A garage door assembly includes a torsion spring counterbalance apparatus mounted on a header wall above a garage door, the apparatus comprising at least one spring wound on a shaft, and a safety device. The safety device includes a capture device mounted on the header wall above the garage door, and a shackle attached by way of a pin to a clamp device attached to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft at a location proximate to the capture device on the header wall, wherein the shackle rotates with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The shackle is capable of extending away from the shaft under centrifugal force to engage the capture device and thereby stop the garage door from further free-falling.

A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.

A method for operating a building closure having the shape of an overhead sectional door or of a garage door including at least one spring-loaded counterweight device and an electrical drive device is disclosed. A control unit simultaneously monitors the position of the building closure and a motor current for the drive device. When the building closure is in an open or a closed position, the motor current is reduced and maintained at a level to residually energize the drive device to reliably maintain the building closure in a desired position.

A drum construction for an overhead garage door lift assembly includes a spiral groove comprised of three connected sections each having a distinct sequence of radii to facilitate raising and lowering of a multi-panel garage door mounted on a track in a manner which avoids undesirable surface impact of the door upon closing and enhances torque energy for lifting from the closed position.

A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.

An apparatus for use with a winding cone for a door assembly includes a housing having a first piece and a second piece, a fastener for connecting the first piece to the second pieces, a dowel extending from the housing to engage at least one hole in the winding cone, and holes on an outer surface to accept a winding bar.

A torsion spring counter balancing mechanism for a stacking panel shutter door includes one or more torsion springs one end of the or each torsion spring is fixable to a drive transmission shaft of the stacking panel shutter door, the drive transmission shaft being adapted to raise and lower the or each shutter of the stacking panel shutter door; and the other end of the or each torsion spring is fixable to a separate rotatable member of the stacking panel shutter door; whereby the mechanism is provided with means adapted to enable both the drive transmission shaft and the rotatable member to rotate, during opening and closing of the stacking panel shutter door, in such a manner as to cause respective ends of the or each torsion spring to travel at different speeds during the opening and closing sequence, which permits to keep the same size motor when panel numbers are varied.

A tensioning assembly for winding a winding system includes a support bracket connectable to a fixed frame, a collar portion removably mountable onto a shaft of the winding system proximate to the support bracket, a ratchet wheel, and a pawl component. The collar portion is removably secured onto the shaft. The ratchet wheel is securely mounted onto the collar portion and is rotatable therewith. The ratchet wheel has a plurality of teeth and a plurality of corresponding recesses. The pawl component is operatively mountable on the support bracket and is moveable with respect to said support bracket, the pawl component having an extremity being positioned, shaped and sized with respect to at least one recess of the ratchet wheel for allowing rotation of the shaft along a winding direction, and for blocking rotation of the shaft along an unwinding direction.

An overhead door having a floating spring adjustment is presented. Tension is applied to a torsion spring while the door is in the open, minimal tension state. One end of the torsion spring is fixed to a spring tension trolley. The trolley translates within a trolley guide mounted to the building structure. The other end of the torsion spring is fixed to a shaft running through the torsion spring. This allows the torsion spring to change in length as the number of coils shrink and grow through door operation thereby eliminating the snake-like or serpentine appearance from an improper fixed torsion spring length.

A garage door assembly includes a torsion spring counterbalance apparatus mounted on a header wall above a garage door, the apparatus comprising at least one spring wound on a shaft, and a safety device. The safety device includes a capture device mounted on the header wall above the garage door, and a shackle attached by way of a pin to a clamp device attached to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft at a location proximate to the capture device on the header wall, wherein the shackle rotates with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The shackle is capable of extending away from the shaft under centrifugal force to engage the capture device and thereby stop the garage door from further free-falling.