US1605150A - Fire door - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Witmaowo Nov. 2 1926 F. A. VAN HATTEN FIRE DOOR Filed Dec. lO, 1925 2 Slets-Shec-afl L;

gnuentoz Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRANCIS ANTHONY VAN I-IATTEN, F PRESTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

FIRE

DOOR.

Application filed December 10, 1925i. Serial No. 74,517.

f This invention relates to a rolling door or shutter, which is adapted to be closed automatically in case of fire.

The primary object of the invention is to support a door of this type, so that it is normally well balanced, and may be easily raised or lowered manually, while at the same time providing means adapted toV be automatically actuated in case of fire to impart to the roller an impetus which will cause the shutter to drop `immediately and quickly. i

The shutter itself is composed of inter locking steel slats, or formed in any other suitable manner, so that itwill be resistant to fire, and may be rolled up or unrolled like an ordinary curtain. p The specific construction of the invention, its mode of operation and the advantages of the same will be more fully explained in the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings: y Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the roller which supports the door or shutter.

Figure 2 is an endelevation thereof. Figure 3 is a front elevation of the shutter and the means for supporting and operating the same, parts being broken away.

Figure 4 is a central longitudinal section through one end of the roller, showing the parts in position for starting t-he shutter downwardly.

In its present embodiment, the invention comprises a shutter 5, composed of a series of slats flexibly connected together, and supported by means of suitable fixtures 6 to a roller 7 about which it is adapted to be rolled. The roller 7 -is tubular, and is se' cured at its ends to bearing members 8 and 8, and 1s also secured to an intermediate bearing member 8b, all of these bearing memf hers being rotatably mounted on a shaft 9, which is journaled in brackets 10 and 11 se# cured to the casing 12 above the opening which the shutter is adapted to close. Suit-l able ways 13 are provided for guiding the shutter in its descent.

A coiled spring 14 is mounted within the roller 7, one end of the spring being secured to the bearing member 8", and the other end being secured to a member 15, which is pinned to the shaft 9 near one end thereof.

The spring` 14 is of such length, and is normally so tensioned that when the shaft 9 is held stationary and the Vshutter rolled up,`

end thereof adjacent the bracket 10, and this disk is provided with radial holes 17, or with other suitable means for attaching a tool to rotate the shaft, so as to adjust the tension of the spring 14 as may be necessary. The disk 16 has a number a peripheral teeth 18 formed thereon, one of which is adapted to be engaged by a lug 19 formed on a latch member 20 for normally holding the shaft 9 to maintain the tension on the spring 14. The latch member 2O is pivotally mounted at 21 on the bracket 10, and its free end is held up by a lug 22 formed on a lever 23,

which is pivotally mounted at 24 on an ear.

25 projecting laterally from the bracket 10. The lever 23 has a horizontal extension 26, which carries a weight 27 which, when released, is'adapted to drop and swing the lever 23 laterally to release the latch member 20, permitting the latter to drop and release the shaft 9. The weight V27, however, is normally held up by a fusible link 28 supported by a lever 29, which is pivoted at 30 above the shutter, and carries a weight 31 which is sufficient to support the weighted end 27 of the lever 23 until the fuse 2S is melted by lire, or is otherwise disconnected for the purpose of testing the automatic operating mechanism of the shutter. A

As soon as the latch member 2O drops and i releases thedisk 16, the shaft 9 is free to rotate, and will be rotated by the tension of the spring 14. This lessens the tension of the spring 14, and releases the roller 7 to a corresponding degree. The weight of the shutter, however, is so great in comparison with the weight of the depending end that it is necessary to give it an impetus to overcome its `inertia and friction, and start it on its downward movement. For this purpose a collar 32 is secured to the shaft 9 adjacent the inner side of the bracket 10, and this collar is provided with a reduced extension lili 33 having a triple thread formed thereon. A starting nut 34 is mounted on this eXtension, and is yieldingly held against rotation, by a coiled spring 35 'which connects litto the bracket 10. The starting nut Set is formed on its inner face with a clutch member 3G adapted to frictionally engage the corresponding recess 37' formed in the adjacent end of the bearing member 8. As soon as the shaft 9 is released, therefore, and commences-to rotate under the influence of the spring` 14, the starting nut 34 quickly advances into engagement with the bearing member 9, and a. sudden impetus is imparted to the latter,and thereby to the roller 7 and the shutter carried thereby to quickly start the same on its downward movement. rhe rotational movement of the shaft 9 is limited as hereinafter described, and `as soon as it stops, or as soon as the roller 7, under the weight of the descending shutter, begins to rotate faster than the' shaft 9, the starting nut 34 rides back on the triple thread of the extension 33 and disengages itself from the bearing member 8.

The disk 16 has a reduced extension 38 formed with a single thread which carries a nut 39. A number of radial pins lO are mounted in the nut ,39, and are adapted to engage lugs 41 projecting from the face of the bracket '10 to prevent the nut 39 from rotating with the shaft 9. In setting the mechanism for operation, the nut 39 is ordinarily adjusted so that a half turn of the shaft 9 will cause said nut to engage the face of the disk 1G, and will thereby stop the rotation of the shaft. By the time the shaft has completed a Ahalf turn, however, the starting nut 34 will have engaged the bearing member 8 and started the shutter on its downward course. About two feet of the shutter will unroll before theshaft 9 comes to a stop. The weight of this, and the lessened tension of the springlt, due to this partial rotation of the shaft 9, will be sull-lcient to insure the completion of the downward movement of the shutter. At the same time, however, the descent of the shutter will partially wind up the spring 14 and increase its tension sufliciently so that any person desiring toraise the shutter in order to pass the same may easily do so.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that the descent of the door lis effected mainly by gravity upon release of the spring 14. The tension of the latter. however, when released acts upon the shaft 9 and the starting nut 34C to impart a positive downward impetus to the shutter. The use of a single spring 14- for controlling the position of the roller 7 is of especial advantage, since it has such a force'behind it when wound up to balance the shutter, that the sudden release of the same results in a quick action, and the full force of the large spring is 'utilized immediately in starting the closingl operation. rlhe shutter, as it descends, "winds up the spring, thereby checking` the shutter toward the end of its movement, so that no door checks 0r brakes of any kind are required. 'lt' is to be noted that there is no coinplicated arrangement of cams, gears and ratchet wheels necessary to operate the shutter, but on the contrary it :is operated smoothly and positively by the simplest arrangement of screws and nuts.

lVhile l Ahave shown and described specifi cally the form of the invention which is at present preferred, it is obvious that many modifications may be made in the structure and relative arrangement of the various parts thereof without any material departure fromv the salienty features of the invention as expressed in the claims.

That is claimed is:

l. ln. combination, a shaft mounted for rotation, a roller rotatably mounted on tlie shaft, a shutter nionnted on said roller, a spring connecting the shaft and the roller and tensioned so as to balance the shutter as long as the shaft remains stationary, releasable means normally holding the shaft against rotation, a starting member near the end of the roller and having a threaded connection with the shaft, and a relatively small spring holding said starting member yieldingly against rotation, said shaft, when released, being rotatable under the influence of the largery spring so as. to advance the starting member into frictional engagement with the end of the roller and thereby impart an impetus to the roller to unroll the shutter.y

2. In combination, a shaft mounted for rotation, a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, a shutter mounted on said roller, a spring connecting the shaft and the roller and tensioned so as to balance the shutter as long as the shaft remains stationary, a latch member normally holding the shaft against rotation, a starting member near the end of the roller and having a threaded connection with the shaft, a relatively small spring holding said startingmember yieldingly against rotation, said shaft, when the latch is tripped, being rotatable under the influence of the larger spring so as to advance the startingmember into frictional contact with the end of the roller and im part an impetus thereto to unroll the shutter, and means for positively stopping the rotation of the shaft shortly after the starting member engages the roller.

3. ln combination, a shaft mounted for rotation, a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, a' shutter mounted on said roller. means, including a latch and a spring held under tension thereby, to balance the shutter and hold the shaft stationary, but operable, when the latch is tripped, to rotate the shaft,

nection with the shaft near the end of the roller and operable, when the shaft is rotated, to frietionally engage the end of the roller and impart an impetus thereto to unroll the shutter, a nut havinga threaded connection with the shaft and positively held against rotation therewith, and an abutment against which the nut is drawn by the rotation of said shaft to positively stop the latter after it is rotated through a predetermined angle.

l. In combination, a shaft mounted for rotation, a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, a shutter mounted on said roller, re leasable means normally holding the -shaft and the roller stationary, said means being operable, as soon as released, to start the rotation of the shaft, a starting member having a threaded connection with the shaft near the end of the roller and yieldingly held against rotation, when the shaft is rotated, until it frictionally engages the end of the roller and imparts an impetus thereto to unroll the shutter, a nut having a threaded eonnectionwith the shaft and positively held against rotation therewith, and an abutment against which the nut is drawn by the rotation of said shaft to positively stop the latter after a predetermined rotation thereof.

5. In combination, a-` shaft mounted. for rotation, a roller rotatably mounted on the shaft, a shutter mounted on said roller, a spring connecting the shaft and the roller and tensioned so as to balance the shutter as long as the shaft remains stationary, releasable means normally holdingv the shaft against rotation, a starting member near the end of the roller and having a threaded connection with the shaft, means yieldably holding said starting member against rotation, said shaft, when released, being rotatably under the influence of said spring to advance the starting member into frictional engagement with the end of the roller and impart an impetus thereto to unroll the shutter, a nut having a threaded connection with the shaft and positively held against rotation therewith, and an abutment against which the nut is drawn by the rotation of said shaft to positively stop the latter after a predetermined rotation thereof. y

In testimony that I claim the foregoing` as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

FRANCIS ANTHONY vAN HATTEN.

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