Train operated folding partition

Claim 2

A center stacking folding partition arrangement comprising: a plurality of panels hinged together in side by side relation for movement between wall forming and wall folded positions, an overhead trackway defining the path of movement of said panels between their said positions, each of said panels having a roller guide operably mounted on said trackway, said guides respectively being secured to the respective panels for movement with respect thereto along the width dimension thereof from aDjacent the center of the respective panels to a position adjacent the leading edges of same as said panels are moved between wall folded and wall forming positions, said panels each comprising: a frame including a top member defining a trackway extending along the width dimension of the panel, and a trolley device riding on the respective panel trackways, with the panel guide being operably connected to the panel trolley device whereby said overhead trackway guides the respective trolley devices for movement relative to the respective panel trackways.

Claim 3

The arrangement set forth in claim 1 wherein each panel includes: means for releasably securing said guides at their positions adjacent the leading edge of same.

Claim 4

The arrangement set forth in claim 1 wherein each panel includes: stop means limiting said movement of said guides between said positions thereof along the respective panel trackways.

Claim 5

The arrangement set forth in claim 1 wherein said overhead trackway comprises: a generally channel shaped member defining an open side forming rideways on either side of same, said guides each including a trolley riding on the respective rideways, said panel trolleys being connected to the respective guide trolleys for swinging movement about a substantially vertical axis for accommodating panel movement between said wall forming and wall folded positions.

Claim 6

The arrangement set forth in claim 4 including: an endless drive chain trained lengthwise of said overhead trackway and adjacent same, means for connecting one run of said chain to the guide of the leading panel, and means for selectively driving said drive chain in forward and reverse directions to move said panels between said wall forming and wall folded positions.

Claim 7

The arrangement set forth in claim 5 wherein the runs of said drive chain are supported by trim members carried by said channel member.

Claim 8

The arrangement set forth in claim 1 including interengaging acoustical sealing means carried by said overhead trackway and the respective panels for interengaging in acoustical sealing relation in the wall forming position of said panels.

Claim 9

In a train operated center stacking folding partition arrangement that includes a plurality of panels hinged together in side by side relation for movement between wall forming and wall folded positions between opposed wall surfaces of a space to be partitioned, and an overhead trackway defining the path of movement of said panels between their said positions, with each of said panels having a carrier operably mounted on the trackway for guiding relation therewith, the improvement wherein: said panels each define a trackway extending along the width dimension of same adjacent the upper end of same and extending from adjacent the center of the respective panels to adjacent the leading edges of same, and a roller device riding on the respective panel trackways, with the panel carrier of the respective panels being operably connected to the roller device thereof whereby the overhead trackway guides the respective roller devices for movement relative to the respective panel trackways, whereby as said panels are moved between wall folded and wall forming positions, the respective panel carriers move along the width dimension of the respective panels to a position adjacent the leading edges of same.

Claim 10

In a train operated center stacking folding partition arrangement that includes a plurality of panels hinged together in side by side relation for movement between wall forming and wall folded positions between opposed wall surfaces of a space to be partitioned, and an overhead trackway defining the path of movement of said panels between their said positions, with each of said panels having a carrier operably mounted on the trackway for guiding relation therewith, the improvement wherein: said panels each define a trackway extending along the width dimension of same adjacent the upper end of same and extending from adjacent the center of the respective panels to adjacent the leading edges of same, and a roller device riding on the respective panel trackways, with the panel carrier of the respective panels being operably connected to the roller device thereof whereby the overhead trackway guides the respective roller devices for movement relative to the respective panel trackways, whereby as said panels are moved between wall folded and wall forming positions, the respective panel carriers move along the width dimension of the respective panels to a position adjacent the leading edges of same.

Claim 11

The improvement set forth in claim 8 wherein: said panels are all of substantially equal dimension in width.

Claim 12

The improvement set forth in claim 8 wherein: at the stacking end of said partition a half width panel connects said panels to the jamb at said stacking end.

Claim 13

The improvement set forth in claim 8 including: means for releasably holding said carriers toward their positions adjacent said leading edges of the respective panels.

Claim 14

The improvement set forth in claim 8 including driving means secured to the carrier of the panel at thE leading end of said partition for moving said panels between said positions.

Claim 15

The improvement set forth in claim 8 wherein: the panel at the stacking end of said partition has a guide roller secured to same adjacent the trailing edge of same, and including a guide track mounted in guiding relation to said guide roller at an angle on the order of 70 to 80 degrees with respect to the path of movement defined by said overhead trackway for guiding said stacking end panel trailing edge between the wall folded and wall forming positions thereof.