US 4,662,420 AGranted

Panel shutter mechanism

AssigneeSanwa Shutter Corporation

InventorMasato Hirao

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Abstract

This invention relates to a panel shutter mechanism for covering and uncovering the opening of a building, wherein in one position the panels constituting the shutter are arranged in the same plane so as to cover the opening when each of the panels is supported by guide rails uprightly placed on both edges of the opening, and the panels locked in place by a locking mechanism, and in the other position the panels are rolled up so as to leave the opening uncovered, wherein each of the panels is housed side-by-side in a housing located above the upper ends of the guide rails.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A panel shutter mechanism comprising in combination

(a) a plurality of elongated horizontally disposed panels that are disposed parallel to each other,
(b) a roller chain arrangement for linking together adjacent ends of said panels in a manner leaving a predetermined space therebetween,
(c) guide rails for guiding the panels up and down within a vertical plane,
(d) a housing located adjacent the upper portion of said guide rails for receiving and maintaining a horizontal array of panels in a side-by-side relationship,
(e) guiding rollers extending outwardly from each end of each elongated panel,
(f) generally horizontal rails located in said housing for receiving and supporting said guiding rollers when the panels are maintained in a side-by-side relationship,
(g) guide sprockets which engage said roller chains and which are rotatable to move said roller chains upwardly and downwardly,
(h) drive sprockets to rotate said guide sprockets,
whereby when the guide sprockets are driven in one direction the panels will be positioned one above the other in a substantially vertical plane, and when the guide sprockets are driven in the opposite direction the panels will be disposed side-by-side in a substantially horizontal array, and
(i) a locking mechanism associated with adjacent panels to automatically lock all the panels together when the panels are moved downwardly and unlock the panels from each other when the panels are moved upwardly, said locking mechanism comprising latch claws on the upper side of at least one panel, which claws are normally biased into an upper disposition, and press pins on the lower side of the next higher panel which are adapted to press downwardly upon said latch claws when the shutter is in its closed down position, the claws in their down position extending into an obstructing relationship with a portion of the guide rails so that the panels cannot move freely upwardly within the guide rails.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A panel shutter mechanism comprising in combination

(a) a plurality of elongated horizontally disposed panels that are disposed parallel to each other,
(b) a roller chain arrangement for linking together adjacent ends of said panels in a manner leaving a predetermined space therebetween,
(c) guide rails for guiding the panels up and down within a vertical plane,
(d) a housing located adjacent the upper portion of said guide rails for receiving and maintaining a horizontal array of panels in a side-by-side relationship,
(e) guiding rollers extending outwardly from each end of each elongated panel,
(f) generally horizontal rails located in said housing for receiving and supporting said guiding rollers when the panels are maintained in a side-by-side relationship,
(g) guide sprockets which engage said roller chains and which are rotatable to move said roller chains upwardly and downwardly,
(h) drive sprockets to rotate said guide sprockets,
whereby when the guide sprockets are driven in one direction the panels will be positioned one above the other in a substantially vertical plane, and when the guide sprockets are driven in the opposite direction the panels will be disposed side-by-side in a substantially horizontal array, and
(i) a locking mechanism associated with adjacent panels to automatically lock all the panels together when the panels are moved downwardly and unlock the panels from each other when the panels are moved upwardly, said locking mechanism comprising latch claws on the upper side of at least one panel, which claws are normally biased into an upper disposition, and press pins on the lower side of the next higher panel which are adapted to press downwardly upon said latch claws when the shutter is in its closed down position, the claws in their down position extending into an obstructing relationship with a portion of the guide rails so that the panels cannot move freely upwardly within the guide rails.

7 more elements