Sliding door with anti-sway trolley assembly

The present invention provides at least one anti-sway trolley assembly used in conjunction with either a single sided partition set or sandwiched between first and second partition side in a double sided partition set. The anti-sway trolley assembly comprises a floating rod affixed at a first end to a trolley. Affixed at a rod second end is a floor contact member which provides frictional resistance to lateral displacement of the door. Each anti-sway trolley assembly rides in a chain guide and is affixed to a partition hinge rod. In this manner, a floor channel is not required to achieve resistance to lateral displacement forces.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to sliding doors and in particular, to an anti-sway trolley assembly used with side folding accordion partitions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Side folding accordion partitions are used to provide space separation, often with the additional goal of providing one or more of security separation, sound control, and prevention of the spread of fire and smoke.

Panels which form the partition are attached to ball bearing rollers which ride within a mounted overhead track. A lead panel is attached to a lead post which in turn is attached to a trolley having ball bearing rollers which also rides within the overhead track. A powered looped chain is attached to the trolley, thereby providing the mechanical action required to open and close the partition.

When the partition is activated, the ball bearing rollers and lead post trolley roll in the overhead track causing the partitions to traverse open or closed. The partitions may or may not be slidably mounted to a floor channel. Partitions slidably mounted to a floor channel ensure that the partitions remain in the vertical thereby keeping the sweep at the bottom of the partition in contact with the floor. The floor channel provides lateral stability to the door curtain during travel towards or away from the closed position.

However, certain applications require a contiguous floor surface, i.e., unbroken by a floor channel, for example, shop floors where a channel could interfere with rolling carts, or emergency egress lanes where a floor channel could create a tripping hazard. In those situations, door assemblies that do not mount the partitions to a floor channel are utilized. These partitions are prone to translating from the vertical, preventing the sweep at the bottom of the partition from maintaining a predetermined relationship to the floor, thereby, for example, allowing smoke to pass underneath the partition.

Known designs do not prevent translation of the partition from the vertical when using folding accordion partitions without a floor channel. Accordingly, there is still a continuing need for improved sliding door design, and in particular, for maintaining partition verticality and sweep floor contact when using folding accordion partition designs without a floor channel. The present invention fulfills this need by presenting a novel anti-sway trolley assembly and further provides related advantages.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides at least one anti-sway trolley assembly used in conjunction with either a single sided partition set or preferably sandwiched between an inner and outer partition in a double sided partition set. The anti-sway trolley assembly comprises a floating rod assembly affixed at a first end to a trolley. Affixed at a rod assembly second end is a floor contact member which provides frictional resistance to lateral displacement of the door. Each anti-sway trolley assembly rides in a chain guide and is affixed to a partition hinge. In this manner, a floor channel is not required to achieve resistance to lateral displacement forces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Anti-sway trolley4comprises a plurality of trolley rollers44, preferably ball bearing rollers, which engage chain guide46at inner channel68as shown inFIG. 7. Chain guide46and track82are mounted to a door opening. Trolley rollers44are mounted to trolley body48using, for example, bolt24and nut26. A portion of trolley body48is fabricated to receive floating rod first end50. In a preferred embodiment, floating rod first end receiving member52is affixed, for example, crimped, bolted or spot welded, to trolley body48to receive floating rod first end50.

As shown inFIG. 4, horizontal bearings70are mounted to underside of trolley body48using bolt24and nut26(FIG. 3). Horizontal bearings70are of sufficient diameter so as to extend beyond side of trolley body48to engage side walls of track chain guide46, thereby helping to center the anti-sway trolley assembly4within chain guide46.

Returning toFIGS. 1 and 2, floating rod assembly6comprises down member10, preferably a hollow tube or bar. Floating rod assembly first end50is received by floating rod assembly first end receiving member52, described above. In a preferred embodiment, floating rod assembly first end receiving member52is, for example, a U shaped bracket. U shaped bracket receiving member52is affixed to floating rod assembly first end50for example, with a press fit, weld, or one or more bolt and nut.

A plurality of hinges60(FIG. 4) are mounted to panels62. Each panel62is attached to roller58at its upper end. Rollers58alternate facing inward and outward to engage inner and outer walls of the track82outer channel (FIG. 7). At least one panel62, but preferably a plurality of panels62, comprises a partition side.

At least one, preferably a plurality of orifices17, are positioned along the length of floating rod assembly6and hinge60to receive a connector14, for example, a bolt72and acorn nut74, to connect floating rod assembly6to hinge60of a first partitions side90. (FIG. 3) Preferably, the connectors14are spaced about every four feet.

Floating rod assembly second end54adjustably receives bottom assembly8. In a preferred embodiment, lower floating rod assembly first member30is slidably received by floating rod second end54. Floating rod second end54contains orifices12to lock lower floating rod assembly first member30into position using fastener64to maintain the lower floating rod assembly first member30-floating rod assembly second end54relationship.

Bottom assembly8is adjustably attached to lower floating rod assembly first member30so as to urge floor contact member34to remain in contact with the floor36thereby providing frictional lateral displacement resistance. In a preferred embodiment, spring38is loaded by lower floating rod assembly first member30and floor contact member34is a caster40. While the preferred embodiment utilizes a caster40, it should be appreciated that any floor contact member resistant to lateral displacement is acceptable, for example, a ribbed pad wherein the ribs are parallel to the partition sliding direction.

Turning toFIGS. 5,6,8,9and10, door lead trolley assembly100rides within track82and chain guide46mounted to a door opening in conventional manner. Door lead trolley assembly100receives lead post78(FIG. 9).

Track82and striker84(FIG. 8) are mounted in conventional manner. Utilizing known removed track and chain guide load section, door lead trolley assembly100, anti-sway trolley assembly and panels62are translationally engaged into track82and chain guide46. Panels62are mounted to lead post78in conventional manner. Floating rod assembly6is translationally engaged into chain guide46as described above. Known removed load section, track96, and chain guide97also allows for ease of removal of component parts as necessary for servicing. Removable load section technology is well known and will not be described in further detail.

Referring toFIG. 5, chain pulley86is mounted within chain guide46in conventional manner. Chain is thereafter looped around chain pulley86and conventional power sprocket (not shown) remotely located from chain pulley86and attached to door lead trolley assembly100in conventional manner.

The floor contact member34maintains continuous predetermined tension against the floor. In a preferred embodiment, as the door is activated, the anti-sway trolley assembly2rolls in the chain guide46with the spring38loaded caster34continually urged in contact with the floor36, thereby providing both lateral stability to the door panels62during travel towards or away from the closed position and ensuring that the sweep at the bottom of the door maintains a predetermined position with respect to the floor36.

Preferably, the anti-sway trolley assemblies2are located about every 3 to about every 4 feet along the span of the door and more preferably about every 3.5 feet along the span of the door.

The preferred embodiment uses a double sided partition. As exemplified inFIG. 3, the panels62of the first partition side90are mounted to floating rod assemblies6as described above. The panels62of the second partitions side92are not mounted to floating rod assemblies6. The panels62of both partition sides90,92are hung by rollers58in track82outer channel (FIG. 7) in known manner, for example, as described above. The panels62of the second partition side92ride “free” of the floating rod assemblies. The lead panel of both partition sides,90,92are attached to lead post78in conventional fashion to obtain operative movement of both partition sides90,92. It should be apparent that if a single sided partition is desired, free riding second partition side92is simply omitted.

FIG. 10exemplifies a hinged sliding partition within a door opening.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with specific examples and embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is capable of other variations and modifications within its scope. These examples and embodiments are intended as typical of, rather than in any way limiting on, the scope of the present invention as presented in the appended claims.