Tilt-up door

1. A tilt-up door system for a building having an opening comprising:

first and second juxtaposed channel members each having a web and first and second spaced flanges forming a generally U-shaped channel having upper and lower portions extending substantially vertically along opposite sides of the opening;

a door having an inside and an outside sized to span the opening having a top, a bottom and at least two vertical side members, the at least two vertical side members each having a horizontally extending pivot shaft tube positioned vertically between the top and bottom of the door;

first and second carriages each including a horizontally extending pivot shaft journal and at least two wheels, each of the carriages being arranged for vertical movement along the generally U-shaped channel of respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members;

a pair of horizontally extending pivot shafts, each said pivot shaft pivotally connecting one of the pivot shaft tubes to one of the pivot shaft journals;

at least one actuator connected to the first and second carriages operable to move the first and second carriages along respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members.

2. The tilt-up door according to claim 1 , the at least two wheels of the first and second carriages comprise bearing wheels positioned to roll on respective ones of the first vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved along the first and second juxtaposed channel members.

3. The tilt-up door according to claim 2 , the first and second carriage members further comprising at least two idler wheels positioned to roll on respective ones of the second vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved along the first and second juxtaposed channel members.

4. The tilt-up door according to claim 3 , the first and second carriages each further comprising first and second plates connected in spaced relation to first and second end plates, wherein the pivot shaft journals of the respective first and second carriages are connected to the respective first and second plates.

5. The tilt-up door according to claim 4 , the first and second carriages each further comprising reinforcing plates connecting pivot shaft journals of the respective first and second carriages with the first and second end plates of the respective first and second carriages.

6. The tilt-up door according to claim 5 , wherein the bearing wheels are rotatably mounted between the first and second plates positioned to roll on respective ones of the first vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved in the respective first and second channel members.

7. The tilt-up door according to claim 5 , wherein the idler wheels are rotatably mounted between the first and second plates positioned to roll on respective ones of the second vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved in the respective first and second channel members.

8. The tilt-up door according to claim 1 , the first and second carriages further comprising a low friction pad positioned on one of the first and second plates to engage the web of respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members as the first and second carriages are moved in the respective first and second channel members.

9. The tilt-up door according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises vertically extending first and second hydraulic cylinders each mounted adjacent one of the first and second juxtaposed channel members and connected to one of the first and second carriages operable to move the first and second carriages along respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members.

10. The tilt-up door system according to claim 1 , the door system further comprising:

first and second curved cam surfaces connect at one end to and extending generally laterally from respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members at the upper portion thereof and having a second end; and

the door further comprising first and second cam followers connected to the door extending laterally from an upper portion of the door in register with respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces;

whereby, when the door is placed in alignment with the opening in a closed, lowered position, with the first and second carriages positioned for vertical movement along the of respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members and the first and second cam followers in register with respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces, and the actuator is operated to move the first and second carriages along the generally U-shaped channels of respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed channel members the first and second cam followers move along respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces from the first end toward the second end to tilt the door to a generally horizontal position as the door is moved vertically upward by the first and second carriages.

11. The tilt-up door system according to claim 1 , the door further comprising a horizontally extending truss on the outside of the door connected to the at least two vertical side members at a vertical location more than one quarter and less than three quarters of the vertical distance between the top and bottom.

12. The tilt-up door system according to claim 11 , the door further comprising one or more additional vertical members extending between the top and bottom and spaced between the at least two vertical side members, the truss further being connected to the one or more additional vertical members.

13. The tilt-up door system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second juxtaposed channel members each comprise an I-beam forming the generally U-shaped channel.

14. A tilt-up door system for a building having an opening comprising:

first and second juxtaposed members each having a web and first and second spaced flanges forming a generally U-shaped channel having upper and lower portions extending substantially vertically along opposites sides of the opening;

first and second curved cam surfaces connected at one end to and extending generally laterally from respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed members at the upper portion thereof and having a second end;

a door having an inside and an outside sized to span the opening having:

a top, a bottom and at least two vertical side members, the at least two vertical side members each having a horizontally extending pivot shaft tube positioned vertically between the top and bottom of the door; and

first and second cam followers connected to the door extending laterally from an upper portion of the door in register with the respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces;

first and second carriages being arranged for vertical movement along the generally U-shaped channel of respective ones of the first and second juxtaposed members each comprising:

a horizontally extending pivot shaft journal;

at least two bearing wheels positioned to roll on the first flange; and

at least two idler wheels positioned to roll on the second flange;

a pair of horizontally extending pivot shafts, each said pivot shaft pivotally connecting one of the pivot shaft tubes to one of the pivot shaft journals; and

an actuator comprising vertically extending first and second hydraulic cylinders each mounted adjacent one of the first and second juxtaposed members and connected to one of the first and second carriages operable to move the first and second carriages along respective ones of the generally U-shaped channels;

whereby, when the door is place in alignment with the opening in a closed, lowered position, with the first and second carriages are positioned for vertical movement along respective ones of the generally U-shaped channels and the first and second cam followers are in register with respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces, when the hydraulic cylinders are actuated to move the first and second carriages vertically along the generally U-shaped channels the first and second cam followers move along respective ones of the first and second cam surfaces from the first end toward the second end to tilt the door to a generally horizontal position as the door is moved vertically upward by the first and second carriages.

15. The tilt-up door according to claim 14 , the first and second carriages each further comprising first and second plates connected in spaced relation to first and second end plates, wherein the pivot shaft journals of the respective first and second carriages are connected to the respective first and second plates.

16. The tilt-up door according to claim 15 , the first and second carriages each further comprising reinforcing plates connecting the pivot shaft journals of the respective first and second carriages with the first and second end plates of the respective first and second carriages.

17. The tilt-up door according to claim 16 , wherein the at least two bearing wheels are rotatably mounted between the first and second plates positioned to roll on respective ones of the first vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved in the respective first and second channel members.

18. The tilt-up door according to claim 17 , wherein the at least two idler wheels are rotatably mounted between the first and second plates positioned to roll on respective ones of the second vertical channel member flanges as the first and second carriages are moved in the respective first and second channel members.

19. The tilt-up door according to claim 14 , the door further comprising a horizontally extending truss on the outside of the door connected to the at least two vertical side members at a vertical position between the top and bottom to be outside the door opening when the door is in the generally horizontal position.

20. The tilt-up door system according to claim 19 , the door further comprising one or more additional vertical members extending between the top and bottom and spaced between the at least two vertical side members, the truss further being connected to the one or more additional vertical members.