GB2158221A - Louvred ventilators - Google Patents

Abstract

In a louvre assembly a transverse element 4 extends between each adjacent pair of louvre blocks 3. One edge 49 of the transverse element 4 is received within a recess formed on the upper part of the lower louvre blade of the pair, whereas the other end is snap fastened into a recess 45 formed on the undersurface of the upper louvre blade of the appropriate pair. The transverse element is thus inserted from the front of the louvre assembly, and not slid in from the side. The transverse element may be a bird or vermin guard, or may just co-align adjacent segments of the louvre blades. The louvre blades may be extruded from aluminum and the element 4 is made of plastics. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to louvres At the present time louvre assemblies are widely utilised on buildings to provide a weathered aesthetically pleasing appearance for ventilation gaps, and also for masking unsightly equipment. In many instances the louvre assemblies are located in vertical or horizontal planes, and in such cases a standard kit of parts can be utilised to fabricate the louvres.

Many of the presently proposed louvre assemblies are designed so that when assembling the louvre from the kit of parts, initially vertical mullions are put into position. Subsequently support members are mounted in position on the mullions with protruding parts of the support members engaging apertures formed in the mullions, and the louvre blades are then offered up to the support members on the mullions, form the desired assembly.

It has been proposed to provide a bird or vermin guard element which spans the space between two adjacent louvre blades. However, at the present time such bird or vermin guard elements are usually slid longitudinally into position. This can, of course, be very inconvenient if the louvre assembly is located within a recess or recessed opening in a wall, since it may then be impossible to gain access to the ends of the louvre blades to slide the bird or vermin guard element into position.

A further problem is experienced in connection with previously proposed louvre assemblies when a very large run of louvres has to be provided. In such a case a number of separate louvre assemblies are fabricated, and the assemblies are located side-by-side, with the louvre blades in alignment to provide the visual appearance of a single bank of louvres having very long louvre blades. However, the louvre blades in each particular louvre blade assembly are supported only at points spaced from the ends of the blades. Louvre blades are usually made of relatively thin material, in order to minimise costs, and tend to bend when unsupported. Thus the ends of two adjacent louvre blades may not be precisely coaligned. This is, of course, undesirable.

According to this invention there is provided a louvre assembly, said louvre assembly comprising a plurality of adjacent louvre blades supported in spaced parallelism, therebeing a transverse element extending between two adjacent blades in the assembly, the transverse element being retained, at one edge, by one blade and being retained at the other edge by means on or adjacent the other blade, the arrangement being such that the transverse element may be located in position without moving it in a direction parallel to longitudinal axes of the louvre blades.

Preferably said one edge is retained so that said element may rotate substantially about said edge to bring said other edge to the position where it is retained.

Conveniently said element has resilient means at the said other edge which are deformed as they are inserted into a recess defined by the said other blade and which then substantially reassume their original configuration to retain the transverse element in position.

However the transverse element may be an elongate apertured element constituting a bird or vermin guard.

Conveniently said means for retaining said one edge of the transverse element constitute a recess formed in the louvre blade dimensioned to receive and accommodate said one edge of said element. Preferably the said recess and the said one edge of the transverse element are so dimensioned and configured that the said one end may be inserted into the recess with an accompanying rotary motion of the element, this rotary motion of the element bringing the other end of the element into engagement with the corresponding said recess. Advantageously said other edge of the transverse element is provided with an upstanding rib, said resilient means comprising a finger carried by and protruding from said rib, said finger being adapted to be brought into flush engagement with one surface of the louvre blade when within the corresponding recess.Conveniently each louvre member is supported and retained by a plurality of support members, the support members being mounted on mul lions. The invention also relates to a kit of parts for forming a louvre assembly as described above, said kit of parts comprising a plurality of louvre blades, a plurality of said transverse elements and means for mounting the louvre blades in position. Said means for supporting the louvre blades in position may comprise a plurality of support elements and a plurality of mullions.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a transverse sectional view of part of a louvre assembly in accordance with the invention, partially exploded, and FIGURE 2 is a perspective part-sectional view of the louvre assembly of Figure 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings a kit of parts for forming a louvre assembly comprises a plurality of channel members that can be used to form vertical mullions 1, a plurality of support members 2 to be connected to the mullions and a plurality of louvre blades 3, together with a plurality of bird or vermin guard members 4.

It will be appreciated that, in Figure 2, each mullion, bird guard and louvre blade is shown partly in cross section. Also it is to be appreciated that in Figures 1 and 2 the mullions are shown in a vertical position, for ease of illustration, but the mullions may be inclined to any desired angle.

Each mullion 1 comprises an elongate member formed, for example, as a metallic extrusion, or in some other way, and comprises two spaced apart parallel side walls 5 which terminate at the rearward end in two inwardly directed opposed flanges 6. A transverse flange 7 extends between the side walls towards the forward end thereof, this flange 7 having a plurality of apertures 8 therein dimensioned to receive parts of a support member 2, as will be described hereinafter. Each mullion 1 may be located in position by means of appropriate bolts or the like which engage the two inwardly directed opposed flanges 6, or which pass through appropriate apertures formed in the flange 7.

Mounted on each mullion are a plurality of support members 2. Each support member may be moulded from a plastics material or the like. Each support member 2 is of generally triangular configuration, with various protruding portions.

At the top of the support member is a vertical planar portion 9, the rear surface of which, 10, is intended to abut against the forward face of the flange 7 when the support member is mounted in position. At the uppermost end of the planar portion 9 is a forwardly curved connecting region 11 which terminates in a forwardly extending downwardly inclined portion 12. The portion 12 terminates with an inwardly directed claw portion 13. The purpose of this claw portion will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

Located beneath the vertical portion 9 is a recessed vertical region 14. Two resilient fingers 15, 16, located one-above-the-other and of mirror image configuration, extend from the recessed area 14. The fingers are arcuate in their base regions and carry enlarged head portions 17, 18. The leading outer edges of the enlarged head portions are chamfered, and the arrangement is such that if the resilient fingers 17, 18 are inserted into an aperture 8 formed in the flange 7 of a mullion 1 the resilient fingers will be moved inwardly and will then snap into position with the enlarged heads of the fingers located behind the flange 7, thus serving to mount the support member in position.

Located immediately beneath the resilient fingers 15, 16 is a transversely extending reinforcing rib 19 the free end of which is spaced slightly from the front face of the transverse flange 7. Located beneath the reinforcing rib 19 is another recessed portion 20 corresponding to the portion 14, which again carries two resilient fingers 21, 22 which are the same, in all respects, as the above-described fingers 15, 16. Located immediately beneath the fingers 21, 22 is a further rearwardly extending rib 23 which terminates at a position flush with the front face of the flange 7.

A substantially triangular web 24 is provided in the central region of the support member, one side being generally defined by the above-described region of the support member between the bottom of the vertical portion 9 and the rearwardly extending rib 23, the second side 25 extending horizontally from just above the rearwardly extending rib 23, and the third side being a slightly cranked sloping side 26 extending from the bottom of the first vertical portion 9 to the end of the horizontal side 25.

A triangular protrusion 27 is provided extending downwardly from the undersurface of the said horizontal side 25 at a position spaced slightly inwardly from the free end of the rearwardly extending rib 23. The triangular protrusion 27 has an inclined face directed towards the flange 7 of the mullion 1, and a vertical front face. The protrusion 27 serves to prevent the downwardly inclined portion 12 of the next lower support member being bent upwardly too far.

Located at the forward most apex of the triangular portion 24 is a protruding portion 28 which is angled slightly downwardly relative to the axis of the sloping side of the triangular portion 24. The undersurface of the portion 28 is provided with two rearwardly directed protrusions 29, 30.

Each louvre blade 3 may be of extruded metallic form, and may, for example, be extruded from aluminium. The louvre blade 3 comprises a main inclined portion 31. At the upper end of the inclined portion 31 there is a vertical region 32 defining a rear face 33 which is adapted to abut against the front face of the vertical portion 9 of the support member 2. The rear face 33 terminates, at its uppermost end, with a curved region 34 which is configured and dimensioned to be received snugly against the curved undersurface of the curved region 1 1 present on the support member 2. Part way along the vertical portion 32 there is a forwardly extending projection 35 which terminates in an inclined downwardly extending flange 36 which defines a flat upper surface 37 adapted to be received against part of the undersurface of the forwardly extending downwardly inclined portion 1 2 of the support member 2. At the forward most end of the inclined portion 36 there is a rectangular cut out 38 which is dimensioned to receive the claw element 13 present on the downwardly extending portion 12 of the support member 2. Located substantially below the free end of the inclined portion 36 is an upstanding flange 39 which extends at an angle of 105 from the main inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade. The uppermost face of the flange 39 is curved.As will be described hereinafter the vertical portion 32, the flange 36 and the upstanding flange 39 define an open recess dimensioned and configured to receive and retain the rear edge of the bird or vermin guard element 4.

On the undersurface of the main inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade 3, towards the lower end thereof, is a rearly and upwardly inclined flange 40 consisting of an initial substantially rearwardly extending arcuate part 41 and a subsequent upwardly extending inclined part 42 which is substantially parallel with the plane of the inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade. A small protrusion 43 is provided which extends from the upwardly extending portion 42 into the recess defined between the upwardly extending portion 42 and the undersurface of the inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade. A further flange portion 44 extends downwardly from the junction between the said arcuate port 41 and the upwardly extending inclined part 40.The flange portion 44, together with the part of the undersurface of the inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade beneath the arcuate port 41 of the flange 40 defines a recess 45. The lowermost end of the recess 45 is defined by a small horizontal inwardly directed flange 46 which is formed on the lowermost end of the inclined portion of the louvre blade 31. The recess 45 is dimensioned and configured to receive the front edge of the bird or vermin guard element 4 with a snap action, as will be described hereinafer. The louvre blade 31 terminates with a downwardly extending weathering strip 47.

The bird or vermin guard element 4 is formed of a moulding of a plastics material and comprises a substantially horizontal central region 48 formed of a regular lattice work defining rectangular apertures. At the right hand edge, as shown, (i.e. the rear edge) the bird guard has a claw like element 49 constituted by an appropriately shaped elongate portion of the bird guard and a plurality of protruding teeth 50 on the undersurface thereof. The undersurfaces 51 of the teeth 50 are arcuate for a purpose that will be described hereinafter. At the left hand edge of the bird guard (i.e. the front edge) there is an upstanding rib 52, the upper region 53 of which is dimensioned to be snugly received within the space 45 defined between the arcuate port 41 of the flange 40, the downwardly extending flange portion 44 and the undersurface of the main inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade 3.The rib 52 carries a downwardly and forwardly extending thin resilient flange 54 the upper surface of which is dimensioned and located to be substantially flush with the undersurface of the main inclined portion 31 of the louvre element 3 when the bird or vermin guard element 4 has been snap fastened into the recess 45.

The described and illustrated louvre blade assembly may be fabricated in various ways.

As in connection with the prior art the support members may be slidingly mounted on the louvre blade and may then be offered up to the mullions which have been appropriately mounted in position. However, in this embodiment, alternatively the support members may be mounted on the mullions, and then the louvre blades may be offered up directly to the support members. The louvre blades will be offered up in approximately the desired final orientation, and as the uppermost part of the louvre blade is inserted into the space located under the downwardly inclined portion 12 of the support member 2, the blade will be tilted forwardly so that the slightly downwardly inclined protruding finger 28 may slide into the space defined between the flange port 42 and the undersurface of the main inclined portion 31 of the louvre blade, with the projection 29 passing over the protrusion 43.The louvre blade may then be tilted so that projection 29 is located behind the protrusion 43. The louvre blade may then be slid further upwardly, the downwardly and forwardly inclined portion 12 bending resiliently by virtue of the configuration of the curved or arcuate portion 11. The claw 13 will snap into position in the recess 38 and the louvre blade will then be firmly held in position, the arcuate surface 34 being snugly received under the arcuate undersurface of the curved portion 11, and the planar surface 33 being received against the planar front face of the vertical portion 9 of the support member 2.

The protruding portion 28 will be snugly and securely received by the rearwardly and upwardly extending flange 40.

The bird guard may then be mounted in position by inserting the claw shaped edge 49 into the recess at the uppermost part of a louvre blade formed between the downwardly extending flange portion 36 and the substantially upwardly extending flange portion 39.

As the claw shaped part 49 of the bird guard is thus inserted into position the bird guard will be rotated, the curved undersurface 51 sliding smoothly against the protruding flange 39. The projection 53 will thus be brought into position within the space 45, and the finger 54 will be resiliently deformed as the upper surface of the finger is engaged by the projection 46. As the bird guard is rotated further the free end of the finger 54 will be brought past the projection 46 and the resilient finger will snap into the position illustrated, flush against the undersurface of the inclined port 31 of the louvre blade. The free end of the finger 54 rests on top of the projection 46. The front edge of the bird guiard is thus securely held in position.Thus the bird guard has been mounted in position from the front of the louvre, and it will be understood that the bird guard may be mounted in position even if the louvre is mounted within a recess.

It is to be appreciated that where several louvre assemblies of the type described are mounted side-by-side to present the appearance of a very large bank of louvres, the bird guard elements may be staggered with respect to the co-aligned segments of the louvre blades, and thus a single bird guard element will span the space between the ends of two adjacent segments of the louvre blades thus bringing the ends of the adjacent segments of the louvre blades into strict co-alignment. This may prove to be very advantageous.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to embodiments which include a bird or vermin guard it is to be appreciated that the invention may be utilised without a bird or vermin guard. Transverse elements having the same overall configuration as the above-described bird or vermin guard, but possibly not being provided with the described apertures 49, may be used as reinforcing members merely to reinforce a louvre assembly, such elements, of short length, being located at appropriate positions. Also, short lengths of such an element may be utilised for the sole purpose of co-aligning the ends of louvre blades in adjacent louvre assemblies.

Claims (15)

1. A louvre assembly, said louvre assembly comprising a plurality of adjacent louvre blades supported in spaced parallelism, therebeing a transverse element extending between two adjacent blades in the assembly, the transverse element being retained, at one edge, by one blade and being retained at the other edge by means on or adjacent the other blade, the arrangement being such that the transverse element may be located in position without moving it in a direction parallel to longitudinal axes of the louvre blades.

2. A louvre assembly according to claim 1 wherein said one edge is retained so that said element may rotate substantially about said edge to bring said other edge to the position where it is retained.

3. A louvre assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said element has resilient means at the said other edge which are deformed as they are inserted into a recess defined by the said other blade and which then substantially re-assume their original configuration to retain the transverse element in position.

4. A louvre assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the louvre blades are constituted by co-aligned segments of louvre blade, one edge of a single transverse element engaging two of said coaligned segments of a louvre blade to esure the coalignment thereof.

5. A louvre assembly according to claim 4 wherein the transverse element is a relatively short element that serves the primary function of coaligning the ends of said co-aligned segments of a louvre blade.

6. A louvre assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the transverse element is an elongate apertured element constituting a bird or vermin guard.

7. A louvre assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said means for retaining said one edge of the transverse element constitute a recess formed in the louvre blade dimensioned to receive and accommodate said one edge of said element.

8. A louvre assembly according to claim 7 wherein the said recess and the said one edge of the transverse element are so dimensioned and configured that the said one end may be inserted into the recess with an accompanying rotary motion of the element, this rotary motion of the element bringing the other end of the element into engagement with the corresponding said recess.

9. A louvre assembly according to claim 3 or any claim dependant thereon wherein said other edge of the transverse element is provided with an upstanding rib, said resilient means comprising a finger carried by and protruding from said rib, said finger being adapted to be brought into flush engagement with one surface of the louvre blade when within the corresponding recess.

10. A louvre assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each louvre member is supported and retained by a plurality of support members, the support members being mounted on mullions.

11. A kit of parts for forming a louvre assembly according to any one of the preced ing claims, said kit of parts comprising a plurality of louvre blades, a plurality of said transverse elements and means for mounting the louvre blades in position.

12. A kit of parts according to claim 11 wherein said means for supporting the louvre blades in position comprises a plurality of support elements and a plurality of mullions.

13. A louvre assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompany ing drawings.

14. A kit of parts for forming a louvre assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.