Appeal No. 1998-1937
Application No. 08/518,509
Holmes relates to “overhead doors and more particularly
to the type of door which is substantially rigid and in closed
position is substantially vertical and which moves to [an]
overhead substantially horizontal position when open” (column
1, lines 1-5). As explained in column 1, counterbalance
springs are
typically used in such doors to facilitate the opening and
closing of the door. Of particular interest to Holmes is the
provision on a counterbalancing arrangement that does not
involve the movement of the counterbalance springs through an
overcenter position. In Holmes, overhead door 1 is guided for
movement relative to door frame by levers 6 and overhead
tracks 4. More particularly, outer ends 8 of levers 6 are
pivotally mounted to the lower ends of the door by brackets 9,
while inner ends of levers 6 are pivotally mounted to brackets
5 at locations 7 slightly inboard of the levers’ ends. The
inner ends of levers 6 are also provided with compensating
bars 12, as described at column 2, lines 11-21. The Holmes
device also includes counterbalance springs 11 having upper
ends connected to the door frame by brackets 10 and lower ends
6
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