EP0181268B1 - Security and emergency operating mechanism for a folding door - Google Patents

Abstract

A counterweight (12) provided at the end of a shaft (8) for winding up the door-raising belts (3) of a concertina type door. The counterweight (12) is designed to open the door to a fraction of its height. It co-operates with the motor (7) when the door is being opened and closed under normal circumstances. A motor and brake unit (14) is provided including both the motor (7) and a brake for locking the shaft (8) when the motor is not in operation. Catch means may also be provided on the bottom of the door. Manual means are provided for releasing the shaft-locking brake means in the event of a power failure. The device is essentially a safety device and in the event of a motor breakdown or a power failure it enables the concertina-type door to be rapidly opened, at least partially. Similarly, in the event of the coupling between the drive shaft and the motor being broken, the device prevents the door from falling to its closed position in a catastrophic manner. The device also makes it possible to use a motor of smaller power than would be required in an installation which does not include a counterweight.

Description

The present invention relates to a safety and emergency actuation device for an accordion door.

We currently know how to manufacture large accordion doors intended in particular for industrial premises. An example of such a door is described inter alia in patent FR-A-2,410,117. Such doors essentially comprise, depending on whether they are doors with hinged horizontal panels or with flexible curtain stiffened at regular intervals by horizontal reinforcing bars, lifting straps fixed to the base of the lower panel or to the lower bar and preferably passing in guides fixed on the articulation of certain panels or on some of the other bars and a shaft winding of the straps overhanging the assembly, driven by an electric motor and blocked by braking means when said motor is not in operation.

In presently existing installations, when, the door being closed, the motor is out of service following a breakdown or a power failure, the door can only be lifted after having released the braking means by means of a manually controlled emergency device comprising a crank, a rod and a bevel gear and acting on the winding shaft of the lifting straps. Given the often high weight of large doors, such an emergency device has a significant reduction and, therefore, involves a slow implementation. In situations which require rapid opening of the door, evacuation, need for urgent intervention inside the building, etc., this type of emergency device is insufficient. On the other hand, still in installations currently in service, when the door is open or in the process of being opened, the strap lifting shaft becomes detached from the motor and the braking means following a rupture or from any other cause, the curtain falls suddenly with its own weight, which represents a certain danger.

Patent US-A-3,739,832 describes an emergency system for a flexible closing grid of the upper winding type: when the motor lowers the grid in the closed position, it causes the tension of a spring, which, in in case of engine failure, can raise the grid to a certain height allowing passage.

It will be recalled that the use of counterweights for shutters with telescopic sliding panels is also known, for example from patents US-A-2 339 569 and 1 662 709. In such devices, the counterweight does not make it possible to raise the components of the shutter, because the control is generally made by tangent screw, blocking the shutter in any stopped position.

The present invention relates to a safety and emergency actuation device for an accordion door making it possible, as the case may be, to prevent the curtain from falling completely or to cause it to rise partially and quickly.

Consequently, the subject of the present invention is a safety and emergency actuation device for an accordion door, in particular of the type of those which include in particular a flexible curtain guided by two uprights, horizontal reinforcing bars arranged at regular intervals, lifting straps fixed to the lower bar and capable of passing through guides fixed to certain other bars, a blood winding shaft overhanging the assembly driven by an electric motor and blocked by braking means when said motor does not is not in operation, characterized in that it comprises at least one mass counterweight making it possible to partially raise the curtain to a height allowing passage.

According to a characteristic of the present invention, the counterweight (s) is (are) calculated to cooperate with the electric motor driving the winding shaft of the straps during the opening and closing of the accordion door .

According to another characteristic of the invention, the lifting provided by the counterweight (s) is controlled, depending on whether the braking means of the strap winding shaft are constituted by the brake of a brake motor or by a latching device located on the lower bar, by manual means for releasing said brake or for disengaging said latch.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the counterweight (s) circulate (s) freely in a casing attached to one of the door jambs, either in the plane of the door, or projecting towards the inside or out.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en perspective simplifiée d'une réalisation de l'invention, la porte étant baissée en a levée en b;
• La figure 2 représente le schéma partiel de trois états de fonctionnement d'une réalisation de l'invention dans laquelle le frein du moteur-frein est serré lorsque le moteur-frein est déconnecté; a: le moteur en fonctionnement, frein desserré; b moteur déconnecté, frein serré; c moteur hors de service, frein desserré manuellement;
• La figure 3 représente le schéma partiel de deux états de fonctionnement d'une réalisation de l'invention dans laquelle, lorsque le moteur-frein est alimenté, le frein du moteur-frein ne l'est pas et est desserré (figure 3a), et inversement (figure 3b);
• La figure 4 représente en a une vue en perspective simplifiée partielle d'un premier type de montant de porte comportant un carter de protection pour contre-poids selon l'invention; en b une vue en coupe schématique selon un plan horizontal dudit montant, etc.;
• La figure 5 représente en a une vue en perspective simplifiée partielle d'un second type de montant de porte comportent un carter de protection pour contre-poids selon l'invention; en b une vue en coupe schématique selon un plan horizontal dudit montant.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following description made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a simplified perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, the door being lowered at a raised at b;
• FIG. 2 represents the partial diagram of three operating states of an embodiment of the invention in which the brake of the brake motor is applied when the brake motor is disconnected; a: engine running, brake released; b motor disconnected, brake applied; c engine out of service, brake released manually;
• FIG. 3 represents the partial diagram of two operating states of an embodiment of the invention in which, when the brake motor is supplied, the brake of the brake motor is not and is released (FIG. 3a), and vice versa (Figure 3b);
• FIG. 4 represents a partial simplified perspective view of a first type of door jamb comprising a protective casing for a counterweight according to the invention; at b a schematic sectional view along a plane horizontal of said amount, etc .;
• FIG. 5 represents a partial simplified perspective view of a second type of door jamb comprising a protective casing for a counterweight according to the invention; at b a schematic sectional view along a horizontal plane of said upright.

In Figure 1 is shown an accordion door of the type which includes a flexible curtain which is recognized in particular the flexible curtain 1, the horizontal reinforcing bars 2, the lifting straps 3 fixed to the lower bar and passing in guides 4 fixed on certain bars, the uprights 5 U-shaped in which the ends of certain bars slide, the beam 6 forming a lintel and on which the brake motor 7 which is subjected drives the shaft 8 for winding the angles and the bearings 9 which support said tree.

In the present invention, there is at one end of the shaft 8 a drum 10 on which a cable 11 is wound, or any other suspension means (strap, rope, chain, etc.) the end of which is attached to a counterweight 12 so that said counterweight is in the high position when the door is closed (FIG. 1 a) and in the low position when the door is open (FIG. 1 b). The rotational force exerted by the counterweight 12 on the shaft 8 via the drum 10 depends both on the mass of the counterweight 12 and on the diameter of the drum 10. This force is calculated so that, under its sole action, the motor 7 not operating and the braking means being released, the door opens on a determined fraction of its height. The counterweight 12 then occupies an intermediate position between the high position it occupies when the door is fully closed (Figure 1a) and the low position it occupies when the door is fully open (Figure 1b). This force being calculated, the mass of the counterweight 12 and the diameter of the drum 10 are determined, taking account in particular of their size of the stroke of the counterweight between its high position and its low position, mechanical stresses exerted on the tree etc. To meet these various requirements, it may be necessary to envisage a device comprising 2 counterweights placed respectively at each end of the winding shaft 8 of the angles and allowing a balanced distribution of the forces.

The rotational force exerted on the shaft 8 by the counterweight occurs in three circumstances: when the winding shaft of the straps becomes detached from the brake motor, the door being open or being opened; when the brake motor is out of service, the door being closed; during ordinary operation of the brake motor.

When the winding shaft of the straps accidentally disengages from the brake motor - which generally occurs when the direction of rotation of the shaft is reversed - the curtain, ballasted with rebar, has tendency to fall due to their own weight. This is where the counterweight plays an essential role for safety, quite specific to this type of door. If, when the tree breaks (or any other equivalent accident), the base of the curtain has reached a height greater than the fraction of total door opening height defined above - corresponding to the balancing of part of the weight of the curtain by the counterweight - the curtain then lowers with decreasing speed until it reaches this predetermined height. If, on the contrary, the curtain has not reached this height, it rises with decreasing speed until it reaches it.

In this case as in the other, the counterweight prevents the curtain from falling completely and eliminates the risk of accident that could result, especially for people.

When the door is closed and the motor is out of service, whether due to a breakdown or power cut, to open it on the fraction of its height corresponding to said force, the shaft must be unlocked. winding of the straps, which is intended to be permanently immobilized outside the periods of engine operation. This manual release can be done in various ways, depending on the nature of the braking means used to block the shaft.

In the example of the unlocking of the shaft 8 presented in FIG. 2, the brake motor 13 and the brake 14 of the brake motor are supplied at the same time. When the switch 15 is closed (FIG. 2 a), the motor 13 operates and the brake 14, which may notably include an electromagnet 16 and a compression spring 17, is released, the force generated by the electromagnet 16 being higher and opposite to that of the compression spring 17. When the switch 15 is open (FIG. 2 b) the motor 13 does not work and the brake 14 blocks the shaft by the effect of the force of the compression spring 17. In the event of an engine failure or power failure, which may be voluntary during a fire, for example, the situation of the brake motor is identical to the previous one. To block the shaft, that is to say to control the opening of the door which will be effected by the counterweight 12, the compression spring of the brake is compressed by means of a manual control 21 .

In another exemplary embodiment of the unlocking control of the shaft 8, one no longer acts on the brake of the brake motor but on a latching latch of the lower bar. This type of control is linked to a different mode of operation of the brake motor than that described above. In this other arrangement shown in FIG. 3, when the motor 13 is supplied, the brake 14, which may include an electromagnet 16 and a return spring 18, is not (FIG. 3 a), and vice versa ( Figure 3 b). When the switch 19 is closed and the switch 20 open (FIG. 3 a), the motor 13 operates and the return station 18 keeps the brake released. When switch 19 is open and the switch 20 closed (FIG. 3 b), the motor 13 does not work and the electromagnet 16 under tension generates a force greater and opposite to that of the return spring 18 which applies the brake. In the event of a power failure, the brake is released and the door would automatically raise if blocking means were not provided. With this operating mode of the brake motor, there is therefore, for example, a latch on the lower bar of the door which engages in a corresponding fixed device when said bar is at ground level. Thus, in the event of a power failure, to control the opening of the door, which will be done under the action of the counterweight 12, the latch is disengaged manually or with the foot.

According to the present invention, the rotational force generated by the counterweight 12 and the drum 10 does not act only in the particular situations mentioned above, that is to say when the winding shaft of the straps disconnects from the brake motor or that the brake motor is out of service, but also cooperates with the motor in normal operation. When the door is opened, the counterweight assists in lifting the curtain and the motor only works as soon as the weight of the raised part of the curtain balances the counterweight. When the door is closed, the motor only works from the moment when the counterweight balances the weight of the lowered curtain part, it must hoist said counterweight to its high position. The use of a counterweight of the type which has been described above therefore makes it possible to use a motor less powerful than that which has been used in installations which do not have one.

Whether during normal operation of the accordion door, or during accidental circumstances, the counterweight (s) play (s) an important, even essential, role. It is therefore important that his (their) race cannot be hindered under any circumstances. To meet this requirement, provision is made, according to the invention, to place the counterweight in a casing disposed against one of the uprights of the door. This housing will be made of a resistant material, metal or plastic, it will have a circular or polygonal section and will be of a height substantially equal to the length of the stroke of the counterweight. Advantageously, it will only be one piece with the door jamb. In Figures 4 and 5, there are shown two types of amount built on this principle. Another U-shaped door jamb 5, consisting of a U-shaped metal profile whose parallel parts serve as a guide for the flexible curtain 1, another U-shaped profile 23 is added, possibly by welding, which will have been dimensioned so as to delimit a rectangular parallelepiped in which the counterweight 12 can circulate freely. In the case of FIG. 4, the counterweight casing is a parallelepiped, three faces of which are formed by the U-shaped profile 23 and the fourth by the part of the upright 5 which is perpendicular to the plane of the door. This casing is therefore located in the extension of the door which it widens accordingly.

In the case of FIG. 5, the counterweight casing is a parallelepiped, three faces of which are formed by the U-shaped section 23 and the fourth by one of the parallel parts of the upright 5. This casing is therefore not in the plane of the door, but protrudes inward or outward. As in this arrangement the counterweight 12 is no longer plumb with the drum 10, a pulley 22 is provided fixed at the plumb of the casing to ensure the return of the belt 11.

The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which have just been described, it is on the contrary liable to modifications and variants which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (11)

1. A safety and emergency actuator device for a concertina type door such as those comprising a flexible curtain (1) guided between two risers (5), horizontal stiffening bars disposed at regular intervals, door-lifting belts (3) fixed to the bottom bar and optionally passing through guides (4) fixed on certain other bars, a belt-winding shaft (8) disposed over the top of the assembly driven by an electric motor (7) and locked by brake means when the motor is not in operation, characterised in that said device includes at least one counterweight (12) of a mass allowing to raise partially the curtain to a height which allows the passage.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that it includes means for releasing the belt-winding shaft (8) from its brake means to enable the curtain to be raised by the counterweight(s) when the electric motor (7) is not in operation.

3. A device according to a preceding claim, wherein the counterwehght(s) is/are designed to co-operate with the electric motor for driving the belt-winding shaft with the total counterweight mass being substantially less than the mass of the curtain.

4. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the counterweight(s) is/are designed in such a manner as to raise the concertina type door to a fraction of its height.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, in which said brake means (14) is included in a motor and brake unit (13) and brakes the belt-winding shaft when the motor is disconnected, wherein the door is raised by the counterweigh t(s) (12) under the control of manual means for disengaging the brake means.

6. A device according to one of claims 1 to 4, including a catch for engaging the bottom rod of the curtain, wherein the door is raised by the counterweight(s) (12) by manual operated means for releasing said catch.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the, or each, counterweight (12) is free to move inside a counterweight housing.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the, or each, counterweight (12) housing is connected to a door riser (5) in the plane of the door.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein the, or each, counterweight (12) housing is connected to a door riser (5) and projects inwardly or outwardly therefrom.

10. A device according to claim 8, in which the door riser (5) is constituted by a channel-section bar, wherein the counterweight housing is a hollow rectangular parallelipiped having three faces constituted by a channel-section bar (23) and having its fourth face constituted by the web of the door riser, perpendicular to the outway plane.

11. A device according to claim 8, in which the door riser (5) is constituted by a channel-section bar, wherein the counterweight housing is a hollow rectangular parallelipiped having three faces constituted by a channel-section bar (23) and having its fourth face constituted by one of the flanges of the riser (5).

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