Abstract: A garage door bracing arrangement for reinforcing the entire vertical extent of a multi-panel garage door against high velocity (e.g. hurricane-force) winds is comprised of a plurality of vertically extending door-stiffening column members. These door-stiffening column members are pivotally attached to upper mounting brackets affixed to the garage building structure directly above the garage door opening. Lower mounting brackets are affixed to second ends of the column members and are configured to be anchored to the garage floor directly beneath the upper mounting brackets. The door-stiffening column members are further attachable to deflection brackets that are mounted to the door panel hinge joints, so that the garage door panels are securely braced over the entire height of the garage door by an anchoring structure that prevents the garage door from being flexed off its guide tracks and becoming detached by the impact of or the vacuum created by intense winds.

Abstract: The large overhead bi-fold doors of the present invention are hinged along a centerline and hung by hinges from the top of the door opening. A motor mounted inside and above the door opening is connected to one end of a cable, the other end of which passes around a pulley at the bottom of the door and then upwardly to a latching mechanism located beneath the horizontal hinge line of the doors. When the motor is activated, the cable pulls on a dog or arm connected to a shaft which also carries the hook of a latching device. The hook engages a strike attached to the frame of the building on which the door is mounted, and when the motor is activated, the cable pulls on the dog which disengages the hook from the strike and further tension on the cable by the motor raises the door to an elevated position.

Abstract: An overhead door reinforcement assembly has a plurality of elongated reinforcing members operatively mounted vertically on the inner surface of the door between the top edge and the bottom edge of each of the several door panels, and a plurality of cap members overlying the adjacent ends of the reinforcing members. Pivot members pivotally connect the cap members to the adjacent ends of the reinforcing members, and this permits pivoting of the panels as the door is moved between open and closed positions, but prevents pivoting of the ends of the reinforcing members in the direction of the cap members to prevent buckling of the associated door in the closed position under externally applied pressure. A disengageable lock member is engaged with the cap members and the ends of the reinforcing members to prevent pivoting of the ends of the reinforcing members away from the cap members to prevent buckling of the door panels.

Abstract: An improved door mounting system which uses a pair of channel members directly coupled to a guide member to allow an access door to move from a position closing an access opening to a position clearing the access opening. The door can be a single panel or a number of hingedly interconnected panels. The door is movable laterally into a position or vertically. The door does not "swing, but it "slides", shifts or moves relative to and along the walls in contact with the ends of the panels. The particular door assembly of the present invention is for solving the following geometric problem: finding the geometrical locus of a center of a straight line segment when two ends of the segment are forced to move along two perpendicular straight lines.

Abstract: A track system (110) for a door (120) having a plurality of panels including a top panel (121) and a hinge connected adjacent panel (122), having an inner side for attaching mounting hardware and being movable between a closed vertical position proximate a door frame and an open horizontal position including, substantially vertical track (111) adapted to be displaced from the door frame (F) a distance sufficient for receiving a plurality of rollers (142, 152, 162, 165) attached to and spaced from the inner side of the door, transition track (112) commencing at the upper extremity of the vertical track and curving through an angle of substantially ninety degrees for receiving a top roller (132) positioned proximate the upper extremity of the top panel and spaced from the inner side thereof a distance greater than any of the plurality of spaced rollers, and horizontal track (114) extending from the transition track and having a curvilinear configuration for maintaining the top panel and the adjacent panel of th

Abstract: A security door construction for a doorway in a loading dock. The door is constructed of open materials, such as expanded metal mesh, and is mounted for movement between a closed and open position on tracks which are located adjacent the sides of the doorway. A safety beam or barrier is connected to the lower portion of the door and extends across the width of the doorway when the door is in the closed position. Fixed supports are mounted on the loading dock in position to be engaged by the ends of the barrier in the event the barrier is subjected to an impact, thereby preventing lateral deflection of the door by the external force and preventing heavy objects from falling through the doorway.

Abstract: An overhead door assembly is disclosed having a pair of rails each with upright and horizontal segments. Pivot supports at the lower ends of the upright segments permit the rails and a door thereon to move into and out of the doorway of a temperature controlled storage structure. A control shaft imparts movement to the rails by arm assemblies each including pivotally coupled arms to tilt the rail segments and door thereon between open and closed positions. The door is held in a closed position by an over-center relationship in each arm assembly. The control shaft is manually actuated while modified rail positioning arrangement includes a pneumatic cylinder and a valve control for rail positioning. Seals about the door and between panels of the door render the storage structure airtight.

Abstract: A kit, for use with a building having a sectional overhead door and at least one vertically disposed strut for reinforcing the door against wind damage, unauthorized entry and the like, enabling quick installation in and easy removal of the strut from a door reinforcing position. Structure is are provided for releasably securing the top of the strut to the building and the bottom of the strut of the floor. Further, structure is provided to releasably secure the hinges of the sectional door to the reinforcing strut by using members having a finger portion for insertion into the hollow pin joining the hinge leaves at the knuckles. Structure is also provided for releasably securing the top and bottom of the strut to the top and bottom of the door. Similarly, apparatus for reinforcing an overhead door with a strut and releasable securing structure is also disclosed.

Abstract: An overhead door assembly designed particularly for use with vehicles such as railroad cars is disclosed. The door assembly is made up of an overhead door, vertical guide members for guiding the overhead door in the vertical direction and horizontal guide members for guiding the door in the horizontal direction. A motor is provided for driving the door between an open and a closed position. According to the invention, the door is first guided to a position directly in front of the door opening, but slightly spaced therefrom. The door is then moved horizontally in a plugging movement so as to securely close off the door opening.

Abstract: Release mechanism and method for fire doors and the like. The door is normally held in an open position by an electrically energized actuator and is released for closing upon deenergization of the actuator. An eneergizing current is supplied to the actuator from a source to energize the actuator, and a limited amount of energy from the source is stored in an element such as a capacitor. Upon interruption of the current from the source to the actuator, the actuator is energized with the stored energy to prevent the door from closing for a limited period of time after the current is interrupted. An alarm circuit is included in some embodiments to porivde a warning when the current has been interrupted and the door is about to close.

Abstract: A door lock actuating mechanism particularly suited for used with a multi-panel rolling overhead garage door having an automatic opener attached thereto by a connecting bar. The mechanism fits between the connecting bar and the top door panel and a pull cable operating the locking bolt(s) is also connected thereto. There is an attaching member attached to the top panel and a sliding pendulum bar to which the connecting bar and cable are connected. When the door is opened, the pendulum bar slides to an unlocked position where it is latched by the force of gravity thus holding the locking bolt(s) in an unlocked position during door movement. The pendulum bar and locking bolt(s) are only released when the attaching member returns to the vertical position upon door closing.

Abstract: This invention provides two forms of improved guards for a roll-up door. The first form ( 58 or 59) is intended to prevent shifting cargo from intefering with becoming interlocked with the lowered door. This form has a vertically-elongated guard which is adapted to overlie the vertically-spaced hinges, and has opposite marginal end portions closely spaced to the knuckle portions of such hinges. This first form reduces the stepped configuration of prior art hinges, and therefore reduces the opportunity for shifting cargo to become interlocked with the door. The second form (111) is mounted on the door and track, and is designed to prevent shifting cargo from entering the space through which the door must pass as it its raised or lowered.

Abstract: An overhead tracked door selfsealing device suitable for easy retrofit of existing door installations which have no self sealing feature. It is comprised of a bracket and a spring driven cam system that is attached to the door track at the roller shaft points when the door is in the closed position. As a result, a lateral force imparted by the cam against the roller shaft via the pre-loaded spring forces the door against the jamb.

Abstract: There is disclosed an overhead sectional door suitable for use with capped pickup trucks in which a multiplicity of sealing means are provided. Thus, there is provided compressible sealing means adapted to be compressed against the outer and inner faces of the door and auxiliary flexible sealing member adapted to span the compressible sealing member at the face of the door and from the side of the doorway to the door, a special sill plate having an upturned inner edge adapted to act as a dam and a transverse compressible sealing member adapted to seal between the door and the upturned member. A special fixed base support bracket is provided to hold a compressible sealing member in position to be compressed against the inner face of the door.

Abstract: A weather seal disclosed is particularly effective in providing a seal for uneven gaps of substantial width and length such as are found along the bottom of a garage door. The weather seal is a unitary extruded strip including a base section (21) mounted on the door, a resilient arm section (22) extending away from the base section and an end section (23) extending from the arm section opposite and in spaced relation to the base section. A lip section (24) extends away and down from the rear of the base section (21). In use, the arm section 22 flexes to resiliently urge the end section against a surface (14) so as to provide a substantially constant loading throughout the full extent of the door. For metal doors (31) a retainer (32) fastens to the door which in turn receives a portion of the seal and holds it in position for operation on the metal door.

Abstract: The invention relates to doors of the kind, which are movable in guides mounted in opposing vertical edges of a doorway, the gasket being intended in the closed condition of the door to bridge the distance between the upper edge portion of the shutter blade and the wall side, along which the shutter blade is displaceable. The door head gasket comprises a stiff ledge (10) extending freely between the edges of the shutter blade, a band (16) of flexible material extending between the fastening points, one longitudinal edge of said band being connected with the ledge, whereas its other longitudinal edge is connected with the door head portion, whereby a seal between the shutter blade and the wall side is maintained independently of the extension of the shutter blade between its guides.

Abstract: Sealing apparatus for overhead doors in which a horizontally disposed elastomeric reservoir containing a quantity of fluid is secured to a header above the door and spaced tubular elastomeric members are secured at each side of the door to the building structure. The tubular members are in fluid communications with the fluid in the reservoir. An elongated flat bar secured to the top of the door bears against the reservoir when the door is closed causing fluid to be forced into the tubular members, extending them into sealing contact with the side edges of the door, while the reservoir seals the edges along the top of the door. Opening of the door releases the fluid pressure permitting the tubular members to retract and return fluid to the reservoir.

Abstract: An insulated sectional overhead garage door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected door panels, each having an interior cavity filled with insulating material. Weather stripping is provided between adjacent door panels to prevent heat loss. One feature of the invention pertains to the quick mounting of the rollers to the panels by means of a pair of bushings and a spacer retainer. Another feature pertains to the movable vertical track for retaining the door in the closed position. The track is movable downwardly and toward the door jamb in response to movement of the door to its lowermost position. The upper end of the door is retained in a track having adjustment means for selectively adjusting the distance between the door header and the upper end of the door. The vertical track is movably mounted on an L-shaped frame member constructed of heat insulating material which is securely mounted to the door jamb.

Abstract: In a device of this type, the tubular member which receives the track roller shaft is attached to the door plate supporting ears by an arm which is bolted to the ears. Thus the tubular member can be rotated about the bolts to adjust its distance from the hinge plates. As a result, an adjustable unit is provided which is easy to install and set.

Abstract: An attachment for use with an overhead door having limited head room. The door is made of hingedly connected sections and movable between a closed and an open position on a track. The attachment comprises a first member adapted to be attached to the top section of the door. A second member is pivotally connected to the first member. Track engagement means are attached to the second member and abutment means are positioned on the second member to abut a stop positioned on the exterior of the track when the door is in the closed position. Abutment of the abutment means on the stop acts to stop movement of the second member in the track at a point just prior to the door reaching the closed position.