US2677420A - Folding door - Google Patents

Description

H. S. KUYPER FOLDING DOOR May 4, 1954 2 Shees-Sheet l Filed Deo. 3 1951 j@ QR 55 lI-mul. I\

H. S. KUYPER FOLDING DOOR May 4, 1954 Filed Dec. 3 1951 VFA vnrvbvl Patented May 4, 1954 FOLDING Doon Herman. Si. Kuyper, Pella, Iowa; assigner to Roliscreen Company, Pella, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa pplicationDecemier 3, 1951, Serial No. 259,590

(Cl. U50-206) io'oiaims.

This invention relates' to a folding door and particularly one of the type formed of vertically elongatedk panels folded accordion-like, whereby in the closed position of the door the accordion formation is of shallow character; whereasinthe open position of the door,.th.e panels arerfolded substantially face-to-fac'eat one sdeof the door opening.

One object of the invention is toprovi-de a folding door which givesmany face-savingV features by reason of the door folding into aV neat compact bundle instead of swinging-out: into= the room like the usual hinged door.

Another objecty is to provide a folding door which is easy to install, the door beingsuspended from a track along the head -arnlc of' the door, the door being particularly desirable in connection with clothes closets and the like where a relatively wide opening is` desirable tog get at' the storage space in the'closet, whereas a Wide door swinging into the room-.would be veryI undesirable.

Still another object is to provide a folding door formed of panels'withanovel-means te hold the panels in edge-to-edge relation, and an arrangement of moldings between the edges ofthe panels, if desired, to cover flexible elements that extend out of the edge of one panel into the edge of the next panel for holding themv assembled in the door structure.

A further object is to provide thel moldings and the panel edges shaped'so as` to tend to unfold the door andv push it to closed position, and retain the panels in shallow accordion-like formation when the door is closed.

Still a further object is to provide a modication having a tongue-anfd-groovek arrangement between the edges of the panels which permit some adjustment of the widthof thedoor.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts'of my folding door, whereby the-objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding door embodying my present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged Vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure-1.

Figure 3 is an enlargedk horizontal sectional y similar bores 38.

2 ofaportion of Figure 3, the section beingitaken throughout' part of' ther gure on' the line 5`-5 of Figure 1 to show a spring that extends through the panels from edge-to-edge to.v hold them in assembled relation.

Figure 6 is aview similar to Figure 5' showinga modification. wherein" a spring and a cordr (or other exible element) is used as a substitute for the spring of Figure 5.

Figure' is a similarview showing an elastic cord Vused'in placeofthe'spring of; Figure 5.

Figure 8' is a similarviewshowing a modied construction, the door being in: the closed-position.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure l-showing the door of Figure 8` in the opened position; and

Figure 10 is a-sectional'view similar to Figure 5 showing another modied construction.

On the accompanying drawings, I have used referencernumerals I0 toindicate the side jambs ofV a door frame, the head jarnb` of which'is indicated at I2.. My folding door comprises a plurality of vertically elongated panels i4 which may be; formed of wood or other suitableY material. Each of these has at thetop ar screw or thelike I6 extending through a` travelerv or'shoe I8 which is slidable in a channel-shaped track' 20; The trackis securedto the head jambv I'Zfasby screws 22 and the connection just described suspends each panel I4 from the head jalnb for opening and closing movement of the door. Thef track 20 maybe eoncealedby moldings 24v if desired as shown in Figure 2. The suspending screwsV IB may be provided for alternate panels only, as shown in Figure 4, which" arrangement I: have found entirely satisfactory.

'Ihefcompleterdoor includes four narrow panels 26, 28', 3|` and 32. AlsoA moldings' 30 if desired, may be provided between the edges of the panels as shown in Figure 3. The panely 26- is adapted to be secured to one of the side jambs l; whereas the panels 2'8iand-'3' fill'out the accordion pattern ofthe door as obvious in Figure 3. The panel 32 is the nish edge of the door and in the' closed position ofthe door as in Figure 3, may coact with a molding 35 as shown to provide a lighttight joint. The moldingsil also serve to provide light-tight ioin-ts betweenthe panels l..

The panels I4, 25, 28, 3l4 and SZareprovided with bores indicedsedr at 3-6 from edge to. edge thereof and the. moldings 31) are provided with Springs 451 under: tension are strung through the bores 31E-#and .38;.and anchored asa by screws 42 and 44 (seevFigure 5)" atk their ends so as to normally retain the panels in the closed door position of Figures 3 and 5.

As shown in Figure 6, instead of springs 40 extending all the way through the panels, short springs 46 may be provided anchored as at 50 at one end and having their other ends connected to flexible elements such as chains or cords 48 extending through the bores 36 and 38 and anchored as at 52. Again as in Figure '7, the springs 40 may be replaced by elastic cords 54 under tension and anchored at 56 and 58. Figure 10 shows still another modification in which blind holes 38h into the edges of the panels receive short springs 4Gb having their ends anchored in the bottoms of the holes. Any one of the four arrangements shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 10 accomplishes the desired result of tending to unfold the door and push it to closed position, and to retain the panels in shallow accordionlike formation as shown. The surfaces of the moldings 30 Where they coact with the edges of the panels are at such angle to each other that they tend to keep the parts at the approximate angles disclosed and the panels are thereby held in a shallow accordion position such that the inside included angles between panels are obtuse angles. If the door is made up of panels only as in Figure 10, the edges of the panels would be at the proper angle for adjacent edges to be parallel so that in the closed or extended position of the door the individual panels are held in the shallow accordion position just mentioned.

In Figures 8 and. 9, I show a modified construction in which panels B0 replace the panels I4 of Figure 3 and together with panels 26a., 28a, Sla and 32a provide the completed door. The springs in these two figures are shown at 40a and extend through the panels as already disclosed in Figure 5.

The edges of the panels, however, are provided with coacting tongues 62 and grooves 64 (the moldings 30 being omitted). The tongue and groove connections prevent the passage of light through the joints and by making the grooves at a somewhat greater radius than the tongues,

slight angular adjustment of the panels is possible so that the door can be fitted to door frames that vary several inches in width with the accordion angles greater for a narrow door and shallower for a wide one.

Obviously the arrangement shown in Figures 6, '7 and 10 may be used in connection with the modication of Figures 8 and 9 instead of complete springs 40a as shown.

I have disclosed the details of a folding door which is simple to construct, assemble and install. The springs or other flexible elements used for holding the panels in assembled relationship do so in such manner as to insure proper folding of the door from the closed position of Figure 3 to the open position of Figure 4 when thepanel 32 is moved away from the right hand door jamb 0 in Figure `3. With the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the moldings 30 serve to conceal the portions of the springs 40 extending out of the 4 this action all during the unfolding of the door. Finally when the unfolding is completed, the edge angles of the panels and/or moldings serve to cause the panels to present an evenly and neatly corrugated appearance.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my folding door without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a series of vertical panels arranged edge to edge, openings into the edges of said panels, and iexible resilient elements extending out of the openings of one panel and into the openings of the next panel and retained under tension for tending to retain said panels in edge-to-edge relation and permitting accordion-like folding thereof to decrease the effective width of the door, and unfolding thereof to increase the effective width of the door.

2. In a folding door, a series of vertical panels arranged edge to edge, openings into the edges of said panels, flexible resilient elements extending out of the openings of one panel and into the openings of the next one, said elements being under tension for thereby tending to retain said panels in edge-to-edge relation and permitting accordion folding thereof to decrease the effective width of the door, and unfolding thereof to increase the effective width of the door, and means for supporting said panels.

3. A folding door comprising a series of panels arranged edge to edge, openings extending into the edges of said panels, and tensioned flexible resilient elements received in said openings and tending to retain said panels in edge-to-edge relation, and permitting accordion-like folding and unfolding thereof, the ends of said elements being anchored in said openings.

4. A folding door comprising a series of vertically elongated panels, and means urging said panels together in edge-to-edge relation, the edges of alternate panels being oppositely beveled so that they assume an accordion-like position as a result of such urging.

5. A folding door of the character disclosed comprising a plurality of panels arranged edge to edge, moldings between said edges, openings through said moldings from edge to edge thereof and extending into the edges of said panels, and flexible resilient elements extending out of said openings of one panel, through said openings of said moldings and into said openings of the next panel, said elements tending to retain said panels and moldings in edge-to-edge relation, said molding and panel edges assuming a shallow accordion-like formation when the edges thereof are engaged with each other in substantially closed door position.

6. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a series of vertically elongated panels arranged edge to edge, moldings between said edges, openings through said panels and moldings from edge to edge thereof, a tensioned flexible resilient element through said openings tending to retain said panels and moldings in edge-to-edge relation and permitting accordion-like folding and unfolding of the door, and a supporting track for said panels, at least some of said panels having travelers movable along said track for suspending the door therefrom.

7. In a folding door, a series of panels arranged edge to edge, openings through said panels from edge to edge thereof, the adjacent edges of said panels having convex ended tongue and concave groove connections wherein the grooves have substantially greater radius than the tongues to facilitate some angular adjustment of the panels with relation to each other and thereby adjustment for the width of the door, alternate tongue and groove connections being oppositely tilted, and a tensioned flexible resilient element through said openings normally retaining said tongue and groove connections engaged and said panels thereby in shallow, accordion-like edge-to-edge relation due to the opposite tilting of said tongue and groove connections and permitting accordion-like folding thereof to decrease the effective Width of the door and unfolding thereof to increase the effective width of the door.

8. A folding door of the character disclosed v comprising a series of panels, arranged edge to edge, one edge o-f the series being anchored and the other edge movable, alternate panels of the series having oppositely beveled edges, openings into the edges of said panels, and springs extending out of the openings of one panel and into the openings of the next and being under tension to normally retain said panels in -shallow accordionlike edge-to-edge engagement and to thereby effect accordion collapse of the door by movement of said movable edge of the series of panels toward said anchored edge thereof.

9. A folding door comprising a series of panels arranged edge to edge, a triangle-shaped molding between each two adjacent edges of said series of panels, alternate moldings being reversely arranged, openings through said panels and moldings from edge to edge thereof, and springs extending through said openings and connected to the panels at the ends only of the springs, said springs being under tension to retain said panels and moldings in edge-to-edge relationship, the triangle shape and reverse arrangement of alternate moldings causing said panels to assume shallow accordion-like formation when the door is closed and therefore permitting close accordion-like folding thereof to open the door.

10. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a plurality of panels arranged edge to edge, openings through said panels from edge to edge thereof, a flexible resilient element through said openings normally retaining said panels in edge-toedge relation, the adjacent edges of said panels having tongue and groove connections with each other, alternate tongue and groove connections being reversely inclined to limit the relation of adjacent panels to obtuse angles when said panels are so retained by said flexible resilient element whereby said panels assume an accordion-like formation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 405,450 Wilson June 18, 1889 363,741 McCloud M Aug. 20, 1907 1,170,856 Thornton Feb. 8, 1916 1,212,005 Biberfeld Jan. 9, 1917 1,463,346 Walker July 31, 1923 2,075,716 Harrison Mar. 30, 1937

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