US1078795A - Disappearing-door construction for cases. - Google Patents

Description

F. E. MEINEL.

DISAPPEARING DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1911.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

era res FREDERICK MncmnL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T ILLINoIs'sHow CASE WORKS, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

DISAPPEARING-DOOR CONSTRUCTION FOR- CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. is, 1913.

I Application filed J u1y24, 1911. Serial N 0. 640,096.

To all whom it may concern:

. Construction for Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to show casesor other cases of like character.

It relates more particularly to the doors thereof. These have been made in various ways jbu't they have not been altogether sat sfactory, particularly those of show cases. "Ordinarily, the objection to the show cases that have been in use was the impossibility of having the entire case "open at one and the same time. Sliding doors were usually employed, and the arrangement was such that all of the doors of the case could not be opened at the same time. Swinging doors are not satisfactory for show cases, especially the large floor cases.

Generally stated, therefore, the object of .my invention is to provide an improved and highly satisfactory sliding door construction forshow cases and other cases of similar character.

Special objects are to provide an improved construction of disappearing door for show cases and other cases of like character; to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby disappearing doors of th1s character may be operated with less danger of breaking or getting out of order than heretofore; to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby the doors will work easily and smoothly and with little effort; to provide a construc-' tion whereby the doors are composed of upper and lower sections, the upper section being arranged to disappear at the top of the case, and the lower section being adapted to disappear at the bottom of the case; to provide a construction whereby the upper door section holds the lower section in closed position; to provide a construction whereby the lower door section cannot be opened until after the upper section is partially opened; and to provide certain details and features of improvement tending to increase the general elliciency of a disappearing door construction of this particular character.

To these and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin'gsFigure l is a vertical transverse section of a showcase embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. '3 is the same as Fig. 1,'eXcept that the rear portion or back is "shown broken away, and the doors are omitted to show the grooves in which the rolls travel. Fig. 4 is anenlarged detail sectional view showing the formation of a portion of the groove in which the rolls of the upper section of the door travel, and illustrating the spring that yielding'ly holds the upper section in closed posit'io As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a show case having a base A adapted to standv and 'a top C. The endwalls D are of glass and have frames d of wood or metal or other suitable material. These end frames are each provided with an upper groove d and a lower groove 0Z said grooves being located on the inner sides of said frames, whereby the grooves of one frame face the grooves of the other frame. The groove d is formed with a slight bevel or incline'at (Z and has the corners thereof rounded at 03*,

whereby the groove is wider where the two right angle portions thereof come together. The groove (Z has its inner corner cut oil or rounded at d", and is formed with a seat or depression 03 at its outer cornerthat Is to say, at the point where "the two right angle portions of the groove join or come together. Both grooves extend rearward to the back B of the'case. l

The upper door section 'E'is' of glass and hash rectangular frame '6 that fits the upper portion of the space between the two ends of the *case "and "below the top wall thereof. The door section'E has each end provided with a pair of rolls 6 and e which engage he groove d; The roll "e 'is near the upper edge of said door section, and when the latter is closed the roll 6 rests in the lower end of said groove.

A roll 6 on the frame 61 engages the inner side of the frame 6, when the door section E is opened and in a horizontal position, whereby the said door section is supported againststraining of the parts thereof. A

. end of the door section F is provided with root the movement of the doors.

a pair of rolls f and f that engage the groove d in the end wall frame. These rolls f and f are such a distance apart that when the door is closed the upper rolls f are at the upper ends of the grooves (Z and the lower rolls f are resting in the seats or depressions d at the bottom.

The two door sections are opened in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When fully opened the upper section is practically concealed below the top C of the case, and the lower section is entirely within the case at the bottom thereof. The two door sections open by moving away from each other, and by then assuming horizontal positions in horizontal planes at the top and bottom of the case. During such sliding motion of the door sections the rolls thereof slide or travel along the grooves d and 03 to di- To open the door it is only necessary to press inward on the upper portion of the upper door section and to lift slightly on the lower section and press inward on the lower end thereof. This brings both sections into the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and further movement then causes the two sections to fully disappear, or practically so, at the top and bottom of the case. By reason of the depressions d, it is obvious that the lower door cannot be opened until after the upper door has been opened, or partially opened, to permit the lower door to move slightly upward in starting. For this purpose, the

lower edge e of the upper door section E isbeveled inwardly and the upper edge f of the lower section F is beveled outwardly, sot-hat although the two edges come tight together, still the upper section can open while the lower section is closed. An outer handle e i provided at the lower edge of the upper door section E, and an inner handle f is provided at the. upper edgeof the lower section 'F. Thus, as stated, the

- upper section must be opened first, and then the handle f can be grasped to lower the section F to a horizontal position.

Preferably, the upper edge e of the section E is beveled or rounded outwardly, to permit the said edge to swing inwardly when the section is closed, the rolls 6 being disposed a distance back from the front to permit the initial inward swing of the upper edge of the upper door section. The upper edge of the lower section has a portion f that acts as a stop for the lower edge of the upper section in closing. The frames 03 are also preferablyprovided with parts d that engage the section F and thereby serve as stops to prevent inward movement of the door sections when fully closed.

The frame of each door section is provided at its vertical end edges with strips G of felt or other soft material that bear against the flat inner surfaces 618 of the frames to prevent dust from entering the show case.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door composed of upper and lower sections, the lower edge of the upper section adapted to engage the upper edge of the lower section, means for mounting the upper section to swing and slide upward and assume a horizontal position below the top of the case, means for mounting the lower section to swing and slide downward and assume a horizontal position above the bottom of the case, and means requiring a slight upward movement of the lower section for the initial opening thereof whereby the lower door section cannot be opened until after the upper door section is partially opened.

2. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door composed of upper and lower sections, the lower edge of the upper section adapted to engage the upper edge of the lower section, means for mounting the upper section to swing and slide upward and assume a horizontal position below the top of the case, and means for mounting the lower section to swing and slide downward and assume a horizontal position above the bottom of the case, the said meanscomprising rolls on the ends of the sections, and upper and lower L-shaped grooves on the case, said grooves serving as ways in which said rolls travel when the door is opened and being so formed that the lower door 3. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a movable door for the front of the case, a pair of separated projections for each end of said doors, an L-shaped groove in the case for each pair of projections, one projection of each pair movable in one direction in one part of the said groove while the other projection of the same pair is mov ing in a direction at right angles thereto in the other part of the same groove, and one of said projections of each pair being adapted to rest in the elbow portions of said grooves to keep the door in closed position, each said elbow portion being formed with a seat in which the projection rests for this purpose, whereby the door must be raised slightly, in the plane thereof, before moving inward at its lower edge.

4. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, a door for the front of the case, a pair of separated projections for each end of said door, a groove or way on the case for each pair of projections, and a spring secured in the groove for engaging one of said projections when the door is closed, whereby the door is yieldingly held in closed position.

5. In a disappearing door construction" for show cases, upper and lower door sections, means whereby the two sections swing and slide in opening and closing, and a seat for the lower section, serving to hold the lower section against swinging motion, the upper section engaging the lower section to hold the latter in said seat, the said seat preventing the lower section from moving inward at its lower edge until after the upper section is partially opened.

6. In a disappearing door construction for show cases, upper and lower door sections beveled at their meeting edges, aseat for the lower portion of the lower section, to hold the latter upright, a spring for yieldingly holding the upper sectionclosed, a stop for the lower section, and means for mounting the said door sections for sliding and swinging movement. V

7. A disappearing doorconstruction for show cases, comprising a front door, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groove having a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said' door, and means for engaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengaged therefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be opened until after disengagement of the said means.

8. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a front door, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groove having a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door, and means for engaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengaged therefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be opened until after disengagement of-the said means, said means comprising an upper door, and said walls being grooved for said upper door, permitting outward swing of the lower edge thereof. I

9. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a front door, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groove having a depression at the front, end thereof, devices for engaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door,and means for engaglng the upper edge of said door, adapted to be disengaged therefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be opened until after disengagement of the said means, said means comprising an upper door, and a spring yieldingly holding said upper door in closed position, whereby said spring serves also to hold said front door closed.

10. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a front door, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves, each groove having a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door, and means for engaging the upper edge of said door, adapted to be'dis engaged therefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said walls having upright grooves, and the door being provided with devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot be opened until after disengagement of the said means.v the said door being mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis while said devices are moving along said grooves.

11. A disappearing door construction for show cases, comprising a front door, walls provided with horizontally disposed grooves,

each groove having a depression at the front end thereof, devices for engaging said grooves and depressions, secured to the ends of said door, and means for engaging the,

upper edge of said door, adapted-to be'disengaged therefrom to permit raising of said door and devices out of said depressions, said Walls having upright grooves, and the door being provided With devices for engaging said upright grooves, whereby said door cannot-be opened until after disengagement of the said means, the said door having a handle on its inner surface near the upper edge thereof, to facilitate closing of the door and prevent attempted opening of the same While held in place by said means.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day of July, 1911.

FREDERICK E. MEINEL. Witnesses:

S. LEWIS, J. Norman

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