cylindrical shape by bending the four arms into adjacent position to each other incident to closing the previously removed triangular shaped notches, whereby the resulting spring retainer member is adapted to be disposed on a shaft of an overhead door mechanism and attached to an end of a counterbalance spring and to a drum support of the overhead door mecha

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel anchor cone and winding cone apparatus and method for mounting a coil torsion spring to an overhead door. Indicia are provided on the cones to assure proper orientation of the cones to the spring and the cone/spring assembly to the overhead door. The winding cone includes arrow indicia to clearly indicate the direction of rotation for the winding cone to increase tension on the coil torsion spring. A groove break is provided in each cone to substantially reduce chafing and wear of the corresponding coil of the coil torsion spring.

Abstract: A safety device for use with an overhead garage door assembly which includes elongated coil springs on either side of the door counterbalancing the door weight for assisting in the opening and closing of the door. The safety device includes an elongated flexible member extending longitudinally through each of the coil springs and being secured at its ends to fixed supports. Each end of each spring is substantially surrounded by a substantially tubularly shaped member which includes an end cap. The ends of each spring are secured to their respective supports through holes in the end caps and additional holes allow the elongated flexible members to pass therethrough. Whereby broken portions of a spring will be retained either on the elongated flexible member or within the tubular members in the event of breakage of the coil spring.

Abstract: A torsion spring assembly for counterbalancing overhead doors which includes an elongated helical torsion spring with coils that are normally spaced apart (when the spring is untensioned), a shaft extending through the spring, and a pair of spring-mounting collars carried by the shaft and provided with slotted neck portions operatively connected to pre-formed hooks at the ends of the spring. One of the collars is fixed against both rotational and axial movement upon the shaft; the other is rotatably mounted upon the shaft; and at least one of the collars is removable from the shaft for field disassembly and reassembly of the parts. The method for constructing the assembly, either during manufacture or in the field, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cabinet comprises a cabinet frame (2) and a roll front (1) to be opened in the upward direction. At least two springs (6, 7, 8, 9) engage at the roll front (1), these springs being attached with their other ends at the cabinet frame and having mutually different spring characteristics and/or different tension. The sum total of the forces exerted by the springs (6, 7, 8, 9) on the roll front (1) compensates, in any position of the roll front (1), essentially the weight of the latter.

Abstract: A spring assembly for use in place of the spiral tension springs in conventional spring-loaded counterbalancing systems for garage doors. It is made up of a compression spring and traveling pulley in a tubular housing, the compression spring being mounted above the pulley. A cable extends around the pulley from an anchored end to interconnection with the kicker assembly of the mounting hardware for tension springs in an ordinary garage door counterbalancing system so that closing of the door causes the cable to pull up on the pulley and compress the spring. There is virtually no possibility that the compressed spring will rupture and emit flying fragments, but even if this occurred the housing would prevent the escape of such fragments to the surroundings.

Abstract: A dock seal construction for a building having a door opening and side wall portions located to the sides of the door opening, the dock seal including a pair of elongated pad members secured on the side wall portions, a resilient flexible core in each of the pad members, a casing surrounding a substantial portion of the peripheries of the pad members, with the pad members each having an inclined outer side spaced from its respective side wall portion which extends at a slant toward the door opening so as to provide a relatively small amount of flexible core which is compressed by the rear of a truck.

Abstract: A dock shelter having an improved adjustable head pad. The dock shelter borders a doorway in a dock wall and is adapted to be engaged by the rear end of a truck body to provide a weather seal around the doorway. The dock shelter includes a pair of vertical pads that extend along the sides of the doorway and a vertically adjustable head pad that extends horizontally across the upper end of the doorway. Cables are attached to the respective ends of the head pad and extend upwardly, are trained over a freely movable double pulley and are dead-ended on a fixed structure. The double pulley is connected through an extension spring to the supporting structure, so that the force of the spring acts to urge the head pad upwardly and counterbalance the weight of the head pad. The counterbalancing mechanism insures precise vertical adjustment of the head pad and prevents racking or cocking of the head pad during adjustment.

Abstract: A tambour or roll-top door and housing assembly comprises a tambour door formed of a plurality of longitudinal segments engaged along their adjacent sides by parallel hinge elements, and a housing having a pair of spaced tracks defining a curved path, the door being positioned with its side edges engaging the two tracks respectively and the segments being relatively pivotable when the door slides around the curve between open and closed positions. The assembly further includes a gear having a circular pitch distance between teeth corresponding to the pitch between the door's hinged segments, the gear being rotatable on a shaft with at least one tooth always engaging one door segment, and a Negator.sub.tm spring having one end secured to the bottom of the door and the remaining spiral portion freely rotatable on the gear shaft.

Abstract: A counterbalance spring for garage doors of the sectional type which slide upward and over a horizontal track is located above and parallel to the track. The spring is a coiled spring which, after a period of time may fracture under tension and broken parts consequently may be thrown about at some peril. To contain the broken parts a rod extends through the coiled spring, is fastened to the building structure at both ends, and the pulley connected to one end of the spring is mounted on a carrier which slides on and is guided by the rod. The initial impact resulting from fracture of the spring while under tension is absorbed by a deformation of the rod serving as a cushion.

Abstract: A movable bulkhead for partitioning a truck body or the like is pivotally supported on an overhead shaft. The shaft extends transversely between a pair of trolleys which ride along tracks and are capable of differential movement thereon. A second pair of trolleys are also track mounted to support a spring-loaded counterbalance mechanism for the bulkhead. Drum and cable assemblies included in the counterbalance mechanism automatically pivot the bulkhead to a raised position when the seal of the bulkhead against the flow of the truck is broken.