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US 6,742,564 B2Granted
Spring force safety locking system for sectional doors
AssigneeMartin Door Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorDavid O. Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hardware that improves safety and minimizes the risk involved in installing, maintaining, and operating sectional doors that use springs to facilitate door movement. A lock-on side bearing bracket bears up a spring on a garage door. This side-bearing bracket includes a hook and a perpendicular tab to prevent the spring from dangerously releasing its energy when parts supporting the spring are removed or fail. A lock-on bottom roller bracket having a bottom bearing plate and a safety hook similarly prevents a potential release of energy when the garage door lift cable is tensed. A curled portion at the bottom of the lift cable prevents the cable from coming off the drum. A safety latch with a latch bar and a latch cover acts as a lock for the garage door.
Claims43
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track in which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position;
- a torsion spring assembly for moving the plurality of sectional door panels between said open and closed positions, said assembly including a rotatable support shaft and a torsion spring, said torsion spring having a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted to the rotatable support shaft;
- a bracket coupled to said second end of the torsion spring, the bracket comprising a first surface;
- and
- a safety support extending from said bracket, the safety support being shaped to fit the contour of a portion of said support track, the safety support comprising a shelf protruding from said first surface of said bracket so that said shelf bears against said support track to prevent any tendency of the bracket to rotate with respect to the support track.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track through which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position, said support track having an edge;
- a torsion shaft for transmitting torque;
- a torsion spring having a stationary end and a rotatable end, the rotatable end being fixed to the torsion shaft;
- and
- a lock-on side bearing bracket coupled to the stationary end of the torsion spring, said side bearing bracket having a hook and a tab that together bear against said support track to prevent rotation of said side bearing bracket with respect to the support track, said hook being wrapped under said edge of the support track, and said tab being juxtaposed against a surface of said support track.
3 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track in which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position;
- a torsion spring assembly for moving the plurality of sectional door panels between said open and closed positions, said assembly including a rotatable support shaft and a torsion spring, said torsion spring having a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted to the rotatable support shaft;
- a drum coupled to the support shaft of the torsion spring assembly;
- a cable having a first end connected to the drum and a second end coupled to one of said sectional door panels;
- a door frame member fixed to said one of said sectional door panels, the door frame member having an edge;
- and
- a cable bracket coupled to said second end of the cable and to said door frame member, the cable bracket having an upwardly curving hook which bears against said edge of the door frame member to prevent release of the cable bracket from said door frame member while the cable is under tension.
5 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track in which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position;
- a torsion spring assembly for moving the plurality of sectional door panels between said open and closed positions, said assembly including a rotatable support shaft and a torsion spring, said torsion spring having a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted to the rotatable support shaft;
- a drum coupled to the support shaft of the torsion spring assembly;
- a cable having a first end connected to the drum and a second end coupled to one of said sectional door panels;
- a door frame member fixed to said one of said sectional door panels, the door frame member having a bottom edge;
- a cable bracket coupled to said second end of the cable, the cable bracket having a hook which moves upwardly against said edge of the door frame member to prevent, while the cable is under tension, the cable bracket and cable from disassociating with said one of said sectional door panels;
- and
- a bottom bearing plate on said cable bracket for bearing against a bottom surface on said one of said sectional door panels while said cable is in tension.
6 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track in which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position;
- a torsion shaft for transmitting torque;
- a torsion spring having a stationary end and a rotatable end, the rotatable end being fixed to the torsion shaft;
- a drum coupled to the torsion shaft such that rotation of the drum causes rotation of the torsion shaft and rotation of the torsion spring;
- a cable having a first end coupled to the drum and a second end coupled to one of said sectional door panels;
- a door frame member fixed to said one of said sectional door panels;
- and
- a cable bracket connected to said second end of the cable, the cable bracket having a bottom bearing plate for bearing against a bottom surface on said one of said sectional door panels while said cable is under tension.
6 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- a support track in which the plurality of sectional door panels travel between an open and a closed position, the support track including a horizontal track angle;
- a torsion shaft for transmitting torque;
- a torsion spring having a stationary end and a rotatable end, the rotatable end being fixed to the torsion shaft;
- a lock-on side bearing bracket coupled to the stationary end of the torsion spring, said side bearing bracket having a hook and a tab that together bear against said horizontal track angle to prevent rotation of said side bearing bracket with respect to the support track, said hook being wrapped under an edge of the horizontal track angle, and said tab being juxtaposed against a surface of said horizontal track angle;
- a drum coupled to the torsion shaft such that rotation of the drum causes rotation of the torsion shaft and rotation of the torsion spring;
- a cable having a first end coupled to the drum and a second end coupled to one of said sectional door panels;
- a door frame member fixed to said one of said sectional door panels, the door frame member having an edge;
- a lock-on bottom bracket coupled to said second end of the cable and to said door frame member, the lock-on bottom bracket having an upwardly curving hook which moves upwardly against said edge of the door frame member to prevent release of the lock-on bottom bracket from said door frame member while the cable is under tension;
- and
- a bottom bearing plate on said lock-on bottom bracket for bearing against a bottom surface on said one of said sectional door panels while said cable is in tension.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- supporting, via a support track, a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- moving, via a torsion spring and a cable, said sectional door panels between an open and a closed position;
- anchoring said torsion spring with a bracket coupled to said torsion spring;
- securing said bracket with a tab extending from said bracket, said tab being juxtaposed against a surface of said support track;
- and
- stabilizing said bracket with a hook that operates together with the tab to prevent the bracket from rotating with respect to the support track, the hook wrapping around an edge of the support track.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- supporting, via a support track, a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- securing, via a cable bracket, one end of a cable to a door frame member that is fixed to one of said sectional door panels;
- lifting, via a torsion spring and said cable, said sectional door panels between an open and a closed position;
- and
- reinforcing the connection between the cable bracket and door frame member with a hook on the cable bracket, said hook locking on to a bottom edge of the door frame member while the cable is under tension.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- supporting, via a support track, a plurality of pivotally connected sectional door panels;
- rotating, via a torsion spring, a support shaft that, in turn, rotates a drum coupled to the support shaft;
- winding, via said step of rotating, a cable around the drum, said cable having a first end connected to the drum and a second end;
- lifting, via said step of rotating, said sectional door panels, said second end of the cable being coupled to a door frame member on one of said sectional door panels;
- anchoring said torsion spring with a bracket coupled to said torsion spring;
- securing said bracket with a tab extending from said bracket, said tab being juxtaposed against a surface of said support track;
- stabilizing said bracket with a hook that operates together with the tab to prevent the bracket from rotating with respect to the support track, the hook wrapping around an edge of the support track;
- and
- reinforcing the connection between the cable bracket and said door frame member with a hook on the cable bracket, said cable bracket hook locking on to a bottom edge of the door frame member while the cable is under tension.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.