EP0314590A1 - Sash door for a fireplace - Google Patents

Abstract

Improved sash door characterised in that it opens by rotating about a lower pivoting axis (15), the ends of which are the lower fingers (13) for guidance along vertical slide rails, said lower fingers receiving the fixing of the end of the kinematic connection to the mechanical device for assisting (31) the operation, and being immobilised in the bottom low position by a retention device (22), and in that each vertical slide rail has in the region of each upper finger (14) a device for lateral disengagement for the purpose of permitting the inclination of the door and then its pivoting about the lower axis (15). …<??>This invention is of interest to producers of closed heaths for fireplaces. …<IMAGE>…

Description

The present invention relates to an improved guillotine door for closed hearths of fireplaces, in particular those with glass doors.

There are several types of mechanisms for operating the guillotine doors in order to release the sliding volume from the opening of the hearth. These mechanisms generally include slides and a mechanical device for assisting movement in lifting and lowering, in order to compensate for the dead weight of the sliding volume in the form of two parallel counterweights each connected by a kinematic link, cable or chain, to through a return, pulley or gear, to a transverse element secured to the upper cross member of the door.

If these devices facilitate opening and closing maneuvers, they are causes of trouble and unavailability in the event of a malfunction.

In fact, blocking the door in the closed, open or partially open position causes mechanical intervention that is not easy due to the difficulty of accessing the mechanism located in the upper part of the hood.

Furthermore, the heat given off by the hearth in the hood risks causing warping of the sliding path, quickly resulting in zones of difficult displacement.

The operation of the door is thus made uncomfortable, even painful.

In addition, cleaning the rear face of the glass is difficult due to a real lack of access through the fireplace.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these various drawbacks.

To this end, it relates to an improved guillotine door for closed hearths of fireplaces, characterized in that the guide fingers along the slides in vertical movements are connected, for the lower fingers to the mechanical assistance devices for the maneuver then that the upper fingers are made able to leave the slide by a transverse release device in order to allow, with the virtual axis connecting the lower fingers together, pivoting around a lower axis to effect the erasure of the door by tilting to the lower horizontal position of full opening.

Many advantages ensue from the improved door according to the invention:
. easy cleaning and maintenance;
. faster and easier construction and dismantling;
. free access to the movement and mechanical compensation mechanism for the weight of the door;
. easy cleaning of the rear face of the glass by its flat position outside the fireplace;
. quick and easy door replacement;
. release and pivoting by simple and robust means;
. easier mechanical interventions;
. the possibility of pivoting opening constitutes additional security for access to the fireplace;
. a removable aesthetic frame makes it possible to conceal the entire mechanical assistance mechanism as well as the uprights and the upper cross member of the door frame.

Other specific advantages linked to a variant described below are stated as follows:
. precise and easy guidance by choosing the rail and the pads in a self-lubricating synthetic material;
. ease of release from the top of the frame by simple retraction by extraction-retraction of the pads superiors;
. simple mechanical assembly;
. better quality of the mechanical support on the slides guaranteeing good stability;
. operational safety and reliability.

• . la figure 1 est une vue générale en perspective d'une cheminée pourvue d'un foyer fermé équipé de la porte perfectionnée selon l'invention et de son mécanisme de déplacement et d'ouverture avec agrandissement sur un des montants montrant une forme de réalisation du dispositif de maintien des doigts inférieurs ;
• . la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective simplifiée illustrant les deux positions d'ouverture de la porte ;
• . les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues schématiques de détail représentant plus particulièrement le coin res­pectivement supérieur, sans contrepoids et renvoi, puis inférieur de la porte et une des glissières adja­centes comportant un dispositif de maintien selon un premier mode de réalisation ;
• . la figure 5 est une vue de détail en perspective d'un autre mode de réalisation du dispositif de maintien ;
• . la figure 6 est une vue schématique d'un autre mode d'exécution du dispositif de dégagement latéral du doigt supérieur ;
• . la figure 7 est une vue en perspective simplifiée d'un autre mécanisme de maintien en position basse de l'axe de pivotement inférieur du cadre de la porte par ac­tion sur le contrepoids ;
• . la figure 8 est une vue en coupe transversale d'un montant illustrant les différentes positions de la porte entre une position extrême haute ouverte et une position basse ouverte basculée à plat ;
• . la figure 9 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une des glissières le long d'un montant illustrant les po­sitions caractéristiques de la porte ;
• . la figure 10 est une vue simplifiée en perspective de l'ensemble de guidage selon une variante perfectionnée;
• . la figure 11 est une vue schématique en perspective montrant plus particulièrement le mécanisme de blocage selon la variante représentée sur la figure 10 ;
• . la figure 12 est un agrandissement en perspective d'un exemple de réalisation du dispositif de condamnation de la variante perfectionnée ;
• . la figure 13 est une vue schématique de profil du mécanisme d'appui-blocage ;
• . la figure 14 est le schéma multiple de trois positions caractéristiques référencées A, B et C, du mécanisme d'appui-blocage de l'extrémité de l'axe inférieur.

The technical characteristics and other advantages of the invention are recorded in the description which follows, given by way of nonlimiting example on an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• . FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a chimney provided with a closed hearth equipped with the improved door according to the invention and with its movement and opening mechanism with enlargement on one of the uprights showing an embodiment of the lower finger holder;
• . Figure 2 is a schematic simplified perspective view illustrating the two opening positions of the door;
• . Figures 3 and 4 are schematic detail views showing more particularly the upper corner respectively, without counterweight and return, then lower of the door and one of the adjacent slides comprising a holding device according to a first embodiment;
• . Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of another embodiment of the holding device;
• . Figure 6 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the lateral release device of the upper finger;
• . FIG. 7 is a simplified perspective view of another mechanism for holding the lower pivot axis of the door frame in the lower position by action on the counterweight;
• . FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an upright illustrating the different positions of the door between an extreme high open position and a open low position tilted flat;
• . Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the slides along an upright illustrating the characteristic positions of the door;
• . Figure 10 is a simplified perspective view of the guide assembly according to an improved variant;
• . Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view showing more particularly the locking mechanism according to the variant shown in Figure 10;
• . Figure 12 is an enlargement in perspective of an embodiment of the locking device of the improved variant;
• . Figure 13 is a schematic profile view of the support-blocking mechanism;
• . Figure 14 is a multiple diagram of three characteristic positions referenced A, B and C, of the support-blocking mechanism of the end of the lower axis.

Several embodiments of the general means of the invention will be described below by way of example. It is understood that all equivalent, derivative or similar means fall perfectly within its scope.

The general inventive idea consists, for a door of the guillotine type used on a closed hearth of chimney, to move downwards the point of attachment of the device of mechanical assistance with displacement and to use a lower axis to carry out the bringing pivoting the door in a low full opening position in which it is tilted flat.

To do this, the mechanical assistance device for door movements is offset downwards and connected by a flexible connection to the lower part of the door frame, the upper guide elements being able to escape laterally from the slides to allow the pivoting of the door down to the retracted position open flat.

More particularly and as will be seen below, the lower guide elements are used along the slides as the ends of the lower pivot axis of the door and as the point of attachment of the end of the connection to the device. mechanical assistance with movement.

A metal box l surrounds a hearth 2 with a chimney 3 with a hood 4. This box comprises in the front part a door 5 with a frame 6 holding a heat-resistant window 7.

The door 5 is of the guillotine type, that is to say with vertical displacement between a low closed position and a high release position, position in which the access opening inside the box 1 is entirely free .

The frame 6 of the door slides vertically along two parallel vertical slides 8 and 9, continuing upwards, joined together in the upper part by a cross member 10.

Each of the slides is formed, for example, of two flat irons 11 and 12 held opposite, parallel to each other, by suitable mechanical elements leaving free over their entire length the constant gap formed between them.

The displacement along these vertical guides is carried out by any suitable means.

More particularly, the frame is guided and carried on the slides 8 and 9 by means of high and low transverse elements, present at the ends of each upright, attached for example to the edges of the adjacent crosspieces, produced according to a method of execution in the form of lower fingers 13 and upper fingers 14, arranged in the vicinity of each corner of the frame.

According to the invention, a lower pivot axis 15 is provided allowing the door to tilt forwards and come to rest flat in position total opening.

According to the feature of the invention, the corresponding lower fingers 13 are used as the ends of the lower pivot axis 15.

To achieve this function, the upper fingers 14 must be able to cross the vertical slides laterally through a release device 16.

For this purpose, these or at least the front element, flat iron or the like, have a passage for example in the form of a slot 17.

This slot can be closed by a pivoting tab such as 18, as shown in FIG. 6, or any other mechanical means, bolt or the like, making it possible to occasionally obtain a release of lateral clearance from the corresponding upper finger.

The frame 6 is formed of uprights such as 19 and of an upper cross 20 and lower 21.

When pivoting into the lowered retracted position, the door tends to lift under the effect of the counterweight of the assistance device. To avoid its rise, it proves essential to provide in the lower part an appropriate holding device 22 allowing the locking of the pivot axis 15 in the low position.

Three illustrative embodiments of this holding device will be described below by way of illustration. There are many others, equivalent or derivatives falling within the scope of this invention.

A first possible embodiment of this device is shown in Figure 4 in the lower part. It is a tilting mechanism in the form of a tab 23, shaped as a square, movable in inclination, composed of a tilting blade 24 and a holding plate 25 perpendicular to this blade. The retaining plate 25 enters a slot 26 which the front element of the slide presents at the right of this mechanism for constituting a transverse blocking or support wall for the axis or lower adjacent finger 13. Of course, a similar mechanism equips the homologous upright. Depending on the position of the door, said finger bears on the transverse plane formed by the plate 25 when the latter is engaged in the slide and carries the finger 13. The blade 24 is then located against the slide and the door in the position of closing. In the pivoting opening configuration, said finger 13 descends below the plate 25 which holds it captive downwards as will be seen below.

To allow the operation, one can provide for the blade 24 an elastic return in the folded position against the slide, making it for example in a spring effect material (leaf spring steel or other) or in the form of a pivoting tab around a lower axis with elastic return, for example torsion in the folded position.

Another embodiment of the holding device 22 is shown in Figure 5. According to this embodiment, the pivoting tab is replaced by a domed and elastic metal blade 27 disposed longitudinally relative to the front flat iron 12 of the slide, fixed on that here at each of its ends 28 and 29, for example by riveting.

The blade 27 has in its middle part a transverse element in the form of a locking finger 30 engaging through the adjacent flat iron 12 by a passage. The locking finger 30 constitutes a support for the finger 13 in the closed position and a retention of this finger in the low position during pivoting. The general operation remains identical as will be seen below.

Before examining an additional variant, the device for assisting the movement of the door will be described below.

Conventionally and with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 8 and 9, the guillotine door according to the invention comprises a device for assisting movement 31 in the form of a counterweight 32 connected to the door by two flexible connections such as 33 by via a kinematic angle gear in the form of pulleys or toothed wheels 34.

This device is double, connected by an axis 35 common to the two pulleys or toothed wheels 34.

According to the invention, this device is connected by flexible connections 33 to the ends of the lower fingers 13, which makes it possible to move the movement gear in its lowest position, that is to say slightly above the upper limit of the opening of the hearth and leaving free the upper fingers 14 which can thus occasionally exit laterally from the slides.

Another device or mechanism 36 provided for the same blocking effects of the lower fingers 13 is shown in FIG. 7. It acts by action on the counterweight 32. This device 36 is preferably to be used in conjunction with the mechanical lock devices intended to close off the slots 17 of the upper fingers as indicated above.

Any additional vertical downward movement is effected by the door's own weight, because the mechanical compensation is then neutralized by a stop down the door counterweight. The vertical force due to the weight turns out to be sufficient to keep the door in the extreme low position during the entire pivoting movement until the complete opening in the retracted flat position.

Any stop or other device neutralizing the action of the counterweight may be suitable. It suffices that the neutralization is effective from the level of use materialized by the position occupied by the door when the fireplace is closed.

Of course, various other equivalent mechanisms can be imagined to retain the ends of the pivot axis in the low position.

One of the additional advantages of the invention resides in the fact that it becomes possible to hide the slides and the movement assistance mechanism by rectilinear aesthetic covers, removable, retractable or fixed, vertical such as 37 and a cover. horizontal upper such as 38.

The vertical covers must allow the release of the upper fingers 14. To do this, they are made retractable, for example pivoting around hinges.

In the case of fixed covers, it proves necessary to provide clearance openings for the upper fingers, for example notches 39.

We will now examine the operation of the improved double-hung guillotine door according to the invention.

The opening by vertical movement of the door does not differ significantly from a conventional door of the guillotine type. It suffices to release the locking or retaining devices for the lower fingers 13.

To carry out the pivoting flat, it suffices, if necessary, to release the slots 17 from any latches and to block the lower fingers in the low position. The door swings outwards under the effect of its own weight.

The operation of the door with the holding device 22 by blade locking 24 will be explained in detail below with reference to FIG. 8.

In this figure, the positions of the door have been materialized by two identical lines of lines:
. open position high, in dotted lines,
. closed position in solid lines,
. pivot position in dashed lines.

For reasons of clarity, the lower fingers in black circles and upper fingers in light circles.

According to this embodiment, the slots 17 are simple slots and the lower axes are maintained by a pivoting tab.

Operation remains identical with similar holding devices 22.

In the closed position, the door rests by the lower fingers 13 on the support plate 25 forming a support. The position of the slots 17 on the slides is low enough that the upper fingers 14 are, in this position of the door, above the slots 17. The door is thus securely immobilized in the closed position.

To open the door in the high position, simply lift it until the opening is completely cleared and there is no need to hold the upper fingers in the slides.

The counterweight assistance device makes maneuvering easier.

In the high position, the location of the slots 17 relative to the upper stop allows the lower fingers 13 to be found just below the level of the slots 17 when the door is fully raised.

The pivoting opening is carried out as follows.

A suitable control on the holding devices 22 allows the lower fingers to descend to the low position to perform the pivoting. During this maneuver, the plate 25 fades out of the slide to free down the path along the slides.

The door then descends slightly to a low point in which the lower fingers 13 are in bottom stop at the lower end of the slides. This position corresponds exactly to the presentation of the upper fingers 14 in front of the slots 17.

When the control of the holding devices 22 is released, the pivoting tabs return by elastic return to the folded position. The plate 25 returns to occupy its transverse wall position through the slides thus making the lower fingers captive in the low position.

The door cannot be raised by the effect of the counterweight and the pivoting takes place without constraint until the lower position is retracted flat.

It is the same for the folding and the establishment in the closed position after release of the holding device.

According to a variant of the present invention, provision has been made to replace the sliding sliding along the slides and to simplify the manufacture and use of the guillotine door, to replace the sliding guide assembly formed by two parallel flat bars. between and along which slides one or the other lower finger.

According to this variant, this replacement is made for the benefit of two assemblies arranged on either side of the door frame, each formed by a rail, along which move a lower shoe and an upper shoe each mounted at the end. of the frame, each lower shoe carrying one of the ends of the lower pivot axis which passes through it, the assembly being completed by a lower support-locking mechanism of at least one of the ends of the pivot axis in position low.

More specifically, this variant is remarkable in that the frame is pivotally mounted at its lower pivot axis and an upper support axis by respectively lower and upper pads sliding two by two each on sliding rails present by on either side of the frame, each lower or upper pad carrying one of the ends of the lower or upper axes, said ends of the lower axis cooperating with a support-blocking mechanism and being each connected to the device for assisting the movements of the door.

An embodiment of this variant will now be described below, with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14, without however wishing to be limited to particular means.

According to this variant, the guide and blocking mechanism consists of two homologous guide assemblies such as 40 arranged laterally on either side of the door frame along which it moves vertically.

These guide assemblies 40 essentially each each comprise a sliding rail 41, for example of rectangular section. On this rail, slide two shoes, lower 42 and upper 43, mounted at the end of lower axes 44 and upper 45, axes each secured to the corresponding horizontal outer edge, lower and upper, of the frame.

Each shoe has a front front 46 shaped as a notch such as 47 capable of coming to engage fully on the rail to slide there with good stability.

The lower shoes 42 each carry one of the ends of the lower pivot axis 44 for example by fitting into the body of the shoe to a stop washer 48 that each end of the lower pivot axis 44 has at the right of the lower corner of the frame, against the face opposite that of the notch 47.

The notch 47 delimited by two wings 49 and 50 is offset with respect to a median plane so as to provide on one side a larger wing, for example 50. The body of each shoe is crossed by one of the ends of the adjacent axis which emerges from the wing 50 in order to serve as a connecting finger 51 for the lower axis, the end of which is secured to the connection kinematics of the mechanical assistance device for operating the door. This device consists, for example, of a circulation 52 of a chain 53 with counterweight 54 between two lower 55 and upper 56 pulleys.

The upper pads 43 are retractable mounted on the upper axis 45 by means of a pusher 57 for example a spring device 58 allowing the maintenance or the extraction of the notch 47 of the rail therefore the maintenance or the release of the door pivoting.

As will be seen below, the effects of this extraction are canceled over a short distance on either side of the closed position of the door to force the user to make a first movement of descent of the door before its tilting in opening.

At least one of the guide assemblies 40 according to the present improvement comprises, in the lower part, a support-blocking mechanism 59 for the connecting finger 51.

This locking mechanism will advantageously be in the form of a pivoting vertical key 60 having a handle 61 and a plate 62 connected by a rod 63. The handle and the plate are angularly offset by 90 °.

The handle 61 has a stop edge 64 for the connecting finger 51 on the underside. Similarly, the plate 62 has an upper stop song 65 against which the connecting finger 51 comes to bear.

Depending on the angular position of the handle, relative to that of the connecting finger, the latter will rest on the upper edge of the plate and will be, depending on the configuration, in the low or high position, blocked upwards by the handle as illustrated by the diagrams of figure 14.

Advantageously, the pivoting of the key will be facilitated by an assistance spring 66 which has the sole purpose of forcing the key 60 into one or other of its stable operating positions.

For safety reasons, the rail 41 has in the upper part, on either side of the position of the upper shoe 43, a locking device 67 in the form for example of a locking bracket 68 with a front wing 69 forming transverse stop for the adjacent upper shoe.

This locking device forces the user to descend the door after action on the key 60 as will be explained below.

Operation is simple. This will be explained using the diagrams in Figure 14.

The operating position of the door in its closed configuration corresponds to position A of the key in which the end 51 of the lower axis 44 rests on the upper edge of the plate 62. In this position, the pivoting movement of the door to the front is locked by the front wing of the bracket 68. The opening of the door results in the successive passage in positions B and C.

The first movement consists in turning the key so as to make it possible to lower the door to its lowest vertical position (position B). In this position, the release of the upper runners is complete, thus allowing the door to tilt-pivot forwards.

During its tilting movement, the displacement of the center of gravity of the door causes the lower axis 45 to rise until it locks against the underside of the handle 62 thus preventing any additional, voluntary or no, from the door once it has started to pivot forward.

The front wing 69 of this bracket is of sufficient width to prevent movement of the skate and from the door forward even after removing the upper shoe from the adjacent rail.

The general means as well as several illustrative examples of the embodiments of the invention have been described above. It is understood that they cannot be in any way limiting, but on the contrary any modification which is obvious or within the reach of those skilled in the art falls within the scope of the protection linked to this invention.

Claims (20)

1. Improved door of the guillotine type for closed hearths of fireplaces moving along slides (8) and (9) with the help of mechanical assistance for the operation, door comprising a frame (6) each upright of which has at least one lower transverse element and at least one upper transverse element for guiding rolling or sliding along vertical guide assemblies, characterized in that it opens by tilting around a lower pivot axis ( 15) whose ends bear on the vertical guide assemblies, ends locked in the lower lower position during pivoting by a holding device (22), each guide assembly having at each upper transverse element a lateral release device in view of allowing the door to be tilted and then pivoting about the lower axis (15) and in that the connections of the mechanical assistance device to the movements of the frame are connected in the lower part of the frame. 2. Door according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse guide elements are lower fingers (13) and upper (14) integral with the door frame. 3. Door according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the ends of the lower pivot axis (15) are the lower fingers (13). 4. Door according to claims 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that the end of each connection to the mechanical movement assistance device is fixed to each lower finger (13). 5. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral release devices (16) are slots (17). 6. Door according to one of the preceding claims teeth, characterized in that the lateral release devices (16) are slots (17) equipped with a mechanical lock. 7. Door according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the device for holding the lower vertical position of the axis (15) is a movable leg in inclination composed of a tilting blade (23) with elastic return towards the slide carrying a holding plate (25) perpendicular to this blade, plate passing through the adjacent slide by a slot (26) in order to constitute a transverse stop or support wall for the corresponding lower finger (13). 8. Door according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the holding device (22) in the lower vertical position of the axis (15) is a rod or pin transverse to each slide. 9. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the device for assisting the vertical movement of the door comprises on each side a chain and a toothed wheel, the end of each chain being fixed to the corresponding lower finger (13). 10. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the uprights (19) of the frame (6) and the upper cross member (20) are protected and hidden by vertical (37) and horizontal (38) rectilinear hoods, fixed or removable. . 11. Door according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide assemblies allowing the movement of the door frame are rails forming slides, on which slide, by means of lower (42) and upper (43) pads, a lower pivot axis (44) and an upper support axis (45), pads whose end is shaped to slide to engage on the rail forming a slide, each pad carrying one of the ends respectively lower or upper axes and in that, from each lower shoe, emerges an end of axis in connection finger (51) connected to the mechanical assistance device for the sliding movements of the frame. 12. Door according to claim 11, characterized in that the lower pads carry the ends of the lower axis by fitting in their body playing the role of bearing, said axes having at the right of the entry into the shoe a washer-stop (48). 13. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper pads are retractable. 14. Door according to claim 13, characterized in that the upper pads are retractable along the end of the upper axis (45). 15. Door according to claim 11, characterized in that the end of each shoe is shaped as a notch (47) with asymmetrical wings (49) and wide (50) in alignment with the entrance from which emerges the end of the 'lower axis. 16. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting finger (51) is retained in the low position by a support-blocking mechanism (59). 17. Door according to claim 16, characterized in that the support-blocking mechanism (59) is with pivoting key (60) with rod (63) connecting a handle (61) and a plate (62) offset between them by 90 °. angle. 18. Door according to claim 17, characterized in that the handle (61) has an edge (64) of abutment for the connecting finger (51) on the underside and in that the plate has an upper edge of the abutment (65) for the same connecting finger (51). 19. Door according to claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the key is forced into a operating position by an assist spring (66). 20. Door according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail has in the upper part at the level of the position of the upper shoe, closed door, a locking device (67) constituting a stop for the movement of the door forward until it has gone down enough.

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