AU2005227378B2 - Sliding door components - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (ORIGINAL) Name ofApplicants: DENNIS JOHN MORGAN and TERENCE GEORGE VALENTINE MORGAN Actual Inventors: DENNIS JOHN MORGAN TERENCE GEORGE VALENTINE MORGAN Address for Service: SANDERCOCK & COWIE SUITE 8C, 50-54 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 Invention Title: SLIDING DOOR COMPONENTS Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. 2004906186 Filed: 27 1h October, 2004 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Fc2005-I0-26,Z:\Letten\morgan.file.wpdI - la TITLE: SLIDING DOOR COMPONENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention concerns devices for controlling the movement of sliding doors. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Sliding doors are easy to use for adults but where children use sliding doors, there is the 10 risk that intentionally or otherwise a child may be struck by the leading edge of the door 2005-10-26,Z:\Specifications\morgan.cap.wpd, I -2 as the door closes. If the fingers or the head are squeezed between the door and the door frame, the injury may be serious. Childcare centres may have several such doors both internal and external. This is a concern for bodies which run childcare centres. 5 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One apparatus aspect of the invention provides a safety device for attachment to the leading end of a sliding door comprising 10 a stop attachable to the static frame of the sliding door capable of defining a gap between the leading end of the door and the jamb, a mount for attachment to the leading end of the door and a projection carried by the mount, the projection being movable between a release position where the door is free 15 to close to the jamb and a safe position where the projection and stop mutually obstruct and the gap is maintained and the projection is spring biassed to the safe position. The projection may be a bolt which is slidable in the mount. A pull cord, handle or a mechanical equivalent may be attached to the bolt. Where the sliding door is in a 20 childcare facility, the device for operating the bolt will be out of reach of children. Regulations stipulate that door handles must be no lower than 1500mm from the floor. When the door is an outside door, the bolt may be operated from inside or outside. The cord or handle may pass through the thickness of the door, This assists adults who may 25 be supervising children and may need to close the door from the outside. Preferably the bolt is spring loaded to the safe position where the bolt projects. The stop may be the reaction surface of a component which is securable to the header of the door frame. The stop takes the closing force of the door and prevents its further 30 travel. If the door is large or especially heavy, it must be capable of a correspondingly large arresting force. Children who are new to the door will not at first realise the door will stop dead 200mm or so from the jamb. The stop may be a block of plastic or timber -3 which will take fasteners. The block may be hidden inside a channel-section holder. The block may have a ramp face. The taper allows the spring to extend when the door is closed to the jamb. This 5 extends the working life of the spring but more importantly allows the bolt to ride up the ramp face every time the door opens compressing the spring until the reaction surface is reached when the bolt projects fully and is made ready to strike the stop on its return journey. 10 The device may be sold as a kit of parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the 15 accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the safety device fitted to an inside sliding door. Figure 2 is an end view of the safety device fitted to an outside sliding door. 20 DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, the mount is a steel strip 2,400 x 30 x 3mm having a pair of brackets 4, 6 near the upper end and a bracket 8 at the lower end. Each bracket has a 25 central bore. The bore in the lower bracket receives an eye 10. The bores in the upper -4 bracket receive a sliding steel pin 12. Split pin 14 limits the pin travel. Coil spring 16 forces the pin to project from the paired brackets as shown. The bolt and eye are joined by a pull cord 18. 5 The strip is secured by screws 20 to the sliding door 22 which runs in floor track 24 and hollow header 26. Aluminium channel 28 is screwed to the header 26. A polythene wedge 30, 200mm long ends in a reaction face 32, 50mm deep and a ramp face 34. This component determines the safety gap in the door. If older children are using the door, the gap may be 300mm wide. 10 In use the door is unlocked and slid open. The pin 12 rides up the ramp face 34 compressing the coil spring 16. When the pin reaches the end of the ramp face, the pin is free to rise. If the door is slid shut, the door travels until the pin strikes the reaction surface of the wedge. The door stops. 15 If an adult wants to close the door, the cord is pulled to move the pin beneath the reaction surface. The door is free to close to the jamb. If the door is to be operated from the inside only, the pull cord extends past the eye 10 and is knotted beneath a small plastic ball. 20 The door can be locked in a wide open position by using a bolt long enough to shoot into an aperture cut in the floor of the top channel in which the door slides. In Figure 2, a polythene block 36 is fixed to both faces of the door stile. Both blocks and 25 the door stile have a common bore 38. The ends of the bore are radiussed to assist the movement of the cord 18. The cord is secured to strip 40 which is mounted to the exterior face of the door stile. The pin is operable from both inside and outside the door. The device does not disturb the door lock. 30 In a non-illustrated embodiment, the bolt performs the extra function of a deadlock. With the door in the closed position, a bore is drilled in the header into which the bolt may shoot. This arrests the door until the tie is pulled allowing the door to be slid open to initiate the ramp motion and the action of the stop. This deadlock is in addition to the 2005-10-26,Z:\Specifications\morgan.cap.wpd,4 -5 latch normally provided on a sliding door. A second bore is drilled in the header at the position where the door is fully open so that the bolt can engage the second bore and remain locked in that position. Alternatively, a second ramp may be installed at the "fully open" position so that a door is capable of restraint in open, closed and gap positions. 5 Referring now to Figure 3, the door stile has a pivot 42 which supports bell crank 44. Steel bob 46 biasses the crank to the position shown so that the door cannot close the gap defined by the arm 48. Arrester 50 causes the crank to rest horizontally. Tie 18 cancels the crank action. Plastic strip 52 prevents wear in the doorjamb. 10 We have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be: 1. Width of the gap adjustable at installation. 15 2. Pin is activated upon first opening the door and can be cancelled from inside or outside the door. It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude 20 the addition of other elements. It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention. 25 2005-10-26,Z:\Specifications\morgancap.wpd,5

Claims (9)

1. A safety device for attachment to the leading end of a sliding door, a stop attachable to the static frame of the sliding door capable of defining a gap 5 between the leading end of the door and the jamb, a mount for attachment to the leading end of the door and a projection carried by the mount, the projection being movable between a release position where the door is free to close to the jamb and a safe position where the projection and stop mutually obstruct and the gap is maintained and the projection is spring biassed to the safe position. 10

2. A safety device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the projection is a bolt which is slidable in the mount.

3. A safety device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the stop is the reaction surface of 15 a component which is securable to the header of the door frame.

4. A safety device as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the component also has a ramp face which intersects with the reaction surface and permits the spring to extend when the bolt is in the safe position. 20

5. A safety device as claimed in any one of Claims 2-4, wherein the bolt is operated by a pull cord.

6. A safety device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the device has a mount with an 25 aperture for the cord to facilitate the passage of the cord through the thickness of the door to the outside enabling the operation of the bolt from both inside and outside the sliding door.

7. A safety device as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the bolt is moveable to the 30 release position by a pull cord.

8. A safety device substantially as herein described with reference to and as -7 illustrated in Figures 1-2.

9. A sliding door fitted with a safety device as claimed in any of the preceding claims. 5