A safety switch including a follower bar molded from elastic material and fastened to the bottom rail of an electric rolling door and having two longitudinal ribs on the inside, two metal sheets mounted inside within the follower bar above the longitudinal ribs and separated by a slotted sheet insulator, two actuators respectively fastened to two opposite ends of the bottom rail of the electric rolling door, each actuator having a top plate fastened to one end of the bottom rail of the electric rolling door, and two crossed pressure bars respectively pivoted to the top plate, wherein when the follower bar or one actuator is stopped by an object during the down stroke of the electric rolling door, the follower bar is deformed to force the longitudinal ribs upwards against the metal sheets, causing the metal sheets to contact each other at holes on the sheet insulator and to further cut off power supply from the electric rolling door.

A pressure actuated switching device for free hanging from a horizontal support, such as a drape sensor, includes an outer electrically non-conductive cover having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a bottom edge portion. A plurality of weep holes are disposed along the bottom edge for drainage of moisture which may condense in the interior of the device. The device also includes a first electrically conductive coating deposited on the interior surface of the cover sheet, an interior sheet having at least a first surface with a second electrically conductive coating deposited thereon, and an electrically non-conductive spacer disposed between the first electrically conductive coating and the second electrically conductive coating. The non-conductive spacer preferably possesses a plurality of zig-zag shaped ribs. The pressure actuated switching device includes a sensitizing bracket to laterally direct forces applied to its side, and tolerates extreme conditions of moisture, heat and cold.

A safety system comprises a light beam transmitter and receiver and means connected through a standard AC power plug to the main power supply of an automatic garage door opener for controlling the power thereto. The transmitter transmits a beam of light across the opening of a garage door. The receiver is positioned to receive the light beam if there is nothing obstructing the beam. The receiver generates a signal indicating when the beam is being received. The means disconnects the power to the garage door opener when a signal is generated indicating that the light beam is not being received. The garage door is thus prevented from making contact with and hurting or damaging a person or object in its path.

A sensing edge for actuating a device to cause a closing door to stop closing upon a force being applied to the sensing edge is provided. The door has a leading edge surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral side surface with the first and second lateral side surfaces being oppositely disposed. The sensing edge comprises an elongate sheath positioned adjacent to the leading edge surface of the door and compressible upon application of an external force. The sheath forms a cavity. The sheath has a front side and a back side and first and second oppositely disposed end openings. The front side and back side of the sheath have respective front side and back side apertures extending therethrough. A sensor responsive to an external force applied to the sheath substantially between the first and second openings is positioned within the cavity. A plug is also positioned within the cavity proximate to the first end opening of the sheath. The plug has a first surface facing the cavity, second and third surfaces facing respectively the front and back sides of the sheath and a fourth surface facing the first end opening. The plug has a channel structure extending from the first surface through the plug to the second and third surfaces. At least one electrical conductor is in electrical communication with the sensor for connection with a circuit for controlling the actuation of the door when the sensor detects the application of force to the sheath. The conductor extends through the channel structure from the first surface to one of the second and third surfaces.

Each sensing safety edge system includes an elongated, one-piece, flexibly resilient, extrusion of air-impervious material. The extrusion includes an elongated hollow member with tubular wall, a pair of laterally spaced apart support legs extending radially outwardly from an outer side of the tubular wall, an elongated mounting strip extending outwardly from the tubular wall between the pair of support legs and a weather strip extending outwardly from an opposing side of the tubular member. Conical plug closures are provided in each of two opposing ends of the tubular member, preferably so as to seal the ends to air passage. The resulting safety edge is mounted on a leading edge of an overhead steel door or like movable structure. In different embodiments, a pneumatic switch, which may be an air wave responsive switch with diaphragm and adjustable bleed valve, is located outside the tubular member and is coupled with the hollow interior of the tubular member by a separate tube, which may be passed through one of the closures or transversely through the tubular wall of the extrusion. Alternatively, the tubular member may receive a pair of spaced apart opposing electrical contacts to provide an electric switch within the tubular member or may be provided with a light source and light sensor at its opposing ends to configure the safety edge for optical control.