Flexible Door Assemblage

Abstract

A multi-part flexible door assemblage for a building such as an aircraft hangar, which has an opening thereinto with a higher section and at least one lower adjacent section. The door consists of at least two flexible sheet-like portions, three in the case of an aircraft hangar, including a higher portion and at least one adjacent lower portion. Each sheet-like portion has a power driven roller secured at its lower or upper edge with means to rotate the roller to wrap or unwrap the respective sheet-like portion thereon to open or close the door. Vertical guides for the outer sides of the door portions extend along outer side frames of both the higher and lower sections. The building frame also includes an intermediate vertical frame connecting top horizontal frames of the higher and lower sections of the opening. Moveable guides are provided for the adjacent inner ends of the door portions and means are provided for guiding the moveable guides along the intermediate vertical frame extending between the tops of the higher and lower sections. The moveable guides extend below the intermediate frame and across the inner side of the lower section of the building opening when the door is closed and lie adjacent the intermediate vertical frame when the door is open.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to light weight and quickly openable doors for large buildings such as aircraft hangars. Folding or accordion type doors have commonly been used in aircraft hangars for years and it has been also suggested that flexible sheet material hanging across the building opening could be rolled up, in a manner similar to a window shade, either by mounting the roller at the upper side of the opening and rolling the flexible material upon it or by attaching the roller to the lower end of the flexible material, rotating the roller, and winding up the material. The latter construction is particularly advantageous for use in large installations where a long uninterrupted span is needed and no intermediate bearing supports for the roller are necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,211, discloses a flexible door of the latter type in which the motive power for raising or lowering the door includes an electrically operated motor which, through appropriate gears, applies torque to a roller connected to the lower end of the fabric and thus rotates the roller to wind the sheet material upon itself. U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,779, discloses a flexible door in which the upper end of the sheet material is secured to the building at the top of the opening, the lower end being mounted upon a roller and which provides a driving means for the roller comprising a motor mounted upon a building member and operatively connected to the roller through flexible transmission and linkage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention provides a multi-part flexible door assemblage enabling the utilization of several adjacent door portions to close sections of the opening into a building such as an aircraft hangar which have different heights, each portion of the door being separately mounted and separately operated by its own, independent powered means. The arrangement enables an aircraft hangar opening to be higher in the center, thus to accommodate the fuselage and empennage of an airplane and lower at the sides as is necessary only to accommodate the wings of the airplane. The side edges of the door portions are guided vertically and vertically moveable guide means are provided at the junctions of the center or higher section and the lower or side sections of the door opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, of an airplane hangar having a higher center section and two adjacent lower side sections thus to permit the entry and egress of an airplane and which is provided with a flexible door assemblage according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation taken from the position indicated by the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary view in elevation taken from the position indicated by the line 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the door open;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating how a multi-part door assemblage according to the invention may include a plurality of moveable guide members, as explained below;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 7 but illustrating a second embodiment of the mechanism for actuating a multi-part door assemblage according to the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a view on a small scale illustrating a different type of building having an opening with a higher section and only one lower section.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 there is shown an airplane hangar generally indicated by reference number 20 which has an access opening comprising a center, higher section 21 and adjacent side sections 22. The sections 21 and 22 are defined by outer vertical frames 23 for the side sections 22, top frames 24 for the side sections 22, a top frame 25 for the center section 21 and vertical intermediate frames 26 which extend between inner ends of the top frame 24 and the outer ends of the top frame 25 to define the upper portions of the side of the center section 21 of the hangar opening. A typical airplane is shown in broken lines indicated by the reference number 27 and comprises a fuselage 28, an empennage 29 and wings 30 which extending outwardly from the fuselage 28 at a lower level.

A multi-part flexible door assemblage according to the invention comprises a higher center portion 31 and adjacent lower side portions 32. The lower edge of each of the door portions 31 and 32 is attached to a roller 33 or 34, as the case might be, and each of the rollers 33 and 34 has a driving motor 35 which rotates the roller 33 or 34 through a suitable gear box 36. The motor 35 and the gear box 36 in each instance are mounted to travel vertically with the respective one of the rollers 33 and 34, as the roller is rotated, to wind up its door portions 31 or 32 upon itself to open the door, or to unwind its respective door portion 31 or 32 to close the opening into the hangar.

The motor 35 and gear box 36, in each instance, are carried by a support backet 37 which also comprises journal 38 and a guide roller 39. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, each of the side rollers 34 has a guide roller 39 at its outer end and the center roller 33 has a guide roller 39 at each of its ends. The guide rollers 39 for the outer ends of the side rollers 34 are engaged in vertical guide tracks 40 which extend upwardly along the outer vertical frames 23.

The inner ends of the side rollers 34 are journaled in brackets 41 (see also FIGS. 3, 4 & 5) which are, in turn, welded or otherwise secured at the lower ends of vertically moveable guides 42. Each of the guides 42 comprises a channel 43 and opposed parallel angles 44. Each of the guides 42 travels on a lower guide roller 45 that is mounted by a stub axle 46 near the lower end of an I-beam 47 erected adjacent the side frame 26 of the higher opening section 21. Each of the guides 42 has an upper guide roller 48 that is mounted upon a stub axle 49, the axle 49 being welded or otherwise fixed in the guide 42. The guide roller 48 is engaged in a pair of opposed angles 50 welded or otherwise secured in one side of the I-beam 47 and extending upwardly along the frame 26 to a level above the top frame 25 of the center section 21.

When the respective one of the motors 35 for the side rollers 34 is energized and applies torque to its side roller 34, the roller 34 winds up its door portion 32. The roller 34 is guided in its upward movement by its outboard guide roller 39 and by the vertically moveable guide 42 travelling along the I-beam 47 on the lower guide roller 45 and the upper guide roller 48.

A shield 51 is attached to the vertically moveable guide 42 and travels with it in line with and overlapping the edge of the fixed structural I-beam 47. The shield 51 carries a flap 52 which wipes along the door portion 32 as indicated in FIGS. 2 & 5 and a similar flap 52a is mounted at the inner side of the vertical frame 23. The lower end of the vertically moveable guide 42 has a locating pin 53 which enters a suitably shaped recess 54 in the floor or ramp leading to the building or hangar 20 so that when the side portion 32 of the door assemblage is closed i.e. in the lowered position illustrated in FIG. 3, the engagement of the pin 53 and the recess 54 prevents gusts of wind from displacing the door portion 32.

The mechanisms and structures for the two side door positions 32 are identical but reversed relative to each other and the specific structural members illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, & 5 at the right side of the central section 21 and the adjacent section 22 are duplicated at the left side of the higher section 21 and the left lower section 22, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Both ends of the center roller 33, are guided for vertical movement from the closed position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 to a fully open position shown in FIG. 7. Two motors 35 with associated gear boxes 36 and support brackets 37 journal and drive the center roller 33 to wind up the center door portion 31. These two brackets 37 are guided for vertical movement by the engagement of their guide rollers 39 in angles 55 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which extend along and are welded to one side of a vertically moveable guide beam 56.

The upper end of the vertically moveable guide beam 56 is engaged with and guided by a lower guide roller 57 which is engaged in angles 58 extending along the guide beam 56 and journaled on the end of the stub axle 46 opposite the lower guide roller 45 for the vertically moveable guide 42. An upper guide roller 59 is mounted by a stub axle 60 near the upper end of the vertically moveable guide beam 56 and is engaged in angles 61 that extend along the inner side of the I-beam 47.

When the two motors 35 for the center door roller 33 are energized to apply torque to the roller 33 to wind up the door portion 31 thereon, their guide rollers 39 travel up the vertically moveable guide beam 56 in the angles 55 until they strike a stop block 62 (see also FIG. 6) secured to the flange of the vertically moveable guide beam 56 at a level just below the upper guide roller 59. The stop blocks 62 may be provided with pins or anti-friction devices to bear against the rollers 39.

After the roller 39 strikes the stop blocks 62, continued rotation of the center roller 33 applies vertical force through the guide roller 39 to the stop block 62 and to the vertically moveable guide beam 56 so that the guide beam 56 then travels upwardly on the guide roller 57 and along the track angles 61. As the center roller 33 continues to rotate, the vertically moveable guide beam 56 eventually reaches an uppermost position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, and its end strikes a positive stop 63 that is mounted in the building structure. If desired, suitable micro switches (not shown) may be positioned at the stop 63 to cut power to the motors 35 when the center door portion 31 has reached this fully open position.

As in the case of the door side portion 32, the vertically moveable guide beam 56 at each side of the center door portion 31 carries a shield 64 and a flap 65 which travel vertically with the guide beam 56. The lower end of the guide beam 56 has a locating pin 66 which engages in a recess 67 when the door portion 31 is in a lower position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

In FIG. 7 the door is shown in open position with the vertical moveable guide 42 extending upwardly parallel and adjacent to the outer side of the main I-beam 47 and the vertically moveable guide beam 56 extending along and lying adjacent to the inner side of the I-beam 47. In FIG. 7 the lower side portion 32 of the door is shown as being fully wrapped upon its roller 34 with its outer guide roller 39 at the upper end of the guide track 40. Similarly the center roller 33 is shown at its uppermost position with the center door position 31 wrapped almost entirely thereon and with its guide roller 39 at the upper end of the moveable guide beam 56 in engagement with the stop block 62.

It will thus be seen that in a door assemblage according to the invention, the higher door portion 31 and, in this embodiment, the two side door portions 32 of lesser height fully close the opening in to the hangar 20 including both the higher opening section 21 and the lower opening sections 22. Conversely, when the door assemblage is in open position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, by reason of the vertically moveable guide 42 and guide beam 56, all structural elements which extend across the inner sides of the lower sections 22 of the opening of the building are lifted up into position adjacent the intermediate side frame member, i.e. the structural I-beam 47.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration showing how a door assemblage according to the invention may comprise a series of overlapping vertically moveable guides such as two sequentially moveable guides 68 and 69, shown at the right side of FIG. 8 which overlap each other and a fixed guide beam 70. Each of the vertically moveable guides 68 and 69 is guided by suitable guide rollers (not shown) and lifted by sequential engagement as the particular door portion carried thereby is raised. Similarly, as illustrated in the central portion of FIG. 8, a door assemblage according to the invention may comprise three sequentially moveable overlapping guides 71, 72 and 73 and a fixed guide beam 74. At the left side of FIG. 8 there are shown four identical moveable guide members 75 arranged in overlapping relationship according to the invention and vertically moveable up along a fixed guide beam 76. It will be apparent that more moveable guide sections, while increasing the initial cost of installation, will reduce the total overhead height of the system for a given opening size so that building height, or the height of projection above the building, may be minimized.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modified form of door assemblage according to the invention in which the door rollers are fixed in position at the upper sides of the opening sections and wind the flexible door portions upon themselves in a fashion similar to window shade rollers. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 9, there are shown a part of a center door portion 77 and a lower side door portion 78. The center door portion 77 is to be wrapped upon a center roller 79 journaled in the building at the top of a center opening section defined by a top frame 80 and an intermediate frame 81. The side door portion 78 is raised and lowered by a side roller 82 journaled in the building at the level of a top frame 83 for a side section 22 of the opening in the building.

In accordance with the instant invention, the outer side of the lower end of the door portion 78 is guided by a roller 84 running in a fixed vertical guide track 85. The inner lower end of the door portion 78 is carried by a strut 86 welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of a vertically moveable guide 87 which is guided by upper and lower guide rollers 88 and 89 comparable to the similar guide rollers illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 inclusive.

The lower end of the center door portion 77 is guided by guide rollers 90 running in a moveable guide beam 91 which, as in the earlier described embodiment of the invention, is guided during its vertical movement by a lower guide roller 92 and engaged in a vertically moveable guide beam 91 and upper guide roller 93 carried by the guide beam 91 and engaged in a structural I-beam 94. As in the earlier embodiment of the invention, a stop block 95 is positioned in the guide beam 91 and is engaged by the guide roller 90 to lift the guide beam 91 during the upper part of the movement of the center door portion 77 to lift the guide beam 91 a sufficient distance to raise it above the level of the top of the frame 83 of the side section 22 of the door opening.

FIG. 10 is a greatly simplified view in elevation of a shed 96 as might be erected to house a piece of equipment having an unusual profile. For example, in FIG. 10 there is shown a powered loading ramp generally indicated by the reference number 97 and having an elevated platform 98 with steps and a walk way 99. A device of this kind might be utilized for providing access to the doors of a large size airplane to facilitate the entry and egress of the passengers.

In the shed 96, there must be provided sufficient elevation to accommodate the high platform 98 but, because the other side of the loading ramp is much lower, it is not necessary that the shed 96 has an opening therein the full extent of which is tall enough to accommodate the elevated platform 98. For this reason, the shed 96 has an opening comprising a higher section generally indicated by the reference number 100 and a lower section generally indicated by the reference number 101.

In accordance with the instant invention, the opening comprising the higher section 100 and lower section 101 may be closed by a door assemblage, shown open in FIG. 10, and consisting of a higher door portion having a roller 102 and a lower portion having a roller 103. The arrangement of the mechanism for raising and lowering the door portions on their rollers 102 and 103 may be designed in accordance with either of the embodiments of the invention described above and the vertically moveable guides (not shown) for the inner ends of the respective door portions are positioned parallel and adjacent and intermediate frame 104 connecting the top frames which define the opening sections 100 and 101.

Claims

I claim:

1. A flexible door assemblage for a building, said building having structural members defining an opening thereinto to be closed by said door, said opening having a higher section and at least one adjacent lower section, said structural members including outer side frames and top frames for said higher and lower sections and at least one intermediate side frame for said higher section connecting said top frames, said door assemblage comprising,

1. a sheet-like portion for each of said opening sections, said door portions being mounted to extend across the respective ones of said top frames and depending therefrom across the respective sections of the opening into said building when closed,

2. means including a power driven roller for raising and lowering each of said door portions,

3. vertical guide tracks extending along said side frames,

4. guide means at the outer, lower ends of said door portions slidably engaged in the adjacent ones of said guide tracks,

5. vertically moveable guides for the inner, lower ends of said door portions, and,

6. means extending along said intermediate side frame for guiding all of said vertically moveable guides between lowered positions extending below said intermediate side frame across the inner side of the lower section of the opening into said building and an upper position lying adjacent said intermediate side frame.

2. A door assemblage according to claim 1 in which each of the power driven rollers is attached to the lower edge of its respective door portion and rolls up with its door section.

3. A door assemblage according to claim 2 in which each roller has an individual motor for rotating the respective roller and the said motor is mounted to travel vertically with its associated roller.

4. A door assemblage according to claim 1 having a higher center portion and two lower portions, one at each side of said center portion and in which the center section of the building opening has two intermediate frames and there are two sets of vertically moveable guides.

5. A door assemblage according to claim 1 in which the power driven rollers are mounted above the respective sections of the opening into the building and the upper edges of the respective door portions are connected to said rollers.

6. A flexible door assemblage for an aircraft hangar, said hangar having structural members defining an opening thereinto to be closed by said door, said opening having a higher center section and two adjacent lower side sections, said structural members including outer side frames for said side sections, top frames for said side sections and said center section and intermediate frames at the sides of said center section connecting said top frames to each other, said door assemblage comprising,

1. a center sheet-like portion and at least one side portion at each side of said center portion, said door portions being secured at their tops to the respective ones of said top frames and depending therefrom across the respective sections of the opening into said hangar,

2. means including a power driven roller for raising and lowering each of said door portions,

3. vertical guide tracks extending along said side frames,

4. guide means at the outer lower ends of said side door portions engaged in the adjacent ones of said guide tracks,

5. vertically moveable guides for the inner lower ends of said side door portions,

6. vertically moveable guides for the lower ends of said center door portion, and,

7. means extending along said intermediate side frames for guiding all of said vertically moveable guides between lowered positions extending across the inner sides of the side sections of the opening into said hangar and an upper position lying adjacent said intermediate side frames.

7. A door assemblage according to claim 6 in which each of the power driven rollers is attached to the lower edge of the respective door portion and rolls up with its door section.

8. A door assemblage according to claim 6 in which each roller has an individual motor for rotating the respective roller and the said motor is mounted to travel vertically with its associated roller.

9. A door assemblage according to claim 6 in which the power driven rollers are mounted above the respective sections of the opening into the hangar and the upper edges of the respective door portions are connected to said rollers.