US 5,848,631 A · Movable closure with load resistant lateral locks

Abstract

An Overhead rolling gate for a generally rectangular opening in a wall includes a generally horizontal frame portion at the top of the rectangular opening and two generally vertical portions at the lateral sides of the rectangular opening. A shaft is mounted substantially along the horizontal frame portion for rotation about a horizontal axis. A closure member is provided which has a length at least equal to the height of the rectangular opening and is capable of beg rolled up onto said shaft or spindle when in an open condition of the overhead gate and rolled down from the shaft or spindle to a closed position of the overhead gate to cover the rectangular opening. The closure member has a width selected to insure that the lateral ends of the closure member are guided by the vertical frame portions when the closure is rolled up unto or rolled down from the shaft or spindle. Locking means selectively locks and fixes the lateral ends of the closure member relative to the vertical portions when the closure member is closed up to anticipated wind loads of approximately 103 pounds per square foot. In this way the closure member acts as a beam fixed at both lateral ends thereby minimizing the maximum deflection relative to a plane defined by the wall or frame as a result of distributed anticipated wind loads acting on the closure member.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Overhead rolling gate for a generally rectangular opening in a wall comprising a generally horizontal frame portion at the top of the rectangular opening and two generally vertical portions at the lateral sides of the rectangular opening each of said vertical portions having guide means extending along at least a portion thereof and being parallel therewith;

a shaft mounted substantially along said horizontal frame portion for rotation about a horizontal axis;
a closure member having a length at least equal to the height of the rectangular opening and being capable of being rolled up onto said shaft when in an open condition of the overhead gate and rolled down from said shaft to a closed position of the overhead gate to cover said rectangular opening, said closure member having a width selected to insure that the lateral edges of said closure member are guided by said guide means when the closure is rolled up unto or rolled down from said shaft;
and locking means for selectively locking and fixing the lateral edges of said closure member relative to said guide means when said closure member is closed up to anticipated wind loads of approximately 103 pounds per square foot, whereby said closure member acts as a beam fixed at both lateral ends thereby minimizing the maximum deflection relative to a plane defined by the wall or frame as a result of distributed anticipated wind loads acting on said closure member.

a shaft mounted substantially along said horizontal frame portion for rotation about a horizontal axis;
a closure member having a length at least equal to the height of the rectangular opening and being capable of being rolled up onto said shaft when in an open condition of the overhead gate and rolled down from said shaft to a closed position of the overhead gate to cover said rectangular opening, said closure member having a width selected to insure that the lateral edges of said closure member are guided by said vertical frame portions when the closure is rolled up unto or rolled down from said shaft or spindle;
and locking means for selectively locking and fixing only the lateral edges of said closure member relative to said vertical portions when said closure member is closed, whereby said closure member acts as a beam fixed at both lateral ends thereby minimizing the maximum deflection relative to a plane defined by the wall or frame as a result of distributed wind loads acting on said closure member without the need to secure portions of said closure member at points intermediate said lateral ends, wherein each of said two substantially vertical frame portions comprises an elongate channel having a substantially U-shaped cross section and open in a direction facing the other of said vertical frame portions, each channel having opposing front and rear wall portions joined by a transverse connecting wall portion, said lateral ends of said closure member being received through the openings in said elongate channels and being positioned between to one of said front and rear wall portions and said locking means sufficiently to rigidly clamp the same against movement relative to the associated vertical frame portions, and wherein said locking mean is actuated by an electrical drive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Movable closure with load resistant lateral locks

Life of this patent

Movable closure with load resistant lateral locks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20