AN ARRANGEMENT FOR PREVENTING A DOOR FROM DROPPING DOWN PRECIPITATELY

Abstract: Arrangement for preventing a door which is movable in a substantially vertical direction and which can be acted upon by a plurality of balancing springs from dropping down precipitately. The invention makes it possible for an arrangement which functions effectively and reliably to be produced to prevent the door dropping down precipitately in the event of failure of the spring function of its balancing spring. A balancing spring is connected to a spring fixing (3, 4; 125, 126; 208) which can be acted upon forcibly to move it towards a stop position when the spring force effect of the connected balancing spring fails, and a plurality of locking elements (10, 130; 213) which are acted upon forcibly to move them into a position wherein they co-act with a locking device (13; 110) which is connected to an operating arrangement provided for the door are incorporated in the arrangement, the said locking device being designed to stop or reduce the continued movement of the door by the effect of the locking elements.

Description: An Arrangement for Preventing a Door from Dropping Down Precipitately. The present invention relates to an arrangement for preventing a door which is movable in a substantially ver¬ tical direction and can be acted upon by a number ofbalan-. cing springs from dropping down precipitately. The main object of the present invention is firstly to provide an arrangement of the above-described kindwhich functions with simple means in an effective and reliable manner when the spring function of the existing balancing springs fails due to breakage or some other cause. The said object is achieved by means of an arrange¬ ment according to the present invention, which is essen¬ tially characterised in that a balancing spring is con¬ nected to a spring fixing which is forcibly moved towards a stop position when the spring force effect of the balan- cing spring connected to it fails, and that a number of locking elements which are forcibly moved into a position wherein they co-act with a locking device which is connec¬ ted to an operating arrangement provided for the door are incorporated in the arrangement,' the said locking device being designed to stop or reduce the continued movement of the door by the effect of the locking elements. The invention is described below by way of three pre¬ ferred embodiment examples with reference to the accompany¬ ing drawings, on which Figures 1-8A show a first embodiment example of an ar¬ rangement according to the invention for preventing a door from dropping down precipitately, Figures 9-27A show a second embodiment example of an arrangement constructed according to the present invention for preventing a door from dropping down precipitately, and Figures 28-31 show a third embodiment example of an . ~~* o arrangement constructed according to the invention for preventing a door from dropping down precipitately. Figure 1 shows an arrangement in a sectional view along the direction of its axis, Figure 2 shows part of the arrangement with it held in a non-actuated stop position, Figure 3 shows part of the arrangement with it held in an acutated stop position, Figure 4- is an end view of the arrangement, Figure 5 is a side view pf the arrangement, Figure 6 is a side view of an axle appertaining to the arrangement, with the associated adjoining locking wheel provided with holes, Figure 6A is an end view of a locking wheel, Figure 6B is a section along the line A-A inFigure 6, Figure 7 is a side view of a fixing element, Figure 8 is a side view of a fixing element, Figure 8A is a sectional view of a fixing element with the locking elements received in it, Figure 9 shows a door spring arrangement with its associated stop unit and trigger unit and the interlinking thereof, Figure 10 shows a further embodiment example of a door spring arrangement with its associated stop unit and trigger unit, Figure 11 shows the cross-linking connection for such stop units and trigger units, Figure 12 shows a further embodiment of the cross- linking connection between a stop unit and a trigger unit, Figure 13 shows a stop unit viewed transversely a- cross its axis of rotation, Figure 1 shows the stop unit viewed along its axis of rotation, Figure 15 shows a trigger unit viewed transversely across its axis of rotation, Figure 16 shows the trigger unit viewed along its axis of rotation, Figure 17 shows another embodiment example of a trig¬ ger unit viewed from the side, Figure 18 shows the trigger unit shown in Figure 17 viewed from straight in front, Figure 19 shows a brake housing appertaining to the said embodiment example, viewed from the side, Figure 20 shows the said brake housing viewed from straight in front, Figure 21 is 3 sectional. view through parts apper¬ taining to the brake housing, Figure 22 shows the same parts viewed in the axial direction, Figure 23 shows a locking wheel, viewed from the side, Figure 24- shows the same locking wheel viewed from the left of Figure 23, Figure 25 shows a locking device incorporated in the brake housing, partially cut away, Figure 26 shows the locking device from one of its sides, Figure 27 showsapar.t.of. the opposite side of the lock¬ ing device, Figure 27A is a sectional view along the line B-B in Figure 27, Figure 28 is a side view, shown partially cut away, of a further arrangement according to the invention, Figure 29 shows the arrangement viewed from straight in front, Figure 30 shows a further front view of the arrange- ment, and Figure 31 shows a locking dog incorporated in the invention, viewed from the side. An arrangement designed according to the present in¬ vention for preventing doors which are movable in a sub- stantially vertical direction in a doorway or some other aperture which it is desired to open up or close from OM ' dropping down precipitately if the balancing spring should break or if thespring effect should cease due to some other cause, e.g. if a balancing spring should come away from its associated spring fixing or if the spring effect should act in the wrong direction of rotation. The ar- rangement functions both on hand-operated and mechanically operated doors and is not actuated until the spring fail¬ ure occurs. The arrangement is also simple to mount in place, and provides a high level of safety, effectively stopping the door over a short distance when spring fail¬ ure occurs. Moreover, subsequent adjustment is not re- quired, and re-setting of the arrangement or replacement of parts after actuation is simple and requires no spec¬ ial tools. The arrangement is reliable and actuation is not initiated by vibrations and impacts during the move¬ ment of the door. According to the invention the arrangement is inten¬ ded to be composed of three units, namely, a stop unit, a trigger unit and, in the present case, a cross-linking connection unit. In Figure 1 a first embodiment of an arrangement 1 according to the invention for preventing a door from drop¬ ping down precipitately is shown. A trigger unit 2 is formed in the said arrangement 1 of a spring holder 3, preferably constructed as a plate, which bears a plurality of spring fixings 4- with which one end 5A of abalancing spring 5, preferably made as a helically wound spring, is connected, for a door which is designed to be guided in tracks along its side edges and moved along the saidtracks to open up or close a doorway, etc. disposed between these guide tracks. A cover 6 around which the spring 5 extends is rigidly connected, for example by welding, to the spring holder 3 and forms a so-called "neck" for the spring fixing which is formed as a neck fixing. An axle 7 extends through an opening 8 in the outer end 6A of the cover while a holder 9 over the circumference of which O a plurality of locking elements 10 are disposed, dist¬ ributed along the axial extent of the arrangement, pre¬ ferably rigidly connected to the holder 9. and prefer¬ ably pin-shaped. A pressure spring 11 or a spring ar- rangement of some other suitable kind is designed to act between the said holder 9 and the cover 6, forcibly urg¬ ing the locking elements 10 in the axial direction of the arrow 12, towards a locking wheel 13 provided with holes. The said locking wheel 13 is expediently mounted via one end 14-A of a clamping collar .14- connected to the said axle and non-rotatable relative thereto. The axle 7 extends through the arrangement 1, which can be doubled up due to the fact that the clamping collar 14- may be 1 fitted with a further locking wheel 13 on the opposite end 14-B of the collar with which appropriate locking devices arranged in another arrangement which is pro¬ vided for preventing precipitate dropping down can co- act in a similar way as in the arrangement described above. The clamping collar 14, which is preferably slit along one of its sides, is connected via a bracket con¬ nection 15 to a plurality of wall mounting brackets 16 for example, and is securely clamped to the axle 7 by means of a plurality of bolt units 7 around a wedge 7B • which acts between the axle 7 and the collar 13- Over the circumference of the said locking wheels 13 and 13 respectively there are a number of receiving holes 18 adapted to the locking devices 10. A fixed plate or a similarly constructed fixed ele¬ ment 19 is connected to the bracket 16 by means of screws, for example, so that it cannot be rotated. The said fixed element 19 has a sleeve-shaped bearing mounting 21 which is designed to accommodate, for example, a circu¬ lar ball bearing 22 to act between the axle 7 and the arrangement 1 containing the fixed element. A plurality of spacer sleeves 23 are accommodated in corresponding slit-shaped grooves 24- extending over OW ■ the circumference of the fixed element 19 and in holes25 adapted to the sleeves 23 and extending through the spring holder 3, and are held together by means of a screw 26 and a nut 27 in such a way as to allow them to be rotated relative to each other. A trigger spring 28, such as a helical tension spring, for " example, is fixed by one 28A of its ends to a part 19A of the fixed element 19 and is connected by its other end 28B to a spring fixing lug 29 projecting out from the spring holder 3. - The operation of the above-described arrangement is as follows: During normal operation of the door the ten¬ sion moment is transferred from the balancing spring 5 which is connected non-rotatably via its other free endto the axle 7 which forms the connection to a door-operating arrangement, such as a cable pulley, for example. Normal¬ ly the spring 5 . or springs in the case where more than one spring is provided, balances the door so that it can be moved easily in the desired direction. When, for ex- ample, spring breakage or some other spring failure occurs the tension moment from the spring 5 ceases to act on the spring holder 3. Due to the effect of the spring 28 the said spring holder 3 is thereby made to rotate in the dir¬ ection of the arrow 30 which is made possible due to the fact that the greater moment which is obtained from the spring 5 has ceased to exist. A number of through-bores 31 adapted to " the said locking elements 10 thereby come into position directly in front of their respective lock¬ ing elementslO which were previously urged by the spring 11 to rest against the fixed element 19 on a sliding sur¬ face 19B which is bounded in the lateral direction by the said bores 31, which can also be surrounded by the sliding surfaces. The locking elements 10 quickly come into en¬ gagement with their associated corresponding hole 18 on -ι the locking wheel 13 or 13 respectively after they are inserted via their front section through the bores 31 and the spring holder 3 rotates around the axle 7 as the guides 23 move along the tracks 24- in the fixed element 19- The locking wheel 13 is hereby prevented from rotat¬ ing with the axle 7 and the movement of the door ceases or is reduced in this way. The axle 7 acts here with a damping effect since it acts like a torsion spring which prevents the operating mechanism, .such as ropes and axles, for example, from being overloaded by violent jerking due to the direct and effective locking of the movement. It s consequently desirable that the arrangement be mounted with a certain minimum spacing from the cable drum, etc. After the arrangement has been actuated it is poss¬ ible to re-set it to the ready-for-locking state, after any replacement of balancing springs, etc. which may be required. By means of a split pin 32, for example, which acts between the fixed element 19 and the spring holder 3 it is possible to prevent the movement of these parts, for example when the arrangement is being assembled. An arrangement 101 or 201 respectively according to the invention for preventing a door from dropping down precipitately, which is shown on the drawings in Figures 13-27 and 28-31 respectively, may comprise three units: namely, a stop unit 102 or 202 respectively, a trigger unit 103 or 203 respectively, and a cross-linking con¬ nection unit 104- or 204- respectively, and the arrangement ■ contains at least the first two said units. Figure 9 shows how, depending on door weight and hoisting speed, for example in an arrangement according to Figures 13-27, two trigger units 103 are both joined to their respective balancing spring 106 connected to a hoisting operation axle 105, with a stop unit 102 con¬ nected to one of the trigger units 103 and linked to the other trigger unit 103 via a cross-linking connection unit 104-. Figure 10 shows how trigger units 103 joined to their respective balancing spring 106 are connected to their respective stop unit 102 located by the respective trigger units 103, and are connected in a cross-over fash¬ ion to each other via the cross-linking connection units 104-. Figure 11 shows the coupling together of two separate¬ ly mounted trigger units 103 with an integrated trigger and stop unit 107 via a cross-linking connection unit 104- ade up of spring-loaded lines 108. Figure 12 shows how the cross-linking connection unit 104- can be composed of a plurality of separate intercon¬ nected lines 109- A stop unit 107 constructed according to the inven¬ tion and integrated with a trigger unit, as shown on the drawings in Figures 10-20 and 21-27, or a. separate stop unit 102, which is shown in Figures 13-14-, comprises two elements which are counter-rotatable relative to each other namely, a locking ring 110 and a locking device 111, which are designed to rotate with each other when the door is operating normally. The said elements 110, 111 have a plurality of friction surfaces 112 and 113 respectively, disposed over the opposing side surfaces 110A and 111A respectively and sloping in a tangential direction; these friction surfaces are continued into surfaces 114- and 115 respectively-which extend in the axial direction. Over the circumference of the locking ring 110 a plurality of tooth elements 116 are arranged, preferably evenly dis¬ tributed; with these elements 116 a plurality of locking dogs 117 which are bearing-mounted so that they can ro- tate around the bearings 118 disposed on the circumfer¬ ence of the arrangement 102, are able to co-act. The locking device 111 is connected non-rotatably to the locking ring 110 during normal operation, for example by means of the tooth elements 110B and 111B respectively. The two elements 110, 111 are acted upon by a spring ele¬ ment 120, preferably a stack of disc springs compressed between locking elements 121 and 122 respectively such as locking rings, for example, which co-act with the axle arrangement and are provided on either side of the ele ¬ ments 110, 111 and the said springs 120, urging them to- wards each other so that the locking devices 114-, 115 are engaged with each other during normal operation of the door. The flange arrangements 123 and 124- arranged between the two elements 110, 111 respectively are des¬ igned to form a rotating bearing between the elements 110, 111. In order to avoid peak loading on the axle 105 when the braking phase is begun, and to reduce the effect on the braking moment of the coefficient of friction at the sloping surfaces 112, 113, the friction surfaces on the two elements 110, 111 are, as stated above, made with a sloping plane. This makes it possible for the braking moment to be engaged "gently" and to be increased with the rotary angle until the maximum value is reached and/ or the movement of the door is stopped. To obtain the greatest possible quantity of work it is expedient to select the springs 120 with a degressive spring charac¬ teristic. The desired braking moment for the arrange¬ ment can easily be obtained, as stated, by varying and adjusting the spring force and/or varying the angle of inclination A at the friction surfaces 112, 113. In the arrangement 107 which is shown in Figures 19-20 one end of a balancing spring 106 can be connected to a spring holder 125 and its other end to the drive axle 05. A trigger unit 103 which is " shown in Figures 5-16 and 17-18 and which comprises a spring holder 126 to which a second balancing spring, quite separate from the balancing spring which is connected to the spring holder 125 in the arrangement 107, is connected, is connected to the spring holder 125 via a cross-linking connection unit made, for example, as a cord 127, by passing it through an opening 128 in the periphery thereof. The cord 127 also extends via a releasing ring 129 which is design¬ ed to act on the locking dogs 130, which are urged by the spring element 117 to pivot in the direction of the element 110 and the toothed segment appertaining thereto. The cord 127 extends further over a pulley or the like (not shown) to a further trigger unit 103. If -the cord 127 should go slack, which occurs if any of the inter¬ connected balancing springs breaks or its spring effect is reduced in some other way,, the spring fixing 125 which is guided over the circumference of the arrangement 107 in slit-shaped openings 13 via controlling bolts 132, is able to rotate in the direction of the arrow 133, and thereby rotates the releasing ring 129 with it. When the cord 127 goes slack the locking dogs 130, which are nor¬ mally influenced by the ring 129 by co-action between a projection 135 provided on the respective locking dogs 130 and a stop 134-A located at one end of a slit-shaped recess 134- in the ring 129, for example, forcing them out of engagement with the tooth elements 116 on the element 110 against the effect of the respective springs 117 on the respective locking dogs 130, are able now to bepivot¬ ed round the locking dog mountings 118 under the effect of the associated springs 117, and in towards the tooth ele- ents 116 on the element 110, blocking its rotary move ¬ ment. With the element 110 locked against continued rotary movement, under the effect of the drive arrangement for the door the element 111 strives to continue to rotate. _Due to the slope on the sliding surfaces 110A and 111A respectively, the stack of springs 120 is compressed and the braking moment is increased rapidly, whereby the move¬ ment and the operation of the door is stopped. The trigger unit 103 consists of an above-mentioned spring fixing 126 and a fixed bracket 136 around which the spring fixing 126 is rotatably mounted via pins 137 _CMPI which are accommodated in slit-shaped openings 138 dis ¬ posed in the spring fixing 126, i.e. there are similar parts to those which form the stop unit located in the central part of the unit 107. A trigger spring 14-0 acts between the spring fixing 126 and the bracket 136, urging the fixing 126 to rotate relative to the bracket 136. Re-setting of the arrangement again in the ready-for- braking state is effected simply by coupling up the exist¬ ing cross-linking connection cords 127 in the above- mentioned way, after replacing any faulty balancing springs etc. The arrangement shown in Figures 28-31 again has an integrated trigger and stop unit 205, wherein trigger cords 204-A and 204-B respectively on the respective units 205 are connected releasably via a cord-fastening 206 which acts between the stop unit 202 and the trigger unit 203 of the unit 205, and is connected via its opposite end to a corresponding similar unit with a releasable cord fastening part 207, located at a distance from the said unit 205. When either of the said units 205, which are identical to each other and each have their own spring fixing 208 for the connection of their respective balan¬ cing springs, are triggered, the fixing 208 is rotated relative to the stop unit 202, so that the fixing 208 which is accommodated in the same way as described above, via guide pins 209 in guide slits 210, with its connected fixing parts 206A and 207 appertaining to the said cord- fastening 206 and cord-fastening part 207 respectively allows the ends 210 and 211 respectively of the cords 204-A and 204-B respectively to be released from their en¬ gagement with an appropriate fixing part 206B or 207B respectively located on the stop unit 202, so that due to the effect of the trigger cord 204-B functioning as a trigger unit the spring fixing 208 is rotated in the direc- tion of the arrow 212. A locking element 213 constructed as a dog and mounted so that it can rotate around a OMPI mounting 214-, being acted upon by a spring element 215 urging it to pivot via its front end 213A in the directiαi of a locking ring appertaining to a similar stop arrange¬ ment to that shown in Figures 21-27, is released to effect the stopping or reduction of the operation of the door operating arrangement connected via the axle 216, in a similar way to that described above. A line pulley 218, around which the cord 204-B is looped before or after the cord is passed to or from its rigidly-mounted cord pulleys 219 and 220 respectively, is mounted by means of a screw 217 located at the rear end 213B of the locking element 213. Re-setting of the arrangement in the so-calledloaded state is achieved by locking the cord ends 210 and 211 respectively in the cord fixing 206 and the cord fastening part 207 respectively, after dealing with the balancing springs. The invention is not limited to the embodiment exam¬ ples described above and shown on the drawings, but may he modified within the framework of the following Patent Claims without exceeding the scope of the concept of the invention.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. An arrangement for preventing a door which is mov¬ able in a substantially vertical direction and is acted upon by a plurality of balancing springs from dropping down precipitately, characterised in that a balancing spring is connected to a spring fixing (3, 4-; 125, 126; 208) which can be acted upon forcibly to move it towards a stop position when the spring force effect fails, and that a plurality of locking elements (10; 130; 213) which are forcibly acted upon to move them into a position co- acting with a locking device (13, 110) which is connected to an operating arrangement provided for the door, are in¬ corporated in* the arrangement, whereby the said locking device (13, 110) is designed to stop or reduce the con¬ tinued movement of the door by the effect of the locking elements. 2. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 1 wherein the balancing spring consists of a helically wound spring, characterised in that the spring is connected by one of its ends to a spring fixing mounted on a spring holder (3; 125; 126; 208) which is mounted so that it is rotatable relative to the locking device (13; 110) and a fixed element pre¬ ferably constructed as a fixed plate, respectively, and that a trigger arrangement, such as a trigger spring, for example, which is designed to act between the said spring holder and fixed element, is designed to rotate the said spring holder relative to the fixed element. 3. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 2, characterised in that the fixed element (19) has a plural¬ ity of holes (31) through which the locking elements may pass, and which are designed to come into a position direct¬ ly in front of the correspondingly adapted locking ele¬ ments (10) after rotation of the fixed element (19) and the spring holder (3) relative to each other, for the subsequent introduction of the locking elements (10). . _ OMPI ■ * 4-. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 3, characterised in that the locking elements (10) consist of pins which can be received in at least one locking wheel (13) equipped with holes and connected to an axle mounted in a bearing connected to ' a door operating arrangement, this axle (7) preferably being designed to act as a torsion spring element to damp movement trans¬ mitted to the operating arrangement. 5. .An arrangement according to Patent Claim 4-, characterised in that a plurality of pins (10) which are movable in the axial direction are mounted on a holder (9) which can be acted upon forcibly by a pressure spring ar¬ rangement (11) to move it in the direction of the said pin-receiving holes (18) in order to stop the continued rotary movement of the locking wheel. 6. An arrangement according to either of the above Patent Claims 1-2, characterised in that a locking ring (110) can be acted upon forcibly by a spring element (120) to move it in the direction of a locking device (111) and i mounted non-rotatably relative to a door operating arrangement axle arrangement (119; 216), this lockingring (110) and locking device (111) being designed to rotate normally counter to each other. 7. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 6, characterised in that the locking ring (110) has tooth ele¬ ments (116) distributed over its circumference, with which a locking dog (130; 213),which can preferably be acted upon by a releasing ring (129) which can co-act with a spring holder, is designed to come into engagement, and that the locking ring (110) and the locking device (111) have friction surfaces(112, 113) sloping in a tangential direction which may co-act with each other and which are continued into a locking device (114-, 115) extending in the axial direction. C P 8. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that a locking dog (213) which is mounted so that it can pivot around a bearing (214-) located on the outside of the locking ring (110) is connected via one of its ends (213B) by a cord (204-B) or the like to a cross-linking connecting arrangement which can be connected to a spring holder (208) andwhich is designed to act on the locking dog (213) in the event of spring failure, to pivot it into an engaged position co-acting with the locking ring (110). 9. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 8, characterised in that the locking dog (213) has a deflect¬ ing element (218), preferably in the form of a cord pulley (218), adapted to the cross-linking cord (204-B), this cross-linking cord (204-B) being connected by one (211) of its ends to a fastening (207) joined to a spring holder (208) from which fastening the cord (204-B) is designed to be released when the spring holder (208) rotates. 10. An arrangement according to any of the above Patent Claims 6-9, characterised in that the said spring element (120) for providing the"effect of actuating the locking ring (110) and the locking device (111) comprises a plurality of springs which display degressive spring characteristics, preferably disc springs. O PI

Inventors: ANDERSSON TOMAS, THOMASSON SVEN-IVAR, ANDERSSON, TOMAS, THOMASSON, SVEN-IVAR
Applicants: CRAWFORD DOOR AB
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E05D17
IPC codes: E05D13, E05F1, E05F15