GB2148367A

GB2148367A - Folding door

Info

Publication number: GB2148367A
Application number: GB08420987A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joel Robin
Original assignee: CARRETIER ROBIN ETS
Current assignee: CARRETIER ROBIN ETS
Priority date: 1983-10-27
Filing date: 1984-08-17
Publication date: 1985-05-30
Also published as: IT8482528A0; ES8504318A1; NL8402915A; FR2554157B1; BE900013A; GB2148367B; IT1181402B; FR2554157A1; DE3428243A1; DE8422788U1; ES533967A0; GB8420987D0; MA20131A1

Abstract

The door comprises two panels (2) and (3), of which the upper panel (2) pivots on the inner face of the lintel and the lower panel (3) is articulated to the panel (2) by means of special hinges (4), which panel (3) is moved by arms (7) operated by vertical springs (13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Folding door folding away upwards The present invention relates to garage doors which open upwards with the aid of an appropriate means to articulate the panels of the door panel assembly.

There exist upward opening doors which are monobloc or divided into two panels and are moved by simple pressure of the hand under the action of counter-weights or springs: but these doors have one major drawback, in that when they are deployed during opening or closing they protrude outwards; this protrusion outwards is always inconvenient and sometimes detrimental to the outside environment. The fact of protruding outwards also means that the width of the door panel assembly must be slightly less than that of the garage door opening, which means that it is often necessary to modify the door jambs of the opening for existing constructions, in order to match the width of the garage bay to the standard dimensions of garage doors, or to have a door made to measure.

The door which is the object of this application makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks because of the fact that there is no outward protrusion; moreover, its very simple design makes it possible to reduce the cost of its production. Finally, the said door presents a very pleasant appearance because of the fact that the hinges are not visible on the outside.

The folding door which is the object of this application consists principally of a door panel assembly divided horizontally into two equal panels.

The lower panel of the door panel assembly is connected to the upper panel by means of interior hinges and the upper panel pivots on the inner face of the lintel of the garage opening.

The panels of the door panel assembly may be of wood, metal, plastic or composite materials such as sandwich board for example.

On the left and right jambs pivots respectively one extremity of an arm, the other extremity of which bears the lower panel of the door panel assembly.

When a person exerts a reasonable pressure on the handle, the said pressure is amplified by compensating springs, which enable easy articulation of the two panels. By means of this pressure the arms move upwards and towards the inside of the garage until they reach a horizontal position, and then continue upwards until they reach an oblique position, drawn by the traction of the lateral springs, positioning the two panels of the door panel assembly horizontally under the ceiling.

One of the main characteristics of the present invention lies in the design and articulation of the hinges which enable the articulation of the panels of the door panel assembly. The said hinges consist of two plates fixed to the panels of the door panel assembly, and the said plates support respectively the extremities of the pivoting elements which make up the articulation proper of the door panel assembly.

One distinctive characteristic of the invention lies in the fact that the special hinges enabling the articulation of the panels 2 and 3 allow them to move through 180 , while remaining invisible from the outside of the building.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of a non-limitative example, an embodiment of the apparatus, and other advantages will be apparent from said accompanying drawings taken in connection with the following description.

Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of the folding door from the inside of the garage.

Figure 2 is a summary side elevation of a partopen door panel assembly.

Figure 3 is a part side elevation of a door panel assembly which has almost completely folded under a ceiling.

Figure 4 is a side elevation on another scale of a hinge positioned on the two panels of the door panel assembly which has been completely folded up under a ceiling.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a hinge, according to the position represented in Figure 4 arrow A.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a plate of the articulating hinge.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the plate from above according to the direction of the arrow B drawn in Figure 6.

Figure 8 represents the articulating elements of the hinge of the panels of the door panel assembly.

As shown by the association of Figures 1 to 8, the door comprises a door panel assembly 1 divided horizontally into two panels 2 and 3 articulated by the hinges 4 described below. The upper panel 2 pivots on the lintel of the door opening by means of its frame 5 with hinges 6 commonly used for this type of function. On each side of the lower panel 3 of the door panel assembly 1 is positioned an arm 7 consisting of an iron rod pivoting at one extremity on a small axis 8 placed on a part 9, which part 9 is fixed to the inside of a door jamb 10, and the other extremity of the said arm 7 is fixed to a side edge of the panel 3 by means of a pivoting attachment 11, which is fixed to the side frame 5 consisting of a U-shaped profile able to grip the extremities of the wooden boards 12 make up the door panel assembly 1.

On either side of the door panel assembly 1 is positioned a lateral coil spring 13, one extremity of which is fixed to a part 14 placed on the upper extremity of the door jamb 10, and the other extremity of the said spring 13 is fixed to the arm 7 so as to enable it to be drawn upwards, the arm 7 raises the lower panel 3 which is articulated to the panel 2 by means of three hinges 4, which hinges 4 consist respectively of two plates 15 (cf. Figures 6 and 7) having a flat part 16 surmounted by two parallel sides 17 in such a way as to obtain a roughly Ushaped cross-section.The flat part 16 is pierced by two holes 18 for fixing it to the frame 5 of one of the panels, and the sides 17 are brought closer forming at one extremity, along their whole height, a narrower section 19 for a better stability of the extremities of the flat elements, which extremities are fixed by rivets 20, which connect a plate 15 of the upper panel 2 to a plate 15 of the lower panel 3.

The flat elements of the hinge 4 are of two types (cf. Figure 8), the elements 21 having a medial incurvation 22 giving them a shape roughly similar to that of an M, and the other elements 23 being straight and shorter.

The narrower section 19 of the sides 17 of the plate comprises holes 24 and 25 which are positioned symmetrically with respect to the medial line 26 constituted by the separation of the two panels 2 and 3 of the door panel assembly 1.

One of the distinctive features of the assembly of the hinge 4 lies in the fact that two elements 21 have one of their extremities fixed to the hole 24 of a plate 4 and their other extremity placed alongside one of the extremities of two elements 23, and this mounting is symmetrical on either side of the separation of the two door panels 2 and 3, whereas the other extremity of the elements 23 is positioned on the holes 25 of the other plate. The M-shaped elements 21 pivot together on the same axis 27 at their point of incurvation 22.

As a result of their distinctive design, the hinges 4 have the common axis of articulation, situated at point 27, constantly displaced outwards of panels 2 and 3 during their rotation through 180 .

On the panel 2 of the door panel assembly 1 is positioned a lock 28 comprising a horizontal latch 29, the extremities of which engage in the orifices 30 of the lateral arms, thus blocking the door panel assembly 1 in the closed position.

The closing means which are the object of the present applications may be used for all openings and most particularly for garage doors.

Claims

1. Folding door, preferentially for garages, folding away upwards under the ceiling, comprising at least one door panel assembly which is operated by lateral arms associated with draw springs, characterised by the fact that the door panel assembly is divided into two equal panels, the upper panel of which pivots on the inner face of the lintel of the door opening, and the lower panel of which is articulated to the panel by means of special hinges, which panel is moved by two lateral arms, which arms are raised by the lower extremity of the springs, the latter having their upper extremity fixed to the inner face of the lintel by means of a fixing part.

2. Folding door according to claim 1, characterised in that the common axis of articulation of the hinges situated at point is constantly displaced outwards of panels during their rotation through 180 .

3. Folding door according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the hinges consist of two plates having a flat part surmounted by two parallel sides forming a U-shaped cross-section.

4. Folding door according to claims 1 and 3, characterised in that the flat part of the two plates of a hinge, is pierced by holes for fising the panels of the door panel assembly to the frame.

5. Folding door according to claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the sides of the plates are brought closer together at one extremity along their whole height forming a narrower section.

6. Folding door according to claim 5, characterised in that between the narrower section of the sides of the plates, are held the extremities of the articulated elements.

7. Folding door according to claim 6, characterised in that the elements, M-shaped, and incurvated in their medial part, are associated with the straight elements.

8. Folding door according to claim 3, characterised in that the hinge is constituted symmetrically on either side of the separation of the two panels of the door panel assembly.

9. Folding door according to any preceding claim, wherein the vertical springs each have one extremity secured to the lintel and the other extremity to a respective one of said lateral arms.

9. Folding door according to claim 8, characterised in that the arm, on pivoting upwards raises the panel in its roughly vertical position up to the ceiling, and then places it horizontally and parallel to the panel.

10. A folding door for a garage or the like, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A folding door comprising; An upper door panel having an upper edge hingedly attached to a lintel; a lower door panel hingedly attached along its upper edge to a lower edge of the upper panel; pivoting arms on each side of the door, each said arm being pivotly attached at one end to the side of the door opening and at its other end to the lower door panel and tension springs on either side of the door, each said spring being attached at its upper end to an upper part of the doorframe and its lower end to the respective pivoting arm.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: *(a) Claims 1-9 inc. above have been deleted or tectually amended.

*(b) New or textually amended claims have been fiied as follows:1 to 9 inc. on attached sheets.

1. Folding door adapted for upward folding under a ceiling, comprising a shutter divided into upper and lower panels, wherein the upper panel is pivotally attached along its upper horizontal edge to the inner side of the lintel and along its opposed lower edge carries the lower panel which is operated by lateral arms impelled by vertical springs and wherein the lower panel is articulated on the upper panel by interpositioning of hinges formed respectively by two bracket plates of which one is attached to the upper panel and the other is attached to the lower panel, each of said bracket plates having a plane portion surmounted by two mutually parallel sides to give a U-shaped crosssection, the said parallel sides having inwardly off set portions at one extremity forming a constriction, holes being formed through said inwardly offset portions and articulated elements which couple the upper and lower panels together being held between the offset portions.

2. Folding door according to claim 1, wherein the constriction of each said bracket plate is situated at the higher extremity of the sides of the plate and extends throughout their height.

3. Folding door according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the hinges connecting the upper and lower panels include elements which respectively form an M angled in their central portion, equipped with a central hole and with holes at the extremities.

4. Folding door according to any preceding claim, wherein the hinges connecting the upper and lower panels which are rectilinear and pierced at both their extremities.

5. Folding door according to all of claims 1 to 4, wherein each hinge comprises two said M-shaped hinge elements each having one of its extremities fastened to a hole in said offset portion of a bracket plate on one said panel, spaced from said plane portion thereof, its other end being in juxtaposition with one extremity of a rectilinear hinge element which in turn has its other extremity secured to a hole adjacent the plane portion of a bracket plate on the other panel.

6. Folding door according to claim 5, wherein the M-shaped and rectilinear hinge elements are attached alternately and symmetrically relative to the two bracket plates.

7. Folding door according to any preceding claim, wherein the hinges have a common articulating pin situated at a point constantly offset towards the outside of the panels and during their rotation through 1800 relative to one another.

8. Folding door according to any preceding claim, wherein the plane portion of each said bracket plate is pierced by holes for the fastening on the frame of the panels and of the shutter.