Pivotal support and guide hardware for folding doors

Claim 2

A hardware assembly for pivotally supporting hingedly interconnected folding door panels mounted in a door opening defined by an overhead horizontal lintel, a pair of vertical side jamb members and a floor, comprising: an elongated track mountable on and beneath the lintel and having a lengthwise extending guide slot opening inwardly of the lower face thereof; an upper pivot block mountable within said track and having a pivot socket therein communicating with said guide slot and means for anchoring said upper pivot block at selected locations along said track laterally inward of one of said jamb members, a lower pivot block having a second pivot socket formed inwardly of its upper face, a lower pivot bracket having an elongated floor engaging arm provided with means for attaching said bracket to the floor and having an elongated central opening, plural serrated teeth formed along and extending inwardly of the lengthwise opposing edges of said opening, said lower pivot block having an anchor portion depending from and beneath a bottom face thereof for insertion into said elongated opening, said anchor portion having serrated teeth matingly engageable with the serrated teeth of said elongated opening whereby said lower pivot block is positively connected to said floor engaging arm at selected locations along the length thereof, said anchor portion being positioned adjacent one end of said lower pivot block and off center with respect to said second pivot socket therein whereby the same is reversibly positionable in said elongated opening to provide a dual range of positions for interconnecting said lower pivot block with said floor engaging arm.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and a pair of coaxially aligned elongated pivot pins extending outwardly of the upper and lower end edges of a door panel and having outer end pivot portions rotatably mounted in the said pivot sockets of said upper and lower pivot blocks, respectively, bi-part cylindrical housing means mounted about and encasing the iNner end portion of each of said pivot pins and rotatably supporting the same, each said housing being coaxially insertable into one of a pair of coaxially aligned mounting openings therefor bored inwardly of the said upper and lower end edges of the door panel, and each said housing having tang portions projecting from the exterior thereof to prevent axial withdrawal thereof from a said mounting opening into which it is inserted.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein said housing means is molded from plastic material and comprises a pair of semi-cylindrical portions having intermating projections and sockets on opposing mating surfaces thereof, each of said semi-cylindrical portions having a semi-cylindrical wall portion at one end thereof, a semi-cylindrical opening comprising a bearing wall portion at the opposite end thereof, and a hollow interior whereby the assembly of the semi-cylindrical portions formulates a cylindrical housing closed at one end for encasing and supporting a major portion of a said pivot member.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein the said bearing wall portions of the housing associated with the lower pivot member are threaded and said lower pivot member is formed with a threaded body portion engageable therewith whereby said lower pivot member is threadingly movable axially of the said housing therefor, and lock nut means on said body portion externally of said housing for locking said lower pivot member against threading movement into its housing.

Claim 6

Supporting hardware assemblies for supporting planar folding door panels in a door opening having a horizontal lintel across its upper margin, a pair of parallel spaced vertical jamb members along the lateral margins thereof and a floor or sill across its lower margin, the lintel supporting an elongated guide track having a downwardly facing guide slot opening inwardly of the lower side thereof and bordered by a pair of parallel spaced flanges comprising: an upper pivot assembly comprising an upper pivot block mountable in said guide track over said flanges thereof and laterally adjacent a said jamb member, means on said upper pivot block for releasably locking the same to and within said track at selected positions relative to said jamb member, said upper pivot block having a cylindrical pivot socket opening inwardly of its lower face, opposite said guide slot; a pivot pin mounted to extend outwardly of the upper end edge of a door panel and having an outer end portion insertable in said pivot socket, a bi-part housing surrounding and rotatably supporting said pivot pin and mountable within a cylindrical mounting socket therefor bored inwardly of the said upper end edge of said door panel, said pivot pin having an enlarged shoulder intermediate its ends, located within said housing, and spring means mounted between said shoulder and a closed bottom wall of said housing for resiliently biasing said pivot pin to maintain the outer end portion thereof in said pivot socket; and a lower pivot assembly comprising an L-shaped mounting bracket having an elongated floor engaging arm portion and a jamb engaging arm portion formed at right angles thereto, said floor engaging arm portion having a central raised platform portion provided with an elongated central opening with spaced serrated lateral margins, said arm portions being receptive of means for attaching the same to the floor and said jamb member, respectively; a lower pivot block mounted in straddling relation over said platform portion and having a depending portion formed with serrated edges lockingly engageable with the serrated margins of said elongated opening whereby to provide selective positioning of said lower pivot block on said floor engaging arm and in relative spaced relation to said jamb member, said lower pivot block having an upper planar surface formed with a second pivot socket extending inwardly thereof; a lower pivot pin having a cylindrical threaded body, a pivot portion at its outer lower end receptive in the socket oF said lower pivot block, and wrench-engaging surfaces formed intermediate said threaded body and pivot portion, a bi-part housing surrounding said threaded portion and having means threadingly engaged with the latter, and a lock nut mounted on said threaded body portion beneath said housing for selectively locking said pivot pin against threading movement into said housing, said housing being insertable into a mounting socket formed inwardly of the lower end edge of the said panel in coaxial alignment with the said socket formed in the upper end edge thereof and having tang and rib means operable to prevent rotational and axial movement of said housing in said mounting socket, whereby said panel mountable between said upper and lower pivot blocks, is pivotal on the axis of said pivot pins, is adjustable laterally relative to said jamb member by selective positioning of said pivot blocks and is adjustable vertically by threaded movement of said lower pivot pin.

Claim 7

Supporting hardware assemblies for supporting planar folding door panels in a door opening having a horizontal lintel across its upper margin, a pair of parallel spaced vertical jamb members along the lateral margins thereof and a floor or sill across its lower margin, the lintel supporting an elongated guide track having a downwardly facing guide slot opening inwardly of the lower side thereof and bordered by a pair of parallel spaced flanges comprising: an upper pivot assembly comprising an upper pivot block mountable in said guide track over said flanges thereof and laterally adjacent a said jamb member, means on said upper pivot block for releasably locking the same to and within said track at selected positions relative to said jamb member, said upper pivot block having a cylindrical pivot socket opening inwardly of its lower face, opposite said guide slot; a pivot pin mounted to extend outwardly of the upper end edge of a door panel and having an outer end portion insertable in said pivot socket, a bi-part housing surrounding and rotatably supporting said pivot pin and mountable within a cylindrical mounting socket therefor bored inwardly of the said upper end edge of said door panel, said pivot pin having an enlarged shoulder intermediate its ends, located within said housing, and spring means mounted between said shoulder and a closed bottom wall of said housing for resiliently biasing said pivot pin to maintain the outer end portion thereof in said pivot socket; and a lower pivot assembly comprising an L-shaped mounting bracket having an elongated floor engaging arm portion and a jamb engaging arm portion formed at right angles thereto, said floor engaging arm portion having a central raised platform portion provided with an elongated central opening with spaced serrated lateral margins, said arm portions being receptive of means for attaching the same to the floor and said jamb member, respectively; a lower pivot block mounted in straddling relation over said platform portion and having a depending portion formed with serrated edges lockingly engageable with the serrated margins of said elongated opening whereby to provide selective positioning of said lower pivot block on said floor engaging arm and in relative spaced relation to said jamb member, said lower pivot block having an upper planar surface formed with a second pivot socket extending inwardly thereof; a lower pivot pin having a cylindrical threaded body, a pivot portion at its outer lower end receptive in the socket oF said lower pivot block, and wrench-engaging surfaces formed intermediate said threaded body and pivot portion, a bi-part housing surrounding said threaded portion and having means threadingly engaged with the latter, and a lock nut mounted on said threaded body portion beneath said housing for selectively locking said pivot pin against threading movement into said housing, said housing being insertable into a mounting socket formed inwardly of the lower end edge of the said panel in coaxial alignment with the said socket formed in the upper end edge thereof and having tang and rib means operable to prevent rotational and axial movement of said housing in said mounting socket, whereby said panel mountable between said upper and lower pivot blocks, is pivotal on the axis of said pivot pins, is adjustable laterally relative to said jamb member by selective positioning of said pivot blocks and is adjustable vertically by threaded movement of said lower pivot pin.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5, and a guide roller assembly resiliently supporting a second non-pivotally supported panel of a hingedly joined pair of panels comprising: a guide wheel over-engageable with the spaced flanges of said track, an elongated spindle member extending coaxially from said guide wheel and depending therebeneath, housing means coaxially receptive of said spindle member and insertably mountable in a mounting socket therefor bored inwardly of the upper end edge of said second panel, said housing having tang projections on its exterior for preventing its withdrawal from said mounting socket, spring means surrounding said spindle member within said housing with one end of said spring means engaging an upper interior wall of said housing; and a locking collar removably mounted over the lower end of said spindle member and having an end surface engaging the lower end of said spring whereby said spring resiliently opposes movement of said spindle out of said housing to provide a resilient suspending support for said panel from said track.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 and surface portions on said wheel for slidably engaging said flanges.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 wherein said wheel is rotatable about the upper end of said spindle member.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 6 wherein said housing is formed as a bi-part molding of plastic material consisting of two semi-cylindrical shell portions having intermating surfaces and interlocking projections and recesses therein whereby such shell portions assemble to form an open ended cylinder, and tang portions extending from the exterior of said cylindrical shell portions in directions opposing axial withdrawal of said housing from its said mounting socket.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 6 wherein said spindle member is formed integrally with said guide wheel, and is formed with detent recesses adjacent the lower end thereof, said locking collar being coaxially insertable over the lower end of said spindle member and formed with opposing internal projections receptive in said detent recesses whereby to interlock said spindle and collar.

Claim 13

In a bifold door assembly comprising a pair of planar door panels hingedly interconnected along adjacent opposing marginal edges within a rectangular door opening and mounted for pivotal movement of one panel thereof about an axis adjacent one side jamb margin of said door opening, the combination comprising: overhead track means mounted along the upper margin of said door opening and having a lengthwise extending guide slot opening inwardly of the lower face thereof, a guide roller assembly suspending the second non-pivotally supported panel of said pair adjacent the unhinged margin thereof comprising roller means mounted in and engaged with said track and having a portion extending through said guide slot thereof, spindle means depending coaxially from said guide roller, housing means coaxially surrounding said spindle means and adapted for insertion into a socket therefor bored inwardly of the upper end edgE of said second panel, means for locking said housing in said socket, spring means mounted about said spindle means within said housing and having an upper end thereof engaged with an internal upper wall of said housing, and means locked over the lower end of said spindle means within said housing and engageable with the lower end of said spring means whereby the latter opposes movement of said spindle means axially out of said housing thereby to provide a resilient supporting force urging said second panel upwardly toward said track.

Claim 14

In a bifold door assembly comprising a pair of planar door panels hingedly interconnected along adjacent opposing marginal edges within a rectangular door opening and mounted for pivotal movement of one panel thereof about an axis adjacent one side jamb margin of said door opening, the combination comprising: overhead track means mounted along the upper margin of said door opening and having a lengthwise extending guide slot opening inwardly of the lower face thereof, a guide roller assembly suspending the second non-pivotally supported panel of said pair adjacent the unhinged margin thereof comprising roller means mounted in and engaged with said track and having a portion extending through said guide slot thereof, spindle means depending coaxially from said guide roller, housing means coaxially surrounding said spindle means and adapted for insertion into a socket therefor bored inwardly of the upper end edgE of said second panel, means for locking said housing in said socket, spring means mounted about said spindle means within said housing and having an upper end thereof engaged with an internal upper wall of said housing, and means locked over the lower end of said spindle means within said housing and engageable with the lower end of said spring means whereby the latter opposes movement of said spindle means axially out of said housing thereby to provide a resilient supporting force urging said second panel upwardly toward said track.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 11, and upper and lower pivot assemblies supporting said one panel adjacent said jamb margin, each said pivot assembly having a pivot pin extending inwardly of an end edge of said one panel and defining a pivotal axis therefor, and each said pivot assembly having means for laterally adjusting said pivot axis relative to said jamb margin; said guide roller assembly in vertically supporting said second panel from said track counteracting turning moment forces on said means for adjusting said axis thereby to maintain the same in adjusted position.

Claim 16

In a hardware assembly for pivotally supporting a door for movement about a vertical pivotal axis, a bottom pivot assembly comprising: a floor engaging bracket having an elongated arm portion associated with means for mounting the same over a horizontal undersupport, said arm portion having an elongated platform portion operationally disposed in parallel spaced relation to the undersupport and formed with an elongated opening therein, and plural serrated teeth formed along and projecting inwardly of opposing lengthwise edges of said opening; pivot means comprising a rigid pivot member carried in a generally cylindrical housing means adapted to be mounted in a socket therefor formed inwardly of the bottom edge of the door, said pivot member having a lower portion extending outwardly of said door edge and contiguous to a threaded shank portion threadingly engageable with said housing for thread-regulated movement of said pivot member relative to said door; and support means insertable through said opening in said platform portion and having teeth thereon lockingly interengageable with the serrated teeth in said elongated opening whereby to detachably interconnect said pivot member with said bracket at selected positions along the length of said elongated opening for the purpose of vertically aligning the pivotal axis of the door.

Claim 17

In a hardware assembly for pivotally supporting a door for movement about a vertical pivotal axis, a bottom pivot assembly comprising: a floor engaging bracket having an elongated arm portion associated with means for mounting the same over a horizontal undersupport, said arm portion having an elongated platform portion operationally disposed in parallel spaced relation to the undersupport and formed with an elongated opening therein, and plural serrated teeth formed along and projecting inwardly of opposing lengthwise edges of said opening; pivot means comprising a rigid pivot member carried in a generally cylindrical housing means adapted to be mounted in a socket therefor formed inwardly of the bottom edge of the door, said pivot member having a lower portion extending outwardly of said door edge and contiguous to a threaded shank portion threadingly engageable with said housing for thread-regulated movement of said pivot member relative to said door; and support means insertable through said opening in said platform portion and having teeth thereon lockingly interengageable with the serrated teeth in said elongated opening whereby to detachably interconnect said pivot member with said bracket at selected positions along the length of said elongated opening for the purpose of vertically aligning the pivotal axis of the door.