GB2188967A

GB2188967A - Slatted shutters

Info

Publication number: GB2188967A
Application number: GB08607454A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Michael Kellock
Original assignee: Rotalac Plastics Ltd
Current assignee: Rotalac Plastics Ltd
Priority date: 1986-03-26
Filing date: 1986-03-26
Publication date: 1987-10-14
Also published as: GB8607454D0

Abstract

A slatted shutter comprises a plurality of slats 10 are hinged together such that bead 16 of neck 14 of each slat 10 engages groove 20 of neck 18 of each adjacent slat 10 and prevented from longitudinal movement by a retainer disc 28 having integral central protrusions 30 engaged in slots 24,26 cut in the groove and bead respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Slatted shutters This invention concerns slatted shutters of the kind comprising a plurality of elongate slats each of which has a bead at or along one longitudinal edge and a receptor groove at or along its other longitudinal edge, adjacent slats being hingedly connected together by the bead of one slat being pivotally accommodated within the receptor groove of the other.

The slats for such shutters are made, for example, by extrusion from plastics materials, the extrusion being cut into standard lengths which are assembled together by the sliding of the bead of each slat into the receptor groove of the next adjacent slat from the end of such groove, so that the relative sliding movement of the adjacent slats is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slats.

Where these shutters are installed for up and down movement, e.g. for opening and closing a cabinet, desk or the like, the slats may be guided, for instance, by their ends running in aligned guides facing each other from opposite side of the cabinet, and there is very little tendency for the slats to move iongitudinally relative to one another, although in some cases it may be desirable to inhibit such relative movement. Location of the slats against longitudinal movement relative to one another is, however, more important in the case of so-called "side-opening shutters", where the slats are vertically disposed and opening and closing is effected by horizontal movement of the shutter the lower ends of which slide in an appropriate guide.In such instances, there is a much greater tendancy for the slats to "parallelogram" relative to one another, because the lower end of each slat is subject to drag on the guide on which it rests under its own weight, whereas the upper end of the slat can move relatively freely in any corresponding guide at the top of the opening closed by the shutter. Hitherto, retention of the slats relative to one another in the longitudinal direction, whilst still permitting relative pivotal movement of the adjacent slats has been achieved by applying across the shutter, transversely to the longitudinal directions of the slats, an adhesive tape.

The application of the adhesive tape is tedious, time-consuming and relatively expensive. Since it relies for its effectiveness upon an adhesive, there is a possibility of failure due to deterioration of the adhesive. If any of the slats should be taped in a slightly elevated position in relation to its neighbours, the corresponding portion of the adhesive on the tape(s) will be under tension and may result in separation of the slat from the tape.

An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement wherein the slats are located against relative longitudinal movement positively and mechanically in a simple and relative inexpensive manner which does not suffer the disadvantages of the taping above discussed, the arrangement of the invention being applicable, of course, both to verticallydisplaceable shutters and to horizontally displaceable shutters.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a slatted shutter of the kind comprising a plurality of elongate slats each of which has a bead at or along one longitudinal edge and a receptor groove at or along its other longitudinal edge, adjacent slats being hingedly connected togehter by the bead of one slat being pivotally accommodated within the receptor groove of the other, characterised in that registering slots are provided across each receptor groove and the bead accommodated therein, a disk-like slat retainer being accommodated in said slots and held therein by interengagement with the bead.

Each slat retainer may conveniently be of a configuration to provide a central protrusion on one or both sides thereof, for snap engagement into the hollow of the bead.

The invention further provides a method of making a slatted shutter of the kind comprising a plurality of elongate slats each of which has a bead at or along one longitudinal edge and a receptor groove at or along its other longitudinal edge, adjacent slats being hingedly connected together by the bead of one slat being pivotally accommodated within the receptor groove of the other, which comprises assembling together and adjacent pair of said slats into their desired relative disposition, cutting a slot across the receptor groove and a registering slot in the bead therein, and locating the slats against relative longitudinal movement by inserting, into the registering slots, a disk-like slat retainer which is held therein by interengagement with the bead.

In carrying out the method of the invention, the cutting of the slots may be effected simultaneously on a group of the slats.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation showing four slats which form part of a slatted shutter conforming to the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear view corresponding to Fig.

1; Figure 3 is a plan view, to a somewhat enlarged scale, corresponding to Fig. 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail corresponding to the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Figure 5 is a sectional plan taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic, part-sectional elevation illustrating the formation of the slots in the slats of Figs. 1 to 5, in the making of the shutter.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of the slatted shutter of the invention comprises a plurality of slats 10, of which a group of four is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6. These slats 10 are conveniently made by extruding, e.g.

of a tough plastics material such as polyvinyl chloride, and each comprises a substantially flat web 12, at or along one edge of which is an integral neck 14 which stands approximately at right angles to the web 12 and connects a c-sectioned bead 16 to the web 12. At or along the other longitudinal edge of the web 12 is a further integral neck 18 which also stands substantially at right angles to the web 12, projecting to the same side of the latter as the neck 14. This second neck 18 serves to connect a C-sectioned receptor groove 20 to the web 12, and it will be observed that the bead 16 is directed to overlie the web 12, the receptor groove 20 being directed in the same direction so that it projects beyond the respective edge of the web 12.

The configurations and relative dimensions of the bead 16 and receptor groove 20 are such that the bead 16 can only be introduced into the groove 20 by sliding the slats 10 longitudinally relative to one another with the bead 16 sliding into the interior of the groove 20, it not being possible for the bead 16 to disengage from the groove 20 through the gap in the latter. Moreover the bead 16 is a snug fit in the groove 20 thereby permitting pivoting of the slats 10 relative to one another, as will be appreciated from Fig. 3 to enable the shutter to move around a curve or to be rolled up.

It will readily be appreciated that in the making up of a shutter, sufficient of the slats 10, (e.g. each of a standard or predetermined length) are assembled together to form an assemblage of desired overall length.

In the making up, the slats 10 are each slotted. This is effected, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, simultaneously on groups of the slats 10 assembled together, by passing each group beneath a circular saw shown diagrammatically at 22 with one end of the slat group being guided by a fence or the like (not shown). The saw 22 is set to produce simultaneously registering slots 24, 26 respectively in the receptor groove 20 and the bead 16 as well as their necks 18, 14. Thereafter, the slats 10 are located against relative longitudinal movement by snapping into each of the registering slot pairs 24, 26, a respective slat retainer which is in the form of a disc 28 moulded with an integral central protrusion 30 on each side thereof.The material of the slats 10 deforms to permit introduction of these retainers 28 which thereafter are held in position by the protrusions 30 engaging into the hollow interior of the bead 16 as will be evident from Fig. 5.

The groups of slats 10 having been fitted with the retainers 28, such groups can then be assembled together as necessary to achieve the desired shutter size, with appropriate retainers being fitted as necessary.

It will be appreciated that the retainer discs 28 can be moulded easily and inexpensively in large quantities, and they can be fitted easily and without involving skilled labour. They serve very effectively to locate the slats against relative longitudinal movement.

Of course the shape of the retainers and the manner in which they are held in place may differ from what has been disclosed in the foregoing, as also may the method by which the slots are formed.

Claims

1. A slatted shutter of the kind comprising a plurality of elongate slats each of which has a bead at or along one longitudinal edge and a receptor groove at or along its other longitudinal edge, adjacent slats being hingedly connected together by the bead of one slat being pivotally accommodated within the receptor groove of the other, characterised in that registering slots are provided across each receptor groove and the bead accommodated therein, a disk-like slat retainer being accommodated in said slots and held therein by interengagement with the bead.

2. A slatted shutter as claimed in claim 1 wherein each slat retainer is of a configuration to provide a central protrusion on one or both sides thereof, for snap engagement into the hollow of the bead.

3. A method of making a slatted shutter of the kind comprising a plurality of enlongate slats each of which has a bead at or along one longitudinal edge and a receptor groove at or along its other longitudinal edge, adjacent slats being hingedly connected together by the bead of one slat being pivotally accommodated within the receptor groove of the other, which comprises assembling together an adjacent pair of said slats into their desired relative disposition, cutting a slot across the receptor groove and a registering slot in the bead therein, and locating the slats against relative longitudinal movement by inserting, into the registering slots, a disk-like slat retainer which is held therein by interengagement with the bead.

4. A method of making a slatted shutter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cutting of the slots may be effected simultaneously on a group of the slats.

5. A slatted shutter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.