Modular shutter system for poultry house ventilation and insulation

A modular, framed assemblage for the manual or automated operation of shutters enclosed within an orthogonally-shaped frame, in controlling air flow, temperature, static pressure, and insulation within a poultry house, wherein said assemblage comprises

• four shutters, each comprising a planar, rectangular-shaped structure having beveled edges along the entire length of said shutter, and further, having approximate dimensions comprising 48 inches in length by 14 inches in width, by 1.5 inches in thickness;
• four tie brackets, wherein one of each said tie brackets is affixed to the lower midpoint of the outer face of each shutter, proximate its beveled edge;
• a frame comprising (a) a left and a right, vertically-oriented, four-sided longitudinal member each having a lengthwise internal shaft and two length-wise rail slots extending the entire length of two opposing exterior sides of said rail;
• (b) one upper horizontal rail, primarily oblong and having a cross-section comprising a quadrilateral having two successive ninety-degree angles, one obtuse angle, and one acute angle, wherein said obtuse angle corresponds to the angle of the beveled edges of said shutters;
• (c) one lower horizontal rail, primarily oblong and having a cross-section comprising a quadrilateral having two successive ninety-degree angles, one obtuse angle, and one acute angle, wherein said obtuse angle corresponds to the angle of the beveled edges of said shutters;
• (d) two block-shaped upper couplers, each having a matrix section and identical mutually parallel wings constructed on both sides of said upper coupler;
• and (e) two block-shaped lower couplers each having a matrix center, mutually parallel wings constructed on both sides of said lower coupler, and two slanted resting surfaces extending from said parallel wings;
• four L-shaped left hinges having a protruding wheel at the longer end of said L-shape and having a bracket at the shorter end of said L-shape, wherein;
• four L-shaped right hinges having a protruding wheel and a bracket oriented in a manner diametrically opposed to that of said left hinges, wherein said left and right hinges comprise dimensions enabling a fit, of said protruding wheel member of said left and right hinges, within the slot of said respective left and right vertically-oriented, four-sided longitudinal members,
• a means for attaching the bracket of said hinges proximate the ends of each of said shutters;
• eight hinge spacers, comprising (a) lateral dimension providing for a longitudinal fit within the slot of each of said left and right vertically-oriented, four-sided longitudinal members, (b) an upper notch so as to provide rotational guidance to the circumference of the protruding wheel of a first said hinge, (c) a lower indent so as to provide rotational stabilization to the circumference of the protruding wheel of a second said hinge, and (d) a longitudinal dimension so as to provide an exact amount of vertical separation between the horizontal edges of adjacent shutters;
• and further, four of said hinge spacers are installed within the rail slot of each the left and the right vertically-oriented longitudinal member
• wherein
• said shutters, with hinges attached, are assembled in a parallel, edge-abutting horizontal arrangement wherein the protruding wheels of said respective left and right hinges, are placed into the slot of each of said left and a right, vertically-oriented, four-sided longitudinal members, in an alternating sequence with said four respective hinge spacers, so as to provide for spacing between successive shutters and to further assist in the simultaneous, coordinated movement of all shutters to and from a vertical closed position to a horizontal open position, or any intervening position.

A modular, framed assemblage for the manual or automated operation of two columns of shutters enclosed within an orthogonally-shaped frame, and utilized in controlling air flow, temperature, static pressure, and insulation within a poultry house, wherein said assemblage comprises

• eight shutters wherein each of said shutters comprises a planar, rectangular-shaped structure having beveled edges along the entire length of said shutter, and further, having dimensions comprising 48 inches in length by 14 inches in width, by 1.5 inches in thickness for each said shutter;
• a frame comprising (a) three vertically-oriented, four-sided, longitudinal members each having a lengthwise interior shaft and two length-wise slots extending the entire length of opposing exterior sides of each of said rails, (b) two upper horizontal rails, primarily oblong, and each having a cross-section comprising a quadrilateral having two successive ninety-degree angles, one obtuse angle, and one acute angle, wherein said obtuse angle corresponds to the angle of the beveled edges of said shutters, (c) two lower horizontal rails, primarily oblong and having a cross-section comprising a quadrilateral having two successive ninety-degree angles, one obtuse angle, and one acute angle, wherein said obtuse angle corresponds to the angle of the beveled edges of said shutters, (d) three block-shaped upper couplers, each having a matrix section and identical mutually parallel wings constructed on both sides of said upper coupler and (e) three block-shaped lower couplers each having a matrix center, mutually parallel wings constructed on both sides of said lower coupler, and two slanted resting surfaces extending from said parallel wings;
• a plurality of tie brackets wherein at least one of said tie brackets is affixed to the lower midpoint of the outer face of each shutter;
• a plurality of L-shaped left hinges having a protruding wheel at the longer end of said L-shape and having a bracket at the shorter end of said L-shape;
• a plurality of L-shaped right hinges having a protruding wheel and a bracket oriented in a manner diametrically opposed to that of said left hinges;
• a plurality of hinge spacers;
• and
• a means for attaching the bracket of respective left hinges and right hinges proximate the respective ends of each of said shutters;
• said modular assembly is constructed such that a frame comprising one left vertical rail, one center vertical rail, and one right vertical rail are connected to two upper horizontal rails and two lower horizontal rails, and further, (a) four of said shutters, each having one left hinge and one right hinge, respectively attached, are inserted, between said left vertical rail and said center vertical rail utilizing said protruding wheels, at alternating intervals with hinge spacers and the wheels of said brackets occupying alternate spaces within the slots of each of said vertical rails, (b) another group of four of said shutters, each having one left hinge and one right hinge, respectively attached, are inserted, between said right vertical rail and said center vertical rail utilizing said protruding wheels, at alternating intervals with hinge spacers such that (c) all four shutters, in each of two side-by-side columns of four shutters are capable of operating within the confines of said frame.