Clopay Corporation

Barry V Prehodka

Maw H Lee

Improved traveler and guide rail apparatus for use with a garage door operator includes an elongated guide rail having a longitudinal screw channel and outwardly extending integral flanges disposed along the screw channel. An elongated T-shaped flange extends upwardly from the screw channel. An improved traveler apparatus for use with the guide rail includes a screw-driven traveler and a coupling traveler, each mounted on respective tracks formed by separate outside surfaces of the guide rail. The screw-driven traveler carries a nut engaging a screw in the screw channel through a slot between the flanges and further includes opposed U-shaped channels slidably mounted over the exterior surfaces of the guide rail flanges for slidable movement along the guide rail. The coupling traveler surrounds the screw-driven traveler and a substantial portion of the guide rail and includes a bore in an upper portion thereof, the bore having an interior surface slidably engaging the exterior surface of the screw channel for slidable movement along the guide rail. Upper shoulders of the coupling traveler above the bore are sufficiently close to the T-shaped flange to be guided thereby to prevent undesirable vertical or horizontal movement of the coupling traveler. Also, the coupling traveler is sufficiently relieved in the flange area to accommodate the screw-driven traveler therein. The coupling traveler is further provided with means for connecting it to a garage door, and carries a manually actuable bistable latch for selectively engaging and disengaging the coupling traveler with the screw-driven traveler for respective cooperative and independent slidable movement along the guide rail.

Traveler and guide rail apparatus for screw drive closure operator

An improved traveler apparatus includes a screw-driven traveler and a coupling traveler which are both slidably mounted within a track that is formed by the interior surfaces of opposed U-shaped channels of a guide rail. The guide rail also includes a screw channel which communicates through a longitudinal slot with the track. The screw-driven traveler includes a nut that engages a screw in the screw channel through the slot. The coupling traveler includes a manually actuable, bistable latch to selectively engage and disengage the coupling traveler and the screw-driven traveler for cooperative and independent slidable movement within the track, respectively, and the coupling traveler is adapted for connection to a closure, such as a garage door, to open or close same as the coupling traveler is moved along the track.

Traveler apparatus for screw drive closure operator

An improved position control apparatus is disclosed to control a motor-driven door operator to halt movement of a door at an open position and a closed position. The position control apparatus includes a control screw means in the form of a threaded shaft extension of the motor shaft or a threaded rod coupled to the motor shaft which is rotated when the motor is energized. A travel nut is threadedly engaged with the control screw means and is constrained against rotational motion so as to reciprocate along the control screw means. Position detection means, such as switches, are disposed near the control screw means for actuation by the travel nut to control the motor as the door approaches the open position and the closed position. In another embodiment, a toggle switch is mounted on the travel nut, and the switches are replaced by stops for actuation of the toggle switch to control the motor. An improved obstruction detector apparatus is also provided to control the motor if an obstruction is encountered as the door moves between the open position and the closed position. The obstruction detector apparatus includes a safety switch which is actuable by rotation of the motor casing due to reaction torque, if an obstruction is encountered as the door moves in one direction, and a lever that is actuable by rotation of the motor casing, if an obstruction is encountered as the door moves in an opposite direction, to actuate the safety switch.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Barry V Prehodka