Guide track assemblies and mounting brackets for upward acting doors

• US 6,527,035 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wells, David M., Hoofard, Richard K., Duran, Celestino
• Primary Examiner(s): LEV, BRUCE ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/866,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 160/188, 160/189, 160/201, 160/209, 491/99, 492/00, 248/224.8, 248/225.11, 248/225.21, 403/348, 403/353
• US Class Current: 160/201
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 13/1261 specially adapted for overhead wings E05D13/1269 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/24 consisting of parts connected at their edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/626 Plates or brackets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

Guide track assemblies for upward acting doors include identical vertical and horizontal linear track sections and a curvilinear transition track section. The linear track sections include spaced-apart elongated slots formed at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal extent of the track sections for cooperation with retainer members mounted on angle-shaped jamb brackets. A header bracket also includes one or more retainer members thereon for disposition in similar elongated slots formed in the curvilinear track section. The linear track sections fit in telescoping relationship within enlarged end portions of the curvilinear track section. The configurations of the header brackets, jamb brackets and track sections facilitate quick assembly and easy positional adjustment of the track sections with respect to a door opening covered by a door guided by the track assemblies.

Claims

1. A guide track assembly for guiding movement of an upward acting door between open and closed positions, said guide track assembly including:

a first substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially horizontally;

a second substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially vertically adjacent a wall;

a header bracket for mounting on said wall;

a curvilinear track section extending between said first and second linear track sections, said curvilinear track section being engaged with and releasably connected directly at its opposite ends in supportive relationship to said linear track sections, respectively, and said curvilinear track section being connected directly to said header bracket at a point between opposite ends of said curvilinear track section; and

plural jamb brackets adapted to be connected to said wall and to said second track section by cooperating retainers and elongated slots formed on said jamb brackets and said second track section in such a way as to provide for supporting said second track section with respect to said wall and for adjusting the position of said track assembly with respect to said wall.

2. The guide track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said slots are formed spaced apart in said second track section extending at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal extent of said second track section.

3. The track assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said second track section includes a first slot at one end of said second track section, a second slot at an opposite end of said second track section and at least one slot intermediate said first and second slots.

4. The track assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said first and second slots extend at said acute angles in different directions with respect to each other.

5. The track assembly set forth in claim 4 including:

spaced-apart fastener receiving openings formed in said second track section adjacent opposite ends thereof, respectively.

6. The track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said first track section and said second track section are identical.

7. The track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said curvilinear track section is formed to have a substantially elliptical radius of curvature.

8. The track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said curvilinear track section includes opposed enlarged end portions for receiving ends of said first and second track sections, respectively, therewithin for supporting said first and second track sections with respect to said curvilinear track section.

9. The track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said jamb brackets include opposed flanges, a retainer member disposed on one of said flanges and engageable with said second track section at an elongated slot formed in said second track section and a fastener receiving opening formed on the other of said flanges.

10. The track assembly set forth in claim 9 including:

a projection on said one flange for cooperating with said retainer member to snugly retain said jamb bracket connected to said second track section when said retainer member is disposed in said slot.

11. The track assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said header bracket includes a web for mounting said header bracket on said wall adjacent said guide track assembly, an integral flange part extending substantially normal to said web and at least one retainer member mounted on said flange part of said header bracket for connecting said curvilinear track section to said header bracket.

12. The track assembly set forth in claim 11 including:

at least one slot formed in said flange part of said header bracket for receiving a fastener assembly for securing said curvilinear track section to said header bracket.

13. Opposed guide track assemblies for supporting an upward acting door for movement between door open and closed positions, said guide track assemblies each including:

a first substantially linear track section adapted to extend substantially horizontally;

a second substantially linear track section adapted to extend substantially vertically adjacent a wall;

a header bracket adapted to be secured to said wall;

a curvilinear track section extending between said first and second linear track sections and operable to be engaged with and releasably connected directly to said linear track sections in supportive relationship, respectively, and said curvilinear track section is operable to be connected directly to said header bracket; and

plural jamb brackets adapted to be secured to said wall and to said second track section by a retainer disposed on said jamb brackets, respectively, said retainer being adapted to be disposed in elongated slots formed in said second track section for securing said track assembly with respect to said wall and for adjusting the position of said track assembly with respect to said wall.

14. The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said linear track sections are interchangeable.

15. The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein:

each of said curvilinear track sections includes at least one elongated slot formed therein and each of said header brackets includes a retainer mounted thereon and operable to be disposed in said one slot for supporting said curvilinear track section adjustably on and with respect to said header bracket.

16. The invention set forth in claim 15 wherein:

each of said header brackets includes at least one elongated slot formed adjacent said retainer for receiving a fastener assembly for securing said curvilinear track section firmly to said header bracket.

17. The invention set forth in claim 15 wherein:

said slots are formed extending at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal extent of said second track section.

18. The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said linear track sections are connected to said curvilinear track section at respective ones of enlarged end portions of said curvilinear track sections which receive said first and second linear track sections telescopically therein, respectively.

19. A guide track assembly for guiding movement of an upward acting door between open and closed positions, said guide track assembly including:

a first substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially horizontally;

a second substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially vertically adjacent a wall;

said first and second track sections being interchangeable;

a header bracket for mounting on said wall;

a curvilinear track section extending between said first and second linear track sections, said curvilinear track section including opposite end portions for receiving respective ends of said first and second linear track sections, respectively, whereby said curvilinear track section is adapted to be engaged with and releasably connected directly to said linear track sections in supportive relationship, respectively, and said curvilinear track section is adapted to be releasably connected to said header bracket; and

plural jamb brackets adapted to be connected to said wall and to one of said linear track sections for supporting said one linear track section with respect to said wall.

20. A guide track assembly for guiding movement of an upward acting door between open and closed positions, said guide track assembly including:

a first substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially horizontally;

a second substantially linear track section adapted to be mounted extending substantially vertically adjacent a wall;

a header bracket for mounting on said wall;

a curvilinear track section extending between said first and second linear track sections and releasably connected directly to said linear track sections, respectively, said curvilinear track section being engaged with and releasably connected directly to said header bracket at a point between opposite ends of said curvilinear track section, said curvilinear track section includes plural spaced apart elongated slots formed therein;

plural jamb brackets adapted to be connected to said wall and to said second track section, respectively; and

said header bracket includes a first part for mounting said header bracket on said wall and a second part projecting substantially normal to said first part and including a retainer mounted thereon and disposed in one of said slots for supporting said curvilinear track section adjustably on and with respect to said header bracket.

21. The track assembly set forth in claim 20 wherein:

said header bracket includes at least one elongated slot formed adjacent said retainer for receiving a fastener assembly for securing said curvilinear track section firmly to said header bracket.