Tamper resistant track assembly

Disclosed is a tamper resistant assembly of a roller or slider in a track that can be used advantageously in schools, public buildings, detention facilities and the like; wherever the potential for vandalism and mischief is likely. In the present device the track is provided with unique sloped ends which expel, up and out, any foreign material placed in the track as it is moved along by the roller or slider toward the end of the track where it would ordinarily jam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Door closers using arm and roller assemblies in a track are well known in 
the art. Jamming of the roller in the track can prevent normal function of 
the door closer and become a source of damage of the door closer and door 
in attempts to defeat, destroy or vandalize the door closer. Foreign 
objects have been placed in the track which in the past have jammed the 
roller or slider and with the mechanical advantage of the large door panel 
have effected considerable damage and/or potential malfunction of the door 
closer device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a means at each end of the track for 
expelling foreign objects placed in the track. It is therefore an object 
of the present invention to provide a means for clearing foreign objects 
from a track and roller/slider combination. The means further comprising: 
sloped track ends which conveniently expel foreign objects rather than 
have them jam in the track. It is a further object to provide a simple, 
safe, and easily manufactured means of expelling track debris.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a track for a conventional door closer is shown having 
installed therein a roller assembly which traverses the track upon opening 
and closing of the door. It should be appreciated by one skilled in the 
art that debris such as wadded paper, pencils, pieces of chalk, wood or 
the like may be forced into the track as a means of interfering with its 
operation. The track is generally designated by reference numeral 1 and is 
provided with an internal slot 2 having guide surfaces 2A and 2B which in 
normal operation receive a roller assembly 3 which may be attached in turn 
to the arm of a door closer or the like (not shown). 
According to the present invention removable end caps 4 are inserted in the 
track slot 2 and are secured there by means of pins 5 (see FIG. 3). Each 
end cap is provided with a sloped surface 6 which when installed in the 
track at each end is used to ramp up and expel foreign objects which may 
be placed into the track and pushed along by the roller assembly 3. 
In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the slope at the end of the 
track 6A may be accomplished by bending up a portion of the track as 
shown. This provides for expelling materials in the same way as the 
inserts of the previous embodiment. 
Having described our invention in terms of a preferred embodiment, we do 
not wish to be limited in the scope of our invention except a claimed.