Power operated multi-paneled garage door opening system

A power operated door opening mechanism for moving multi-panel garage doors that are installed in door openings between an open and a closed position, including a jack shaft operator adapted to be mounted adjacent to the door opening and a torsion bar adapted to be mounted horizontally above the door opening and rotationally driven by the jack shaft operator, the doors having an inner surface and a side surface, said mechanism comprising:

• a plurality of bearings, a pair of said bearings adapted to be being fixedly attached to each door panel, including a pair of lowermost bearings adapted to be being attached to the lowest door panel;
• a plurality of guide members, said guide members adapted to be extending laterally from the side of the door, said guide members rotationally engaging said bearings, including a pair of lowermost guide members rotationally engaging said lowermost bearing;
• a pair of pulleys adapted to be fixedly mounted adjacent to the bottom of the garage door and substantially vertically beneath said lowermost bearing;
• a pair of lift cables having two ends, one end of said lift cables being connectedly attached to said lowermost bearing, the other end being connectedly attached to the drum, said lift cables being wound and unwound from the drums as the jackshaft operator drivingly turns the torsion bar;
• a pair of reverse cables, one end of said reverse cables being connectedly attached to said lowermost bearing, the other end being connectedly attached to the drum, said reverse cables further engaging said pulleys, said reverse cables being wound and unwound from the drums as the jackshaft operator drivingly turns the torsion bar;
• and
• tracks for supporting and guiding said guide members, said tracks further comprising:
• a pair of inner vertical tracks having side edges adapted to be disposed adjacent to either side of the door opening;
• a pair of outer vertical tracks having an upper end, a lower end, and side edges, said side edge of said outer vertical tracks being disposed adjacent said side edge of said inner vertical tracks;
• and
• horizontal tracks having a proximal end and a distal end, said horizontal tracks adapted to be positioned above said door opening, said proximal end of said horizontal tracks being radiused downwardly to connect with the upper end of said upper end of said outer vertical tracks.

A power operated door opening mechanism for moving multi-panel garage doors that are installed in door openings between an open and a closed position, including a jack shaft operator adapted to be mounted adjacent to the door opening, a torsion bar adapted to be mounted horizontally above the door opening and rotationally driven by the jack shaft operator, and drums mounted on the torsion bar, the doors having an inner surface and a side surface, said mechanism comprising:

• a plurality of opposing substantially cylindrical upper shaft journals, said upper shaft journals rotatably engaging and supporting said guide members, said shaft journals adapted to be being further fixedly attached to the inner surface of all panels of the multi-panel door except the lowermost panel;
• a pair of lowermost shaft journals, said lowermost shaft journals rotatably engaging and supporting said guide members, said lowermost shaft journals adapted to being attached to the side surface of the lowermost panel of the door;
• an extension member for extending said upper shaft journals away from said inner side of the door, said extension member adapted to being rigidly attached to said inner surface of the door;
• a plurality of opposing guide members, said guide members adapted to be extending laterally from the side of the door, said guide members adapted to being attached to each door panel and further comprising:
• a lowermost guide member adapted to being attached to the lowermost door panel and a plurality of upper guide members, said upper guide members being rotatably disposed in said upper shaft journals and projecting laterally from said side edge of said door, said lowermost guide member adapted to be projecting laterally from said side edge of said door, said lowermost guide member being disposed in said lowermost shaft journal;
• a pair of pulleys adapted to be fixedly mounted adjacent to the bottom of the garage door and substantially vertically beneath said lowermost shaft journal;
• a pair of lift cables having two ends, one end of said lift cables being connectedly attached to said lowermost bearing, the other end being connectedly attached to the drum, said lift cables being wound and unwound from the drums as the jackshaft operator drivingly turns the torsion bar;
• a pair of reverse cables, one end of said reverse cables being connectedly attached to said lowermost bearing, the other end being connectedly attached to the drum, said reverse cables further engaging said pulleys, said reverse cables being wound and unwound from the drums as the jackshaft operator drivingly turns the torsion bar;
• and
• tracks for supporting and guiding said guide members, said tracks further comprising:
• a pair of inner vertical tracks having side edges adapted to be disposed adjacent to either side of the door opening;
• a pair of outer vertical tracks having an upper end, a lower end, and side edges, said side edge of said outer vertical tracks being disposed adjacent said side edge of said inner vertical tracks;
• and
• horizontal tracks having a proximal end and a distal end, said horizontal tracks adapted to be positioned above said door opening, said proximal end of said horizontal tracks being radiused downwardly to connect with the upper end of said upper end of said outer vertical tracks, said upper guide members being engaged in said outer vertical tracks when said door is in said closed position and further engaging said horizontal tracks when said door is in said open position and said lowermost guide member engaging said inner vertical tracks.