Garage door safety device
10480231 ยท 2019-11-19
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
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.
Claims
1. A garage door assembly comprising 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 comprising: 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 is configured to be repositionable along an axis of the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, wherein the shackle rotates with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, and wherein the shackle is capable of extending away from the counterbalance shaft under centrifugal force to engage the capture device and thereby stop the garage door from further free-falling.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shackle is configured to be attached to the clamp device so as not to twist.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the capture device comprises a hook.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus further comprises cable drums on both ends of the shaft, and a center bearing plate support with a bearing, and two end bearing plate supports with bearings at both ends.
5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising U-bolts that are secured to the header wall and installed and fixed around the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, wherein the U-bolts are configured to keep the torsion spring counterbalance shaft at a distance from the header wall in the event the shaft flexes towards the header wall.
6. A garage door assembly comprising 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 comprising: a hook mounted on the header wall above the garage door; and a shackle attached at a location on the counterbalance shaft proximate to the hook, wherein the shackle is configured to be repositionable along an axis of the counterbalance shaft, and wherein when the shaft is rotating without resistance from the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus, the shackle is configured to extend away from the shaft under centrifugal force and engage the hook to stop the garage door from free-falling.
7. The safety device of claim 6, further comprising U-bolts that are secured to the header wall and installed and fixed around the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, wherein the U-bolts are configured to keep the torsion spring counterbalance shaft at a distance from the header wall in the event the shaft flexes towards the header wall.
8. The safety device of claim 6, further comprising a clamp device attached to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft, and a pin configured to couple the shackle to the clamp device.
9. A method of stopping a free-falling garage door, the garage door comprising a torsion spring counterbalance apparatus mounted on a header wall above the garage door and having at least one spring wound on a shaft, the method comprising: providing a shackle attached to the shaft and that rotates with the shaft, wherein the shackle is configured to be repositionable along an axis of the shaft, and further providing a capture device attached to the header wall and proximate to the shackle; configuring the shackle and corresponding capture device such that: when lowering the garage door and rotating the shaft at a lower speed due to increasing resistance provided by the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus, the shackle does not engage the capture device; and when lowering the garage door and rotating the shaft at a higher speed due to little or no resistance provided by the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus, the shackle extends away from the shaft due to centrifugal force and engages the capture device, and thereby stops further lowering the garage door.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the capture device comprises a hook mounted on the header wall at a location proximate to the shackle.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(7) Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a garage door anti-free-fall safety device that is used to stop a garage door from free falling, for example, in the event that a torsion spring counterbalance malfunctions or fails. A garage door assembly may include a torsion spring counterbalance apparatus mounted on a header wall above a garage door. The torsion spring counterbalance apparatus may include at least one spring on a shaft with cable drums at both ends, and three supports including a center bearing plate with a bearing, and two end bearing plates with bearings at both ends.
(8) As discussed, the torsion spring counterbalance system consists of one or two tightly wound up springs on a steel shaft with cable drums at both ends. The springs themselves consist of the steel wire with a stationary cone at one end and a winding cone at the other end. The stationary cone is attached to the center bearing plate. The winding cone consists of holes every 90 degrees for winding the springs and set screws to secure the springs to the shaft. Steel counterbalance cables run from the roller brackets at the bottom corners of the door to a notch in the cable drums. When the door is raised, the springs unwind and the stored tension lifts the door by turning the shaft, thus turning the cable drums, wrapping the cables around the grooves on the cable drums. When the door is lowered, the cables unwrap from the drums and the springs are rewound to full tension.
(9) The safety device is generally installed at some location along the length of the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The safety device includes a catch device that is attached to the counterbalance shaft. The catch device is any device that can be caught by a capture device, as explained below. In certain embodiments, the catch device may be a flexible cord attached at two locations along a length of the counterbalance shaft. A distance between the two attachment locations may be any distance, such as 3 inches or greater, or 6 inches or greater, or 12 inches or greater, or 15 inches or greater, or 18 inches or greater, or 24 inches or greater.
(10) The flexible cord as used herein may include a chain, rope, cord, cable, strap, belt, or other similar flexible length of any type of material. The flexible cord is of a length between the two attachment locations that is greater than the shaft length between the two attachment locations. That is, there is some slack in the flexible cord and the flexible cord may extend away from the shaft by hanging downward (due to gravity), or in other directions away from the shaft due to centrifugal force caused by fast rotation of the shaft. The flexible cord may be any length, such as 6 inches or greater, or 12 inches or greater, or 18 inches or greater, or 24 inches or greater, or 30 inches or greater. The flexible cord may be attached to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft with cable clamps that are sized appropriately to correspond with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft diameter. Quick-link devices may be used to attach ends of the flexible cord to the cable clamps. In other embodiments, the catch device may be a ring or anchor shackle attached at some location along the length of the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The anchor shackle may be attached directly to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft in a manner that does not allow the anchor shackle to twist, or attached at an end of a chain that is attached to the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The anchor shackle may be configured to rotate with the torsion spring counterbalance shaft.
(11) The safety device further includes a capture device mounted on the header wall above the garage door at a location between the two flexible cord attachment locations on the counterbalance shaft. The capture device may be mounted to a steel bar that is secured to the header wall above the garage door. Additional steel bars and configurations may be used for further reinforcement. For example, the steel reinforcement may be steel plate or bars that are cut to a length to provide adequate reinforcement, such as 12 inches or greater, or 18 inches or greater, or 20 inches or greater, or 24 inches or greater, or 30 inches or greater. Steel bars may be secured to the header wall using any type of fasteners, including bolts or lag screws or other fasteners types. The capture device as used herein may include a hook, a nail, a bolt, or any type of device that can be configured having a portion that is curved or indented so that this portion can be used to hold or catch or capture another object, e.g., here the flexible cord, as will be explained below. The capture device may be at a certain distance from the torsion spring counterbalance shaft that is appropriate to allow it to properly catch or capture the catch device, e.g., the flexible cord. For example, the capture device may extend outward from the header wall and be at a distance from the torsion spring counterbalance shaft of inch or greater, or inch or greater, or 1 inch or greater, or 2 inches or greater.
(12) The safety device may further include U-bolts that are secured to the header wall above the garage door and installed and fixed around the torsion spring counterbalance shaft. The U-bolts are configured to keep the torsion spring counterbalance shaft at a distance from the header wall in the event the shaft flexes towards the header wall, as will be explained below. The U-bolts are spaced apart at a distance greater than the two attachment locations for the catch device, e.g., the flexible cord. In other words, the two attachment locations for the catch device, e.g., the flexible cord, are located between the U-bolts. For example, the U-bolts may be spaced at any distance apart, such as 8 inches or greater, or 12 inches or greater, or 18 inches or greater, or 24 inches or greater, or 30 inches or greater.
(13) In certain embodiments, methods of operating a garage door include providing a catch device attached to the shaft and that rotates with the shaft, and further providing a capture device attached to the header wall and proximate to the catch device. The method further includes configuring the catch device and corresponding capture device such that when rotating the shaft at a speed that is lower due to increasing torsion provided by the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus, the catch device does not engage the capture device. On the other hand, when rotating the shaft at a speed that is higher due to little or no torsion provided by the torsion spring counterbalance apparatus, the catch device extends away from the shaft due to centrifugal force and engages the capture device.
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(17) The safety device 130 further includes a hook 136 mounted on the header wall 108 above the garage door. The hook 136 is mounted at a location on the header wall 108 that is between the two chain attachment cable clamps 134 on the counterbalance shaft 112. The hook 136 may be mounted to a steel bar 138 that is secured to the header wall 108 above the garage door. Additional steel bars 138 may be used for further reinforcement. The hook 136 is used to hold or catch or capture the chain 132, as will be explained below.
(18) The safety device 130 further includes U-bolts 140 that are secured to the header wall 108 above the garage door and installed and fixed around the torsion spring counterbalance shaft 112. The U-bolts 140 are configured to keep the torsion spring counterbalance shaft 112 at a distance from the header wall 108 in the event the shaft 112 flexes towards the header wall 108, as will be explained below.
(19) The safety device 130 is configured to stop the garage door from free falling in the event that the torsion spring counterbalance malfunctions or fails, i.e., the torsion spring counterbalance provides little or no torsion against downward movement of the garage door. The safety device 130 uses centrifugal force that is created when the torsion spring counterbalance shaft 112 rapidly rotates (due to failure or malfunction of the torsion spring counterbalance spring 114). Centrifugal force causes the chain 132 to extend outward and away from the shaft 112 to catch the hook 136 mounted on the header wall 108 above the garage door 105, and thereby stop the garage door from further free falling.
(20) In the event that an anchor shackle 142 is used, when the garage door is opening or closing at normal speeds, the anchor shackle 142 rests against the top of the shaft 112 until it rotates past the hook 136 and gravity causes the anchor shackle 142 to fall, missing the hook 136. As the shaft 112 continues slowly rotating, the anchor shackle 142 falls back against the shaft 112 as the shackle 142 ascends to the top of the rotating shaft. When the shaft 112 rotates more quickly due to a broken or malfunctioning torsion spring 114, centrifugal force causes the anchor shackle 142 to become fully extended to a position where it catches the hook 136.
(21) In certain instances, upon stopping a free-falling door, the weight of the door may cause the shaft 112 to flex or move toward the header wall 108. The U-bolts 140 are configured to prevent the shaft 112 from flexing too much and contacting the header wall 108. The U-bolts 140 are configured to keep the torsion spring shaft 112 at a certain distance from the header wall in the event that the weight of the door causes the shaft 112 to flex too much.
(22) The claimed subject matter is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.