Movable partitions with lateral restraint devices and related methods

A movable partition comprising:

• a first structure having a first plurality of panels, each panel being hingedly coupled to an adjacent panel, the first structure being individually supported from an overhead track at a first location;
• a second structure having a second plurality of panels, each panel being hingedly coupled to an adjacent panel, the second structure being individually supported from the overhead track at a second location, the second location being laterally spaced from the first location;
• at least one lateral restraint device supported from the overhead track at a location between the first location and the second location, the at least one lateral restraint device including a trolley disposed in a channel of the overhead track and an elongated member coupled with the trolley and extending away from the trolley to a location proximate a lower edge of the first structure and a lower edge of the second structure;
• and
• at least one coupling member coupling the elongated member with at least one of the first structure and the second structure, wherein the at least one coupling member includes at least one of a chain, a cable and a rope.

A method of restraining lateral movement of a movable partition, the method comprising:

• suspending a first structure from a first channel of a support structure, the first structure including a first plurality of panels wherein each panel is hingedly coupled to an adjacent panel;
• suspending a second structure from a second, separate channel of the support structure at a laterally spaced location relative to the first structure, the second structure including a second plurality of hingedly coupled panels;
• coupling a leading end of the first structure and the second structure to a lead member;
• suspending at least one elongated member separate from the lead member from the support structure along an axis extending away from the support structure and between the first structure and the second structure and substantially restraining the elongated member from being laterally displaced toward either the first structure or the second structure;
• and
• coupling a roller assembly including at least one roller element to the at least one elongated member and engaging a surface underlying the movable partition with the at least one roller element.

A method of restraining lateral movement of a movable partition, the method comprising:

• suspending a first structure from a first channel of a support structure, the first structure including a first plurality of panels wherein each panel is hingedly coupled to adjacent panel;
• suspending a second structure from a second, separate channel of the support structure at a laterally spaced location relative to the first structure, the second structure including a second plurality of hingedly coupled panels;
• coupling a leading end of the first structure and the second structure to a lead member;
• suspending at least one elongated member separate from the lead member from the support structure along an axis extending away from the support structure and between the first structure and the second structure and substantially restraining the at least one elongated member from being laterally displaced toward either the first structure or the second structure;
• coupling the at least oneelongated member with at least one of the first structure and the second structure;
• wherein coupling the at least one elongated member with at least one of the first structure and the second structure includes directly coupling at least one of a cable, a chain, a rope, and a rigid structure between the at least one elongated member and the first structure.