GB2368365A

GB2368365A - Safety roller screen

Info

Publication number: GB2368365A
Application number: GB0026322A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Ronald Roche
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-10-26
Filing date: 2000-10-26
Publication date: 2002-05-01
Also published as: GB0026322D0

Abstract

The present invention provides a roller screen assembly having a screen 5 made from an open mesh of flexible wire that allows the screen to roll up on itself. The roller screen is provided with releasable latching and retention means 11, 13. The screen may be received into a housing 1 when rolled up and the latching and retention means may be retained by a locking member 7. The roller screen may be used as a security screen that is applied to an opening to inhibit access there through. It may be used for window or door openings. In a preferred application the screen may be fitted between a door jamb (27, figure 2) and the opening of a door (31, figure 2), to inhibit access through the opening thereby affording improved security when the door is opened.

Description

Title : Safety Roller Screen DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a safety roller screen.

The roller screen of the present invention finds particular application in connection with door and window opening, but is not limited to same.

The most usual entrance door that is found in a building is a hinged door.

These are particularly common in domestic premises. In order to restrict access, it is known to provide doors with safety chains so they can be opened slightly for the occupier to be able to vet any visitor before allowing entry through the door, by releasing the safety chain and allowing the door to open fully. Whilst the safety chain provides a means of protection, they can be readily cut through using bolt cutters. One aim of the present invention is to provide security means for a door as an alternative to the safety chain.

Furthermore, opening windows present a potential safety and security hazard. For example, in the case of a window in a building, a window that is left open provides a potential access point for an intruder. Furthermore, the position of some windows may give rise to a safety hazard if, for example, a person within the building climbs through an open window. This may be something that an unsupervised child may attempt to do. These safety and security concerns deter the use of windows as a means of ventilation when the building is left unoccupied which might otherwise be desirable. One aspect of the invention aims to provide a solution.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a roller screen comprising a screen, fixing means for the screen and wherein the screen is journalled for rotation to permit rolling up on itself, the screen having a free edge carrying latching means which is releasably engagable with retention means, spring means for rolling up the screen and wherein the screen comprises a see through open mesh made up of a plurality of flexible wires which permit rolling up of the screen.

When rolled up the screen is preferably accommodated in a housing.

Preferably the screen is secured along one edge to a shaft which is job mailed for rotation in the housing which receives the screen when rolled up. The free edge is opposite said one edge of the screen and extends from an opening in the housing.

In one embodiment the screen has an aperture therein sufficiently large for a visitor's identification to be passed through and inspected. In one application the roller screen connects between an open edge of a door and the adjacent door jamb. Preferably it extends substantially the full height of the door.

The housing is preferably attached to the door jam and the retention means is preferably attached to the door. The latching means and retention means preferably comprises a plurality of engagement points spaced over the height of the door. The latching and retention means can only be released from within the building. Locking means may be provided for the latching and retention means.

The screen provides both safety and security. It allows the door to be opened more than would be the case for a safety chain and yet prevents access through the door. It also serves to prevent a child from straying outside when the door is opened as well as for preventing entry of a would be intruder.

The open mesh is formed by interweaving the flexible wire in a crisscross manner. Preferably the wires are aligned longitudinally and transversly relative to the playing out direction of the screen.

Steel wires are preferably used for the mesh. The sheer number of wires making up the mesh makes it impractical to gain rapid access by cutting through the wires.

The screen may be used with sliding as well as hinged doors and it will be appreciated that the roller screen can also be used with windows, be they of sliding or hinged type. Depending on the type of window the screen may be connected between a fixed part and a moveable part of the window so as to be automatically deployed when the window is opened, as is the case when used with a door. In the case of a window, the roller screen may be put in place by extending from its housing after the window has been opened. As a further alternative the screen may be provided as a separate security means that extends across the entire window or door opening. The screen can be applied across any aperture through which access is to be restricted. For example it can be used as a child safety gate by fixing the housing to one side of the aperture and the releasable latching system to an opposed location. Such screens are typically used across stairs.

The size of the mesh is chosen to allow the desired visibility. Safety considerations may dictate that the mesh is either larger than finger size or smaller, if this is thought to result in a safer product. If sufficiently small the mesh can act as a bar to the entry of flying insects when used to screen openings.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of inhibiting access through an aperture such as a door or window opening using a roller screen characterised in that the roller screen is fitted to, extend between a surround of the opening to be secured and an opening edge of the door or window such that the opening of the door or window causes the roller screen to extend between the surround and the edge of the door or window inhibiting access through the open space that would otherwise be created between the surround and the edge of the door or window.

A further aspect of this invention provides a method of securing a door or window opening using the afore-described roller screen.

In the case of a door, the screen may extend across the entirety of the door opening. In the case of a window, the screen may extend just across the part of the window which opens.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference-to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller screen and latching abutment according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hinged door opening and showing the roller screen according to the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a safety roller screen according to the invention comprises a housing 1, comprising a generally hollow tubular member having a longitudinal slit 3 through which a screen 5 extends. Journalled in the housing for rotation is a shaft (not illustrated) to which the screen 5 is attached. The construction of the roller screen corresponds to conventional roller blinds and incorporates a spring retraction mechanism in a conventional manner and may include the ratchet system to prevent retraction into the housing until triggered. The structural details are well known to one skilled in the art of roller blinds and are not described in further detail. However, the screen differs from known screens in that it is made from a mesh of flexible wire which gives it strength, whilst permitting air permeability, light transmission and allows it to rollup in the manner of a conventional roller blind. Steel wire is preferred, but alternative materials could be used. Most preferably each wire comprises a plurality of strands that are twisted together. It is preferred for the criss cross to be made up of laterals 5a and longitudinals 5b to aid rolling up. The leading edge of the screen is attached to a latching bar 7. The latching bar is adapted to co-operate with the latching member 9. The configuration of the latching bar and the latching member can take many forms but an arrangement is preferred which allows a secure location along the length of the latching bar at least at spaced intervals. A comb like latching arrangement is preferred and the illustrated embodiment shows the latching member comprising a shaft having a plurality of teeth 11, preferably curved to make cooperating engagement with corresponding apertures 13 disposed along the leading edge of the roller screen. The apertures are preferably formed in the latching bar 7. Alternatively they may be formed by gaps between the latching bar and the first lateral elements of the mesh, The former is preferred. The shaft can be rotated so that the teeth are engaged in the apertures 13 and are brought into contact with an abutment of the locking member 9 preventing release of the screen from the locking member. This is conveniently achieved by operating an actuating lever 15 carried by the shaft.

The housing 1 and the locking member 7 are provided with mounting means for securing the respective parts in place. The form of the mounting means will depend on the application. For a preferred application in relation to protecting the opening edge of a hinged door 31 as illustrated in Figure 2 the mounting means are arranged to stand off the housing 1 and the locking member 9 from the surface to which they are mounted so as to allow space for any existing latching arrangements 33 fitted to the edge region of the door and the door jamb 27. Thus the mounting means comprise standoff legs 17 having through holes 19 to locate with mounting stud 21. For added security it is preferred if the mounting studs 21 are fixed to a mounting plate 23 which is fitted to the outside door and door jamb. Alternatively the mounting plates can be screwed to the door and door jamb 27. Figure 2 also illustrates a preferred feature of the construction in that the screen has an opening 25 similar in size to a letterbox opening through which a potential visitor can pass identification for examination by an occupier prior to allowing access. From a consideration of Figure 2 and the accompanying description it will be apparent that the screen allows the door to be opened and closed in a normal manner, but on opening the screen extends between the door jamb and the opening edge of the door preventing access through the opening.

Other applications will be apparent. For example, it may be used for pivoted windows, sliding doors and sliding windows. Options exist for securing the housing to the door frame or window frame and the latching member to the opening edge of the window or door as the case may be, or indeed to securing the screen across the entire opening of a window or door so that the window or door can be left open without compromising the access.

Because the screen is made of strong wires it offers security and safety benefits that are not possible with existing roller blind constructions, especially when used with the releasable latching member. Depending on the application it may be beneficial to provide a key operated locking means for the latching member, especially when used as a child gate.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A roller screen comprising a screen, fixing means for the screen and wherein the screen is joumalled for rotation to permit rolling up on itself, the screen having a free edge carrying latching means which is releasably engageable with retention means, spring means for rolling up the screen, and wherein the screen comprises a see through open mesh made up of a plurality of flexible wires which permit rolling up of the screen.
2. A roller screen as claimed in claim 1 in which one edge of the screen is secured to a shaft which is joumalled for rotation relative to the fixing means.
3. A roller screen as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the screen is received within a housing when rolled up.
4. A roller screen as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the latching and retention means comprises a plurality of spaced engagement positions.
5. A roller screen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which actuation means is provided for releasing the latching means from the retention means.
6. A roller screen as claimed. in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which locking means is provided to retain the latching and retention means in engagement.
7. A roller screen as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 when fitted to a window or door opening.
8. A roller screen as claimed in claim 7 when fitted between the surround of a window or door opening and the window or door thereof.
9. A roller screen as claimed in door 8 in which the window or door is a sliding, hinged or pivoting window or door.
10. A roller screen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the screen has an aperture therein sufficiently large for a visitor's identification to be passed through and inspected.
11. A roller screen constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
12. A method of inhibiting access through a door or window opening using a roller screen, in which method a roller screen is fitted to extend between a surround of the opening to be secured and an opening edge of the door or window such that the opening of the door or window causes the roller screen to extend between the surround and the edge of the door or window thereby inhibiting access.

13 A method of inhibiting access through an opening using a roller screen as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

14 A method of inhibiting access through a door or window opening substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.