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(11) | EP 0 488 194 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens |
| (57) A quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens comprises a hollow metal support
beam (1) of quadrangular cross-section, a plurality of double hooks (2) made from
metal rod which are fitted on the metal support beam (1) and are shaped for form-coupling
with the upper face and the two side faces of the beams. Spacing and retaining means
(3, 23) are provided for spacing each pair of adjacent double hooks (2) and preventing
an upward displacement of each double hook (2) with respect to the supporting beam
(1). |
[0001] The present invention relates to a quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens comprising, in combination, a metal support beam carrying a plurality of hangers and a flexible screen, either in one piece or constituted by a plurality of partially overlapping, flexible, vertical strips side by side, to the top of which are fixed hanging attachments with eyes for engagement by the hangers of the support beam.
[0002] In devices of the type specified above known from the prior art, the hangers are fixed permanently to the metal support beam and various types of the device must therefore be manufactured in the workshop in order to satisfy various users' requirements. This involves considerable expense both in storing the various types of devices and in despatching them.
[0003] In order to avoid these problems, the subject of the present invention is a quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens having the characteristics which form the subject of Claim 1.
[0004] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a hanging device according to a first embodiment of the invention,
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components which constitute the device shown in Figure 1,
Figure 3 is an end view of one of the spacing and covering components used in the device,
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3,
Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 3,
Figure 6 is a partial axonometric view of the hanging device after its components have been assembled,
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a flexible strip which is provided with a hanging attachment according to a variant of the device shown in Figure 1,
Figure 8 is a section taken on line VIII-VIII of Figure 7, and
Figure 9 is a schematic front elevational view of a variant of the device shown in Figure 1,
Figure 10 is a schematic elevational view of a hanging device according to a second embodiment of the invention,
Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the components which constitute the device shown in Figure 10,
Figure 12 is an elevational view of one of the double hooks shown in Figure 11,
Figure 13 is a section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line XIII-XIII of Figure 1,
Figure 14 is a schematic elevational view of a variant of the device shown in Figure 10,
Figure 15 is a perspective view of one of the double hooks shown in Figure 14, and
Figure 16 is a schematic exploded elevational view of a second variant of figure 10.
[0005] With reference to Figures 1 to 6, a quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens includes a hollow metal support beam 1 of quadrangular, preferably square, cross-section. A plurality of double hooks 2 made from metal rod is fitted onto the beam 1 and a tubular element 3 is fitted as a spacer onto the beam between each pair of adjacent double hooks, an identical tubular element 3 being superposed on that part of each double hook 2 which engages the support beam 1 and fitted onto the beam 1 for retaining the double hooks.
[0006] A plurality of partially overlapping, flexible, vertical strips which are arranged side by side is indicated 4 and each strip has a hanging attachment generally indicated 5, provided at its top with eyes 6 for engagement by the double hooks 2.
[0007] As shown in particular in Figure 2, each double hook 2 comprises two vertical rear portions 7 connected at their tops to two parallel portions 8 which lie in a horizontal plane and are connected in turn to two shorter vertical front portions 9 extending downwardly and connected by a horizontal connecting portion 10. A horizontal portion 11 with a hooked end 12 is connected to the lower end of each of the two rear vertical portions 7.
[0008] Each tubular element 3 comprises essentially an inverted U-shaped body with longitudinal ribs 13 on the inner surfaces of its top wall and its two side walls. The element 3 also has a lower wall 14 parallel to its top wall, near the edges of the side walls. The crests of the tips 13 and the lower wall 14 constitute the contact surfaces between the element 3 and the side faces of the support beam 1 when the element 3 is fitted onto the beam. The ribs 13 and the lower wall 14 end at a distance, indicated A in Figure 4, from one of the ends of the element 3, the distance A corresponding substantially to the diameter of the rod from which the double hook 2 is formed. This enables each double hook 2 to be partially inserted, as shown by arrow F in figure 2, in one of the elements 3 with its horizontal connecting part 10 in contact with the lower surface of the lower wall 14. Therefore, when a double hook 2 and its associated tubular element 3 are fitted onto the beam 1, the contact between the part 10 of the hook and the wall 14 of element 3 prevents an upward displacement of the hook 2 with respect to the beam 1. As shown particularly in figure 5, the lower wall 14 has two notches 15 for housing the junctions between the vertical connecting portions 10 and the shorter vertical portions 9 of the double hook 2.
[0010] Each double hook 2 is partially inserted in one of the elements 3 so that its horizontal connecting portion 10 is in contact with the lower surface of the lower wall 14. As a result of this insertion, one side 7, 8, 9 of the double hook 2 is located within the element 3 whilst its other side 7, 8, 9, which is at the opposite end of the horizontal connecting portion 10, projects from the opposite side of the element 3. When it is mounted on the beam 1, the projecting side is housed in the corresponding side of an identical tubular element 3 which is interposed as a spacer between two double hooks.
[0011] When the assembly is complete, at least the end tubular elements 3 and the beam 1 housed therein are drilled to enable the passage of screws V which engage corresponding blocks mounted in the wall to which the hanging device is to be fixed. Figure 3 shows schematically its fixing to a vertical wall. For fixing to a horizontal wall, the screws V are arranged vertically with their heads bearing against the lower surface of the wall 14.
[0012] As shown in the lower part of Figure 2, each hanging attachment includes two ribbed plates 5a, 5b disposed on the two sides of the upper end of each flexible strip 4. The plates 5a, 5b, which are preferably of plastics material, are fixed together and to the part of the strip 4 which is interposed between them by rivets 16 or the like. Holes 6 are formed about halfway up the plates 5a, 5b for the engagement of the hooks 12 of the double hooks 2.
[0013] The inner surface of the each of the two plates 5a, 5b also has pointed conical projections 17 which are offset from those of the other plate and which penetrate the part of the strip 4 between the two plates, helping them to restrain the strip 4.
[0014] In the variant shown in Figures 7 and 8 each flexible strip 4 is provided with a plurality of hanging attachments 18.
[0015] Each hanging attachment 18 comprises a disc 19 having on one side a cylindrical threaded extension 20, which is provided with a central bore 21 of hexagonal cross section.
[0017] A second disc 22 having a central threaded bore is screwed on the threaded extension 20 of the first disc 19 in order to clamp the flexible strip 4 between the two discs 19, 22. The inner surface of each of the two discs 19, 22 also has pointed conical projections 17 which penetrate the strip 4.
[0018] The disc 22 is provided on its face opposite to the disc 19 with a central enlarged portion 22a, the outer surface 22b of which has a hexagonal profile, so that the two discs can be tightly screwed together by means of two hand tools, one of which is inserted into the hexagonal bore 21 and the other is inserted on the hexagonal surface 22b. The bore 21 of each hanging attachments 18 is engaged in use by one of the hooks 12 of the double hooks 2.
[0019] The variant shown in Figure 9 uses double hooks 2 whose length in the axial direction is twice that of the hooks shown in Figure 1.
[0020] This solution can be used with the same support beams 1 and the same spacing and retaining elements 3 as the embodiment of Figure 1, when the device is used for closing large openings. In this variant, each double hook 2 is inserted in two
[0021] tubular elements 3 side by side and each hook is spaced from the next by two tubular elements 3 instead of a single tubular element as in the embodiment of Figure 1.
[0022] In the embodiment shown in Figure 10 to 13 the spacing and retaining means are formed by an horizontal rod 23 of metal wire, which is welded to the inner surface of the two vertical rear portions 7 of each double hook 2a. The vertical distance between rod 23 and the inner surface of the two upper parallel portions 8 of the hook 2a substantially corresponds to the height of the support beam 1.
[0023] The rod 23 has a portion 23a which protrudes from one side of the hook 2a and abuts against the rod 23 of one of the adjacent hooks 2a, thereby acting as a spacer between two adjacent hooks. The rod 23 is in contact with the lower face of the support beam 1, which prevents an upward displacement of the hook 2a with respect to the beam 1 when the assembly of the hooks 2a on the support beam 1 is complete. At least the end portions of beam 1 are drilled as shown at 1a in Figure 11 to enable the passage of a screw V which engages a corresponding block B mounted in the wall W to which the hanging device is to be fixed, as shown in Figure 13.
[0024] A metal plate 24, the thickness of which corresponds to the diameter of the rod from which the hook 2a is made, is provided with a central bore 24a for the screw V. Said plate 24 is positioned, as shown in figure 13, adjacent to one of the rear vertical portions 7 of the hook 2a, between the beam 1 and the wall W and has the function of axially retaining the hooks 2a on the beam 1.
[0025] For fixing the support beam 1 to a horizontal wall, the screws V are arranged vertically with their heads bearing against the lower face of the beam 1 and the plate 24 is interposed between the upper face of the beam and said wall.
[0026] The variant of Figures 10-13 which is shown in Figures 14 and 15 uses double hooks 2b, whose length in the axial direction is twice that of the hooks 2a shown in figures 10 to 13. In this variant the rod 23 of each hook has two spacer portions 23a, 23b which protrude from both sides of the hook and abut against the corresponding protruding portions of the two adjacent hooks.
[0027] In the variant shown in Figure 16 the support beam 1 is suspended to axially displaceable trolleys 25 (only one of which is shown in the drawing) carried by a rail 26.
1. A quick-fit device for hanging flexible screens, characterised in that it comprises
a hollow metal support beam (1) of quadrangular cross-section, a plurality of double
hooks (2) made from metal rod which are fitted on the metal support beam (1) and are
shaped for form-coupling with the upper face and the two side faces of the beam, spacing
and retaining means (3, 23) being provided for spacing each pair of adjacent double
hooks (2) and preventing an upward displacement of each double hook (2) with respect
to the supporting beam (1).
2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that each double hook (2) includes
two vertical rear portions (7) connected at their tops to two parallel portions (8)
which lie in a horizontal plane and are connected in turn to two shorter vertical
front portions (9) extending downwardly and connected by a horizontal connecting portion
(10), the lower end of each of the two rear vertical portions (7) being connected
to a horizontal portion (11) with a hooked end (12).
3. A device according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that said spacing and retaining
means comprise a plurality of tubular elements (3), of which some are fitted on the
metal support beam (1) between two adjacent double hooks (2) and others are superposed
on that part of each double hook (2) which engages the support beam, each of said
elements (3) comprising an inverted U-shaped body with longitudinal ribs (13) on the
inner surfaces of its top and side walls and a lower wall (14) parallel to the top
wall, the crests of the ribs (13) and the lower wall (14) constituting the surfaces
which contact the side faces of the support beam (1) when the tubular element (3)
is fitted onto the beam (1), the ribs (13) and the lower wall (14) ending at a distance
(A) from one end of the U-shaped element which corresponds substantially to the diameter
of the rod from which the double hook (2) is formed, whereby each double hook (2)
can be inserted partially in at least one of the tubular elements (3) with its horizontal
connecting portion (10) in contact with the lower surface of the lower wall (14).
4. A device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the lower wall (14) of each tubular
element (3) has two notches (15) for housing the junctions between the horizontal
connecting portions (10) and the shorter vertical portions (9) of a double hook (2).
5. A device according to Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each double hook (2) is
inserted in two tubular elements (3) side by side and is spaced from the next double
hook (2) by two tubular elements (3).
6. A device according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that said spacing and retaining
means comprise a horizontal rod (23) of metal wire, which is welded to the inner surface
of the two vertical rear portions (7) of each double hook (2a, 2b) at a vertical distance
from the two upper parallel portions (8) which substantially corresponds to the height
of the support beam (8), said rod (23) protruding from at least one side of the hook
(2a, 2b) for acting as a spacer between two adjacent hooks and being in contact with
the lower face of the supporting beam (1) for preventing upward displacements of the
hooks (2a, 2b) with respect to the beam (1).
7. A device as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the support beam (1) is fixed
by means of screws (V) to a vertical or horizontal wall (W), a retaining plate (24)
being interposed between said beam (1) and the wall (W) and said plate (24) cooperating
with a portion (7) of a hook (2a, 2b) for axially retaining the hooks on the beam
(1).
8. A device as claimed in one or more of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the beam
(1) is supported by axially displaceable trolleys (25) carried by a rail (26).
9. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that two ribbed plates (5a, 5b), preferably
of plastics material, are disposed on the two sides of the top end of each flexible
strip (4) and are fixed together and to the part of the strip interposed between them
by rivets (16) or the like, holes (6) being formed about halfway up the plates for
engagement by the hooks (12) of the double hooks (2).
10. A device according to Claim 9, characterised in that the inner surface of each of
the two plates (5a, 5b) has pointed conical projections (17) which are offset from
those of the other plate and which penetrate the part of the strip (4) between the
two plates.
11. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that each flexible strip (4) is provided
with a plurality of hanging attachments (18) and in that each attachment (18) comprises
a first disc (19) having on one side a cylindrical threaded extension (20) which extends
through a hole in the strip (4) and is provided with a central bore (21) and a second
disc (22), having a central threaded bore, which is screwed on the threaded extension
(20) of the first disc (19) for clamping the flexible strip (4) between the two discs
(19, 22).