EP0316379A1

EP0316379A1 - Compact curtain for the closure of passages.

Info

Publication number: EP0316379A1
Application number: EP88904237A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rene Caillet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-07
Filing date: 1988-05-05
Publication date: 1989-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-05
Also published as: KR890700733A; PL156155B1; DD284722A5; ES2008466A6; FR2614926A1; CN1013977B; EP0316379B1; KR970001914B1; ATE67556T1; YU89288A; CN88103612A; FR2614926B1; DE3864980D1; DK2889A; DK2889D0; JPH01503397A; BR8807034A; JPH0796871B2; PL272264A1; WO1988008915A1

Abstract

Le rideau est fait d'une succession d'éléments de forte inertie constitués chacun par une large âme centrale (3) et une semelle de renfort (4), et articulés entre eux par des charnières (5). Le rideau se déploie par gravité pour assurer l'obturation d'un passage et, dans sa position de relevage obtenue par un dispositif à chaînes (31, 32) et tambours (33, 34), ses éléments emboîtés n'occupent qu'un emplacement minimum. Des moyens sont prévus pour assurer l'étanchéité entre les éléments du rideau, ainsi que l'étanchéité latérale et avec le plancher. L'invention s'applique particulièrement à l'obturation de passages dans lesquels se pose un problème de gabarit, tels que car-ferry et parking.The curtain is made of a succession of elements of high inertia each consisting of a large central core (3) and a reinforcing sole (4), and hinged together by hinges (5). The curtain unfolds by gravity to close a passage and, in its lifting position obtained by a chain device (31, 32) and drums (33, 34), its nested elements occupy only one minimum location. Means are provided for sealing between the elements of the curtain, as well as lateral sealing and with the floor. The invention is particularly applicable to the sealing of passages in which there is a problem of size, such as car ferry and parking.

Description

"

Compact curtain for closing passages.

The invention applies to the sealing of passages in which there is in particular a problem of size.

The installation of a shutter curtain that is resistant, waterproof and fireproof is often impossible in cases, such as car ferry or parking lot, where any protrusion over the entire width of the ceiling or on the side walls reduces the passing vehicles template on _the entire surface of use. The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback and to this end it proposes a shutter curtain which, while being very resistant to hydrostatic pressure and to impact and capable of ensuring excellent sealing, does not hold in position. open with minimal space.

According to the invention, the curtain comprises a succession of thin sheet metal elements of high inertia each consisting of a profile comprising a large central core and at least at one end a reinforcement making an angle with said core, the profiles having articulated connections and being designed in the open position of the curtain to fit into each other with minimal bulk and to be placed in a housing in a wall of the room and, in the position of closure, to be deployed across the passage, said sections being able to be fitted with sealing members automatically ensuring sealing between them in the deployed position of the curtain, and sealing means being able to be provided for sealing the curtain on the sides thereof, while actuating members ensure the operation of the curtain to pass from its open position to its closed position and vice versa. The profiles constituting the curtain according to the invention may have an L-profile, the reinforcing part being practically perpendicular to the core of the profile, and a hinge is arranged in the corner of the profile while being connected to the end of the 'central core of the previous profile. According to other embodiments, each profile may have at the ends of the central core two reinforcements substantially perpendicular to this core and directed either in the same direction (U-shaped profile), or in opposite directions (Z-shaped profiles), a hinge connecting together the adjacent reinforcements of two successive elements.

For its closing, the curtain moves from top to bottom, which allows an emergency maneuver by its own weight, and its elements have decreasing dimensions so that the lower elements, exposed to hydrostatic pressure or shocks (from vehicles for example), are more resistant.

The device advantageously uses two inclined side walls, with inclined supports which serve as locks. Sealing is ensured by the pressure of the curtain on the seals carried by the side walls, due to the inclination of the seals relative to the displacement of the curtain. This sealing can be completed by a device for applying the seal, by gongling or by displacement of the support wall. This displacement of the wall can have a sufficient amplitude to bring it back to the vertical in order to have the maximum passage. To make the curtain according to the invention clearly understood, several preferred embodiments will be described below, by way of examples without limitation, with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which: FIG. 1 is a view in vertical section of a first embodiment of a curtain according to the invention, consisting of a succession of L-section profiles and the opening or closing movement takes place vertically; Figure 2 is, on a larger scale, a vertical section taken along line II-II of Figure 1 and showing the locking system on the ground of the last element of the curtain; Figure 3 is a detail view showing the realization of the seal between two successive elements of the curtain of Figure 1; FIG. 4 shows, as a variant, a lateral wall device with transverse displacement ensuring the lateral sealing of the curtain; Figure 5 is another variant, showing an automatic positioning system of the curtain elements during the descent; Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 5; Figure 7 is another variant showing a device taking up the horizontal forces applied perpendicular to the curtain; Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7; Figure 9 is another variant of a force recovery system applied to a curtain made of L-section profiles; Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of the curtain according to the invention, consisting of a succession of U-section profiles; Figure 11 is a detail view showing the realization of the seal between two successive elements of the curtain of Figure 10, in the deployed position of this curtain; Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view of a third embodiment of the curtain according to the invention, consisting of a succession of profiles in Z section; Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, of a curtain deployed between oblique lateral supports; Figure 14 is a vertical section taken on the line XIV-XIV of Figure 13; and FIG. 15 is a plan view of FIGS. 13 and 14. The shutter curtain shown in Figure 1 is suspended from the ceiling 1 of the passage to be closed and it is designed so, in the open position, to occupy only a minimum size by being housed entirely between two beams 2 of the ceiling. This curtain is made up of a succession of profiled metal elements made of thin sheet metal of high inertia with an L-shaped section comprising a large central core 3 and, at one end, a reinforcement constituted by a sole 4 practically perpendicular to the core 3. The successive elements are connected together by a hinge 5 disposed in the corner of the profile and which cooperates with the end of the core 3 of the previous profile. The suspension of the curtain from the ceiling 1 is obtained by means of a fixed vertical panel 6 disposed between the beams 2 and parallel to them, and at the base this fixed panel 6 is articulated by a hinge 7 the upper edge of a pivoting flap 8 whose base is articulated on the hinge 5 equipping the first element of the curtain. It is understood that, in the closed position, the successive elements deploy under the action of their weight until the last element 11 engages the floor 12 of the room (position in solid line in Figure 1). In position opening (shown in dotted line at the top of Figure 1) the elements of the curtain fit together occupying a minimum of space. The elements of the curtain are of decreasing dimensions, the lower elements (exposed to hydrostatic pressure and to shocks) being of larger dimensions therefore more resistant.

As can be seen "in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sealing of the last element 11 of the curtain with the floor 12 is obtained by a compression joint 13 fixed by means of a flat iron 14 to the base of the external face of the sole 4 of the latter element. The tightening of the seal 13 over the entire width of the element 11 is effected by a system analogous to the known system for gripping the corners of containers, comprising twist locks 15 carried by the element 11 and engaging in pots 16 embedded from place to place in the floor 12. Each latch 15 is equipped with a spring 15 'keeping it in the locked position, while they are connected together by a rod 17, itself connected to an operating member (not shown), the actuation of which simultaneously brings the locks 15 into their unlocked position For a good understanding of the operation, the left latch in the locked position and the lock are shown in FIG. u from the right in the open position It is understood that the tightening of the lower element of the curtain against the floor and the locking of this element in this position could be obtained by other suitable means, for example pivoting hooks. The seal between two successive elements of the curtain is obtained, as shown in FIG. 3, by means of a compression seal 18 fixed by means of a flat iron 19 to the internal face of the sole 4 of each element, at level of the hinge 5. In the deployed position of the element, position in solid line in FIG. 3, the seal 18 is compressed by the central core 3 of the preceding element of the curtain, ensuring sealing over the entire width of the connection between the two elements. At the upper part, the connection between the first element 9 of the curtain and the flap 8. comprises the same type of seal. In the closed position, the vertical seal on the sides of the curtain (see FIG. 1) is obtained by means of an inflatable seal 20 arranged, on each side, in a housing 21 of the vertical wall 22 and matching all the contours of the profiles constituting the curtain. Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is possible, instead of an inflatable seal, to use a compressible seal which, at rest, would protrude on the path of the curtain edges.

Alternatively, to avoid wear of this compressible seal, there is provided in Figure 4 a vertical wall member 23 carrying the seal 18 '. The wall element 23 can move, using one or two hinges, to come into the position shown in dotted lines where the seal 18 'is released. This slight movement is effected by a jack 24 acting on a set of links 25, 26 providing a self-locking (closed position).

The curtain lifting operation is carried out, at each lateral end of the curtain, by two chains 31,

32, the first of which is connected to the lower part of the last element 11 of the curtain, in the closed position of the latter and the second of which is connected to the upper part of said last element. The chains 31, 32 are towed by drums, respectively 33, 34, which are housed in the space determined between the beams 2 and which are rotated by a geared motor 35. At the start of the lifting operation, the drum 33 brings the last element 11 into its horizontal position shown in dotted lines at A in FIG. 1. On the drum 34 the chain 32 has a length and a point of attachment such that it does not start to act until the last element 11 is horizontal. The action of the two drums then ensures the elevation in horizontal position of said last element and then the successive nesting of elements in a horizontal position up to the open position shown at the top of this figure. The elements of the curtain are guided, during the lifting or lowering maneuver, by slides 36, 37 carried by the side walls 22 and with which rollers, 38, 39, respectively, are carried, carried at its two ends by the last element 11 of the curtain. This guidance makes it possible to limit the bulk due to the oscillations of the curtain during operation. It will be noted that the chain 31 connected to the last element 11 of the curtain can, at the start of the traction applied to it by the winch 33, cause the pivoting latches 15 to be unlocked by being connected, by means of a pivoting link 40 , to rod 17 (see figure 2).

During the descent of the curtain, the curtain elements are positioned by the bracing of the soles 4 on the webs 3 of each element. However, to prevent this bracing from abnormally tiring the hinges 5, wedging chains 41 are used which link together cleats 42 carried by the overlapping soles of two curtain elements (see FIG. 1).

Figures 5 and 6 there is shown a variant of the device ensuring, during the descent, a good positioning of the curtain elements as well as a relief of the forces on the hinges 5 of the elements. To this end, supports 43 are installed on the fixed side wall 22 on which tabs 44 carried by the soles 4 of the curtain elements come to bear during the closing operation. Each support 43 is associated with a projecting element 45, also carried by the wall 22, which acts on the cleat 44 to impart a rotational movement to it and force it to come to apply exactly on the support 43. In FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown the pivoting side wall 46, articulated at 47 and which carries a compression seal 48 (shown in solid lines in the sealing position in FIG. 6) whose width corresponds to the lateral size of the curtain. If the horizontal forces perpendicular to the curtain are very large, they can be taken up, as shown in a variant in FIGS. 7 and 8, by two complementary sawtooth panels 49, 50 articulated by hinges 51 to the vertical side wall 52. The panels 49, 50 are arranged on either side of the curtain, in its closed position, so as to serve as a support for the articulated parts thereof. The articulated panels 49, 50 open during operation, coming into the position of the panel 49 shown in the left part of FIG. 8, and these panels close (position shown in FIG. 7 and in the part on the left in FIG. 8) when the curtain is open or closed, operation carried out by a connecting rod device 55 and jack 56. FIG. 8 shows the pivoting side wall element 54 carrying the seal 53, the latter being of a width corresponding to that of a panel element. The seal 53 is shown in the sealing position in the right part of the figure and in the released position the left part of this figure, the operation being carried out by a device with a single hinge of the type described in FIG. 4.

As a variant, as shown in FIG. 9, the recovery of the horizontal forces perpendicular to the curtain is carried out by placing at the lateral ends of the elements of the curtain recesses 57 which are of increasing dimensions so as not to hinder the nesting of the elements. curtain when opening. The recesses 57 correspond to stops 58 or to housings 59 carried by the fixed side wall 60. In this figure the curtain is shown during lifting and, for clarity of the drawing, the chain system has not been shown. and winches ensuring this lifting.

Referring to Figure 10, there is shown a second embodiment of a curtain according to the invention consisting of a succession of U-section profiles comprising a central core 3 'terminated at each end by a sole 4' forming reinforcement oriented at 90 °. The sole 4 'of a curtain element and that of the element next are connected by a hinge 5 'allowing them to deploy in the closed position (position shown in solid lines in Figure 10). The central core 3 ′ and the soles 4 ′ of the elements of the curtain are of increasing length going from the first to the last element, to allow, in the open position, the interlocking of the elements * with minimal bulk (position in line dotted in this figure). As shown in the detail view of Figure 11, the seal between two elements

• 10 successive curtain is obtained by a flexible strip 61 fixed, by means of flat bars 62, on the opposite faces of the adjacent flanges 4 'of two successive curtain elements, on either side of the hinge 5' connecting these two elements. In Figure 11 there is shown in

15 dotted line the two curtain elements in their nesting position.

In FIG. 10, for the sake of clarity of the drawing, the sealing systems on the ground of the last element have not been shown, but these may be identical to

20 those described in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 1. The last element of the curtain carries at each end, by means of a gusset 63, two rollers 64, 65 separated from one another, cantilevered outward and aligned in a

25 direction perpendicular to the central core 3 'of the latter element. In the closed position of the curtain shown in Figure 10, the upper roller 64 is engaged in the rectilinear part of a vertical guide rail 67 while the lower roller 65 cooperates with

30 the bent lower end 68 of the rail 67. A cable 69 connects the last element of the curtain to a winch 70. When the curtain is raised, the beginning of the movement of the roller 64 in the vertical rail 67, under the pulling effect of cable 69 causes the last element to pivot in the

-zc clockwise until the lower roller 65 engages in turn in the straight part of the rail, which corresponds to a horizontal position of the central core 3 'of the last element. Continued lifting then causes the last element to rise in a horizontal position and the successive folding of the following elements inside thereof, up to the total open position shown in dotted lines.

In FIG. 12 another embodiment of the curtain according to the invention is shown, each element of which is constituted by a section with a Z section, the central core 3 "of which is continued at its two ends by two reinforcing flanges 4 "which are practically perpendicular to it and oriented in opposite directions. The sole

-j0 4 "of an element is connected to the adjacent sole 4" of the following element by a hinge 5 ". In this figure there is shown in dotted lines the raised position of the curtain in which the nested elements have an inclination allowing minimum space requirement.

* t simplification of the figure, ^ es sealing means have not been shown, but they could be those shown in Figure 3 or in Figure 11.

Figures 13 to 15 show the case where the curtain has a trapezoidal shape to achieve

20 the shutter between two fixed oblique lateral supports making it possible to reduce the wear of the compression seals when the curtain is closed. To allow the recovery of forces and the vertical positioning of the curtain, each oblique lateral support 76 is then provided with

25 supports 77 arranged in inclined steps and

- Each comprising a housing 78 intended to receive a stud 79 carried by the external ace of the central core 3 of the curtain element intended to come into abutment. When lowering the curtain, the first element connected to the ceiling

30 will necessarily come to its correct position, the articulated connection 80 to the second element coming to bear on the second step 77 and the stud 79 engaging in the housing 78 of the first step. By rotation around the articulated link 80 thus immobilized, the part of

35 link 81 between the second and the third elements must also come into its correct position and come to rest on the third step 77 by the stud 79 coming into its housing 78 from the second step, and so on until the complete descent of the curtain. Gasket elastic 82 carried by the oblique support, for a better representation of which curtain elements have been partially broken away in FIGS. 13 and 14, follows the shape of the profiles constituting the elements of the curtain and of studs 79.

It will be understood that, for a better understanding of FIG. 15, the curtain on the one hand and the support for oblique support elements on the other hand have been shown separated from each other but that, in reality, these two elements are superimposed.

It will be understood that the above description has been given by way of example, without limitation, and that additions or constructive modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims which follow.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. Small space curtain to ensure the closure of a passage, comprising a succession of elements hinged together which are designed in the open position of the curtain to fit into each other with a small space and, in closed position, for deploying across the passage, characterized in that said elements each consist of a profile. in sheet metal allowing the best ratio between its inertia and its size by interlocking, said profiles having a large central core (3) and at least at one end a reinforcement (4) making an angle with said core to obtain an L-shaped profile , U or Z, the curtain moving to close from top to bottom and the elements having decreasing dimensions to allow the lower elements more exposed to resist hydrostatic pressure and shocks.

2. Curtain according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal between the profiles, when the curtain is in the closed position, is produced by a seal (18) fixed to the reinforcement (4) of the profile in the vicinity of the hinge ( 5) and intended to be compressed by the part (3) of the adjacent profile linked to said hinge (5), the fixing of the seal (18) to the reinforcement (4) being ensured by a metal seal holder (19) which increases the inertia of the curtain.

3. Curtain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal between the last element of the curtain and the bearing surface (12) of this element in the closed position of the curtain is obtained by a seal (13) disposed on the outer face of the latter element, the compression of the seal (13) being obtained by the engagement, in housings (17) formed in said bearing surface (12), of pivoting locking members (15) carried by said last element of the curtain and constrained by spring (15 ') in the locked position, said pivoting locking members (15) being connected together by a rod (17) integral with an actuating member (31), the control of the actuating member (31) ensuring the simultaneous unlocking of the pivoting locking members (15).

4. Curtain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing on the sides of the elements of the curtain, in the closed position thereof, is obtained by displacement of a seal (20) by inflation of this one or tilting movement of its support.

5. Curtain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises actuating members constituted, at each lateral end, by two chains (31,32) attached at two points to the last element (11) of the curtain and each winding on a drum (33,34), means may be provided for temporarily delaying the winding of one (32) of the 'chains relative to the other (31).

6. Curtain according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the last curtain element carries two rollers (64,65) aligned in a direction practically perpendicular to the central core (3 ') of this element and which cooperate with a vertical guide rail (67) whose lower end (68) is bent, one (65) of the rollers being in said bent part (68) of the rail (67) in the closed position of the curtain while, during the lifting of the curtain under the action of a cable (69), the last curtain element pivots to a horizontal position before ensuring the lifting of all the other elements of the curtain.

7. Curtain according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements of the curtain include support members (44) intended to engage support members (43) presented by the side wall of the room.

8. Curtain according to claim 7, characterized in that said support members are constituted by two walls (49, 50) sawtooth, articulated to said side wall and movable between a release position and a position in which it engages under the ends of the elements of the curtain in the closed position thereof.

9. Curtain according to claim 7 having a trapezoidal shape to cooperate with oblique lateral supports, characterized in that said oblique support (76) has support parts (77) in the form of inclined steps, said support parts (77) having housings (78) in which its intended to engage, in the closed position, studs (79) presented by the ends of the elements of the curtain.