EP0780541B1

EP0780541B1 - Roll-up curtain guide carrier with a screw for adjusting the inclination of the curtain guide to the inclination of a window opening

Info

Publication number: EP0780541B1
Application number: EP96107562A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Finelli; Tomaso Piccioni
Original assignee: SUNCOVER Srl
Current assignee: SUNCOVER Srl
Priority date: 1995-12-19
Filing date: 1996-05-11
Publication date: 1999-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-11
Also published as: IT239036Y1; ATE178688T1; ITBO950182V0; EP0780541A1; ITBO950182U1; DE69602000D1

Abstract

A shoe housing for section bars (1,5) of frames for curtains is fitted with an adjusting screw (7) for adjusting the inclination of said section bars (1,5) and comprises clamping elements (9) for latches means provided in a bar manoeuvring a curtain; the adjusting screw (7) is located in the body (10) of the shoe housing (6) and presents an end fitted with a groove (8) capable of being inserted into a hole (23) which is made in an element integral with a guide-bearing channel (1), the hole (23) being used to support both the groove (8) and the adjusting screw (7); in addition, a nut screw (13) is provided which moves with the shoe housing (6), said nut screw (13) allowing axial movements of the shoe housing (6) with respect to said hole (23); because of said axial movements, the relative movements of the shoe housing (6) and the guiding H-beam (5) with respect to the guide-bearing channel (1) are obtained. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to the shoe housings which support the vertical rods of a frame for curtains surrounding the openings of windows.
In general, the lateral walls of the openings of the windows are not perfectly vertical because of constructive imperfections or settling of the structures of the buildings; for this reason, frames are used which present elements capable of adjusting the verticality of the sliding guides of the manoeuvring bars of the curtains in order to achieve regular sliding of said manoeuvring bars while lowering or raising the curtains.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The frames consist essentially of two vertical rods, each comprising a guide-bearing channel, fastened to the wall of the window by means of screws and a guide-bearing H-beam housed in the guide-bearing channel and fitted with folded edges among which a vertical opening is defined; a slider of the manoeuvring bar slides in this vertical opening.
EP-A-0 397 619 relates to a device capable of locking a roll-up curtain in closing position to protect the opening of a window or the like; this device comprises a manoeuvring bar, the upper side of which defines a clamping side for the lower edge of the curtain; the opposite end of the manoeuvring bar bears two sliders which are driven in respective vertical guides inserted into said vertical opening, two latches means, which are symmetrically driven and slide longitudinally with respect to said manoeuvring bar and protrude from the ends of said manoeuvring bar so as to clamp, in said closing position, respective clamping sides made in relative bases of said guide-bearing H-beam; in addition, push-button means are fitted with elastic means to push said latch means towards the external part of the manoeuvring bar and are capable of being operated for the releasing of the device.
The lower part of each base of the guide-bearing H-beams presents a horizontal hole supporting an adjusting screw capable of pushing on the lower part of a shoe housing which is integral with the respective guide-bearing H-beam so as to obtain a correct inclination of said guide-bearing H-beam.
The main disadvantage of the adjusting screw according to the invention described in EP-A-0 397 619 is that said adjusting screw does not allow the return movements of the guide-bearing H-beam. For this reason, when the guide-bearing H-beam is being adjusted, it is necessary that the vertical position of said guide-bearing H-beam should not be overtaken, since, if this occurs, the guide-bearing H-beam should be moved by hand to the opposite direction and the adjusting operation should be repeated, until the vertical position of said guide-bearing H-beam is reached.

AIM OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to remedy above drawbacks. The invention, as claimed, solves the problem of creating a shoe housing for section bars for curtains fitted with an adjusting screw for adjusting the inclination of said section bars; by using the present invention it is possible to carry out a real and full adjusting of the verticality of the guide-bearing H-beam; the eventual errors with respect to the vertical position of said said guide-bearing H-beam are easily rectified by using the adjusting screw according to the present invention.
The main advantages offered by the present invention consist of the fact that the montage of the shoe housing on frames for curtains is a very easy and economical operation; in addition, their production can be achieved by means of reliable materials and cheap devices.
The shoe housing according to the present invention comprises clamping elements for latches means provided in a manoeuvring bar for a curtain, an adjusting screw associated with the shoe housing which is introduced into the base of a guiding H-beam for curtains housed in a guide-bearing channel; the adjusting screw is located inside the body of the shoe housing, and presents a free end fitted with a groove capable of being inserted into a hole made in an element integral with the guide-bearing channel, the hole being used as a support for both the groove and the adjusting screw; in the body a nut screw is also provided which moves together with the shoe housing, said nut screw causes axial movements of the shoe housing with respect to the hole consequent to the rotation of the adjusting screw; because of said axial movements, the relative movements of the shoe housing and of the guiding H-beam with respect to the guide-bearing channel are obtained in order to reach the vertical position of the guiding H-beam.
Various preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages, features and aims of the invention, may be more readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, which concern preferred embodiments, in which:
Fig.1 is a lateral view of a guide-bearing channel capable of being fastened to a wall by means of screws and of a base supporting the channel;
Fig.2 is a lateral view of a guiding H-beam capable of being housed in the guide-bearing channel and of the shoe housing;
Fig.3 represents the free end of an adjusting screw;
Fig.4 is a plan view of the base of the guide-bearing channel;
Fig.5 is a plan view of the shoe housing;
Fig.6 is a sectional view of the base of Fig.4;
Fig.7 is a frontal view of the base of Fig.4;
Fig.8 is a rear view of the shoe housing of Fig.5;
Fig.9 is a sectional view of the first and second part of the frame in a first adjusting position;
Fig.10 is a sectional view of the first and second part of the frame in a second adjusting position;
Fig.11 is a sectional view of the first and second part of the frame in a third adjusting position;
Fig.12 is a lateral view of the two section bars before the adjusting of the verticality of the guiding H-beam;
Fig.13 is a lateral view of both section bars after the adjusting of the verticality of the guiding H-beam;
Fig.14 is a lateral view of both section bars after the adjusting of the verticality in a second embodiment of the invention; and
Fig.15 represents the free end of the adjusting screw used in the embodiment of Fig.14.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The guide-bearing channel 1 of Fig.1 is C-shaped and is fastened to an opening of a window by means of screws 2 which protrude from said channel 1. The lower end of the channel 1 is housed in a base 3 supporting the channel 1. Said base 3 consists of an elastic material.
The supporting surface for the lower end of the channel 1 is defined by a step 4 which is in the internal part of the base 3, as is shown in the constructive particular of Fig.6, in which the dimensions of the base 3 are enlarged to show the step 4 better. The step 4 extends along a part of the internal perimeter of the base 3 and occupies both sides of the C-shaped structure which forms the base 3. The step 4 does not occupy the jointing side 21 of both flanges of the C.
A guiding H-beam 5 for curtains (Fig.2) is supported by a shoe housing 6 from which an adjusting screw 7 protrudes, the external end of which presents a groove 8; the shoe housing 6 is fitted with clamping elements 9 for latch means (not shown) provided in the manoeuvring bar (not shown) which is used for manoeuvring of the curtain. The latch means, the manoeuvring bar and the clamping elements 9 are of traditional type and do not interest this description.
Fig.5 represents a plan view of the shoe housing 6; said shoe housing 6 consists essentially of a body 10 having a longitudinal groove 11 into which the adjusting screw 7 is inserted; a housing 12, which is in the body 10, holds a screw nut 13 crossed by the adjusting screw 7; the screw nut 13 allows the relative movement of the shoe housing 6 with respect to a hole 23 owing to rotation of said adjusting screw 7. The housing 12 is delimited by two walls crossed by the adjusting screw 7; in addition, the adjusting screw 7 protrudes from a frontal surface 14 of the body 10 which, when the shoe housing is mounted, is located in the internal part of the base 3.
A structure 14', which develops in the direction perpendicular to a supporting surface 15 for the guiding H-beam 5 directly over the frontal surface 14, cooperates with two shoulders 16 and 17 to maintain the guiding H-beam 5 coaxial to the vertical axis of the shoe housing 6; the structure 14' presents a tooth 18 which protrudes from the body 10 in parallel to the frontal surface 14 of said body 10.
The part of the shoe housing 6 which is in the external side of the guiding H-beam 5 (Fig.8) presents the clamping elements 9 and an opening 19 through which a head 20 of the adjusting screw 7 can be reached.
The base 3 supporting the channel 1 is represented in Figs 4, 6 and 7; said base 3 consists of a C-shaped structure which wraps the lower part of the channel 1 and presents a side 21 jointing the two flanges of the C-shaped structure; in the side 21 a hole 22 is made into which the groove 8 of the adjusting screw 7 is inserted; for this reason the hole 22 is used as a support for the groove 8 of the adjusting screw 7, said hole 22 allowing the groove 8 to be locked because of elasticity of the base 3. Other structures of the base 3 have not been described since they do not concern the present invention.
Figs 9, 10, 11 represent the first and the second part of the frame with the shoe housing 6 and the base 3 in three different adjusting positions. These positions are reached by rotating the adjusting screw 7 by means of a screw-driver inserted into head 20.
By rotating the adjusting screw 7 in the longitudinal groove 11, said adjusting screw 7 moves with respect to the housing 12 and the screw nut 13; in fact the groove 8 rotates in the supporting hole 22; for this reason the shoe housing 6 moves with the screw nut 13 and moves away or gets near the base 3, according to the direction of rotation of the screw 7.
Figs 9, 10, 11 show how it is possible to move the guiding H-beam 5 together with the relative shoe housing 6 with respect to the base 3, which supports the channel 1, and that these movements are due to the rotation of the adjusting screw 7.
Figs 12 and 13 show how it is possible to reach the verticality of the guiding H-beam 5 starting from a non vertical position of the frame consisting of the channel 1 and the guiding H-beam 5 (Fig.12). The rotation of the adjusting screw 7 allows to pass from the configuration of Fig.12, in which the guiding H-beam 5 is not vertical, to that of Fig.13, in which the guiding H-beam 5 is vertical. The verticality of the guiding H-beam 5 is also reached whenever the operator overtakes the vertical position of the guiding H-beam 5, since the adjusting screw 7 allows the correction of the positions reached by the guiding H-beam 5, until verticality is obtained.
In Fig.14 a second embodiment of the invention is shown, in which the groove 8 of the adjusting screw 7 is inserted into a hole 24 made in the side 25 joining the two flanges of the C-shaped structure to the base of the channel 1.
This embodiment presents a shoe housing 6 analogous to that of the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, however, the adjusting screw 7 presents a groove 8 capable of being introduced and maintained in a hole 24 supporting the groove 8, said hole 24 being made in the lower part of the guide-bearing channel 1. In addition, an elastic ring 26 is provided preventing the adjusting screw 7 from being drawn out of the hole 24, since the material of the channel 1 is stiff.

Claims

A shoe housing (6) for section bars of frames for curtains fitted with an adjusting screw for adjusting the inclination of said section bars, comprising a body (10) and clamping elements (9) for latch means provided in a manoeuvring bar for a curtain, an adjusting screw (7) associated with said shoe housing (6) which is introduced into the base of a guiding H-beam (5) for curtains housed in a guide-bearing channel (1); the adjusting screw (7) being housed in the body (10) of the shoe housing (6), which is characterised in that the adjusting screw (7) presents a free end fitted with a groove (8) capable of being inserted into a hole (23) made in an element integral with said guide-bearing channel (1), the hole (23) being used as a support for the groove (8) and the adjusting screw (7); in that in the body (10) a nut screw (13) is also provided which moves together with the shoe housing (6), said nut screw (13) causing axial movements of the shoe housing (6) with respect to the hole (23) consequent to the rotations of the adjusting screw (7); because of said axial movements the relative movements of the shoe housing (6) and of the guiding H-beam (5) are obtained with respect to the guide-bearing channel (1) in order to reach the vertical position of the guiding H-beam (5).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the hole (23) supporting the groove (8) is made in a base (3) which supports the guide-bearing channel (1) in a side (22) jointing the two flanges of the C-shaped structure which forms said base (3).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the nut screw (13) consists of a screw nut (13) located in a housing (12) of the body (10) of the shoe housing (6); the housing (12) being delimited by two walls crossed by the adjusting screw (7).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the adjusting screw (7) protrudes from a frontal surface (14) of the body (10) which, when the shoe housing (6) is mounted on the frame, is located in the internal part of the guide-bearing channel (1); a structure (14'), which develops in the direction perpendicular to a surface (15) supporting the guiding H-beam (5) directly over the frontal surface (14), cooperates with two shoulders (16,17) to maintain the guiding H-beam (5) coaxial to the vertical axis of the shoe housing (6); the structure (14') presenting a tooth (18) which protrudes from the body (10) in parallel to the frontal surface (14) of said body (10).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the adjusting screw (7) presents a head (20) which can be reached through an opening (19) located in the part of the shoe housing (6) facing the external part of the guiding-H-beam (5); said opening (19) being fitted with the clamping elements (9).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the adjusting screw (7) is inserted into a longitudinal groove (11) of the body (10), there being located in said groove (11) the housing (12) for the screw nut (13); said housing (12) being delimited by two walls crossed by the adjusting screw (7).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the adjusting screw (7) located in the longitudinal groove (11) moves axially with respect to both said housing (12) and screw nut (13); when the groove (8) is rotating in the supporting hole (23), the adjusting screw (7) draging the shoe housing (6), which is mechanically integral with the screw nut (13), so that the shoe housing (6) moves away or gets near the base (3) according to the direction of rotation of the adjusting screw (7).
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the rotation of the adjusting screw (7) allows to pass from a first configuration, in which the guiding H-beam (5) is not vertical, to a second configuration, in which the guiding H-beam (5) is vertical; the verticality of the guiding H-beam (5) being also reached whenever an operator overtakes the vertical position of the guiding H-beam (5), since the adjusting screw (7) allows the correction of the positions reached by the guiding H-beam (5) until the vertical position of the guiding H-beam (5) is reached.
A shoe housing as in claim 1, characterised by the fact that a hole (24) supporting the groove (8) is made in the lower part of the guide-bearing channel (1) on a side (25) joining the two flanges of a C-shaped structure which forms said guide-bearing channel (1).
A shoe housing as in claim 9, characterised by the fact that an elastic ring (26) is provided preventing the adjusting screw (7) from being drawn out of the hole (24) made in the lower part of the guide bearing channel.