GB2145862A - Security closure for a window or like opening - Google Patents

Abstract

A blind or curtain has electrical conductors incorporated therein and electrically connected with fastener elements 12, 13 carried at lateral 6a and bottom parts 5 thereof, which fastener elements can be secured to respective male turnbuckle fastener elements 7 mounted on the frame. A closed circuit is formed between two terminals of an alarm circuit by, in series, the male and female turnbuckle member elements and 12 the conductors in the cords 7 so that an alarm is set off when any of the turntable fasteners is undone or any of the conductors 7 is broken 16 in an attempted break-in. The invention is exemplified by a venetian blind; a vertical louvre blind; and a soft curtain. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security closure for a window or like opening This invention relates to a security closure for a window or the like opening and it is an object of the invention to provide such a closure which will also serve the conventional decorative and screening functions of such items as blinds or curtains.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a closure which can be manufactured and fitted with very little additional expenditure as compared with a corresponding conventional closure.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a flexible or articulated closure for an opening in the wall of a building, such as a window or door, the closure incorporating at least one electrical conductor connected with electrically conductive fastening elements adapted to co-operate with complementary electrically conductive fastening elements provided around a surrounding structure of said opening and connected with alarm means responsive to the electrical conductivity of an electrical circuit established via said electrical conductor incorporated in the closure and via said fastening elements, whereby a break in said circuit caused by unfastening of said fastening elements or damage to said closure, can activate said alarm means.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an alarm system incorporating a closure according to claim 1 in combination with a surrounding structure of said opening, said surrounding structure having electrically conductive fastening elements complementary with those of the closure and adapted to cooperate with those of the closure when the closure is in a position extended across said opening, the system including electrical alarm circuitry including electrical conductors connected with said fastening elements of said surrounding structure, the arrangement being such that when the closure is extended across said opening and said fastening elements of the closure connected with the fastening elements of said surrounding structure, an electrical circuit is established through said conductors and the associated cooperating fastening elements, the alarm circuitry being arranged to respond to a break in said circuit such as would be caused by disconnection of a said fastening element or damage to said closure.

Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in front elevation, of a venetian blind embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a view in vertical section of the blind of Fig. 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which an electrical circuit, forming part of an alarm system, is associated with the blind, Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the female fastening element of a pair of cooperating fastening elements incorporated in the blind arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3, Figure 6 and 7 are respectively a elevation and a plan view of a male fastening element designed to cooperate with the fastening element of Fig. 5, Figure 8 is a diagrammatic elevation view of a vertical hanging louvre blind forming another embodiment of the invention, Figure 9 is a perspective view of a detail of Fig. 8, Figure 10 is a diagrammatic elevation view of a soft curtain closure forming yet another embodiment of the invention, and Figure 11 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, of a detail of the closure arrangement of Fig. 10.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a horizontally slatted venetian blind which, except in the respects which will become apparent, is of conventional design. Thus, the blind is supported from an upper beam 1, of inverted channel section, mounted in supporting brackets 2 which are secured at the top of the window opening in which the blind is fitted.

Mounted within the beam 1 are pulleys 3 around which runs a chain 4 the ends of which are secured to a horizontal bottom member 5 of the blind whereby the blind may be raised and lowered. The blind itself consists of a plurality of curved metal slats 6, 6a loosely and freely supported and located by ladder-like meshes each comprising in known manner, two vertical strings 7 between which extend transverse links upon which the various slats 6, 6a rest. Each of the supporting strings 7 is connected with the bottom member 5 at its lower end and is connected at its upper end with respective drum 8 fixed on a spindle 9 extending horizontally within the beam 1 and rotatable to alter the angle at which the slats 6, 6a lie.A geared wheel mounted on the spindle 9 meshes with a spiral gear rotatably mounted within the beam 1 and coupled with a pulley around which runs an angle-adjusting cord 11 whereby the pulley may be rotated to rotate the the spindle 9 and thus adjust the angle of the slats.

The blind shown differs, however, from known venetian blinds in that a slat 6a intermediate the top and bottom of the blind carries at each end a respective tab 1 2 at the end of which is secured the female part of a turnbuckle fastening. Furthermore, the bottom member 5 of the blind has fitted thereto, in the middle thereof, a similar flexible tab 1 3 likewise carrying the female member of a turnbuckle fastening. Each tab 1 2 extends horizontally outwardly from the respective end of the slat 6a whilst the tab 13 extends downwardly from the member 5.When the blind is fully lowered and fully secured, the female fastening elements carried on the tabs 1 2 are fitted over respective male turnbuckle fastening elements 18 secured to the sides of the window frame 1 6 and the female fastening element attached to the tab 1 13 is likewise fitted over a male turnbuckle element 1 7 secured to the bottom of window frame.

The female part of each turnbuckle fastening, as shown in Fig. 5, which also shows the end portion of the tab to which the female part is attached, somprises, in known fashion, a plate on either side of the tab, the plates being connected by deforming or upsetting portions of the one in engagement with portions of the other in known manner the two plates defining therethrough an elongate hole through which can pass the rotatable armature part, of complementary cross-section of the male turnbuckle element (Figs. 6 and 7).

This armature part is mounted on a metal base plate screwed to the window frame. In known fashion, once the armature part of the turnbuckle aligned with the hole in the female part, has been inserted therethrough the armature part is turned through 90 to prevent withdrawal from the female part.

The tabs 1 2 are made of flexible material, for example flexible tape or cloth, and thus can be twisted fairly readily so that even when the turnbuckles are secured and the alarm system activated, it is possible to adjust the angle of the blind slats by operation of the cord 11.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, at least some of the strings 7 incorporate electrical conductors electrically connected with the various female fastening elements to form, with the corresponding male parts of the turn buckle fasteners and associated electrical con:iuctors carried by the frame or surrounding structure bounding the opening, and further circuitry (not shown), an electrical circuit. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, the two female fastener elements at the opposite ends of the slat 6a are electrically connected by a conductive link incorporating, in series, a plurality of the strings 7 and connecting conductors provided within the beam 1 and lower member 5.The female fastener element at the middle of the lower member 5 is electrically connected, by a conductive link incorporating a plurality ot the strings 7 in series and connecting conductors in the beam 1 and bottom member 5, wíxi one of two conductors 1 9 leading to the further circuitry referred to.The other of the two conductors 1 9 is connected with tne male turnbuckle member 18 at one sicie of me window frame whilst the male turnbuckle member 18 at the other side of the window frame is electrically connected by a conductor carried by the window frame with the stationary male member 1 7 of the lower turn buckle fastening and which is secured to the lower member of the window frame.When the blinds are fully lowered and all three turnbuckle members are secured an electrical circuit is thus established between the two conductors 1 9 which extends repeatedly across the window opening through the blind structure via the vertical strings 7 and that electrical disconnection of the two members of any of the three turnbuckle fastenings or a break in the electrical conductor incorporated in any of the strings 7 will break this circuit. The further circuitry to which the leads 1 9 extend comprises the remainder of an alarm system which, when set, will cause an alarm bell to ring, or other alarm to be given, when the circuit referred to is broken. The alarm system is so arranged that only low voltage is applied to the conductors in the strings 7.Where the alarm system is mains-operated, the system incorporates a step-down transformer providing low voltage for the conductors in the strings 7 and the associated parts of the blind and to isolate the blind from the mains. The alarm system preferably incorporates, in known manner, a stand-by battery arrangement whereby the alarm system can be relied upon to operate easily if the mains supply is cut off or where a mains supply is not available.

The alarm system may incorporate a control panel disposed at a location not visible from the window the control panel carrying relay switches or other components of the system, manual switches for setting and de-activating the alarm system and so on.

The electrical conductors in the strings are preferably incorporated in the weave of the string 7 or are attached thereto and are, in any case, preferably insulated. Similarly insulated conductors extend from the strings 7 to the female fastener elements, being attached to the respective slats and to the flexible tab electrical connection being made with the turnbuckle members. As the tabs, 12, 1 3 are of insulating material and the portions of the conductors extending along the slats 6, 6a are insulated, there is then no risk that the circuit will be maintained by conduction through the metal slats to the blind despite one or other of the relevant strings 7 having been broken during an attempt at forced entry.

The alarm system may, of course, incorporate various other features which will be well known to those skilled in the art in connection with alarm systems incorporating sensors of other types to trigger the system.

A similar alarm arrangement may be utilise in a vertical hanging louvre blind of the sort incorporating vertical blind slats. Such blinds, well known per se have an analogous construction to venetian blinds but incorporate a series of vertical slats instead of horizontal slats.Thus, referring to Fig. 8, in such a vertical hanging louvre blind, a series of electrically conductive strings 20, for example tapes incorporating in the weave thereof an insulating conductor, extend horizontally across the blind from one vertical edge to the other, each said string being physically connected with or linked to each of the vertical slats 6, without being electrically connected thereto, and sufficient length of each string being left between each adjoining pair of slats to avoid interference with normal operation of the blind i.e. with the extension of the blind across the window opening or its drawing to one side of the window opening and adjustment of the angle of the slats relative to the plane of the window opening when the blind is fully extended across the window opening.

At each of the two lateral extremities of the blind, each conductor string 20 is electrically connected with a respective press-stud fastener element 38 for example carried by a flexible tab 39 formed by or carrying an end portion of the respective string. Said fastener element, in the closed position of the blind, can be snapped into engagement with a complementary press-stud fastener element mounted on the side of the window frame.

Preferably, at the bottom of the blind, a plurality of relatively short conductive loops, 22 may be provided each comprising an electrically conductive string, similar to the strings 20 but extending only part way across the blind, with the ends of the string being electrically connected with press-stud fastener elements carried by flexible tabs 41, similar to the tabs 1 2 and 1 3 of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 7, which in the closed position of the blind, can be engaged with complementary press-studs secured to the bottom of the window frame 16, and connected with conductors carried by the window frame.The various conductive strings 20, are connected electrically in series, with the various pressstuds, to form a single electrical circuit between conductors 1 9 which circuit again extends several times across the window opening and will once again be broken by disconnection of any of the fasteners or by electrical interruption of the conductor in any of the strings 20, 22, as a result of an attempt at forced entry. The conductors 1 9 lead again to alarm circuitry arranged to set off an alarm if the electrical circuit referred to is broken.

Fig. 9 shows in greater detail the arrangement of two of the strings 20 in relation to the vertical slats.

Referring to Fig. 10, a similar alarm system may be incorporated in soft curtains. In the embodiments shown in Fig. 10, a pair of curtains 30, suspended in known manner from a curtain rod or rail 32 incorporates electrical conductors 33 which, in association with cooperating press-stud fasteners elements again form, when the curtain is drawn and fastened, a closed circuit connected by leads 19 with the reminder of the alarm. The electrical conductors 33 carried by the curtains are intimately connected thereto, for example being embodied by electrical conductors woven into a flimsy tape sewn onto each curtain in the desired conductor configuration, or, for concealment sewn between the curtain facing and the curtain lining.The circuit comprises a plurality of sections of such tape, each section of conductive tape having the conductors thereof electrically connected at the ends of the tape, to the respective pressstud fasteners, for example by soldering. In the arrangement shown, press-studs 34 are provided for connecting the two curtains together along their adjoining edges when the curtains are drawn, with said adjoining edges overlapping slightly as illustrated. A further press-stud arrangement 35 is provided which secures both of the curtains, at their adjoining lower corners, to the bottom of the window frame 16.

Further press-studs 36 are provided which secure each of the curtains to the bottom of the window frame at respective locations, and yet further press-studs 38 are provided which secure the vertical edges of the curtains remote from one another to the respective uprights of the window frame. The press-studs 34 each comprise a male element carried by one curtain and a female element carried by the other. The press studs 36 and 38 each comprise a male press-stud element secured to the window frame and a female press-stud element carried by the respective curtain.The press-stud fastener arrangement 35 may comprise a compound press-stud arrangement or may be an arrangement in which each curtain, at the respective corner location, has a press-stud element which is secured to a respective one of a pair of closely adjacent press-stud elements secured to the bottom of the window frame and electrically connected with one another. The press-stud elements carried by the curtains are conveniently mounted on the ends of the respective sections of tape.

As illustrated, the arrangement is such that when the curtain is drawn and all of the pressstuds are fastened, a unitary electrical circuit is closed, which extends repeatedly across the window opening, spanning both curtains of the pair via the fasteners 34. Once again the arrangement being such that if any one of the fasteners is undone or any of the conductors 33 is broken, the circuit will be broken, activating the alarm system as before.

It will be appreciated that whilst the closures described have been described as applied to a window, similar closures could be applied to door openings and similar alarm systems may be incorporated in doors or gates.

It will also be understood that sundry variations may be made within the scope of the appended claims. For example in order to increase the security factor in the case of venetian or vertical louvred blinds, the con ductive strings 7 may be replaced by light chains and the tabs carrying the female turn buckle elements may likewise be made of metal, for example as sections of chain.

Similarly turnbuckle fasteners may be util ised in place of the press-stud fasteners in the embodiments of Figs. 8 to 11 if desired and conversely, press-stud fasteners may be used in a blind otherwise in accordance with Figs.

1 to 7. Any other fasteners may be used in place of turnbuckle or press-stud fasteners, provided, of course, in each case, that such fastener elements are electrically conductive, as are the press-stud and turnbuckle fasteners referred to.

Claims (11)

1. A flexible or articulated closure for an opening in the wall of a building, such as a window or door, the closure incorporating at least one electrical conductor connected with electrically conductive fastening elements adapted to cooperate with complementary electrically conductive fastening elements pro vided around a surrounding structure of said opening and connected with alarm means responsive to the electrical conductivity of an electrical circuit established via said electrical conductor incorporated in the closure and via said fastening elements, whereby a break in said circuit caused by unfastening of said fastening elements or damage to said closure, can activate said alarm means.

2. An alarm system incorporating a clo sure according to claim 1 in combination with a surrounding structure of said opening, said surrounding structure having electrically con ductive fastening elements complementary with those of the closure and adapted to cooperate with those of the closure when the closure is in a position extended across said opening, the system including electrical alarm circuitry including electrical conductors con nected with said fastening elements of said surrounding structure, the arrangement being such that when the closure is extended across said opening and said fastening elements of the closure connected with the fastening ele ments of said surrounding structure, an elec trical circuit is established through said con ductors and the associated cooperating fasten ing elements, the alarm circuitry being ar ranged to respond to a break in said circuit such as would be caused by disconnection of a said fastening element or damage to said closure.

3. A closure according to claim 1 which is in the form of a horizontally slatted venetion blind or a vertically slatted or louvered blind.

4. A closure according to claim 3 wherein said conductors in the closure are so arranged as to allow adjustment of the inclination of the slats of the blind relative to the plane of the opening whilst said fastening elements are fastened, without variation of the electrical resistance of said circuit.

5. A closure according to claim 1 which is in the form of a curtain of flexible sheet material.

6. A closure according to claim 1 which is in the form of a pair of curtains of flexible sheet material which, in the closed condition of the closure, meet at a position intermediate the sides of the closure. and wherein complementary cooperating fastening elements are carried by adjoining edges of the two curtains whereby the two curtains can be secured together by way of the last-mentioned fastening elements, and wherein the last-mentioned fastening elements are also electrically conductive and are connected with said conductors of the closure, whereby said electrical circuit will be broken if the curtains are parted.

7. A closure according to any of claims 1, or 3 to 6 wherein at least one such fastening element is provided on each side of the closure.

8. A closure according to any of claims 1 or 3 to 7, wherein at least one such fastening element is provided at an upper or lower edge of the closure.

9. A closure substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A closure substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 8 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A closure substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 10 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

1 2. Any novel feature of combination of features described herein.