WO1999031343A1

WO1999031343A1 - A modular retractable lattice

Info

Publication number: WO1999031343A1
Application number: PCT/IL1998/000597
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chaim Rosenfeld
Original assignee: Chaim Rosenfeld
Priority date: 1997-12-18
Filing date: 1998-12-07
Publication date: 1999-06-24
Also published as: AU1503699A; IL122646A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a lattice grill (10) for a door or a window. The invention provides a lattice (10) which when deployed bars access through a building opening (12), and when folded exposes the opening (12) almost completely, the lattice (10) being of a type which can be readily adapted during construction to suit the size of the particular opening (12) to be protected. The invention provides a modular retractable lattice assembly (10) that comprises a plurality of rods (22a, 22b), guides (14, 16), and links (28, 48, 51) to be assembled on site.

Description

A MODULAR RETRACTABLE LATTICE

The present invention relates to a lattice grill for a door or a window. More particularly, the invention provides a lattice which when deployed bars access through a building opening, and when folded exposes said opening almost completely, the lattice being of a type which can be readily adapted during construction to suit the size of the particular opening to be protected.

Window bars and steel doors are commonly used to deny access to unauthorized persons. Fixed window bars are a common sight at the lower floors of buildings, and are also used on higher floors to prevent falling accidents.

Shop windows provide a tempting target for thieves, who are known to deliberately break the glass, usually when the shop is closed, even if thereby setting off an alarm, and steal displayed goods and depart therewith before the arrival of the shop owner or of the police. A fixed steel grill is unsuitable for the protection of window displays, as such a grill detracts from or prevents prospective buyers from viewing the goods which the shop owner wishes to present in the most attractive manner possible. The steel roller shutter provides good protection to a shop window when down, but in this state completely prevents shoppers from viewing displayed goods. To open the steel slat assembly, the shutter is raised and rolled onto an upper reel, an action requiring considerable effort. Shutters of this type are adapted for use for garages, and are provided with a drive mechanism powered by an electric motor, typically Vi horsepower.

Easier to operate is the common scissors-like linkage which is extended and retracted in a horizontal direction. A commercially available example of this type of grill is made by TARLIDOR, Rosh Haayin, Israel. The vertical bars are interconnected by large numbers of small nylon link bars, which are oriented at about 45 degrees to the horizontal when the grill is deployed and about 70 degrees when folded. This grill is primarily intended for use on wide door openings. Its major drawback is that it still blocks about half the opening when opened, causing difficulties when furniture is to be moved therethrough.

The effort needed for operation is moderate. When deployed on a shop window, shoppers still retain some view of the displayed merchandise. When retracted a substantial part of the window display is obstructed from sight. Furthermore, such grill is relatively expensive and requires skilled workers for installing.

Whether fixed or retractable, protective shutters and lattices are generally not available from stock, due to the size differences prevailing in building openings. Protective grills are commonly specially made to order and installed on an individual basis. Needless to say, the cost of such frameworks is high, as even though some components can be mass produced, assembly is done one at a time. The user must order a pre-assembled unit, and installation on site usually requires the services of a contractor or that of the manufacturer. Bearing in mind this state of the art, it is now one of the objects of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages of prior-art building protection grills and to provide a modular lattice which is readily adaptable to building apertures of different sizes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retractable lattice which can be manually deployed and folded with the application of only moderate physical effort, thus not requiring connection to a power source.

It is not yet a further object of the present invention to provide a knockdown assembly which could be mounted easily by unskilled workers.

The present invention achieves the above objects by providing a modular retractable lattice assembly for protection of a building opening of a door or window, and allowing unrestricted access to said opening when folded, comprising:

a) an upper and a lower guide channel adapted for attachment to a building wall and with means at one extremity of said channels for gripping an end of said lattice; b)vertical rods insertable in spacer tubes, an extremity of the highest and of the lowest of said spacer tubes inserted around alternate vertical rods being guided by said channels; and c)horizontal link bars having an aperture at both extremities for insertion between spacer tubes and for linking adjacent vertical rods, said link bars being free to swivel around the axis of said vertical rods. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a modular retractable lattice wherein at least one of said horizontal link bars on each vertical rod has an aperture at both extremities sufficiently long to provide guidance to said vertical rods and thus to maintain the axes of said rods in vertical parallel alignment.

In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a do-it-yourself assembly kit for a modular lattice comprising:

a)two guide channels, provided at one extremity with lattice gripping means and with fasteners for wall attachment; b)a plurality of vertical guide rods; c)a plurality of spacer tubes; d)a plurality of horizontal link bars; e)at least one friction-reducing foot; and f) assembly instructions.

Yet further embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter.

In U.S. Patent No. 4,644,721 there is described and claimed a fastener system and method of using a fastener for removably securing bar grills in window and door frames. The grill, when removed, needs to be lifted out manually, which obviously limits such grill to the protection of moderate size openings. In contradistinction thereto, the present invention is self supporting whether deployed or retracted, and can thus be used in the large sizes required for shop windows.

It will be realized that the novel lattice of the present invention serves to eliminate the need for specially manufactured window and door protection. It is to be assumed that the workman installing such an item is equipped with means such as a metal-cutting hacksaw to cut to length those items, such as the guide channels and the vertical rods, if necessary. Such cutting can however be avoided where the guide channels and the vertical rods are manufactured and marketed in a few different standard sizes, as the lattice of the present invention can be somewhat larger than the opening which it protects.

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent by example preferred embodiments of the invention. Structural details are shown only as far as necessary for a fundamental understanding thereof. The described examples, together with the drawings, will make apparent to those skilled in the art how further forms of the invention may be realized.

In the Drawings:

FIG. la is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the lattice as deployed, according to the invention;

FIG. lb is a perspective view of the same embodiment, shown folded; FIG. 2 is a detail view of a friction-reducing foot at the lower extremity of one of the vertical rods;

FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 2 but showing a rolling element;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lattice provided with wide link bars;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lattice provided with locking means; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of representative parts contained in a do-it-yourself assembly kit.

As can be seen in FIGS, la & lb a modular retractable lattice assembly 10 for protection of a building opening 12 for a door or window. When folded to one side as in FIG. lb, the lattice allows free access to opening 12.

An upper and a lower guide channel 14, 16 are adapted for attachment to a building wall. In the shown embodiment guide channel holes 18 allow attachment by means of screws (not shown). When the guide channels 14, 16 are made of steel, and where existing steel components are available on the building wall, the guide channels may be welded thereto.

Advantageously the guide channels 14, 16 have extending lips 20 preventing disassembly of lattice 10 when in its deployed state.

The primary structural element of the lattice comprises a series of vertical rods 22a, 22b which are inserted in spacer tubes 24. Rods 22a are mounted within channels 14 and 16 while rods 22b are mounted on the outside of channels 14 and 16. Such structure enable the folding of the lattice. When the lattice is folded even- numbered vertical rods 22b lose contact with the lower guide channel 16 and are then supported through horizontal link bars to be described. In the present embodiment even-numbered vertical rods 22b are provided at their upper extremity with a projecting element 26, such as for example, a welded-on washer, to prevent rods 22b from falling out of the lattice. At their bottom extremity rods 22b are fixed to the lowest spacer tube 241 by swaging, welding or force fit assembly, thus preventing inadvertent removal of lower tube 241.

The simplified figure shows only five vertical rods 22; however a typical lattice has between 7 and about 31 such rods.

Horizontal link bars 28 have an aperture 30, seen in FIG. 6, at both extremities for insertion therethrough of rods 22a, 22b. Bars 28 are vertically spaced apart by spacer tubes 24. Bars 28 serve to link adjacent vertical rods 22a, 22b, are free to swivel around the axes of these rods, and do so while the lattice is in the process of being folded or deployed. By selecting during assembly short spacer tubes 24, the lattice can be constructed to provide a dense array and a higher degree of security. Alternatively, by selecting longer spacer tubes 24, or a plurality of short spacer tubes 24, improved visibility through the lattice can be obtained.

With reference to the rest of the figures, similar reference numerals have been used to identify similar parts.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is seen a detail of a modular retractable lattice 31 further provided with friction-reducing feet 32 at the lower extremity of one of the odd-numbered vertical rods 22a. Odd-numbered vertical rods 22a remain in contact with the lower guide channel 16 at all times, whether the lattice is deployed or folded. Feet 32 reduce the effort required to deploy or fold the lattice 31.

A plastic pad 34 made of nylon or acetal is inserted in the lower spacer tube 36 farthest from the end where the lattice 30 is retained in lower guide channels 16.

For a large lattice, additional plugs are used on some or all of the remaining odd-numbered vertical rods 22a along the length of the lattice.

FIG. 3 illustrates a detail of a modular retractable lattice 38, wherein a foot 40 is supported on a revolvable element. A wheel 42 supported on a pivot 44 runs in the lower guide channel 16 to support the free end of the lattice 38. Suitably the wheel 42 is made of acetal and thus requires no additional bearing. A sintered iron wheel can be used for extended durability where long-term exposure to the sun is anticipated. Wheel 42 greatly reduces the effort needed to deploy or fold the lattice 38.

Seen in FIG. 4 is a modular retractable lattice 46 wherein one horizontal link bar 48 on each vertical rod 22 has an aperture 50, seen in FIG. 6, at both extremities sufficiently long to provide guidance to vertical rods 22. Such guidance is helpful in supporting the even-numbered rods 22b when these rods loose contact with the guide rails 14, 16 as occurs during retraction of the lattice. Such guidance is further beneficial in maintaining the axes of rods 22, 22b in vertical parallel alignment. The figure shows alternate wide 48 and narrow 51 link bars. The wide link bars 48 have a center cut out 52 sized to accommodate the narrow link bars 51.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is depicted a lattice 54 provided with locking means in its deployed state. Attached to the building wall at the extremity opposite that where said guide channels grip said lattice is a lock socket 56 for a hanging lock 58 which connects the socket 56 to the free end of the lattice 54. In an embodiment not shown, enhanced security is obtained where the lattice free end is locked top and bottom by separate locks to the respective guide channels. Such embodiment does not require a separate lock socket, and installation is speeded due to the saving in attachment of this item to the building wall.

FIG. 6 shows one of each part included in a do-it-yourself assembly kit 60 for a modular lattice. The kits 60 are marketed covering different lengths and different heights. Each kit covers a substantial size range. For example, guide channels 14, 16 could be marketed in standard lengths 1, 1.5, and 2 meters long. A window opening 1.2 meters long would be served by the intermediate size. The installer also has the option of cutting the guide channels 14, 16 to length. The same situation applies with regard to height, where the vertical rods 22 are used either as supplied or shortened before assembly. Thus about 9 different kits would cover most requirements.

Two guide channels 14, 16 are provided at one extremity with lattice gripping means 61. Guide channels 14, 16 are pre-drilled and provided with fasteners 62 for wall attachment. The kit 60 further contains a plurality of vertical guide rods 22. The number of rods supplied with a kit is related to the length of the guide channels 14, 16 in this kit. Typically one vertical rod 22 is provided for every 30 cm of length of a guide channel 14.

Spacer tubes 24 are provided in a quantity related to the number and length of vertical rods 22 in the kit. Preferably a large number of short tubes are included, thus allowing the user free choice regarding the spacing of the horizontal link bars 28.

Also related to the number and length of the vertical rods supplied in the kit is the number of horizontal link bars 28 provided.

The kit of the present embodiment includes wide and narrow link bars 48, 51. The wide link bars 48 are provided with a rigidly attached spacer tube 241 having a closed end 64 for the retention therein of a even-numbered vertical rod 22b.

One friction-reducing foot 40 is included for small lattices, but for kits configured for large lattices several feet are provided.

Assembly instructions 66 provide written and illustrated material to enable a person with moderate skills to carry out installation.

The scope of the described invention is intended to include all embodiments coming within the meaning of the following claims. The foregoing examples illustrate useful forms of the invention, but are not to be considered as limiting its scope, as those skilled in the art will readily be aware that additional variants and modifications of the invention can be formulated without departing from the meaning of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS l .A modular retractable lattice assembly for protection when deployed of a building opening for a door or window, and allowing unrestricted access to said opening when folded, comprising:

a)an upper and a lower guide channel adapted for attachment to a building wall and with means at one extremity of said channels for gripping an end of said lattice; b)vertical rods insertable in spacer tubes, an extremity of the highest and of the lowest of said spacer tubes inserted around alternate vertical rods being guided by said channels; and c)horizontal link bars having an aperture at both extremities for insertion between spacer tubes and for linking adjacent vertical rods, said link bars being free to swivel around the axis of said vertical rods.

2. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 1, further provided with friction-reducing feet at the lower extremity of said vertical rods.

3. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of said feet is supported on a revolvable element.

4. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said horizontal link bars on each vertical rod has an aperture at both extremities sufficiently long to provide guidance to said vertical rods and thus to maintain the axes of said rods in vertical parallel alignment.

5. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 1 wherein every second vertical rod is mounted not within upper and lower guide channels.

6. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide channels have extending lips preventing disassembly of said lattice when said lattice is in its deployed state.

7. The modular retractable lattice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lattice is provided with locking means in its deployed state at the extremity opposite that where said guide channels grip said lattice.

8. A do-it-yourself assembly kit for a modular lattice as claimed in claim 2, comprising