EP0183633B1 - Movable door and its driving mechanism for a closed hearth, particularly for a closed fire-place - Google Patents

Abstract

Movable door characterised in that its opening and retraction movement is brought about by pivoting about an axis parallel to its lower edge and by its translation under the bottom of the fire-place, the axis of pivoting being common to the plane of closing (3) and to the counterweight (9). This invention is of interest to heating apparatus manufacturers. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a retractable door and its control mechanism for closed hearths, the main application of which relates to the glass doors of closed hearths for fireplaces of apartments or of individual houses.

For environmental reasons, closed hearths with fireplaces have a glass front door pivotally mounted around a vertical axis in the manner of building doors and windows.

This way of opening, known as French, has the following drawbacks: opening travel, progressive opening.

Some manufacturers have built vertically retractable glass doors, called guillotine. These doors are pressed against the front opening to close and disappear after release by sliding vertically upwards along the rails. The operation is facilitated by a counterweight connected to a pulley and cable mechanism.

This drive mechanism, insecure in its operation: derailment of the cable, left parts by heat, does not provide the assistance that one can expect.

In addition, it significantly increases the cost price of the assembly and access to the control and operating mechanism does not seem easy enough to allow maintenance and repairs without disassembly.

In addition, the movement seems dangerous in the event of defection of a retainer in the high position.

There are also known closed hearths with a retractable door upwards, such as that described in document FR-A-2,512,932. The two ends of the upper hinge pin of the glass door are supported by two bent oscillating arms secured by the counterweight at their other end. However, during the opening operation, it is necessary to carry the weight of the door upwards and the mechanism described is complicated. We would therefore prefer a simple device which would open the door downwards, for example that of document US A 2 925 081. But the device described applies to baking ovens and cookers, and is not suitable for closed hearths , due to the temperature, tightness and weight of the door. The object of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks by proposing a closed hearth having two vertical side walls and a front opening closed by a closing plane of a pivoting door about a pivot axis, the control mechanism comprising a tilting counterweight for operating assistance allows operation and guiding from a closed position in which the closing plane of the door is applied against the front opening of the hearth to a horizontal opening position in which the door is retracted into the overall dimensions of the hearth by a movement pivoting and translating combination, characterized in that the pivoting axis is common to the door and the tilting counterweight for operating assistance and is located, in the closed position of the door, in the plane of the opening front and is movable because it is carried by a part which can be moved in translation along the walls of the hearth in order to support and guide the door during its translational movement towards its retracted position parallel to a lateral face of the hearth.

• . peu de pièces mécaniques en mouvement, par conséquent faible risque de grippage ;
• . le mécanisme de commande et de fonctionnement se trouve dans une zone froide. Il ne présente aucun risque de déformation par la chaleur ;
• . chemin de roulement ou de glissement sûr évitant le décrochage en cours de manoeuvre
• . le démontage de la vitre et du mécanisme s'avère très simple en vue du nettoyage et de l'entretien;
• . face arrière de la vitre facile à nettoyer lorsqu'elle se trouve couchée ;
• . rappel en position fermée assurée par le retour-butée en extrémité du chemin de roulement ;
• . manoeuvre facilitée par l'effet du contrepoids.
• . contrepoids et son axe réalisésselon un ensemble monobloc.

The present invention has multiple advantages such as:

• . few mechanical moving parts, therefore low risk of seizure;
• . the control and operating mechanism is in a cold area. There is no risk of heat distortion;
• . safe rolling or sliding track avoiding stalling during maneuver
• . dismantling the glass and the mechanism is very simple for cleaning and maintenance;
• . rear side of the glass easy to clean when lying down;
• . return to the closed position provided by the return-stop at the end of the raceway;
• . maneuver facilitated by the effect of the counterweight.
• . counterweight and its axis made according to a monobloc assembly.

• . la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un foyer fermé de cheminée équipé de la porte escamotable selon l'invention;
• . la figure 2 est une vue en coupe verticale longitudinale d'un foyer fermé de cheminée à porte escamotable conforme à l'invention;
• . la figure 3 est une vue en coupe verticale frontale d'un foyer fermé de cheminée illustrant plus particulièrement l'ensemble de commande et les chemins de roulement;
• . la figure 4 est une vue schématique de profil d'un foyer fermé de cheminée dans lequel le plan d'ouverture est assisté en guidage par un moyen supplémentaire.
• . la figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un foyer équipé d'une porte escamotable à commande par tiges et manchons coulissants.
• . la figure 6 est une vue de détail du mécanisme de commande selon la variante de la figure 5.

The technical characteristics of the invention and other advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

• . Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closed fireplace hearth equipped with the retractable door according to the invention;
• . Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a closed fireplace hearth with retractable door according to the invention;
• . Figure 3 is a front vertical sectional view of a closed fireplace hearth illustrating more particularly the control assembly and the raceways;
• . Figure 4 is a schematic profile view of a closed fireplace hearth in which the opening plane is assisted in guiding by additional means.
• . Figure 5 is a perspective view of a fireplace equipped with a retractable door controlled by rods and sliding sleeves.
• . FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the control mechanism according to the variant of FIG. 5.

According to the invention, the closed fireplace hearth 1 with front opening 3 comprises a pivoting door having an application plan 3 and a window 4 for viewing the flames. This application plane pivots in the vicinity of its lower edge 5 around a low horizontal axis 6 movable along the side walls of the hearth.

The application plane is pivotally mounted on this axis at a constant minimum distance therefrom by means of a rigid spacing link 7 in the form of a lever or arm provided on either side on each side of the side walls of the fireplace.

The axis 6 simultaneously constitutes the rolling axis of the support rollers 8 and the pivot axis of the door and its tilting counterweight 9 disposed at the end of an arm 10 secured to the rigid link 7 forming its extension according to the variant shown in Figures 1 to 3.

The rollers 8 each move on and along raceways 11, placed on either side in the vicinity of the lower edges of the hearth and parallel to them.

The raceways 11 each end with a front stop 12 and a rear stop 13.

The front stop 12 is shaped back upwards at a right angle with progressive bending along the curvature of the rollers 8, so as to bring the glass plane back into the closed position and immobilize it in this position using the counterweight 9.

The rear stop 13 is made for example also in the form of an upward return.

Sealing is thus ensured and there is no need to provide in this position an additional closure or sealing.

The return to this closed position is completed by the action of the counterweight 9.

In the open position, when completely folded down, the application plane slides along the raceways 11 under the hearth, completely retracted.

In this position, the door occupies a stowed position almost entirely retracted in the space taken up by the hearth, leaving the open field completely free.

In order to improve the guiding of the door during its opening and translation movement under the hearth, the additional means shown in FIG. 4 have been imagined.

With reference to FIG. 4, provision can be made to guide the application plane in its release and tilting movement in the retracted position by a movable part 14 along the arm 10 of the counterweight 9 which will describe a path 15 of suitable shape printed or shaped in a part secured to the adjacent wall of the hearth by a hollow or raised profile representing the path of the path of the moving part 14 when the door is opened and of its tilting under the hearth.

As a particular means, it is possible to choose a movable lug 16 mounted to slide along the arm 10 of the counterweight 9, the axis of which carries a roller forced into movement along a hollow raceway 17 formed in the adjacent wall of the hearth or in an intermediate piece attached to this wall.

Of course, the same effects can be obtained by a wide variety of equivalent means: cams, raceways, sliding, rails ...

Another embodiment allowing the same effects to be obtained is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. According to this variant, the side walls of the hearth are each provided at the bottom with a horizontal guide rod 18 along which slides a sleeve 19 provided with a pivoting lug 20.

This lug serves as a common pivot axis 21 for the link arm 22 with the door and its counterweight 23. A suitable stop, front 24 and rear 25, for example in the form of sockets, terminates the device.

The necessary combination of translation and rotation movements has thus been produced on the same assembly by the use of two simple parts only.

The counterweight 23 is carried by or advantageously shaped in the straight extension 26 of the link arm 22 of the door with the pivoting lug 21.

Claims (9)

1. Closed hearth having two vertical side walls and a front opening (2) closed by a closure surface (3) of a door pivoting about a pivot shaft (6, 21) of which the control mechanism comprising a tilting counterweight (9) for assisting manoeuvres enables the door to be manoeuvred and guided from a closed position in which the closure surface (3) of the door is applied against the front opening (2) of the hearth into a horizontal opening position in which the door is retracted into the volume of the hearth by a combined pivoting and translation movement, characterised in that the pivot shaft (6, 21) is common to the door and to the tilting counterweight (9) which assists manoeuvres and, in the closed position of the door, is located in the front opening plane (2) and is movable since it is carried by a part which is displaceable in translation along the walls of the hearth in order to support and guide the door during its translation movement towards its retracted position parallel to a lateral face of the hearth.
2. Closed hearth according to Claim 1, characterised in that in the retracted position the door is located under the hearth.
3. Closed hearth according to Claim 1, characterised in that the device performing the retracting movement comprises two identical assemblies for assisting manoeuvres and guiding disposed in the lower section along each of the side walls of the hearth.
4. Closed hearth according to Claims 1, 2 and 3, characterised in that the pivot shaft (6) is that of a roller (8) on which the application surface (3) is mounted by means of a connection (7) integral with the arm (10) of the tilting counterweight (9), the said roller (8) being displaced over a rolling surface (11) along the side walls of the hearth.
5. Closed hearth according to Claim 4, characterised in that each rolling surface (11) is a flat iron bar provided with a front stop (12) and a rear stop (13) in the form of upwardly curved ends.
6. Closed hearth according to Claims 1 and 5, characterised in that the front stops (12) are formed at a right angle with a rounded corner having the same curvature as that of the roller (8).
7. Closed hearth according to Claims 1, 2 and 4 in their entirety, characterised in that the movement of the door is guided by a part (14) which is moveable along the arm (10) of the tilting counterweight (9) cooperating with a profiled section (15) constituting the compulsory path for this part.
8. Closed hearth according to Claim 7, characterised in that the movable part (14) is a pin (14) mounted so as to slide along the arm (10) of the counterweight (9) bearing a roller cooperating with a hollow rolling surface (17).
9. Closed hearth according to Claims 1, 2 and 3 in their entirety, characterised in that the common pivot shaft is a pin (20) supported by a sleeve sliding along a horizontal guide rod (18) provided with suitable stops at its ends, the door being hinged on this shaft by means of the connection arm (18) mounted so as to pivot on the pin, the said arm being extended by a straight extension (26) which is angled upwards and supports a counterweight (23) or in which it is formed.

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