REVOLVING DOOR

Abstract: A motor driven revolving door, also called a roundabout entrance, providing an air lock and comprising a revolving central body (5) with door leaves, each of which may be swung in either direction from a mainly radial rest position around a vertical axis at some distance from the revolving axis of the central body (5). The central body (5) is sustained by one bearing only placed at the bottom just above or in floor level, and the bearing is designed to absorb both radial and axial forces as well as tilting moments, aiming at tilting the revolving axis away from its vertical position. In comparison with other roundabout entrances it is now possible to obtain freelier transparent designs, and simpler sealing between the revolving central body (5) and the floor and ceiling respectively, the ceiling construction can be simplified and therefore less costly, also the required work on the installation site is simplified and less expensive.

Description: REVOLVING DOOR The present invention relates to a motor driven revolving door of the kind creating an air lock and comprising a rev- olving central body with door leaves, each of which from its mainly radial restposition may be swung in either direction round a vertical swinging axis placed at some radial distance from the axis of rotation of the central body. Revolving doors of this general type are also called round¬ about entrances. They are advantageous because like other re¬ volving doors, and in comparison with other entrance designs in an energy economical way, they can accommodate a very large through traffic in and out of the building of install- ation, without any draught being produced at the entrance. Contrary to other revolving doors, roundabout entrances by fire authorities classified as emergency exits. Almost all known designs of revolving doors comprise a central body sustained by a lower bearing supported on the entrance floor and an upper bearing installed in the ceiling structure of the entrance. These bearings usually support a shaft or an axle or an as such functioning lattice element designed with sufficient rigidity and strength to function as the supporting element of the entire revolving central body. One design of roundabout entrances is designed in such a way, that the revolving central body is sustained by a lower and an upper bearing both of which being supported by a central tower as disclosed in the Danish patent specification no. 145.747. In the Norwegian patent specification no. 22.828 is disclosed a revolving swingdoor of the above defined type. That rev¬ olving swingdoor is supported by a bearing ring, hung under the ceiling structure above the entrance and extending around and above the door leaves encircling their radially outer edges. In both of these solutions is the ceiling so designed that the outer ring shiped area of the coating of the ceiling under which the door leaves move is fixed to the and immov¬ able in relation to the building, whereas a central circular part at a radius from the rotation axis of the revolving central body is fixedly connected to the central body which it rotates. Even though the known roundabout entrances are in many ways well functioning the known designs show some disadvantages. The construction comprising an upper bearing installed in the ceiling structure of the entrance is disadvantageous because of a time consuming and difficult installation on the site, and because of problems in testing the entire roundabout entrance in the workshop prior to delivery. These problems are to a great extent solved by the technology disclosed in the above mentioned Danish patent specification nr. 145 747. The roundabout entrance with a central tower does, however, not solve all problems. E.g. is the power plant, which is installed in the tower, uneasy to attend for service and maintenance because it is for necessity reasons placed inside the tower structure. When part of the central body extends above the downward facing surface of the stationary ceiling in the entrance it is at least difficult and therefore exp¬ ensive and involving risk of mechanical damage to install the central body after the installation of the stationary ceiling; the alternative installation of the stationary ceiling after the installation of the central body is hamp¬ ered by the presence of the central body. The intensified demand in the market for roundabout entrances with steadily increased diameter also comprises a highly ranked priority from builders and architects, to make the entrances as transparent as possible; i.e. the market is demanding a con¬ struction which will render superfluous the tower structure or the central revolving axle, and which at the same time allows for speedy installation of a roundabout entrance in an existing entrance requiring the least possible reconditioning for preparing the site for the new entrance. It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a roundabout entrance of the above defined kind which in an economical way sets right the above mentioned shortcomings of the known technology. The aim is achieved by a roundabout entrance if according to the invention it features a central body sustained by one bearing placed at the bottom just above or in level with the floor and designed for absorging radial as well as axial forces and also any tilting moment aiming at tilting the revolving axis away from its vertical position. The advantage of a roundabout entrance according to this design is, that one bearing alone can absorb all the forces actuating or otherwise influencing the revolving central body. The second bearing is thus superfluous and can be spared. It is thus possible to design the central body with¬ out considering a supporting central tower. The power plant and the the central body can thus be designed with the widest range of freedom without compromising any of the advantages known from the design based on the central tower. It is thus possible to design the revolving central body and the door leaves hinged thereon of frame elements, all of which may be mounted with transparent sheet elements, thus creating improved transparency of the roundabout entrance compared to known technology. If the power plant and preferably also its control member is/are positioned on the entrance floor and encircled on all sides by the walls of the revolving central body, a costly installation pit in the floor is not needed. Short and eff¬ icient and therefore accurately functioning mechanical trans¬ missions are allowed for. In that embodiment the bearing may be designed in such a way that the power plant and preferably also its control member are during service and repair inspection accessible via an opening of the vertical wall of the central body. Speedy and easy service and maintenance are thus achieved. If the bearing and the power plant are positioned on the floor, the bearing must have an inner diametre large enough to allow for the support of the powerplant to reach through the opening in the bearing. The roundabout entrance according to the invention may also be characteristic in the whole ceiling between the circle cylindrical walls being stationary, thus not comprising any revolving central part. When the central body and its power plant are designwise entirely independent from the entrance ceiling it is found, that an economical advantage is gained, because the entire ceiling installation can be finished prior to the central body is being introduced into the entrance area. It is also found, that this design makes it easier to parallel the floor and the ceiling planes respectively. The above embodiment may be designed with sealing means, e.g. brush linings mounted on the upper side of the revolving central body, reaching towards the stationary ceiling. The advantage is a lasting air seal between the stationary ceiling and the revolving central body. In order to obtain extensive transparency the roundabout entrance according to the invention may be designed with a central body comprising structural elements of glass panes or alternatively with a structural lattice with large flats mounted with transparent glass sheets. Such designs are made possible as the roundabout entrance according to the invent- ion does not require a strong axle or a supporting tower inside the revolving central body. In order to obtain a fast and reliable installation and thus an economical advantage electric wires for the connection of means mounted in the central body of the roundabout entrance according to the invention may be provided, and a power source, or a sensor or an other element positioned in the stationary parts of the building be designed with a socket/- plug interface, preferably with the socket placed in or above the floor of the roundabout entrance within the area encircled by the revolving central body. As the central body of the roundabout entrance according to the invention may be fully assembled including safety devices and having all functions tested in the workshop prior to installation on the final installation site (after the fin¬ ishing of the floor as well as of the ceiling) can it be advantageous to design the central body with wheels, rollers or the like which are capable of supporting the central body lifted a short distance of preferable between 2 and 20 mm from the floor and which are, when the central body has been moved to its permanent position in the entrance, easily lifted or dismantled. This embodiment faciliates accurate and fast installation in the entrance opening and reduces the risk of damages caused during the installation. The roundabout entrance according to the invention is ill¬ ustrated in more detail hereafter with reference to the drawing in which, Fig. 1 is a schematic presentation of an embodiment of the roundabout entrance according to the invention as viewed from outside and partly in sectional view, fig. 2 is a schematical vertical sectional view of the revolving central body of the roundabout entrance according to fig. 1, excluding the door leaves, fig. 3 is a schematical perspective view of a lattice design of a central body for the roundabout entrance according to fig. 1, and fig. 4 is an alternative embodiment of a supporting bearing for a roundabout entrance according to the invent¬ ion. Fig. 1 displays a revolving door or roundabout entrance 1 according to the invention viewed from outside. Some parts have been cut away for illustrative reasons. The roundabout entrance 1 comprises two stationary, mainly circular cylindric concave walls 2 and 3 respectively, facing one another. Their axis of curvature in common is indicated by a dot and dash line and is congruent with the revolving axis 4 of a revolving central body 5. The revolving central body 5 establishes in a known way an air lock through which the traffic in and out of the building, in which the roundabout entrance 1 is installed, may pass. The revolving central body 5 comprises, as displayed in fig. 3, a rigid central element 6, on which four door leaves 7 are hinged. Each of these door leaves 7 can be swung in either direction from their respective normal radial position rel- ative to the central element 6 round a vertical swing axis. For illustrative reasons, the sheet elements, which cover the openings in the door frames 7 and between the upright posts in the central element 6 in order to establish the air lock, are left out. These sheet elements may in a known manner be transparent elements e.g. made of glass, and they may be flat as is fit for the door leaves 7 or cylindrically bent as often seen for the pannels for the openings in the central element 6. The revolving central body 5 (fig. 1) is functioning most efficiently as an air lock if those edges, which are during operation facing the stationary elements: floor, curved walls and ceiling respectively, are fitted with sealing elements e.g. brush linings. Such brush linings are known to have the capability of establishing an acceptable air seal between revolving and stationary parts of revolving doors and are commonly used. The central body has at its bottom a circular mounting ring 8 of L-shaped cross section and adapted to rigid engagement with a rotatable ring 9 (fig. 2) of a sustaining bearing also comprising a stationary bearing ring 10 (fig. 2). This stat¬ ionary ring 10 is fixed to the floor at the center of the revolving door and centered to have its axis of rotation to mesh with the axis of curvature 4. Preferably the bearing ring 10 is fixed to anchors in the floor, according to known technology comprising not illustrated fastening elements allowing for adjustments in all directions. The roundabout entrance 1 also comprises a power plant 11 illustrated in fig. 1 and of known design. Primarily for architectural reasons, the power plant 11 is shielded by means of an opaque, removable cover 12. The power plant 11 comprises an electric motor of the geared motor type supp¬ orted on the entrance floor within the area defined by the opening of the bearing ring 9. It furthermore comprises a driving roller the curved surface of which has a hard, res- ilient coating displaying relatively high coefficient of friction e.g. a hard and well wearing rubber. The driving roller is by pressure produced by a not shown spring abutting the internal, free cylindrical face of the bearing ring 9, driving the revolving central body 5 to rotate depending the control impacted on the motor of the power plant 11. Fig. 2 displays a sectional view of apreferred embodiment of the bearing sustaining the revolving central body according to the invention. The bearing illustrated is of known design and a commercially available ball bearing obtainable e.g. from the German firm of Hoesch Rothe Erde-Schmiedag AG. To be chosen is a bearing suitable for the size of roundabout entrance in question. Technical data sheets from the supplier holds data on dimensions, loading capacities ect. for standard bearings. A supporting bearing for the revolving central body 5 with a suitable outer diameter of the stationary bearing ring 10 of 73 cm and an inner diameter of the revolving bearing ring 9 of about 65 cm is suitable for a roundabout entrance in which the radius of curvature of the circular cylindrical concave walls 2, 3 is about 210 cm. A standard bearing with these dimensions exists thus allowing for the price and delivery advantages related to the purchase of a standard product. A bearing with the diametres mentioned above and with a height of construction of 10 cm is found suitable as it in its free opening allows sufficient room for the support for the power plant 11. In a preferred embodiment the not illustrated control member for the electric motor of the power plant 11 is also placed inside the revolving central body 5. Due to this design the installation work to be carried out on the site of install¬ ation in connection with the installation of the roundabout entrance 1 according to the invention is reduced to a min¬ imum. A pipe embodied in the floor may in combination with this embodiment carry all required electrical wires for supplying electrical power and electrical signals to the power plant. The radially protruding door leaves 7 are of known design and are typically, as illustrated in fig. 1, made with brush linings along all four edges of each door leaf. As illustr¬ ated in fig. 1, a preferred embodiment of the central element 6 of the central body 5has at its top and extending upwardly towards the ceiling of the roundabout entrance 1 and at its bottom and extending downwardly towards the floor of the roundabout entrance 1 brush linings 13 and 14 respect¬ ively, which are securing air lock tightness between the revolving central element 6 and the ceiling and floor respectively of the roundabout entrance 1 (fig. 1). It is obvious, that these brush linings are mounted adjacent to the upper and lower edges respectively of the not illustrated sheet elements of glass or the like. For this reason the sheet elements are preferably mounted in an upper and a lower profile functioning also as the support of the brush linings. An opening with a lockable door or shutter in at least one sheet element covering an opening defined by two adjoining corner posts in the central element 6 is faciliating service and maintenance work on the power plant and its control member. The embodiment of the roundabout entrance according to the invention described with reference to the figures 1, 2 and 3 is an example only. It is obvious to a person skilled within the art, that the technology generally employed in the design of large glass walls and unframed glass doors installed in such walls may be taken into use in designing a central body 6 in glass sheets only, held together with sturdy furn- ishings, (e.g. tempered glass sheets with holes drilled prior to tempering, for the mounting of the required furnishings). Such furnishings may be designed with hinges for frameless glass door leaves. An all glass design is preferably supp¬ orted at the bottom in a metal frame sustained by the bearing. Such a design brings about the maximum possible transparency for the roundabout entrance according to the invention. Also it is possible, if the situation deems it suitable, to provide a bearing for the roundabout entrance according to the invention based on simple components. Such a bearing is illustrated in fig. 4, illustrating a vertical cross section of one side of the bearing. The bearing 100 comprises an inner stationary bearing ring 101 and an outer revolving bearing ring 102, each of which are made of a U-profile of steel cold-rolled to circular shape and welded. The inner surface of the bearing ring 102 is ground to sufficient acc¬ uracy to serve as a driving surface for a driving roller. The bearing ring 101 is fixed to the floor 103 by fittings all- owing for adjustment in all three directions. On the outside surface of the bearing ring 101 are two rows of guiding rollers, one above the other. The rollers in each row are equidistantly placed along the circumference of the ring. The lower horisontal web 106 of the revolving bearing ring 102 is extending between the upper and lower guiding rollers 104, 105 keeping the bearing ring 102 positioned in axial direct¬ ion relative to the bearing ring 101. Equidistantly placed and fixed to the upper web 107 of the stationary bearing ring 101 are a number of vertical roller pins 108, each of which carries a horizontally rotatable roller 109. By means of the rollers 109, the roller pins of which are radially adjustable it is therefore possible to centre the ring 102 relative to ring 101. It is obvious that a bearing of this design is capable of absorbing any tilting moment aiming at tilting the two bearing rings relative to one another. In an advantageous manner one of the rollers 109 is designed with a coating providing a sufficient friction relative to the bearing ring 102, and it is powered via a suitable trans¬ mission by a power plant, e.g. an electric motor. In this embodiment is it recommended to install sufficient number of rollers 109 to allow for disengagement and temporary dismant¬ ling of one of the rollers e.g. the driving roller.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A motor driven revolving door (1) providing an air lock and comprising a revolving central body (5) with door leaves (7) each of which can be swung around a vertical axis at some distance from the revolving axis of the central body (5) in either direction from a mainly radial rest position, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in, that the central body (5) is sust- ained by one bearing (9, 10) placed at the bottom just above or in floor level, and which bearing (9, 10) is designed to absorb both radial and axial forces as well as tilting moments, aiming at tilting the revolving axis (4) away from its vertical position. 2. Revolving door according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in, that the power plant (11) and preferably its control member as well is/are placed on the entrance floor, and that the revolving central body (5) and its walls are enclosing the power plant (11) and preferably its control member. 3. Revolving door according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in, that the revolving central body (5) has a lockable service opening in the vertical wall of the central body (5). 4. Revolving door according to claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in, that the entire ceiling between the circle cylindrical walls (2, 3) of the revolving door (1) is stationary and thus does not comprise a revolving central part. 5. Revolving door according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in, that the revolving central body (5) comprises a central element (6) with vertically upwardly and/or downwardly protruding sealing means, e.g. brush linings (13, 14), reaching towards the stationary ceiling and the floor respectively. 6. Revolving door according to at least one of the prior claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in, that the central body (5) is designed with a structural element of transparent material or is a lattice construction comprising large areas covered with transparent material, and that the transparent material used is preferably tempered or laminated glass.

Inventors: OLESEN JOERGEN ERIK, OLESEN, JOERGEN, ERIK
Applicants: OLESEN JOERGEN ERIK, OLESEN, JOERGEN, ERIK
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E02D15
IPC codes: E05D15, E05F15, E06B3