Safety catch for shutter moving systems

Abstract

 This safety catch permits to obtain a closure of window shutters equipped with an opening and closing automatism that acts through motor-driven elements.
In general, the safety catch according to the present invention consists in providing a further play in a motorizing system (1) since the conventional support (B) and the relative bottom element of the motor housing are replaced by a round element (8) in which the motor can rotate around its axis.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a safety catch for shutter moving systems.

[0002] This safety catch permits to close window shutters or doors provided with an opening and closing automatism that acts through motor-driven elements.

[0003] Concerning both the installation and the practical utilization, the safety catch according to the present invention shows better features and is safer and more practical than the known solutions. In addition, the present catch permits to obtain an automatic closure by utilizing conventional hook espagnolette systems.

[0004] As is known, in the field of doors and shutters there exist many solutions that permit to move shutters through automatic electro-motorized means: each system is equipped with an inner friction dimensioned in such a way as to protect the integrity of the inner components of the system. However, these solutions are not able to stand up in case of forcing, for instance when the shutters are stopped in position by gusts of wind or other obstacles.

[0005] In this regard, the present safety catch is a complementary element for the shutter motorizing systems on the market, which systems do not satisfy the safety requirements.

[0006] The operation of such systems is based on the rotation of a motor (M) around its axis at the end of the run: the rotating motion is utilized to automatically close a rod that in turn closes hooks onto suitable stopping elements.

[0007] In addition, there are known closing safety systems which are based on the utilization of a lever system which is mounted on the arm through which the shutter can be moved. However, in this case it is difficult to carry out the mechanism, it is necessary to utilize suitable hooks and the mechanism shows close bonds as regards the dimensions of the shutters for which the mechanism is carried out.

[0008] The aim of the present invention is to conceive and carry out a new mechanism which permits to face both the absence of safety mechanisms and the aforesaid disadvantages, which mechanism includes safety means which are actuated through a direct connection between the shutter actuating mechanism and a preexisting closing espagnolette in the middle of the shutter.

[0009] The closing system according to the present invention is really new and complementary in the following sense: it permits the shutter to be closed by adding a mechanism to the motor in a conventional espagnolette system.

[0010] All the aforesaid aims and advantages are reached according to this invention by utilizing a safety catch in a shutter-moving system.

[0011] The present system is characterized by the presence of the following components:

1) Closing block: housing with loose piece, vice with bolt;

2) Manoeuvring unit: levers with spring, supporting block and motor bottom, counter-tube, non-return spring, holding washers;

3) Espagnolette with positioning spring.

[0012] Further features and details of the present invention will be better understood from the following specification that is given as a non-exclusive example on the base of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a conventional moving system for shutters or the like;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the new moving system as a whole according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of a detail of the espagnolette-moving element;

Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of the said espagnolette-moving element as arranged in respect to a shutter;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a hooking espagnolette-type system.

[0013] With reference to the accompanying drawings, and in particular to Fig. 2, number 1 denotes a motor as a whole. This kind of motor is usually utilized to move the shutters or the like.

[0014] The motor 1 is arranged inside an aluminium housing 2 (Fig. 4) and is held fast by two supports 3, 4. The support 3 supports a gear 5 which binds the motor 1 to a driving shaft 6 while the other support 4 supports the motor itself.

[0015] In the present case, it is possible to move two shutters at the same time because the driving shaft 6 is cut in two parts which are joined by an elastic spring element 7. In this way, one of the two shutters is closed before the other one closes.

[0016] In the safety system according to the present invention there is provided a further play in the motor-shutter system because both the support (B) of the known prior art (Fig. 1) and the relative bottom element of the motor housing are replaced with a round element 8 in which the motor 1 can rotate around its own axis.

[0017] A non-return spring 9 is applied around the shaft 6 and is adjusted to act only when both shutters are closed. In fact, when both shutters are closed, the non-return spring 9 prevents the motor from rotating and operating again.

[0018] In addition, a series of components are mounted in succession on the same shaft 6 and form the said manoeuvring unit which is rigid in this case. The series includes an element 10 which is fixed to the counter-tube 13 by means of a bolt; the counter-tube 13 in turn is connected to the motor 1 through a lever in 12.

[0019] In this way, the manoeuvring unit is affected by the rotation of the motor 1, which rotation is in antagonism with a spring 15.

[0020] Finally, the present system is provided with a manoeuvring block 16 which includes a box 17 which contains a loose piece 18. The loose piece 18 can shift angularly because it shows a hole 19 which can be engaged by a bolt 11 to fix the closing block 10.

[0021] The border of the loose piece 18 is engaged by an upper hook 20 of a closing espagnolette. The espagnolette shows a rotation axis 21 so that it is possible for the espagnolette to rotate from an opening position of 90° (ninety degrees) in respect to the inner surface of the shutter to a closing position.

[0022] The hook 20 is held in its open position by a spring.

[0023] Now, an example of working of the subject device will be described briefly.

[0024] When the device is operative, the motor 1 is actually prevented from rotating by the non-return spring 9 which is calibrated to act only when both shutters are closed. Only when both shutters are closed and before the action of the stop of the motor, the motor rotates around its axis.

[0025] The rotation of the motor 1 moves the lever 14 of the manoeouvring unit. The lever 14 translates the counter-tube 13 through the element 12. The counter-tube 13 moves the block 10. The pivot 11 in its turn permits the rotation of the closing loose piece 18. The loose piece 18 is engaged by the upper hook 20 of the espagnolette in the inner part of the box of the closing block 17.

[0026] As said previously, the present safety catch permits to conjugate the advantages of the motorization of the shutter with the safety of the conventional manual espagnolette systems of closure.

[0027] A technician of this field can make changes and variants in the so-described invention so as to obtain solutions which are to be considered as included in the scope of protection of the present invention as claimed in the following claims.

Claims

1. Safety catch for shutter moving systems, installed on a closing device which comprises a motor (1), arms for the displacement of the shutters, characterized by the presence of at least of closing block (11), a manoeuvring element (12) provided with levers (14) arranged in antagonism to a spring (15), a motor support (4) comprising a supporting block (8) and the motor bottom, a counter-tube (13) arranged on the axis of the driving shaft (6), a non-return spring (9), an espagnolette with positioning spring (20), and a closing block (16) formed by a box (17) provided with a loose piece (18).

2. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claim, characterized by the fact that the motor (1) is placed in the inside of an aluminium housing (2) and can rotate around its axis because the bottom (4) of the motor housing is provided with a round component in antagonism with the said non-return spring (9).

3. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the presence of a non-return spring (9) which is calibrated to act only when both shutters are closed.

4. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that a series of components are installed in succession including a block (10) provided with a pivot (11), a manoeuvring element (12) and a counter-tube (13) which transform, in a rigid way, the motor rotation into a translation of the block (10, 11).

5. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the translation of the said block (10, 11) actuates the closing block (16) which closes the hook of the espagnolette (20).

6. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the presence of a closing block (16) formed by a box (17) in the inside of which a loose piece (18) is arranged and can be shifted angularly because it is coupled with the manoeuvring element through the said block (10,11).

7. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the said loose piece (18) shows a border which engages the upper hook (20) of a closing espagnolette which is arranged on rotation axis (21) so that the espagnolette is brought from an opening position to a closing position.

8. Safety catch for shutter moving systems as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the said closing hook is kept in position by a suitable spring (22) when the shutters are open.

Drawing