GB2242923A

GB2242923A - Roller-shutter housing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2242923A
Application number: GB9105154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maclean Maxwell
Original assignee: KEDZIA KRYSTYNA IRENA
Current assignee: KEDZIA KRYSTYNA IRENA
Priority date: 1990-03-12
Filing date: 1991-03-12
Publication date: 1991-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 2011-03-12
Also published as: GB2242923B; GB9105154D0

Abstract

A roller-shutter assembly 10, 11, 12 is installed beneath a load-bearing lintel. The assembly has a main housing 10 shaped as an elongated structure with top 14, front 9 and base walls 13 and mounts a roller-shutter which is raised and lowered through an opening 17 in the base wall. A separate box member 11 is provided in front of the housing and has dimensions conformed to an opening. An additional member (49, Figure 5) can be used to increase the height of a standard sized housing 10. The box-member 11 has internal stiffening ribs 27 and presents a decorative outer face. A rear panel 21 inside the building permits easy access to the roller shutter. <IMAGE>

Description

ROLLER-SHUTTER ASSEMBLY The present invention relates in general to roller shutters.

Known roller shutters are either installed as a unit fixed on an existing building or installed in situ. A unit employs a single box-like housing containing the rolled-up shutter disposed over a window or door opening.

The shutter is then rolled down to protect the window or door. Despite efforts to style the appearance of the roller shutter housing this tends to be visually unattractive. Furthermore certain roller shutter units are vulnerable to tampering and do not provide burglar proof protection.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved roller-shutter assembly.

According to the invention there is provided a roller-shutter assembly for installation beneath a support or load-bearing lintel above a door or window opening of a building; said assembly comprising an elongate housing for containing a roller-shutter which can be raised and lowered via a slot or opening in a base wall of the housing, a removable panel or the like for permitting access to the roller-shutter from the interior and a separate box member fitted at the front of the housing to face the exterior.

A roller-shutter assembly in accordance with the invention is combined with a lintel and the combined assembly is actually incorporated into the structure of a building.

Conveniently the box member forms an imitation lintel or a non-load bearing lintel. However, the box member is preferably given structural rigidity for example by stiffening ribs extending between upper and lower walls. The box member has an external front surface which can lie substantially flush with an external face of the building or just protruding to a small extent. This front surface can be given a decorative finish to conform the assembly to the appearance of the building. By installing the assembly in-situ during the construction of the building the assembly can be so incorporated into the structure of the building that it is virtually proof against tampering by vandals or burglars. With the roller shutter lowered the window or door is reliably protected.By providing most or all the windows and doors of a building with assemblies in accordance with the invention maximum protection can be achieved.

To provide access to the roller-shutter and its operating mechanisms the rear side of the housing is provided with the removable access panel accessible only from the interior of the building.

It is easy to construct the box member to have a size commensurate with the size of an available opening.

However, in the case of the main housing it may be preferable to adopt a standard size component. Then, if it is desired to increase the height dimension of the main housing to match an available opening it is possible to make use of a separate U-shaped or channel-shaped top piece mounted over the top wall of the main housing. The top piece and the inner housing may have overlapping walls joined by welding, for example.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other features of the invention may become apparent from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of an assembly constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional end view of the assembly, the view being taken along the line Il-Il of Figure; Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the assembly; Figure 4 is a sectional end view corresponding to Figure 2 but representing a modified assembly; Figure 5 is a sectional end view corresponding to Figure 2 but representing a further modified assembly; and Figure 6 is a front view of a window opening of a building structure in which an assembly constructed in accordance with the invention is installed.

As depicted in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, an assembly constructed in accordance with the invention is composed of a main housing 10, a front box unit 11 and a.

rear access panel 12. The main housing 10 has a front wall 10 upper and lower walls 13, 14 and end walls 15, 16. The lower or base wall 13 has an elongate aperture 17 near the front while the upper wall 14 is continuous.

Further intermediate end walls 18, 19 are provided with spigots 8 or the like which support and locate a roller shutter (not shown). The walls 18, 19 project downwards below the wall 13.

Flanges 20, 21 at the rear of the housing 10 serve to locate and mount an access panel 12 with the aid of screws or nuts and bolts or spring clips for example.

The access panel 12 can be composed of a plate with decorative layer, such as plaster, forming a visible covering.

The box unit 11 is intended to fit onto the front wall of the housing 10 and appropriate fixings can be provided to secure the unit 11 to the housing 10. The box unit 11 itself has upper and lower walls 22, 23 a front wall 24 and end walls 25, 26. Stiffening plates or ribs 27 extend between the walls 22, 23 and are spaced apart along the unit 11.

As represented in Figure 6, the assembly 10, 11, 12 is intended to be installed beneath a load-bearing supportive lintel 33 above a window or a door, for example of a building such as a dwelling house or an office block. The assembly 10, 11, 12 fits snugly in place with only the exterior of the front wall 24 of the box unit 11 visible from the exterior. This exterior front wall surface can be provided with a variety of durable decorative finishes or coatings, such as imitation brick work, to conform with the style of the building.

The upper surfaces of the upper walls 14, 22 of the housing 10 and the unit 11 can be covered with sheets or layers of flexible material, such a high density plastics foam, to protect the housing 10 and the unit 11 from deformation forces and to act as a seal. Membranes say 6mm thick, can be used for this purpose. The housing 10 accommodates a roller shutter of known type, preferably composed of metal such as aluminium and plastics foam strips, which is entrained as a roll and stored in the housing 10. The roller shutter 10 is intended to be raised or lowered via the opening 17 and is guided for vertical movement by upstanding guide rails or channels 30 adjacent thereto.

The roller shutter is preferably electrically operated from the interior of the building with provision for emergency manual over-ride. With the roller shutter in the lowered position the window or door is sealed off.

This provides maximum protection and security against weather and intruders as well as sound and thermal insulation. Sensing means 40 can detect the lower end of the shutter when this seals off the window or door and this sensing means can be incorporated into an intruder alarm/lighting system. Because the assembly is installed into the structure of the building it is proof against tampering from the outside. The access panel 12 can be removed from the interior of the building if the roller shutter or its operating mechanisms needs maintenance i.e. for repair or replacement. The components of the assembly as described and illustrated are preferably fabricated from 18 gauge stainless steel.

In order to conform the assembly to the exact height dimensions available above a window or door it may be desirable to modify the construction of the housing 10 as depicted in Figures 4 and 5.

In these Figures 4 and 5 the box unit 11 has the desired height dimension 'HB but is otherwise unchanged from Figure 2. The main housing 10 is however altered.

In Figure 4, the housing 10 is composed of a member 50 bent to form the front wall 9, the top wall 14, the lower wall 13 and the flange 20 and an additional member 48 bent to overlap part of the flange 20 and the interior of the wall 10. In another modified arrangement shown in Figure 5, a channel or U-shaped trough 49 is placed over the top 46 of the housing 10 constructed as described and illustrated in Figure 2. The overlapping walls in Figures 4 and 5 can be joined by welding or rivets. In this version the access panel 12 has a smaller height than the box unit 11 and the main housing 10.

Claims

1. A roller-shutter assembly for installation beneath a support or load-bearing lintel above a door or window opening of a building; said assembly comprising an elongate housing for containing a roller-shutter which can be raised and lowered via a slot or opening in a base wall of the housing, a removable panel or the like for permitting access to the roller-shutter from the interior and a separate box member fitted at the front of the housing to face the exterior.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the box member has an external main wall which is substantially flush with the surroundings of the opening.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the box member has stiffening ribs or the like to provide structural rigidity.

4. An assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the box member has a front surface which is given a decorative finish.

5. An assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing has an additional member designed to increase the height of the housing to conform the housing to the height of the reception space above the door or window opening.

6. An assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the housing is comprised of a first member bent to form front, top and base walls and a further channel or U-shaped member which surmounts the top wall of the first member.

7. An assembly according to Claim 6, wherein the first and further members have partly overlapping walls which are joined together.

8. An assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the housing contains mounting walls with spigots acting as support bearings for the roller shutter.

9. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and made at least partly from stainless steel.

10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims and incorporated into the structure of a building.

11. An assembly substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in any one or more of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.