GB2120378A - Ventilators for doors - Google Patents

Abstract

A structure such as door comprises, a hollow wall-like framework which is constituted by two slabs 16 having central openings 17, surrounding a plurality of horizontal slats 20 that slope and overlap; an operating mechanism disposed in the framework and including a hand operated rack-pinion gearing system for operating the slats 20 between their open and closed positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Door This invention relates to a door having a window shade made of horizontal slats that slope and overlap.

Slab door, one form of the conventional doors, is practically made of thick, flat piece of wood and usually provided, for precaution against those intend to commit a crime, for instance, robber, with a small hole therein for peeping who is or what is happened at the outside of the door. A disadvantage of such door is that it can not let air and light pass therethrough. Later development therefor is the provision of additional grille, generally made of metal, at the outside of the slab door to let in light and air. Although the double doors can provide strong protection, it will create the increase in construction cost and the increase of work when in use. There is also another type of door which has window shade made of horizontal slats that slope at a certain angle and are fitted in the door in a fixed position to let in light and air through their apertures.As the horizontal slats are in the fixed position this window shade can not be closed when necessary.

According to the present invention, a structure such as door comprises, a first slab member having at least one opening; a plurality of horizontal slat members that slope and overlap, capable of opening and closing, disposed across the opening; an operating mechanism attached to the first slab member for operating said slats between their open and closed positions. It is advantageous to construct the slab members and slats with high strength structural materials, preferably, metals.

In an aspect of the invention, the structure further includes a second slab member cooperative with the first slab member to form a hollow wall-like framework surrounding the slats.

In another aspect of the invention, the slats are constructed such that each of them is integrally coupled with a first shaft in a lengthwise position, and each of the first shaft is rotatably mounted in the framework and capable of moving the slats between open and closed positions by the rotational movement thereof.

According to further aspect of the invention, the operating mechanism comprises, a second shaft operable by hand, and a rack and pinion gearing system provided between the first and second shafts for driving the first shaft so as to operate the slats.

According to still further aspect of the invention, the operating mechanism comprises, a second shaft operable by hand, a rack and pinion gearing system connected to the second shaft, a crank member mounted on the first shaft, and a connecting rod provided between the crank member and the rack and pinion gearing system for transmitting a motion to the first shaft so that it can rotate during operation.

According to still further aspect of the invention, the operating mechanism further comprises, means for controlling the operating mechanism between its unoperative position and operative positions. Preferably this means may comprise, a pair of tooth wheels, one associated with the second shaft and the other fixedly mounted in the framework, the tooth wheels being capable of controlling the rotational movement of the second shaft by the interlockable action thereof; and a spring member associated with the second shaft for separating the tooth wheels by its biassing action.

According to still further aspect of the invention, a screen is advantageously provided at the opening for protection against insects and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a door which is provided with a window shade made of horizontal slats that slope and overlap and can be closed and opened by an operating mechanism so that it can let in light and air and also provide wider range of sight to observe the outside by opening the slats, and when closed it can serve like a slab door to protect from the external disturbance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism to speedily control a window shade made of horizontal slats.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door constructed according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a partially exploded view of the door according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating an operating mechanism, in its enlarged position, constructed according to the invention; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating another operating mechanism, in its enlarged position, constructed according to the invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a door according to the invention is furnished with elements such as door lock 1 hinges 12, fastener 13 etc., like the conventional doors. It is characterized in that it comprises a hollow wall-like framework 10 constituted by two slabs 16 each of which has a central opening 17 and is preferably made of metal, such as aluminium, steel, etc. In the framework 10 is provided with two vertical bars 15 each of which has a plurality of aligned pin holes 151 for supporting a plurality of horizontal slats 20. Each of the slats is integrally mounted on a shaft 21 in a lengthwise position and horizontally disposed across the opening 17 with the two ends of the shaft 21 rotatably journalled in the pin hole 1 51.All of the shafts 21 are respectively connected with small cranks 22 in a fixed position at one ends thereof and the small cranks 22, in turn, are commonly pivoted to an elongated connecting bar 23. One of the shafts 21, at its other end as shown in Fig. 3, is further connected fixedly to a driving crank 24 which in turn is pivoted to a driving connecting rod 25 of which other end is pivoted to a rack 31.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the rack 31 is provided in a vertically slidable position in a casing 3 which is attached to the slab 16 inside the hollow wall-like framework 10. The tooth portion 311 of the rack 31 is intermeshing a pinion 34 mounted on an operating shaft 33 which is disposed in an axially slidable position relative to the casing 3 and has the two ends thereof extended outwardly of the casing 3. One of the extended end is passing through the wall of the framework 10 and is provided with a handle 30 as a rotary control knob.

As the outside of the casing wall 32 is mounted a tooth wheel 361 which is in a coaxial position relative to the shaft 33 and interlockable with another tooth wheel 362 mounted on the shaft 33. A thrust spring 35 is sleeved onto the other extended portion of the shaft 33 and with its biassing action it can thrust the shaft 33 inward so that the two tooth wheels 361 and 362 will interlock.

The operation of opening and closing the slats 20 can be done by slightly drawing the handle 30 against the biassing action of the spring 35 and then turning. It can be noted that the toothed wheel 362 will move together with the shaft 33 and disengage from the stationary toothed wheel 361 when the shaft 33 is drawn, thereby converting the shaft 33 from its unrotatable position to its rotatable position. As soon as the shaft 33 rotates, the pinion 34 which is mounted fixedly on the shaft 33 will accordingly rotate, driving the rack 31 to move upward or downward.

The motion of the rack 31 will be transmitted to the shaft 21 which is in connection with the driving crank 24 and connecting rod 25 and subsequently the rotation of that shaft 21 will drive the crank 22 which is connected therewith and will, in turn, drive the connecting bar 23.

Following the movement of the connecting bar 23, all the cranks 22 will turn, driving the respective shafts 21 to rotate along therewith. As the shafts 21 are rotated all the slats 20 will follow to turn and according to the rotating direction of the shafts 21 the slats 20 can be turn to either the open position in which they slop in such a manner that apertures are left between adjacent slats 20, or the closed position in which they slop and overlap.

From Fig 4 it can be noted that the operating of the slats 20 can also be performed by using a further pinion 26, instead of the connecting rod 25 and crank 24, to intermesh the rack 31 which in this case is constructed such that it includes two toothed portions near the two ends thereof, one portion 311 for intermeshing with the pinion 34 which is mounted on the operating shaft 33 and the other portion 312 for intermeshing with the pinion 26. The tooth surface of the portion 312 perpendicular to the plane which is parallel to the tooth surface of the portion 311. The pinion 26 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 21 and will transmit the sliding motion of the rack 31 to the shaft 21 as a rotational movement. Through the rotation of the shaft 21 all the slats 20 can be adjusted between the opening and closed positions thereof as described in the above case.

After releasing the handle 30 from the hand the toothed wheel 362 reengages with the tooth wheel 361 through the biassing action of the spring 35, thereby placing the operating system in an unoperative position.

In order to protect from insects and the like, a screen 18 can be advantageously disposed at the opening 17.

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that obvious modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A structure, such as door comprising, a first slab member having at least one opening; a plurality of horizontal slat members that slope and overlap, capable of opening and closing, disposed across said opening; an operating mechanism attached to said first slab member for operating said slats between their open and closed positions.

2. A structure as claimed in Claim 1 , further comprising, a second slab member cooperative with said first slab member to form a hollow wall like framework surrounding said slat members.

3. A structure as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each of said slats members has a first shaft integrally coupled therewith in a lengthwise position, said first shaft rotatably mounted in said framework and capable of moving said slat members between open and closed positions by its rotational movement.

4. A structure as claimed in Claims 1,2 or 3, wherein said operating mechanism comprises, a second shaft operable by hand, and a rack and pinion gearing system connected to said first and second shafts.

5. A structure as claimed in Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said operating mechanism comprises, a second shaft operable by hand, a rack and pinion gearing system connected to said second shaft, a crank member mounted on said first shaft and a connecting rod provided between said crank member and said rack and pinion gearing system.

6. A structure as claimed in Claims 4 or 5, wherein said operating mechanism further comprises, means for controlling said operating mechanism between unoperative and operative positions of the operating mechanism.

7. A structure as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said means comprises, a pair of tooth wheels, one associated with said second shaft and the other fixedly mounted in said framework, said tooth wheels being capable of controlling the rotational movement of said second shaft by the interlockable action thereof; and a spring member associated with said second shaft for separating said tooth wheels by its biassing action.

8. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.