US1256915A - Fire door or shutter. - Google Patents

Description

E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLlCAllON FILED NOV. 26. M3.

1,256,915. Patented Feb.19,1918.

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FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV. 26, 1913.

1 ,256 9 1 5 Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

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FIRE DOOR OR SHUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26. 191 3.

1,256,915. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

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E. H. McCLOUD.

FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLICATION HLED NOV-26,1913.

' Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

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E. H. McCLOUD. FIRE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

APPLICATION EILED.NOV. 26. I913- 514 0c whoa EdwamZHM Cloud Patented Feb. 19,1918.

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EDWARD H. IMOGLOUD, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE KINNE MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPDRATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

FE DOOR 0R SHUTTER.

To all whom e't-may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MoQLoUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Frankl n and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in F1re Doors o r Shutters, of which the followmg 1s a spec1- fication.

The objectof thi invention is to rovide improved means for manually an automatically operating doors or shutters particularly fire doors of the rolling type and including a flexible closlng curtain.

Parts of the invention, however, may be useful in connection with other types of doors or shutters.

The invention is embod1ed in the examples herein shown and descrlbed, the features of novelty being defined in the clanns appended to the description.

In the accompanying drawmgs Figure 1 is a front elevation of one side of the construction.

Fig. 2 is an-edge view.

Fig. 3 is a front view on a larger scale, but broken out horizontally, and showing some details in section.

Fig. 4 is a front v1ew on a larger scale of the mechanism for automatically closing the door.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line m-m Fig. 4 looking down.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line yy Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a modlfication of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line .e-z Fig. 7

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are rear s1de and sectional views respectively of the controller or governor for the means for automatlcally closing the door.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are top, rear, s1de and vertical sectional views respectively of a modification of the controller or governor for the means for automatically closing the door.

In the views 15 designates the flexible closing member which is ordinarily constructed of jointed slats and 16 the drum or barrel to which the curtain is suitably attached, said drum or barrel being supported in suitable end brackets 17. The curtain slides at its vertical edges in suitable guides or channels 18 at the opposite sides of the Specification of Letters I'atent.

I Application filed November 26, 1913. Serial No. 803,141.

Fatented Feb. 119, 1913.

door way. The barrel contains a spring 16 suitably connected with one bracket 17 and the barrel, as usual, for counterbalancing the weight of the curtain to make it easier of normal or-manual operation. 19 is a shaft fixed in the opposite end of the barrel and on this shaft, in the instance shown, is fixed a spur gear 20- engaged by a pinion 21 on a stud 22 fixed in the bracket, said stud also having a miter gear 23. Mounted at that side of the doorway where is located the miter gear 23 is a vertical or upright shaft 24 having at its upper end a miter gear 24 engaging the said miter gear 23. Inclosmg the lower end of the vertical shaft 24 and mechanism thereon is a box or case 25 having a removable cover. Pinned on the lower end of the shaft within the box 25 is a crown bevel gear 26 engaged by a bevel pinion 27 having a concentric spur gear extension 28. The bevel pinion and spur gear extension are conveniently formed as one casting, and they are journaled between a stud 29 and a bracket 30 secured within the box 25. The spur gear 28 is engaged and driven by a spur pinion 31 on a shaft 32 which can project at one or both ends through the box and can be turned by manual power through a handled crank 33 applied at either or both ends of the shaft (see Figs. 1 and 2).

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the lower end of the shaft 24 within the box freely supports to turn on the shaft a spur lgear 34 having its upper side provided wit clutch teeth 35, and below said member on said shaft is supported a winch collar 36 also free to turn on the shaft and between and to said members 34 and 36 is secured a strong coil sprin 37. Of course, the shaft can also turn within thespur gear 35 and winch collar 36.

Secured within the box is a cylindrical reservoir 38 having a contracted opening 38 at its lower end and containing a plun er head 39 fitting therein. Said head 39. as fixed thereto a screw 40 threaded through a U-shaped head piece 41 secured by a boltto the upper end of the reservoir. Be-

tween the parallel horizontal portions of the U-shaped head and axially threaded to turn on the screw is a pinion 42. This pinion is engaged bythe spur gear 34 so that if the spur gear be turned by the released tension of the spring the spur gear will tend to turn the pinion 42 on the screw 40 and drive the screw and its plunger head 39 downward. But normally the descent of the plunger head is opposed y a fillin of sand 43 held within the'lower end of t e reservoir 38- below the plunger head by means of a closure 44 on a lever 45 fulcrumed at 46 and held up to close the opening at the lower end of the reservoir by means of a wire 47 running upwardthrough the box 25 over a pulley 48 across and in front of the upper portion of the door to the opposite bracket 17 where it is made fast, as seen at 17 The wire 47 contains one or more links, as at 47", fusible by a dangerous rise of temperature, such as may be caused by incipient confiagration, so that in such event the wire 47 is sundered and the lever 45 released to permit the discharge of the sand.

In practice the spring 37 is kept normally wound up and under -tension ready to function as hereinafter explained. The spring 37 is wound up after the plunger head 39 has been elevated and the reservoir below said head filled and closed by stretching and properly connecting the wire 47 as described. After this a winch bar (not shown) applied to one of the holes 36 in the rim of the winch collar affords a convenient means for turning up the spring to the proper tension to drive down the curtain. A short pin 48 inserted in one of the holes of the winch collar and abutting against a lug 49 on the box holds the spring from unwinding at its lower end and the resistance of the sand in the reservoir restrains the spring at its upper end until released by the melting of a fusible link.

Still referring to the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the vertical shaft 24 is provided between the bracket 30 and spur gear 34 with a sliding clutch member 50 splined to the shaft so that it shall rotate with the shaft. This clutch member 50. is provided with teeth 51 to engage the teeth 35 of the spur-gear-clutch-member 34-35, but said clutch member 50 is normally held up disengaged from the spur-gear-clutChmember.34-35 by a bifurcate lever 52 fulcrumed at 52, said bifurcate lever being supported in elevated position by the wire 47. The arms of the bifurcate lever 52 are provided with small roller bearings 54 pressing against the lower side of an angular flange 50 projecting from the clutch member 50 so that said clutch member can turn with the shaft 24 when the latter is turned either in manual or automatic operation. The upper side of-the clutch meinber is provided with a coil spring 55 abutting at 'its upper end against the bracket 30 and tendlng to press the clutch member 50 downwardso as to insure its engagement with the companion spur-gear-clutch-member 34-35 when the fusible link of the wire 47 is melted. The

wire 47 between the bifurcate lever 52 and the lever 45 is provided with a coil spring '47 tocompensate for inexactness in the length of the portion of said wire connecting said levers to insure a thorough closing of the discharging aperture of the sand reservo1r.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a modification jacent ends of the teethof the gear and the pinion be beveled to insure their engagement when the fusible link of thewire 47 is melted. In this modification a different arrangement of the sand reservoir is shown, it being arranged in line with the axis of the coil spring. The two constructions are, however, essentially the same.

' In Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is shown a modification in the sand reservoir. In this instance the screw instead of turning in the piston or plunger head can be fixed with said head,

loose on the screw so that the plunger head is moved by turning the pinion as will be well understood.

The operation is as follows: The counterbalance spring 16 balances the door for normal manual operation, said operation being effected by turning one of the handled crank arms 33 at the box. By turning one of said crank arms the shaft 24 is turned and the and With this construction the pinion 42 is curtain carrying barrel rotated and the curtain wound or unwound according to the direction the crank is turned. The spring 37 does not interfere with the manual operation when the door is set for automatic operation. For manual operation the clutch at 35--51 for automatic operation should be kept disengaged.

Assuming that the curtain is up and the spring 37 wound up and the apparatus set for automatic operation as described said spring, upon the'melting of the link in the wire 47, as by the occurrence of fire, will rotate, subject to the control of the governor, the shaft 24 through the clutch 50 or its functional homologue and thus cause the curtain automatically ,to descend and close.

a In this descending or closing operation the speed of the curtain is also retarded by frictional engagement of the pinion 42 or 42 with the head piece above, said pinion being forced by the reaction of the screw against said head piece. Because the friction thus generated varies with the speed of the descending curtain or increases with the closing of the door or shutter,

acceleration thereof there is provided an effective brake automatically adapted to the speed of the curtain for regulating and controlling its descent.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the door is shown as arranged on the face of a wall but the invention can be built into a wall and be largely concealed under plaster, but when the c011, gearing and vertical shaft-are under plaster the cover of the box is left flush with the wall so that it can be removed to afford access to the parts without damage to the plaster.

A fluent material other than sand can be used in the controller, but sand is advantageous because it does not requ re close shop work and packing as where a l1qu1d is used. Furthermore sand is not subject to climatic conditions, such as cold to freeze, and it does not corrode the parts.

The forms and proportions of the parts can be changed in respects other than those particularly described without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain,'a horizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operably geared to the. horizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing said tension member being normally disconnected from said upright shaft, means for operatively connecting said tension member to said upright shaft, and thermally controlled means for holding said tension member disconnected from said upright shaft.

2. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a horizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operably geared to the horizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing the closin of the door or shutter, said tension mem er being normally disconnected from said upright shaft, means for operatively connecting said tension member to said upright shaft, thermally controlled means for holding said tensioned member disconnected from said upright shaft, and means for automatically controlling the action of said tension member on said upright shaft.

3. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a horizontal member on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operably geared to said horizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing the closing of the door or shutter, said tension member being normally disconnected from said'upright shaft, clutching devices for operatively connecting said tension member to said shaft, and thermally controlled means for holding said clutching devices disengaged.

4. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a horizontalmember on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operatively geared to said horizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing the closin of the door or shutter, said tension mem er being normally disconnected on which the same is wound, an upright shaft operatively geared to said horizontal member, means for manually operating said upright shaft, a tension member for causing the closin of the door or shutter, said tension mem er being normally disconnected from said upright shaft, means for operati'vely connecting said tension member to said shaft, thermally controlled means for holding said tension member disengaged from said shaft, and a governor or controller for said tension member actuatable by the tension member through said shaft when the same is operatively connected with said shaft.

6. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a member carrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared to said carrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension member for causing the closing of the door or shutter, said tension member being normally disconnected from said upright shaft, a governor or controller for regulating the operation of the same, and thermally controlled means for releasing said tension member to actuate the curtain.

7. A fire door or shutter comprising, in combination, a curtain, a member carrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared to said carrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension member for causing the closing of the door or shutter, said tension member being normally disconnected from said upright shaft, a governor or controller for regulating the operation of the same and thermally controlled means for releasing said tension member to actuate the curtain through said shaft.

8. A fire door or shutter comprising in combination, a curtain, a member carrying the same, a shaft standing at an angle to and geared to said carrying member for manually actuating the same, a tension member for causing the closing of the door or shutdisconnected from said upright s aft, a governor or controller for regulating the operation of the same, a casing having a removable cover inclosing said tension member and the controller or governor and thermally controlled means for releasing said tension member to actuate the curtain through said shaft. I

9. The combination with a fire door or shutter, of a governor or controller for regulating the operation of the door or shutter,

' having a discharge outlet, a closure for said outlet and thermally controlled means for holding said closure in position to prevent the discharge of the granular material,

EDWARD H. MoCLOUD.

Witnesses:

ANNA TERESA KING, ALBERT A. RUsn.

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