Folding closure construction

Claim 1

A folding closure structure comprising, A. a closure panel of accordian fold configuration adapted to be bidirectionally moved from open to closed positions including, 1. a plurality of alternatingly arranged edgewise hinged, extruded, vertical slat elements of uniform cross sectional configuration, 2. a series of inside hinge joint connections, 3. a series of outside hinge joint connections, said inside and outside hinge connections being alternatingly arranged and hingedly connecting respectively adjacent vertical closure slat elements, each of said inside and outside hinge connections being comprised of, a. a groove, integrally extruded along one vertical edge of each of said slats in the form of a first tubular segment, the axis of which is radially disposed, along its length, in the plane of at least a portion of said slat, b. a second tubular segment, similarly formed, along the opposed vertical edge of said slat, having a reduced diameter for sliding engagement, in pintle fashion, within said first tubular segment of the adjacent slat element; B. a header rail means including, 1. a longitudinally extending upper trackway; C. trolley means, operably supported on said trackway, including, 1. a trolley frame means to operably support a plurality of trolley wheels, 2. a hanger screw member extending downwardly through each trolley frame and including a lower portion threadedly engaging axially within the upper end portion of each of said second tubular segments of each of said inside hinge joint connections; D. an upper guideway groove defined by a spaced pair of parallel, horizontal flanges depending downwardly from said header rail means; E. a plurality of upper guide bearing elements, each of which is supported on a respective hanger screw member between said guideway groove flanges; F. a horizontal sill rail means fixed parallel to and in a generally vertical coplanar relation to said header rail means, said sill rail means defining an upwardly oriented lower guideway groove; G. a lower guide bearing projection fixed to and extending downwardly, into said lower guidway groove, from the lower end of each of said second tubular segments of said inside hinge joint connections; H. a vertical element arranged generally parallel to a leading vertical edge of the folding closure structure; I. a relatively deep groove extending along the entire height of said vertical edge; J. a tongue along the opposed edge of said vertical element, adapted to nest within said groove when said folding closure structure is moved to a closed position; K. lock means for selectively maintaining said folding closure structure in the closed position including, 1. a latch lever pivotally fulcrumed on a transverse horizontal axis on said vertical element, 2. a barb portion projecting outwardly of said vertical element, 3. a transverse, horizontal strike edge defined in said leading edge, adapted to be lockingly engaged by said barb portion when said folding closure structure is moved to the closed position, 4. compression spring means to hold said barb portion in said locked engagement.