Locking and reinforcing mechanism for garage door

Abstract

Vertically opening sectional doors, such as residential garage doors, are reinforced against high wind loads in their closed positions by a set of reinforcing and locking pin receiving tubes supported on each sectional panel and aligned with each other. Each receiving tube supports a door reinforcing pin or bolt in a retracted position by a removable retaining pin. The retaining pins may be released to allow the reinforcing pins to partially extend from one tube into an adjacent tube on an adjacent door section to prevent pivotal movement of door sections relative to each other. A top wall bracket adjacent the upper horizontal edge of the door includes a member engageable with the door edge and a pair of links connected to one of the pin receiving tubes to retain the top edge of the door from displacement away from the door opening and to prevent opening movement of the door during high wind loads imposed thereon. The lowermost pin support tube includes a pin operable to extend from the lower edge of the door into a recess formed in the building floor to lock the bottom edge of the door against displacement away from the door opening. The door locking and reinforcing mechanism may be provided as original equipment on new doors, or as a kit for retrofitting existing doors.