Sliding elevator-door assembly and method of installation

An elevator sliding entrance door assembly installed in a building structure between a hallway and an elevator shaft dividing the hallway and shaft, said assembly being installable into a rough opening in a wall, said wall being located between the hallway and the shaft and having a front face forming a plane and a rear face forming a different plane, said assembly comprising, viewed from the hallway:

• (a) a header supported by a plurality of support members;
• (b) an elevator door track attached to the header;
• (c) a sliding elevator door having rolling means to rollingly suspend the door from the track;
• (d) a slide sill having a groove therein which defines a lower track for the door;
• and
• (e) a frame comprising a strike jamb, a return jamb positioned parallel to the strike jamb, and a head jamb connected to the strike and return jambs proximate their top portions, said strike jamb and one of said support members forming a composite strike pocket for said elevator door.

A method of installing an elevator sliding entrance door assembly in a building under construction without using a moving platform, in which the assembly is installed between a hallway and an elevator shaft and which closes off the shaft during construction;

• the assembly being assembled from the hallway and viewed from the hallway, the steps of the method comprising:
• (a) installing a sill in the hallway and proximate the shaft, the sill haling a groove therein which defines a lower track;
• (b) attaching an elevator door track to a header;
• (c) installing the header supported by a plurality of support members;
• (d) lifting an elevator door from the hallway, and not from a moving platform, and suspending the elevator door from the track so that is slides on the door track and slides within the sill groove;
• (e) installing a frame, in a bolted or fully welded assembly, comprising a strike jamb having a top portion which when assembled forms a composite strike pocket together with one of the support members, a return jamb having a top portion and positioned parallel to the strike jamb, and a head jamb connected to the strike and return jambs proximate their top portions;
• and
• (f) attaching to the header and one of the support members a stationary side panel extending from the finished floor to the header and proximate said support member and return jamb, said panel occupying about one-half or less of the wall opening and being between the front and rear facing planes of the wall.

A method of installing an elevator sliding entrance door assembly in a building under construction without using a moving platform, in which the assembly is installed between a hallway and an elevator shaft and which partially closes off the shaft during construction;

• the assembly being assembled from the hallway and viewed from the hallway, the steps of the method comprising:
• (a) installing a sill in the hallway and proximate the shaft, the sill having a groove therein which defines a lower track;
• (b) attaching an elevator door track to a header;
• (c) installing the header supported by a plurality of support members;
• (d) lifting an elevator door from the hallway, and not from a moving platform, and suspending the elevator door from the track so that is slides on the door track and slides within the sill groove;
• and
• (e) installing a frame, in a bolted or fully welded assembly, comprising a strike jamb having a top portion which when assembled forms a composite strike pocket together with one of the support members, a return jamb having a top portion and positioned parallel to the strike jamb, and a head jamb connected to the strike and return jambs proximate their top portions.