US1617438A - Automatic fire shutter - Google Patents

Description

F eb. 15,1927.

w. E. DUNCANSON AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER I Filed Feb. v, 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 1 I .INVENTOR Mu 75/? f. 00/VC/l/VJO/V. I

. w. E. DUNCANSON I AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER v Filed Feb. 7 1925 S SheBts-Shet 2 '/2 BY I 24 I ATTy RNEYs 8 L, v

Feb. 15, 1927.

w. E. DUNCANSON AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER Filed Feb. 7, 1925' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTQR A RNEQY Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

tense WALTER n. DIlNCANSGN or NEW,YOR-K, N. Y., essrc-iioaro rrrn' J. G. w'ILsoN colaroR rIoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A coRroRA'rIoN or vrneilvma AUTOMATIC FIRE snowman.

Application filed February 7 1925. Serial No. 7,513.

This invention relates to automatic fire resisting screens or shutters of the type in which the screen is arranged to be coiled up on and uncoiled from a rotary roller and 'is normally maintained in coiled up condition within a protecting housing. In shutters of this type the shutter is automatically released and caused to uncoil from the roller to close the opening adjacent to which it is installed upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature.

It is highly desirable in fire shutters of this type that th'econtrolling and actuating mechanism therefor, shall be so constructed that the shutter may be tripped manually to cause the shutter to descend and close the opening and thereafter may be again coiled up on the roller in testing the opera tion of the shutter. Shutters of this type have heretofore been constructed so that they may be tripped manually. In coiling up the shutter after testing the same, it is desirable that after setting the shutter holding mechanism the operator should be able to raise the shutter part way While standing on the floor of the building and then, to complete the raising of the shutter while standing on the sill of the window or on any other suitable elevated support. This makes it highly important that some means shall be provided for holding the shutter in any partially raised position" during the manual raising operation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of coiling fire shutters of the type above described and to provide such shutters with new and improved operating and controlling mechanisms which will hold the shutter normally in open position in a reliable manner, which may be readily released automatically upon the occurrence of r a dangerous rise of temperature or manually for the purpose of testing the operation and which will hold the shutter effectively in partially raised position during the manual raising of the same.

In certain shutters of this type heretofore constructed the shutter acquires a great deal of momentum during its descent. The result isthat considerable force is required to stop the shutter when it reaches a closed position and this results in heavy strains on the parts and in the production of large amount of noise and vibration..- To avoid thls undesirable result shutters of this type have been providedwith means for retardmg the downward movement of the shutter.

The means heretofore devised however, for this purpose, has been such as to retard also the upward movement of the shutter and this greatly increases the labor required and the diiliculties involved in coiling up the particularly pointed out in the claims, the

advantages of whichwill be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention willbe clearly understood from the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein. shown.

In the drawings-- Fig. 1 IS a view in vertical section of" a shutter embodying the invention, this view I being taken substantially on. the line 11 of Fig. 2; a

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with certain parts broken away of the mechanism tially on the line 5-95 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the structure at one end of the roller;

and v I Fig. 6 isa view in horizontal section taken substantially on. the line 66 of Fig. 1.

The ceiling? shutter embodied in the pram ent construction may be of any suitable or well known type such as that made up of in case of fire.

able bearing in the shutter frame.

jointed metallic slats and is illustrated dia 'thegshutter is coiled, the inner'margin of the shutter being secured to these supports.

The outer margin of the shutter comprises plates 12 attached to one of the slats and carrying at their lower ends an angle bar 14:. The ends of the shutter slide in channels in channel bars 16 located at the opposite sides of the door opening.

The barrel 9 is actedupon by coiled springs (not shown) which partmllycounterbalance the weight of the shutter. WV hen the shaft is releasechhowever, the weight of the shutter will cause the shutter, when open, to move toward closed-position against the tension of the springs. In order to increase the force tending to close the shutter during the first part of the closing movement thereof, a weight bar 18 is mounted with its ends engaging in guides in channel bars 20 to slide vertically in a direction parallelwith the shutter, the channel bars 20 being located -.at opposite sides of the door opening, as

shown in Figure 6. The angle bar 14 on the lower end of the shutter projects across the path of movement of the weight bar 18,

so that the weight bar is adapted to act upon $0 the shutter duringa part of the movement thereof. T'Vhen" the shutter is completely Iop'en. the weight bar restsupon the angle bar 14;, as'shown in Figure 1, and is sup.

ported thereby. Thus, when the shutter is released, the shutter will be acted upon by its own overbalancin'g weight and also by the weight of the bar 18. V

If thebar 18 continues to act on the shutter until the shutter reaches closed position, the shutterwill end its movement with a violent impact or stop, which is, of course. undesirable. Furthermore, the bar 1.8, if

acting on the shutter when the shutter is closed, will make it particularly difiicult for anyone who 1s trapped in a building by the closing of the shutter, to raise the shutter manually and escape. To avoid these results,

i the movement of thebar 18 with the shutter 'isarrested before the shutter reaches closed position by meansof a pair of bolts 22- extending across the respective channel bars 20. The engagement oft-he ends of the bar witlrthese bolts stops the movement of the bar'and the shutter continues it-smovement to closed position.

The shutter is held in fully opened position by means of shutter latches which engage the ends of the angle bar 14. Thesea member attached'to a rock shaft 28, the

latches being acted upon by coiled springs 30- which tend to advance the same into operating position. The latches arev each providcd with inclined faces 32 arranged to be engaged by the bar 18 and the angle bar 14 to, cause the retraction of the latches as the shutter is raised. The rock shaft 28 is mounted in bearings in supports 34 attached to the frame of the shutter mechanism and to one end of the shaft is secured an arm 36 to which is attached the mechanism for holding the latch normally in operating position. This mechanism comprises chains 38 and 40 which are connected by a fusible link 4:2. The chain 40 passes about guide pulleys M and through the tubular element 48 mounted in the wall 6 and extending from the exterior to the interior of the building. On the interior of the building the chain passes about a guide pulley 50 .and is'attached at its end to a hook 52. Thus the, chain 40 is attached at a fixed point remote from the shutter latches within the building, where it may be conveniently released in testing the operation of the shutter mechanism.

Figure 30f the drawings shows the positions of the parts as the shutter is being raised, just before'the bar 18 engages the latches, and Figure 1 shows in full lines, the pos1t1ons of the parts when the shutter 1S in fully open position. Figure 1 shows in dot and dash lines and Figure & shows in full lines, the position of the parts just after the latches are released.

The latches 24 of course, will hold the shutteronly. in fully opened position. 1 order to hold the shutter in partly opened position while it is "being rais'ed'n' anually, a latch mechanism is provided which acts on the shaft 8.

To this end'the disk 53 at one end of the shaft is provided with a series of radially projecting teeth 5% which are arranged. to be engaged by a pawl 56 pivoted on a lever 60. The lever 60 is pivoted at 61 I of the lever 60. The pawl 56 is free to turn on the lever 60 the pawlis engaged by the teeth 5d during'the raising of the-shut ter so that thepawl does not obstruct the rotation of the shaft 8. The turning movement of the'pawl in the opposite direction,

however, is limited by means of a pin 68 secured in the lever 60, so that the pawl will prevent the-rotation of the shaft 8 in a direction to cause the lowering of the shutter.

lVhen the shutter approaches its completely opened position, the lever is engaged by a pin secured to the plate 12 which swings the lever out of operating position as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Thus the lever 60 and pawl 56 will act to prevent the downward movement of the shutter while it is .being opened manually until the shutter is adjacent its fully opened position. The lever 60 and pawl 56 are then thrown mitof operation by the upward movement of the shutter and the shutter is held in fully opened position only by the action of the latches 24.

hen the link .42 fuses or the chain 40 is released from the hook 52 the arm 36 is released and the arms 26 with the latches 24 swing downwardly to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 4, under the weight of the shutter and the bar 18. This slackens the chain 62 and relieves the tension on the spring 66 so that the lever 60 and the pawl 56 remain in the positions shown in Figures 1. and 4, until the shutter is again raised, the lever 60 being somewhat overbalanced on its outer arm. The lever 60 is swung back to the position shown in Figure 3 when the latches 24 are reset in the posit-ion shown in this figure by the pull exerted upon the chain ('32 and the spring 66, the spring 66 then yi ldingly holding the lever in position.

In order to retard the downward movement of the shutter so that the shutter will not come to the end of its movement with great violence, an escapement mechanism is provided to act on'the shaft 8 as the shutter descends. This escapement mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 72 mounted to turn loosely on the shaft 8 and to be rotated with the shaft during the downward movement of the shutter by meansof a pawl 74 pivoted on the disk 53 and arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. This connection between the disk and the ratchet wheel enables the disk and shaft 8 to turn freely without rotating the ratchet. wheel as the shutter is raised. The rotation of the ratchet wheel 72 with the shaft 8 during the downrard movement of the shutter is retarded by mechanism comprising pawls 76 and 78 secured rigidly together and pivoted upon a stud 80 mounted in the frame of the shut ter mechanism. To the pawls 76 and 78 is secured a depending arm 82 arranged to swing across the axis of the shaft 8 and having a weight 84 adjustably secured to the lower end thereof. This arm is provided at an intermediate point therein with an elongated opening 86 in which the shaft 8 is engaged.

As the ratchet wheel 72is rotated in a clockwise direction, Figure 4, during the downward movement of the shutter, the rotation-of the wheel is retarded first by one of the pawls 76 and 78 and then by the, other pawl, the pawls being oscillated about the stud 80, during this operation. The oscilla-fl tion of the pawls swings the arm 82 back and forth across the axis of the shaft 8, the

dom at this time. 'Figure 3 shows the posi-' tions of the parts of the'retarding mechanism as the shutter is being raised, the pawl 74 clicking over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 72 as the disk 53 is rotated.

Tn resetting the shutter mechanism after the link 42 is fused the chain 40 is preferably released from thehook 52 to enable a new link readily to be inserted between the chain 40 and the chain 38. The mechanism may then be reset by restoring the chain 40 to the hook 52. In resetting the mechanism after testing it is only necessary to replace the chain 40 on said hook. In either case, the resetting operation swingsthe arm 86 downwardly into the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 3 and swings the arms 26 and the latches 24 upwardly into the positions shown in full lines in these figures. As the arm 36 is swung downs wardly. into the positionshown in these figures, the pull on thechain 62 will restore the lever 60 to operating position, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, this lever will be in position to prevent the downward movement of the shutter while the shutter is being raised manually. hen the shutter is completely raised, however, this lever will be swung out of operating position into the position shown in Figures 1 and 4 as stated above.

As the shutter is raised, the angle iron 14 will pick up the weight bar from the bolts 22 as the iron reaches said bar and as the shutter continues its upward movement, the bar 18 engages the inclined faces 32 of the .latches 24 and forces back the latches in the I guideways in-arms 26 until the bar and angle iron have passed the latches. The latches will then spring forwardly into operating position as shown in Figure 1.

' As shown in Figures 1 and 3, one of the side flanges on each of the channel members 16 is bent laterally as indicated at 88, over the upper end of the adjacent channel member 20in which the weight 18 slides. This wi'll prevent the weight 18 from being removed from the guides 20 by lifting/the weight out of the upper ends of the guides.

'The weight 18 is made of suflicient Width and is arranged to fit sufficiently close at its ends to the adjacent walls of the channel members 20 to prevent one end of the weight 7 from beinglifted above the other end of the weight into a position such that the weight may be removed laterally from the channel members. v

It is to be notedthat in the present constructionthe guides 20 for the ends of the weight bar 18 are located outside of the channel bars 16 in which the lateral edges of the shutter engage.

The latches 2% constitute shutterlatches acting on the shutter as distinguished from the latches acting on the roller-upon which the shutter is rolled, the latches 2% acting to hold the shutter in'its' fully raised position.

. The lever 60, together withthe pawl 56 constitute a roller latch acting on the devices upon which the shutter is rolled to hold the shutter in partially raised position, this latch being'thrown out of operation when the I shutter is fully raised. By the co-operative action of these latches, the shutter will be heldin fully raised position so that it may be released, either manually to test the same, or upon the occurrence of an abnormal rise in temperature and willbe held in partially raised position'while it is being raised 7 manually. I

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature. and object of the invention and having specifically described amechanism embodying the invention in its preferred form, What is claimed 1. An automaticfire shutter mechanism having in" combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a shutter latch for engaging the shutter to latch the same in open position, and means for holding the V latch in shutter latching position comprising a. fusible element arranged to be operated manually to release theshutter and to be operated automatically to release the shutter by the fusing of said element.

2. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havingfin combination. a movable shutter constructed; and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a pivoted shutter latch for engaging beneath the shutter when fully raised to latch the same in open position, 1 and means for holding the latch in shutter latching position comprising arfusible ele- 'ment arranged to be operated manually to release the shutter and to be operated automatically to release the shutteijby the fusing of said element. a

An automatic fire shutter mechansm having in combination a movable shutter COllStl'llQLGd and arranged for movement across a wall 0pen1ng,1neans inoperaa roller latch for holding the shutter from' dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging the shutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, and means forrendering both latches inoperative to allow the shut ter to descend.

5. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexible shutter constru'ted and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a roller on whichtheshutter may be coiled and form which it may be' uncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding the shutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging the shutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwing out the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, and fusible means for releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise intemperature.

6. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a. flexible shutter constructed, and arranged for movement across a-Wall opening, a roller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it may be uncoiled to open and close'thelopening, a roller latch for holding the shutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging the shutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwing out the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, fusible 'means for releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, and common means for resetting both latches.

7. An automatic fire shutt r mechanism having in combination a flexible shutter constructed and arranged. for movement across a wall opening, a roller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it maybe 'uncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding the shutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engagingthe shutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means forthrowing out the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, and fusible means for releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, and for causing the continued release of the first latch as th shutter falls. r

8. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexible shutterconstructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a roller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it maybe uncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding the shutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging the shutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwing out the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, fusible means for releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, and for causing the con-' tinned release of the first latch as the shut ter falls, and common means for resetting both of said latches.

9. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in. combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, means for holding the shutter normally in open position compr1sing an element fusible upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, ,and'independent means unaffected by the upward movement of the shutter arranged to retard the downward movement of the shutter whenever said holding means is released.

10. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination. a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, means for holdingthe shutter normallyin open position comprising an element fusible upon the occurrence .of a dangerous rise in temperature, and independent meansarranged to retard the downward movement of the shutter whenever said holding mean's is released and fur.- nishing substantially no resistance to the lifting of the shutter.

11. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, means for holding the shutter normally in .open position comprising an element fusible upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, independent means arranged to retard the downward movement of the shutter whenever the shutter is released, and a ratchet mechanism connecting the shutter with said retarding means. whereby the retarding means will be set in operation upon each release of the shutter and will be ineffective when the shutter is raised.

12. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexible shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a roller upon which the shutter may be coiled up and from which it may be uncoi led, a device mounted to rotate loosely about the axis of the shutter roller, a retarding mechanism arranged to act on the same, a .second'device secured to the shutter roller to rotate therewith, a latch for engaging the latter device to hold the,

same from rotation in one direction, ,a

ratchet connecting said devices to cause the former to rotate with the latter when the shutter descends, said ratchet allowing the former device to remain stationary when the shutter is raised.

13. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, latching means for holding the shutter in fully opened position,

latching means for holding the shutter in partially opened position, and means for throwing out the latter latching; means when the shutteris fully opened. 1 I i 14.. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement.

across a wall opening, latching means for holding the shutter in fully opened position, latching means for holding the shutter in partially opened position, and 'means for throwing out the latter latching means when the shutter isfully opened and for maintaining it out of operation when theshutter is released.

15. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having incombination a flexible shutter, constnucted and arranged for movement across a wall opening, a roller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it may be .un- I 16. An automatic fire shutter mechanism' across a wall opening, a holding'device'for holding the shutter against downward move ment and .means operated by the upward movement of the shutter for'releasing said holding device.

17. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, rotatable devices upon which the shutter may be. rolled, a member rotatable with relation to said devices, means for connecting said member for rotation with said devices during each downward movement of the shutter, arranged to allow said devices to rotate inclependently of said member during the raisingof. the shutter and ineansfor holding said member from movement while connected with said devices to maintain the shutter in raised position.

18. An automat c fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed "and arranged for movement across a wall opening, rotary devices upon which the shutter may be rolled, a retarding device for retarding the downward move- '7 ment of the shutter, comprising a swinging adjustably mounted on said arm.

arm,-pawls rigidly connected with said arm,

a toothed'wheel arranged to be engaged by ing mechanism for retarding the downward movement of the shutter, comprising a swlngng arm, pawls mounted on sald arm, a toothed wheel arranged to be engaged by said pawls, means for connecting saidwheel for rotation with said devices and a weight 7 20. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havlng in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement; across'a wall opening, rotatable devices upon '7 Y which the shutter may be rolled and retard thereof.

ing, devices for retarding the downward move'ment of the shutter, means by which the retarding devices may be adjusted to increase or diminish the retarding action 21. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havin in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, rotatable devices upon which the shutter may be rolled, a'retarding mechanism' for retarding the downward movement of the shutter comprising a swinging arm, pawls mounted on said arm, a toothed wheel arranged to be engaged by said "pawls, means forfconnecting said'wheel for rotation with said devices, and means 1 7 independent of said arm for holding the shutter in raised position.

22. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter shutter and means for holding said member from movement while connected with said devices to maintain the shutter'in raised position comprising a device-fusible upon the occurrence of a d'angerous'rise in tem-' perature. g

23. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, means for holding the shutter normally in open position arranged to be actuated to release the shutter upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature, and independent means for retarding the downward movement of the shutter whenever said holding means is released. V i

24. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, means for retarding the downward movement of the shutter, comprising an oscillatory weighted arm, means moving with the shutter as'the shutter descends for oscillating said arm, and means independent' of said arm for holding the shutter from descending,

25. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, retarding mechanism for retarding intermittently the downward movement of the shutter, and means independent of said retarding mechanism for holding the shutter from descending.

Signed at New York, this 6th day of: February, 1925.

WALTER E. nnnoanson.

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