Abstract:
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.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    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 
       [0002]    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. 
         [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    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 
       [0007]    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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention. These drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the sliding door of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a section of the sliding door of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a is a top view of an anti-sway trolley assembly, first partition side and second partition side. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cut-away perspective view of the anti-sway trolley. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cut-away perspective view of a partition/track arrangement. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a lead post trolley engaged in a track. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of an anti-sway trolley assembly engaged in a chain guide. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a removed load section. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a cut-away perspective view of a double sided partition set. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a sliding partition within a door opening. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIGS. 1-3 , anti-sway trolley assembly  2  comprises anti-sway trolley  4 , floating rod assembly  6  and bottom assembly  8 . 
         [0022]    Anti-sway trolley  4  comprises a plurality of trolley rollers  44 , preferably ball bearing rollers, which engage chain guide  46  at inner channel  68  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Chain guide  46  and track  82  are mounted to a door opening. Trolley rollers  44  are mounted to trolley body  48  using, for example, bolt  24  and nut  26 . A portion of trolley body  48  is fabricated to receive floating rod first end  50 . In a preferred embodiment, floating rod first end receiving member  52  is affixed, for example, crimped, bolted or spot welded, to trolley body  48  to receive floating rod first end  50 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , horizontal bearings  70  are mounted to underside of trolley body  48  using bolt  24  and nut  26  ( FIG. 3 ). Horizontal bearings  70  are of sufficient diameter so as to extend beyond side of trolley body  48  to engage side walls of track chain guide  46 , thereby helping to center the anti-sway trolley assembly  4  within chain guide  46 . 
         [0024]    Returning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , floating rod assembly  6  comprises down member  10 , preferably a hollow tube or bar. Floating rod assembly first end  50  is received by floating rod assembly first end receiving member  52 , described above. In a preferred embodiment, floating rod assembly first end receiving member  52  is, for example, a U shaped bracket. U shaped bracket receiving member  52  is affixed to floating rod assembly first end  50  for example, with a press fit, weld, or one or more bolt and nut. 
         [0025]    A plurality of hinges  60  ( FIG. 4 ) are mounted to panels  62 . Each panel  62  is attached to roller  58  at its upper end. Rollers  58  alternate facing inward and outward to engage inner and outer walls of the track  82  outer channel ( FIG. 7 ). At least one panel  62 , but preferably a plurality of panels  62 , comprises a partition side. 
         [0026]    At least one, preferably a plurality of orifices  17 , are positioned along the length of floating rod assembly  6  and hinge  60  to receive a connector  14 , for example, a bolt  72  and acorn nut  74 , to connect floating rod assembly  6  to hinge  60  of a first partitions side  90 . ( FIG. 3 ) Preferably, the connectors  14  are spaced about every four feet. 
         [0027]    Floating rod assembly second end  54  adjustably receives bottom assembly  8 . In a preferred embodiment, lower floating rod assembly first member  30  is slidably received by floating rod second end  54 . Floating rod second end  54  contains orifices  12  to lock lower floating rod assembly first member  30  into position using fastener  64  to maintain the lower floating rod assembly first member  30 -floating rod assembly second end  54  relationship. 
         [0028]    Bottom assembly  8  is adjustably attached to lower floating rod assembly first member  30  so as to urge floor contact member  34  to remain in contact with the floor  36  thereby providing frictional lateral displacement resistance. In a preferred embodiment, spring  38  is loaded by lower floating rod assembly first member  30  and floor contact member  34  is a caster  40 . While the preferred embodiment utilizes a caster  40 , 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. 
         [0029]    Turning to  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  8 ,  9  and  10 , door lead trolley assembly  100  rides within track  82  and chain guide  46  mounted to a door opening in conventional manner. Door lead trolley assembly  100  receives lead post  78  ( FIG. 9 ). 
         [0030]    Track  82  and striker  84  ( FIG. 8 ) are mounted in conventional manner. Utilizing known removed track and chain guide load section, door lead trolley assembly  100 , anti-sway trolley assembly and panels  62  are translationally engaged into track  82  and chain guide  46 . Panels  62  are mounted to lead post  78  in conventional manner. Floating rod assembly  6  is translationally engaged into chain guide  46  as described above. Known removed load section, track  96 , and chain guide  97  also 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. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , chain pulley  86  is mounted within chain guide  46  in conventional manner. Chain is thereafter looped around chain pulley  86  and conventional power sprocket (not shown) remotely located from chain pulley  86  and attached to door lead trolley assembly  100  in conventional manner. 
         [0032]    The floor contact member  34  maintains continuous predetermined tension against the floor. In a preferred embodiment, as the door is activated, the anti-sway trolley assembly  2  rolls in the chain guide  46  with the spring  38  loaded caster  34  continually urged in contact with the floor  36 , thereby providing both lateral stability to the door panels  62  during 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 floor  36 . 
         [0033]    Preferably, the anti-sway trolley assemblies  2  are 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. 
         [0034]    The preferred embodiment uses a double sided partition. As exemplified in  FIG. 3 , the panels  62  of the first partition side  90  are mounted to floating rod assemblies  6  as described above. The panels  62  of the second partitions side  92  are not mounted to floating rod assemblies  6 . The panels  62  of both partition sides  90 ,  92  are hung by rollers  58  in track  82  outer channel ( FIG. 7 ) in known manner, for example, as described above. The panels  62  of the second partition side  92  ride “free” of the floating rod assemblies. The lead panel of both partition sides,  90 ,  92  are attached to lead post  78  in conventional fashion to obtain operative movement of both partition sides  90 ,  92 . It should be apparent that if a single sided partition is desired, free riding second partition side  92  is simply omitted. 
         [0035]      FIG. 10  exemplifies a hinged sliding partition within a door opening. 
         [0036]    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.