GB1571853A - Guiding and retaining post for grilles shutters and the like - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN IMPROVED GUIDING AND RETAINING POST FOR GRILLES, SHUTTERS AND THE LIKE (71) We BOLTON GATE. COMPANY LIMTED, a British Company of Turton Street, Bolton BL1 2SP do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention concerns a guiding and retaining post for a grille, shutter or the like.

It is known to provide guiding and retaining posts for collapsible grilles, shutters or the like of the kind used in bars and canteens and in some instances in front of or behind shop windows and in doorways.

The guiding and retaining posts with which this invention is primarily concerned are of the kind that are used between adjacent edges of two collapsible grilles, shutters or the like, these posts in many instances being removed from their guiding and retaining position when the shutter or the like is in the collapsed position and the bar, canteen or trading establishment is open for business.

In many cases the grilles, shutters or the like are not in alignment and the post must therefore have guiding and retaining formations for the adjacent grilles, shutters or the like which are located angularly relative to each other. In some cases, of course, adjacent grilles, shutters or the like will be aligned. The usual practice is to construct the posts individually to meet the particular requirements of the user and thus a supplier of the posts must be able to assemble post parts in a multitude of configurations. Usually the posts are constructed by the supplier to conform to information provided by the user and from time to time it is found that the actual form of post required may vary slightly from the information provided therefore making it necessary for the post to be modified before it can be effectively used.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a post which is capable of adjustment between set limits to an infinite number of configurations to meet the requirements of any particular user.

Thus according to the present invention a sliding shutter guide post is characterised by the provision of a pair of hingedly connected elements adapted to be mutually angularly adjusted about a longitudinal hinge axis the elements being provided with means whereby they can be secured in any desired angular relationship, each of said elements having parallel to and spaced from said longitudinal hinge axis an open channel-shaper receiving formation in which, in use, adjacent edge regions of a pair of shutters may be slidably located and guided during opening and closing movements thereof.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates in cross-section a post made in accordance with the invention.

As shown in the illustration a post made in accordance with the invention consists of parts 10 and 11 which are conveniently of extruded form. Each part consists of spaced side walls 12 and 13 and a cross-rib 14 located intermediate the ends of the side walls 12, 13. The side walls 12, 13 at their free ends, that is the end opposite to that having a hinge formation yet to be described, are formed with an inwardly directed rib 15, the adjacent faces of which are spaced-apart so that there is formed an outwardly open guiding and receiving channel 16 for the edge of a collapsible grille, shutter or the like (not shown).

The hinge formation of the part 10 is formed by an arcuate wall 17 which extends across the space between the side walls 12, 13 and integral arcuate extension 18 of the wall 17. As can be seen there is provided a step 18a at the junction of the side wall 13 and the outer face of the extension 18 and additionally there is a step 18b at the junction of the arcuate wall 17 and extension 18. The extension 18 is conveniently somewhat thicker (for structural considerations) than the wall 17. Midway between the walls 12, 13 the wall 17 is provided with an internal rib 19 (for a purpose yet to be described). In addition to the channel 16 the part 10 has an open-ended space 20 bounded by the walls 12, 13 14 and 17 into which are located end plugs (not shown).

The part 11 is provided with a complementary hinge formation comprising an end wall 21 which, over a portion 22 of its extent is of arcuate form, the radius of the outer face of the arc being the same as that of the outer face of the extension 18 of wall 17. The arcuate portion 22 of the wall 21 extends from the side wall 13 of the part 11 to a position beyond the transverse centre-line of the part 11 and from this point to the wall 12 the end wall 21 is flat. At the inner end of the arcuate portion 22 of wall 21 is provided an outwardly extending integral ribs 23. The rib supports an integral hinge element consisting of an arcuate member 24 whose external radius corresponds to the radius of the wall 17, and an arcuate member 25 whose external radius corresponds to the internal radius of the extension 18 of wall 17. The space between the arcuate part 22 of wall 21 and the member 25 is sufficient to allow the extension 18 of wall 17 to move therein.

In addition to the channel 16 the part 11 has an open-ended space 26 bounded by walls 12, 13, 14 and 21 into which are located end plugs (not shown).

In order to enable the hinge parts 10, 11 to be locked in any desired position of adjustment relative to each other the wall 14 of part 10 is drilled as at 14a at spaced intervals along its length and the rib 19 of wall 17 is drilled and tapped as at 19a. The drilled holes of the wall 14 are larger in diameter than the drilled and tapped holes of the ribs 19 and wall 17 and thus studs can be entered into the drilled and tapped holes of rib 19 and wall 17 through the holes of the wall 14. When the studs are screwed into the drilled and tapped holes their ends will either bear against the outer face of the member 24 (when the parts 10, 11 are angularly located relative to each other) or against the inner face of the member 25 (when the parts 10, 11 are located with their transverse axes in alignment). In either case when the relative positions of the parts 10, -11 have been defined they can be locked against movement relative to each other.

The post described above can be set at one extreme position of hinging movement to contain within its channels 16 of parts 10, 11 the edge regions of an adjacent pair of aligned collapsible grilles, shutters or the like, in which case the transverse axes of the parts 10, 11 are aligned and the end of wall 13 of part 11 abuts the step 1 8a formed at the junction of the exterior 18 and the end of wall 13 of part 10. Alternatively at the other extreme position of hinging movement of the parts 10, 11 the channels 16 can be set at 900 to each other to contain the edge regions of an adjacent pair of collapsible grilles, shutters or the like which are themselves to be located at 90" to each other. In this position the outer face of the flat portion of the wall 21 of part 11 bears against the outer face of wall 12 of part 10.

Between the two extreme positions of hinging the two parts of the post can be set at any one of an infinitely large number of angular positions relative to each other.

In use, assuming the post to be for use in a hotel bar there is provided a matching section of post which is permanently fixed above the bar, for example to a beam or a facia structure over the bar. The bar counter is provided, in alignment with the matching section of post, with sockets.

To locate the post the end plugs at, what is, in use, the upper end of the post, are in the form of sliding bolts and the end plugs at the other end of the posts are provided with locating pegs.

The lower end of the post is positioned so that the pegs locate in the sockets of the bar counter and, with the post aligned with the matching section, the sliding bolts are moved to engage in the spaces in the matching section which correspond to the spaces 20 and 26 of the post.

In an alternative arrangement the end plugs at what, in use, is the upper end of the post, are provided with pegs and the matching section is provided with socketed end plugs. In this arrangement the other end of the post is provided with end plugs in the form of sliding bolts having pins which are arranged to be entered into sockets in the bar counter. In this arrangement it is possible to provide for the locking of the lower end plugs to prevent the removal of the pins from the sockets in the bar counter. One possible arrangement consists in providing locks on the grilles, shutters or the like and by providing such locks in such a position that the shoot bolts of the locks will enter into apertures in the walls 14 of the parts of the posts at a position just above the top of the end plugs when they are positioned to locate their pegs in the sockets. By this means the locks of the grilles, shutters or the like not only lock them in position but also lock the end plugs and so prevent removal of the post from the bar. Similar constructions are envisaged for posts used in windows or the entrances to a building.

In addition to the advantage that the post can be set to meet the requirements of any user (and can be re-set if the relative positions of the grilles, shutters or the like are changed as a result of alteration to, for example, the shape of a hotel bar) the post presents an external form which is symmetrical regardless of the relative positions of the two parts of the post.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A sliding shutter guide post characterised by the provision of a pair of hingedly connected elements adapted to be mutually angularly adjusted about a longitudinal hinge axis the elements being provided with means whereby they can be secured in any desired angular relationship, each of said elements having parallel to and spaced from said longitudinal hinge axis an open channel-shaped receiving formation in which, in use, adjacent edge regions of a pair of shutters may be slidably located and guided during opening and closing movements thereof.

2. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in CLAIM 1 in which the hinge parts are provided with complementary interdigitated arcuate portions there being stop means on one at least of the elements adjacent the termination of one of the arcuate portions.

3. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in CLAIM 1 in which the locking means comprises a locking stud adapted to pass through a drilled and tapped hole in an arcuate part of one element and to bear against an arcuate part of the other element.

4. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each element is provided with an openended guide and receiving channel.

5. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in claim 4 in which the channel includes a pair of spaced-apart parallel side walls, the free edges of which are provided with inwardly directed ribs.

6. A sliding shutter guide post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In addition to the advantage that the post can be set to meet the requirements of any user (and can be re-set if the relative positions of the grilles, shutters or the like are changed as a result of alteration to, for example, the shape of a hotel bar) the post presents an external form which is symmetrical regardless of the relative positions of the two parts of the post. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A sliding shutter guide post characterised by the provision of a pair of hingedly connected elements adapted to be mutually angularly adjusted about a longitudinal hinge axis the elements being provided with means whereby they can be secured in any desired angular relationship, each of said elements having parallel to and spaced from said longitudinal hinge axis an open channel-shaped receiving formation in which, in use, adjacent edge regions of a pair of shutters may be slidably located and guided during opening and closing movements thereof.

2. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in CLAIM 1 in which the hinge parts are provided with complementary interdigitated arcuate portions there being stop means on one at least of the elements adjacent the termination of one of the arcuate portions.

3. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in CLAIM 1 in which the locking means comprises a locking stud adapted to pass through a drilled and tapped hole in an arcuate part of one element and to bear against an arcuate part of the other element.

4. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each element is provided with an openended guide and receiving channel.

5. A sliding shutter guide post as claimed in claim 4 in which the channel includes a pair of spaced-apart parallel side walls, the free edges of which are provided with inwardly directed ribs.

6. A sliding shutter guide post substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.