GB2105396A

GB2105396A - Lath for a roller shutter

Info

Publication number: GB2105396A
Application number: GB08225432A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Macgregor
Original assignee: DURABLE ENGINEERING Ltd
Current assignee: DURABLE ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date: 1981-09-08
Filing date: 1982-09-07
Publication date: 1983-03-23
Also published as: GB2105396B

Abstract

A roller shutter lath 3 comprising a generally flat web 7 with a first hinge portion having a first hollow part-cylindrical member 8 formed with a longitudinally extending opening 9 which subtends less than 180 DEG and is in the plane of the generally flat web, a longitudinally extending abutment member 10 within and extending from the first hollow part cylindrical member, and a second hinge portion 11 which is complementary in shape to the first hinge portion and is of a size to be received within the first part cylindrical member of an adjacent lath and comprising a second hollow part cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending opening 12 subtending less than 180 DEG whereby in use the laths are hinged together and hinging movement is limited by abutment of the second hollow part cylindrical member with the abutment member of the first hollow part cylindrical member. A shutter formed from these laths can be rolled up with either face inward to the roller. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roller shutter The invention relates to a roller shutter for a shop front, door, window or the like.

Conventionally roller shutters comprise a number of laths of wood or metal, the laths being pivotally connected together along their longitudinal edges so that when the shutter is not in use it can be wound on a roller disposed in a housing above the shop front window, door or the like. Preferably this roller housing is recessed into the structure of the building so that it is hidden from view, but often this is not possible. In such situations the roller housing can be mounted on an exposed surface of the building above the shop front, window, door or the like but since many known roller shutters can only roll up in one direction in view of the manner in which the laths are hinged together, this has meant that the roller shutter has to be fitted to operate back to front.To explain this in greater detail we would mention that for many applications it is preferred to use flat faced laths so that the front face of the shutter is also flat. The laths of such roller shutters are formed along their longitudinal edges with interengaging hinge portions which project from one face of the laths.

Thus the roller shutter has a front face which is plain and a rear face which is ribbed by reason of the projecting hinge portions. Thus while a roller shutter will function when placed back to front, for reasons of appearance, such positioning is undesirable. Laths are known which are S-shaped in cross-section and can roll up in both directions but they do not present a flat front face. Double sided laths are however known which can roll up in both directions and which present a flat front face. Such double sided laths are however expensive to produce.

According to the invention there is provided a roller shutter lath comprising a generally flat web along one longitudinal edge of which is a first hinge portion having a first hollow part cylindrical member formed with a longitudinally extending opening which subtends less than 1800 and which opening is disposed substantially in the plane of the generally flat web, a longitudinally extending abutment member being disposed within and extending from the first hollow part cylindrical member, and the other longitudinal edge of the web being formed with a second hinge portion which is complementary in shape to the first hinge portion and is of a size to be received within the first said part cylindrical member of an adjacent lath and comprising a second hollow part cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending opening subtending less than 1 800, whereby in use the laths are hinged together and hinging movement is limited by abutment of the second hollow part cylindrical member with the abutment member of the first hollow part cylindrical member.

Preferably the web is connected to the second hollow part cylindrical member so that the opening therein faces away from the web.

Advantageously the connection between the web and the second hollow part cylindrical member is at a position remote from the longitudinally extending opening therein.

Preferably each lath is an aluminium extrusion of constant cross section. The laths are assembled one with the other by sliding one lath longitudinally with respect to the other after the smaller of the hollow part cylindrical members has been engaged within the larger of the hollow part cylindrical members.

From another aspect the invention provides a roller shutter which is capable of being wound in the opposite sense to the normal, that is to say with its flat face innermost, whereby the roller shutter can be mounted with its roller housing on the front of the aperture to be shuttered while the roller shutter presents its plain surface to the outside of the aperture, the roller shutter comprising a series of laths of the kind described above.

Preferably all of the laths are alike.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 illustrates a conventional roller shutter in which the roller mechanism is housed above the ribbed or reverse side of the shutter; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing a roller shutter in accordance with the invention and with the roller shutter housed above the flat side of the roller shutter; and Figure 3 is an end view of a pair of laths of a roller shutter in accordance with the invention.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a conventional roller shutter generally indicated at 1 and comprising a series of pivotally interconnected extruded aluminium laths 3 mounted on a roller 2, the edges of the laths being guided in a track 4. The flat or plain side of the shutter is indicated by reference numeral 5 and the reverse or ribbed surface of the shutter is indicated by reference numeral 6. Such roller shutters are normally only capable of being wound on the roller 2 with their flat faces outermost and accordingly it is conventional to mount such rollers above the reverse or ribbed side of the shutter.

Referring to Figure 2 and 3 of the drawings there is shown an arrangement which is generally similar to that shown in Figure 1 except that here the roller shutter is capable of being wound on the roller 2 in the reverse sense that is to say with the flat faces innermost. In this way the roller 2 can be mounted above the flat side of the roller shutter.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings each lath is an aluminium extrusion comprising a flat web 7 having along one longitudinal edge a hinge portion 8 formed as a hollow part cylinder having an opening 9 subtending less than 1800, the opening being disposed substantially in the plane of the web 7.

An abutment member 10 projects from the hollows interior of the cylindrical member 8 at a position remote from the opening 9 and is formed with an enlarged rounded end.

The other longitudinal edge of the web is formed with a hollow part cylindrical hinge portion 11 adapted to be received for rotation within the hinge part 8 of an adjacent lath, the hinge part 1 1 being formed with a longitudinally extending opening 12 which subtends less than 1800.The web 7 is connected to the hollow part cylindrical portion 1 1 at a position remote from the opening 12 and so that the opening 12 faces away from the web 7. Hinging of the laths relative to one another is limited by engagement of the extremities of the part 11 with the abutment member 10 of the adjacent lath.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A roller shutter lath comprising a generally flat web along one longitudinal edge of which is a first hinge portion having a first hollow partcylindrical member formed with a longitudinally extending opening which subtends less than 1800 and which opening is disposed substantially in the plane of the generally flat web, a longitudinally extending abutment member being disposed within and extending from the first hollow part cylindrical member, and the other longitudinal edge of the web being formed with a second hinge portion which is complementary in shape to the first hinge portion and is of a size to be received within the first said part cylindrical member of an adjacent lath and comprising a second hollow part cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending opening subtending less than 1800 whereby in use the laths are hinged together and hinging movement is limited by abutment of the second hollow part cylindrical member with the abutment member of the first hollow part cylindrical member. 2. A roller shutter lath according to claim 1, wherein the web is connected to the second hollow part cylindrical member so that the longitudinally extending opening therein faces away from the web. 3. A roller shutter lath according to claim 2, wherein the connection between the web and the second hollow part cylindrical member is at a position remote from the longitudinally extending opening therein. 4. A roller shutter lath according to any preceding claim, wherein the abutment member is formed at its end remote from the first hollow part cylindrical member with an enlargement. 5. A roller shutter lath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. 6. A roller shutter comprising one or more laths as claimed in any preceding claim. 7. A roller shutter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings. New claims or amendments to claims filed on 2 5 Nov. 1982. Superseded claims 1-7. New or amended claims:~

1. A roller shutter lath comprising a generally flat web along one longitudinal edge of which is a first hinge portion having a first hollow partcylindrical member formed with a longitudinally extending opening which subtends less than 1800 and at least one edge of which opening is disposed substantially in the plane of the generally flat web, a longitudinally extending abutment member being disposed within and extending from the first hollow part cylindrical member, and the other longitudinal edge of the web being formed with a second hinge portion which is complementary in shape to the first hinge portion and is of a size to be received at least partly within or around the first said part cylindrical member of an adjacent lath and comprising a second hollow part cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending opening subtending less than 1800 whereby in use the laths are hinged together and hinging movement is limited by abutment of the second hollow part cylindrical member with the abutment member of the first hollow part cylindrical member.

2. A roller shutter lath comprising a generally flat web along one longitudinal edge of which is a first hinge portion having a first hollow partcylindrical member formed with a longitudinally extending opening which subtends less than 1800 and which opening is disposed substantially in the plane of the generally flat web, a longitudinally extending abutment member being disposed within and extending from the first hollow part cylindrical member, and the other longitudinal edge of the web being formed with a second hinge portion which is complementary in shape to the first hinge portion and is of a size to be received within the first said part cylindrical member of an adjacent lath and comprising a second hollow part cylindrical member having a longitudinally extending opening subtending less than 1 800 whereby in use the laths are hinged together and hinging movement is limited by abutment of the second hollow part cylindrical member with the abutment member of the first hollow part cylindrical member.

3. A roller shutter lath according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the web is connected to the second hollow part cylindrical member so that the longitudinally extending opening therein faces away from the web.

4. A roller shutter lath according to claim 3, wherein the connection between the web and the second hollow part cylindrical member is at a position remote from the longitudinally extending opening therein.

5. A roller shutter lath according to any preceding claim, wherein the abutment member Is formed at its end remote from the first hollow part cylindrical member with an enlargement.

6. A roller shutter lath according to claim 5, wherein the enlargement is part cylindrical.

7. A roller shutter lath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A roller shutter comprising one or more laths as claimed in any preceding claim.

9. A roller shutter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.