GB2297782A

GB2297782A - Mounting roller shutters in lintels

Info

Publication number: GB2297782A
Application number: GB9500152A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Currie; Denys Thompson; Patrick Denys Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-05
Filing date: 1995-01-05
Publication date: 1996-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-05
Also published as: GB9500152D0; GB2297782B

Abstract

A housing for a roller shutter comprises an elongate channel-section lintel 10, which is supported at its opposite ends by support members 20 that are fixed on opposite sides of an opening 16 in a wall or the like. The roller shutter 40 comprises a roller which extends along the channel in the lintel 10, and which is rotatably mounted at its opposite ends to the support members 20, such that the spacing between the support members can be adjusted by movement along a bar 30 to suit the length of roller shutter being used. Fig 5 (not shown) illustrates an assembly in which a second roller is provided which can be moved radially relative to the first roller so that a longer shutter can be accommodated.

Description

Roller Shutter Assemblv This invention relates to a roller shutter assembly for fitting to doors and windows in buildings.

It is well known to fit roller shutter assemblies to doors and windows in houses and shops to secure against thieves. One such assembly comprises a shutter wound around a roller enclosed inside a housing which is fixed horizontally above the door or window: opposite side edges of the shutter are received in channel-section guide members fixed vertically along opposite sides of the door or window. A disadvantage of such an assembly is that the shutter housing is unsightly, and in some areas the planning authorities are unwilling to grant permission for such an assembly to be fitted.

GB 1 508 994 overcomes this problem by incorporating the shutter housing inside a conventional support lintel. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that a plurality of different lengths of lintel exist to suit any one width of door or window. Thus, a wide range of different sizes of shutter has to be fitted to each size of lintel. Furthermore, in some instances a single lintel may span a plurality of openings, thereby making it difficult to provide these lintels with shutters.

I have now devised a roller shutter housing which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a first aspect there is provided a housing for a roller shutter, the housing comprising an elongate channel section lintel and a pair of shutter support members adapted to mount a roller shutter inside said channel section lintel, the support members being movable axially along the lintel.

In use, the support members can be spaced apart independently of the length of the lintel to suit the length of roller shutter being used. The lintel may be supplied in a number of standard lengths either with or without the support members. Thus, the number of sizes of lintel that need to be stocked is reduced.

Preferably the support members are arranged to support the lintel on opposite sides of an opening in a wall or the like.

Preferably the lintel comprises a downwardly-facing opening which allows access to the roller shutter inside, and which also allows the shutter to be removed from or inserted into the lintel.

Preferably a cover plate is provided for closing said downwardly-facing opening.

Preferably a strengthening bar extends longitudinally along said opening for mounting to the top of a door or window frame which is fitted into the opening in the wall or the like.

The bar may be shorter than the length of the lintel.

Preferably the support members are slidably mounted on said strengthening bar.

A disadvantage of housing roller shutters inside lintels is that space is limited. For this reason, there is often insufficient space inside the lintel to house a long shutter e.g. for a door, when the shutter is fully wound around its mounting roller.

We have now devised a roller shutter assembly which alleviates the above-mentioned problem.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a second aspect there is provided a roller shutter assembly comprising first and second elongate parallel rollers and a shutter for closing an opening in a wall or the like, said first roller being arranged to wind or unwind the shutter so as to open or close said opening, the shutter passing around said second roller, and said rollers being arranged to move radially apart as said first roller is turned to open the shutter.

In use, when the shutter is opened, a portion of the shutter means is wound around the first roller. A further portion of the shutter means is stored between the two rollers.

Thus, the diameter of the rolled-up portion of the shutter means is reduced, owing to a portion of the shutter means being stored between the rollers.

When the shutter is closed, the rollers move together so that little or none of the shutter means remains between the rollers.

Preferably the rollers are mounted inside a housing having an elongate opening for the shutter means.

Preferably the first roller is fixed against radial movement inside the housing, the second roller being arranged to move radially as the first roller is turned to open the shutter.

Preferably the second roller is arranged to move in a direction generally away from the opening in the housing as the first roller is turned to open the shutter. Thus, when the shutter is opened the shutter means passes over the second roller and back towards the opening in the housing.

Preferably the housing comprises a lintel.

Preferably the first and second rollers are interconnected, such that they move apart as said first roller is turned to open the shutter.

Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view from the rear of an embodiment of roller shutter assembly in accordance with this invention; FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a support member of the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the assembly of Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 3; and FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through a second embodiment of roller shutter assembly in accordance with this invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a roller shutter assembly comprising a channel-section elongate metal lintel 10. The lintel comprises front and rear walls 11,12 connected along their respective upper edges by a horizontal wall 13. The lower edge of the front wall 11 of the lintel is turned outwardly to form a horizontal support 14.

The lower edge of the rear wall of the lintel is raised above the level of the lower edge of the front wall 12. A strengthening rib 15 is welded along the lower edge of the rear wall 12 of the lintel. An elongate metal strip is welded along the inside lower edge of the front wall 11 of the lintel to form a downwardly facing V-shaped channel 19. End plates (not shown) may be fixed to opposite ends of the lintel in impart rigidity to the lintel. The lintel 10 rests at either end on a pair of lintel support members 20. Each support member 20 comprises a flat vertical support plate 21 mounted perpendicular to the axis of the lintel 10. The support plate 21 is fixed along its lower edge to one end of a base plate 22.

A vertical guide plate 23 is mounted parallel to the support plate 21 at the opposite end of the base plate 22. A bracing plate 24 fixed to one side of the base plate 22 holds the support and guide plates 21,23 in their upright positions. An elongate metal rod 27 is welded to the base plate 22 in front of the bracing plate 24. A bearing plate 25 is fixed along the opposite side of the base plate 22 parallel to the bracing plate 24. The upper edge of the bearing plate 25 is folded to form an upwardly facing V-shaped channel 26.

A passageway extends through the support and guide plates 21,23 of the support member 20 for receiving a rectangular-section strengthening bar 30, which extends axially of the lintel 10. Brackets 31 project outwardly from the support and guide plates 21,23 over the passageway for receiving clamping screws 32 that lock the support member 20 onto the strengthening bar 30.

In use, a pair of support members 20 are fixed to opposite ends of the strengthening bar 30. The support members are then cemented onto the uppermost course of bricks on opposite sides of a window or door opening 16 in a cavity wall.

The members 20 are arranged such that their support plates 21 lie generally within the plane of the end faces of the bricks of the cavity wall. Once the support members 20 are fixed in place they are locked onto the strengthening bar 30 by tightening the clamping screws 32.

The lintel 10 is then fitted onto the support members 20. The metal rods 27 on the support members 20 are received in the downwardly facing V-shaped channel 19 in the front wall 11 of the lintel. Likewise, the strengthening rod 15 on the lower edge of the rear wall 12 of the lintel is received in the upwardly facing V-shaped channels 26 in the bearing plates 25 of the support members 20. In this manner, opposite ends of the lintel 10 are securely locked onto respective support members 20.

In use, the horizontal support 14 of the lintel supports bricks 17 in the outer skin of the cavity wall over the opening 16. The horizontal wall 13 of the lintel supports bricks 18 in the inner skin of the cavity wall over the opening 16. The upper edge of a window or door frame 39 is fixed along the strengthening bar 30, as shown in Figure 4. The interior face of the inner skin of the cavity wall is finished with a layer of plaster or plaster board 38, which also covers the outer face of the rear wall 12 of the lintel. An insulated Lshaped cover plate 44 fits onto the lintel between opposite side faces of the opening 16, to close a longitudinal opening in the lower rear edge of the lintel 10. It will be appreciated that an elongate slot 36 is formed between the strengthening bar 30 and the lower edge of the front wall 11 of the lintel.

Once the lintel is in place, a roller shutter can be fitted. The roller shutter comprises a tubular roller 45 rotatably mounted at its opposite ends to respective rectangular axle plates 41. A plurality of elongate interconnected horizontal slats 40, forming the shutter, are wound around the roller 45. A pulley wheel 42 is fixed to the roller 45 to wind or unwind the slatted shutter 40.

A pair of elongate channel-section guides 50 are fixed to opposite side faces of the opening 16 on the outside of the door or window frame 39. The upper ends of the guides 50 are aligned with the slot 36 adjacent the front wall of the lintel.

The guides 50 preferably also serve to close the cavity between the inner and outer skins of the cavity wall.

Each support plate 21 of the support members 20 are punched, as shown in Figure 3, to form a plurality of locating lugs 43 which define a channel for receiving respective rectangular axle plates 41 of the roller. The mouth of the channel faces the longitudinal opening in the rear of the lintel. A pawl 51 is hinged to the support plate 21, adjacent the base 22 for engaging the axle plate 41 once it has located in the channel.

In order to fit the roller shutter, the L-shaped cover plate 44 is removed from the lintel to expose the longitudinal opening in the rear of the lintel. The free end of the slatted shutter 40 is fed into the lintel 10 and down through the slot 36 at the front of the lintel, so that its vertical side edges run inside the guide channels 50. Once most of the slatted shutter 40 has been fed through the slot 36, the roller 45 of the roller shutter can be inserted into the lintel 10 in the direction A, as shown in Figure 4, such that the axle plates 41 of the roller shutter slide into the respective channels on the support plates 21. Each pawl 51 engages with a recess formed in the respective axle plate 41 once it has been fully engaged into the channel on the support plate 21.In this manner the roller 45 of the roller shutter is securely supported between the two support plates at opposite ends of the lintel. In an alternative embodiment the axle plates 41 may be fixed to respective support plates 21 by screws.

Once the shutter is fitted the L-shaped cover can be re-fitted to close the longitudinal opening in the rear of the lintel.

It will be appreciated that the length of the lintel 10 does not affect the size of shutter, since the size of the shutter is governed by the distance that is set between the two support members 20. Two or more shutter may be incorporated in elongate lintels e.g. which extend the full width of a building. Further, it will be appreciated that it is not necessary to fit the shutters when the building is constructed.

The owner of the building can choose to fit shutters at a later date.

In some instances, there may not be sufficient space inside the lintel 10 to accommodate the slatted shutter when it is raised. Thus, referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative embodiment of roller shutter assembly and like parts are given like reference numerals. The front wall 11 of the lintel is extended upwardly beyond the rear wall 12, to form an enlarged space inside the lintel.

This extension of the lintel extends between the inner and outer skins of the cavity wall. A horizontal shoulder 65 is formed on the rear of the lintel for supporting joists 64 and bricks 18 in the inner skin of the cavity wall. The horizontal support 14 on the front of the lintel 10 supports the bricks 17 in the outer skin of the cavity wall as before, however the bricks in front of the lintel may be of a reduced thickness in order to allow the lintel 10 to be increased in width.

A capstan roller 60 is mounted axially with the roller 45 between the two support members 21. The slatted shutter 40 passes over the capstan roller 60 and down through the slot 36 at the front of the lintel. The capstan roller 60 is mounted in respective vertical guide channels 61 in the support members 20. The capstan roller 60 is connected to the roller 45 by pulleys (not shown) which raises the capstan roller 60 away from the roller 45, as the latter is rotated to raise the shutter. Likewise, when the shutter is lowered, the capstan roller moves downwardly towards the roller 45.

When the shutter is raised, a portion of the slatted shutter 40 is drawn up into the extended space in the top of the lintel 10 by the capstan roller 60. In this manner over 0.5 meter of extra shutter can be accommodated inside the lintel without increasing the diameter of the rolled-up portion of the shutter around the roller 45.

Claims

1) A housing for a roller shutter, the housing comprising an elongate channel-section lintel and a pair of support members adapted to mount a roller shutter inside said channelsection lintel, the support members being movable axially along the lintel.

2) A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the support members are arranged to support the lintel on opposite sides of an opening in a wall or the like.

3) A housing as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which the lintel comprises a downwardly facing opening.

4) A housing as claimed in claim 3, comprising a cover plate for closing said downwardly facing opening.

5) A housing as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a strengthening bar extending longitudinally along said opening.

6) A housing as claimed in claim 5, in which the support members are slidably mounted on said strengthening bar.

7) A housing substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8) A roller shutter assembly comprising first and second elongate parallel rollers and a shutter for closing an opening in a wall or the like, said first roller being arranged to wind or unwind the shutter so as to open or close the opening, the shutter passing around said second roller, and said rollers being arranged to move radially apart as said first roller is turned to open the shutter.

9) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which the rollers are mounted inside a housing having an elongate opening for the shutter.

10) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in claim 9, in which the first roller is fixed against radial movement inside the housing, the second roller being arranged to move radially as the first roller is turned to open the shutter.

11) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in claim 10, in which the second roller is arranged to move in a direction generally away from the opening in the housing as the first roller is turned to open the shutter.

12) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, in which the housing comprises a lintel.

13) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in any of claims 8 to 12, in which the rollers are interconnected, such that they move apart as said first roller is turned to open the shutter.

14) A roller shutter assembly as claimed in claim 13, in which the rollers are interconnected by pulleys.

15) A roller shutter assembly, substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompany drawings.