IMPROVED INSULATED FIRE PANEL SHUTTER

Abstract

Fire can spread extremely quickly within structures. To prevent this, fire doors or fire shutters are usually installed. However, security aspects of such doors or shutters are not renown. An attempt to alleviate this problem may be provided by an insulated fire panel shutter including a guide, adapted to receive a shutter and having one or more retractable members moveable between a retracted and extended position; a shutter, moveable between an open and closed position and formed from a plurality of panels each of which is moveable between a stowed and deployed position; their arrangement being such that as the guide receives the shutter during shutter closure, the panel arrangement alters from a stowed side by side relationship to a deployed stacked end to end relationship.

Claims

1. An insulated fire panel shutter adapted to close off an area including: a guide, adapted to receive a shutter and having one or more retractable members moveable between a retracted and extended position; and a shutter, moveable between an open and closed position and formed from a plurality of panels each of which is moveable between a stowed and deployed position; their arrangement being such that as the guide receives the shutter during shutter closure the panel arrangement alters from a stowed side by side relationship to a deployed stacked end to end relationship.

2. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutter is adapted to bias the one or more of the retractable members into the retracted position as the shutter moves from its open to its closed position and when in the closed position, the shutter no longer biases the one or more retractable members enabling the one or more retractable members to move from the retracted to the extended position, enabling the guide to engage the front and rear face of the or each panel.

3. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein some or each of the panels are stowed in an parallel overlying front face to rear face facing staggered relationship when the shutter is in the open position.

4. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulated fire panel shutter is provided with a driver motor operatively connected to the panels and means to arrest the rate of panel descent during shutter formation in the event of a motor gear box failure.

5. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein during movement of the shutter, at least one panel undergoes translational movement in two directions, the final position of the panel being parallel with but within a different plane to the first.

6. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulated fire panel shutter incorporates biasing means adapted to provide a bias to the shutter as the panels forming the shutter move from their stowed to their deployed position.

7. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means to arrest the rate of panel descent during-shutter formation is the biasing means.

8. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the biasing means is provided by one or more torsion springs operatively connected to the transmission shaft.

9. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed claim 8, wherein the transmission shaft is polygonal in cross-section.

10. The insulated fire panel as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transmission shaft is circular in cross-section.

11. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of claims 8-10, wherein the or each torsion spring is so marked as to be able to provide an indication of the number of turns which have been applied to the or each spring, thus providing an indication of its stored torque/potential energy.

12. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide is fitted with one or more intumescent strips.

13. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one intumescent strip is fitted to a retractable member.

14. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each retractable member is fitted with a camber adapted to eliminate the bias exerted on the or each retractable member by the shutter when the shutter is in the closed position.

15. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each panel includes a plurality of metal components, which do not contact each other in the finished panel to form an insulated metal panel.

16. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 15, wherein the metal panel includes: a) a frame having a front and rear face; b) a sheet of material fitted to and extending across the front and rear faces of the frame; and c) a thermally resistant wadding housed within the volume between the sheets of material and perimeter of the frame.

17. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the frame is metal and the exterior faces of the sheets of material are covered with a metal sheet in a sliding fit arrangement.

18. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of claims 15-17, wherein the wadding comprises a ceramic material and a silica fabric material.

19. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of claims 15-18, wherein the metal is steel.

20. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein when the shutter is closed, the metal components forming each of the panels do not contact each other.

21. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 20, wherein the metal components between adjacent panels are kept apart by a separating member.

22. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 21, wherein the separating member is a ceramic material.

23. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of claims 4-22, wherein movement of the shutter is actuated by a chain and sprocket mechanism powered by the driver motor.

24. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide is a vertical guide in its normal attitude of operation.

25. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panels forming the shutter are provided with complementary inter-locking members adapted to lock the panels together once the shutter is formed.

26. The insulating fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 25, wherein the complementary inter-locking members extend across the length of each panel.

27. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the complementary inter-locking members are in the form of a tongue and groove arrangement.

28. The insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shutter once formed is also provided with a flexible flame baffle sheet adapted to span any gap between the top of the shutter once formed and the top of a doorway to which the insulated fire panel shutter is fitted to.

29. A building or structure incorporating an insulated fire panel shutter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheets of drawings wherein:

[0048] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulated fire panel shutter of the present invention in its closed position and fittable to a doorway with its protective cover removed to expose the shutter panel storage facility, sprocket and chain mechanism and drive motor which operates the shutter.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its open position showing panels making up the shutter of the insulated fire panel shutter in their stowed position.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its closed position with the protective cover fitted.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its open position with the protective cover fitted.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a rear elevation of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its closed position with the protective cover removed.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its closed position.

[0054] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 in its closed position with the protective cover removed.

[0055] FIGS. 8-11 are sectional views of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 during various stages of opening/closing of the shutter (without separator blocks {see FIGS. 18 & 19} in place to show the chains).

[0056] FIG. 12 is an isometric view of one of the guides forming part of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1.

[0057] FIG. 13 is a partially exploded view of the guide of FIG. 12.

[0058] FIG. 14 is a sectional view through the upper end portion of the guide of FIG. 12 when the insulated fire panel shutter is in its closed position showing opposed retractable members in their extended position.

[0059] FIG. 15 is a sectional view through the upper end portion of the guide of FIG. 12 when the insulated fire panel shutter is in its open position, showing the opposed retractable members of FIG. 14 biased into their retracted position.

[0060] FIG. 16 is a sectional view through the lower end portion of the guide of FIG. 12 (without separator blocks {see FIGS. 18 & 19} in place) when the insulated fire panel shutter is in its closed position, showing the opposed retractable members of FIG. 14 in its extended position due to opposed cambers at the lower end of the guide.

[0061] FIG. 17 is a sectional view through the lower end portion of the guide of FIG. 12 (without separator blocks {see FIGS. 18 & 19} in place) when the insulated fire panel shutter is beginning to open, showing the opposed retractable members of FIG. 14 beginning to be biased into their retracted position.

[0062] FIG. 18 is a side elevation of a panel forming the shutter panel of the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 inclusive of separator blocks.

[0063] FIG. 19 is an isometric sectional view through part of the insulated panel of FIG. 18 showing the arrangement of materials employed in the make-up of the panel inclusive of separator blocks.

[0064] FIG. 20 is an isometric sectional view through the insulated fire panel shutter of FIG. 1 to show one of the cassette panels housing a chain and sprocket drive mechanism for the shutter panel.

[0065] FIG. 21 is a side elevation of the cassette panel of FIG. 20 showing the cassette and chain and sprocket drive mechanism.

[0066] FIG. 22 is a plan view of the cassette panel of FIG. 20 showing the cassette and chain and sprocket drive mechanism.

[0067] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the motor containing side of the insulated fire panel shutter similar to that shown in FIG. 1 showing a right handed and left handed pair of torsion springs fitted to the transmission shaft.

[0068] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23 but also showing alternate types of transmission shaft with complementary fixtures securing the winding end of the or each torsion spring to the transmission shaft.

[0069] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 23 encompassing both sides of the insulated fire panel shutter with its protective cover removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0070] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulated fire panel shutter generally referenced 10, fittable to a doorway and adapted to close off an area in the event of a fire. It is shown in its closed position devoid of a protective cover to show some of its moving/working parts. The insulated fire panel shutter 10 includes a pair of opposed mild steel panel cassettes 11 each being fitted to one end of a vertical (steel covered fire rated cement board) guide 12.

[0071] Mounted to each cassette 11 is a chain and sprocket assembly 13 which is connected to opposite ends of a steel transmission shaft 14 drivable by a drive motor 15 mounted on one of the cassettes 11.

[0072] In addition, a panel shelf 16 is also mounted to each cassette 11 in an opposed arrangement which act as a storage facility for the insulated panels 17 (see FIG. 2) used to form the shutter 18 of the insulated fire panel shutter 10 when in the open position. Each cassette 11 is also fitted with a panel guide 19 adapted to direct the movement of stowed panels 17 in use (see later). FIGS. 3 and 4 show the insulated fire panel shutter 10 with the protective cover 20 on in its closed and open position respectively.

[0073] In the event of a fire the shutter 18 in its closed position will offer a degree of protection to the components mounted to the cassettes 11, however, an additional degree of protection is provided by a flexible flame baffle sheet 21 made of fire rated fabric which spans the gap between the two cassettes 11 and downwardly depends from the top of the insulated fire panel shutter 10 in front of the chain and sprocket assembly 13.

[0074] The top of the sheet 21 in its normal attitude of operation being fitted to a rod connected to the top of the insulated fire panel shutter 10 and spanning the gap between the cassettes 11, whilst the bottom of the sheet 21 is connected to the top of the last of the insulated panels 17, this final panel 17 being adapted to form the uppermost panel of the shutter 18 in the shutter's closed position. This baffle sheet 21 has the advantage of being able to bridge any existing gap which may be present between the fire panel shutter 10 and the top of the doorway that it is fitted to. Such a sheet 21 will thus provide an additional barrier in this gap area to any flames, heat and/or smoke and is shown more clearly in FIGS. 5 and 7.

[0075] FIGS. 8-11 show how each of the panels 17 are connected to the chain and sprocket assembly 13. As shown, the cassette 11 containing the drive motor 15 includes a downwardly depending endless chain 13a linking the drive motor 15 to a motor sprocket (hidden from view) and one sprocket of a double sprocket 13b and a trans-mission chain 13c connecting the second sprocket of the double sprocket 13b to a second sprocket of double sprocket 13d. A free chain 13e connected to the cassette 11 at one end, rides over the first sprocket of double sprocket 13d and is linked to a side wall of a panel 17. Another section of free chain 13f connects this panel 17 to the next panel 17 and this process repeats until each of the panels 17 are connected. The same arrange-ment (save for the endless chain connecting the drive motor 15 to the double sprocket 13b) occurs with the other cassette (see also FIGS. 20-22).

[0076] FIGS. 8-11 also show how the shutter 18 is formed as the panels 17 stowed in a parallel staggered overlying front face to rear face facing relationship on the shelves 16 move along shelves 16 and (guided by panel guides 19) down the guides 12 when actuated by the drive motor 15.

[0077] FIGS. 12 and 13 show one of the guides 12 in more detail. Each guide 12 once assembled comprises essentially an elongate square C shaped member when seen in cross section with a pair of opposed retractable members 22 housed within and forming part of the guide 12. Each retractable member 22 comprises a series of contiguous ceramic plates bolted to an elongate steel strip that extends along the length of the guide 12 and towards its bottom end each retractable member 22 terminates with a ceramic plate camber 23.

[0078] Each retractable member 22 is connected to the rest of the guide 12 by three biasing hinges 24 enabling each retractable member 22 to move between a retracted and extended position relative to the rest of the guide 12. The hinges 24 bias each retractable member 22 towards the extended position. The front face of each retractable member 22 is fitted with a strip of intumescent material 25 and adjacent each retractable member 22, is an aluminium guide rail 26.

[0079] The lowest panel 17 of the shutter 18, where it passes between the guides 12 is fitted at the base of its front and rear faces with a ceramic biasing member 27 (four in all). The function of these biasing members 27 is to bias each pair of opposed retractable members 22 into their respective retracted position as the shutter 18 moves from its open to its closed position.

[0080] When the lowest panel 17 of the shutter 18 reaches the ground the space created by the camber 23 is slightly greater than the thickness of the ceramic biasing member 27 enabling each retractable member 22, to move from its retracted to its extended position, permitting the guide 12 to engage the front and rear face of each panel 17 making up the shutter 18 (see FIGS. 14-17).

[0081] FIGS. 18 and 19 show more detail of the nature of one of the insulated panels 17. As can be seen, each panel 17 is formed from a rectangular steel box frame 28, the volume defined by the inner perimeter of the frame being filled with a ceramic blanket wadding 29. A sheet of silica fabric material 30 extends across both the front and rear faces of the frame 28 to trap the wadding 29 located within the frame 28. A further ceramic blanket 29 also extends across both the front and rear faces of the frame 28 over the silica fabric material 30. The blankets 29 and materials 30 are secured to the front and rear faces of the frame 28 by a series of elongate ceramic plates 31 that are screwed to the frame 28.

[0082] The series of elongate ceramic plates 31 although flush with the width of the frame 28, extend slightly beyond the top and bottom of the frame 28. A further sheet of silica fabric 30 extends across the entire exterior face of each of the ceramic framed ceramic blankets 29 and is secured to the ceramic frame 31 using the same screws which bolt the ceramic frame 31 to frame 28. Finally, the front and rear face of the panel 17 is covered in a skin of sheet steel 32.

[0083] The top and bottom portions of each sheet 32 each possess two 90 degree folds to form respective and shapes in cross section, enabling each sheet 32, in a sliding fit, to be fitted to each respective set of the upper and lower ceramic plates 31. The ends of the respective n and u shaped folds of each sheet 32 are so sized and shaped as not to contact frame 28 once the sheets 32 have been slid into place (and also after any expansion may have taken place after heating in for example, the event of a fire).

[0084] A ceramic end cap 33 composed of a series of elongate ceramic plates 34 (which are n shaped in cross section) is screwed to opposing side walls of the frame 28 to prevent the sheets 32 from sliding off, the end cap 33 being flush with the top and bottom of the series of elongate ceramic plates 31.

[0085] The opposed side walls of each panel 17 also include opposed upper guide rollers 35 fitted with a pair (upper and lower) of lifting shafts 36 and opposed lower guide rollers 37 each fitted with a lead-in panel guide 38. One end of the free chain 13e connected to the cassette 11 connects to the upper lifting shaft 36 and free chain 13f connects to the lower lifting shaft 36 and the upper lifting shaft of the next panel 17.

[0086] The lead in panel guide 38 is somewhat similar to an old fashioned rotatable handle used to wind car windows up and thus consists of two components the arm 38a and the handle 38b. The purpose of the arm 38a is to distance the handle 38b or otherwise offset the handle 38b with respect to the rest of the guide roller 37 enabling free chain 13f to pass vertically down the side wall of the panel 17 without interfering with the handle 38b.

[0087] In addition, a plurality of elongate ceramic separators 39 protrude beyond the top of the sheet 32 covered ceramic plates 31 and, sit on the top wall of frame 28 of all but the uppermost panel 17. These contiguous separators 39 in cross section are similar to an inverted T in shape and form the tongue in an otherwise tongue 39 and groove 40 system. A similar plurality of elongate ceramic separators 40 are also screwed to the bottom wall of each frame 28, are n shaped in cross-section and protrude beyond the bottom of the sheet 32 covered ceramic plates 31.

[0088] The arrangement between respective tongue 39 and groove 40 ceramic separators is such that when respective separators 39, 40 come into contact with each other i.e. when one panel 17 sits on another, during shutter 18 formation, there is an air gap between the fold of steel 32 running along the top face of the ceramic plates 31 of the lower panel 17 and the fold of steel 32 running along the bottom face of the ceramic plates 31 of the adjacent panel 17 above it.

[0089] This air gap prevents conduction of heat between panels 17.

[0090] In addition the design of the tongue 39 and groove 40 is such that the walls of the upwardly extending leg of the inverted T are sloping inwardly slightly and contact between the tongue and groove only occurs between the feet of the groove 40 and the base of the inverted T 39.

[0091] This arrangement minimizes the risk of the tongue 39 and groove 40 system sticking when the shutter 10 is being opened again.

[0092] Although the plates 31 and 34 and the separators 39 and 40 are shown in a contiguous arrangement in this embodiment, in an alternative non illustrated embodiment, they need not be and as such their number may be reduced to save costs.

[0093] FIGS. 20-22 show one of the cassettes 11 in more detail albeit with the drive motor 15 and its endless connecting chain 13a to the double sprocket 13b missing.

[0094] In operation, assuming the insulated fire panel shutter 10 is in its open position, upon actuation of the drive motor 15, motor sprocket and the double sprocket 13b and transmission shaft 14 begin to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction causing the transmission chain 13c and double sprocket 13d to similarly rotate. As a consequence, the first panel 17, connected by the free chains 13e, moves from the cassette 11 and as it begins to lower, it engages the guides 12 enabling its ceramic biasing members 25 to retain the retractable members 22 in their retracted position,. As it does so the opposed upper guide rollers 35 eventually pass between and thus engage with the aluminium guide rails 26. Soon afterwards, the next panel 17 in the sequence (connected to the first panel by free chain 13f) and also stowed on the shutter panel storage facility begins to ride up the angled slope of the shelves 16 (via the upper guide rollers 35) and the lead in panel guides 38 eventually engage with the panel guides 19 to aid in directing the lower end of this next panel 17 such that the lower guide rollers 37 are able to pass between and thus engage with the aluminium guide rails 26.

[0095] At this point, this next panel's translational motion changes direction from being one in the direction up the slope of the shelves 16 to vertically downward, whereupon the upper guide rollers 35 eventually pass between and thus engage with the aluminium guide rails 26.

[0096] The descent of this next panel 17 terminates when the feet of the separators 40 on the lower wall of the frame 28 of this panel 17 contact the base of the inverted T of the separators 39 on the upper wall of the frame 28 of the lower panel 17 to leave an air gap between the metal portions of each panel 17.

[0097] During this time the next panel in the sequence is following on from the previous one, the final panel 17 connected to the blanket 21 steadily moving as well.

[0098] As the biasing members 27 of the first panel 17 pass the cambers 23, the biasing hinges 24 are able to bias the retractable members 22 into their extended positions to contact the now fully formed and fully closed shutter 18, with the blanket 21 deployed as well. In the event of a fire, the heat will trigger the intumescent material 25 and this will generate a seal between the guides 12 and the shutter 18. Under normal operating conditions, to open the shutter 18, the drive motor 15 is simply put into reverse.

[0099] FIGS. 23-25 show a variation to the general design of the insulated fire panel shutter, generally referenced 50.

[0100] This variant incorporates a bias in the form of four marked torsion springs 51-54 to counter-balance the panels 17 of the shutter 18. Two of the torsion springs 51, 52 are right handed (RH) springs and the other pair 53, 54 are left handed (LH) springs. One end of each respective pairs of torsion springs is securely fastened to an arm 55 which is in turn fitted to a bar 56 connected to each cassette 11.

[0101] The other end of each respective torsion spring is fitted to a fixture 57 (reminiscent of an anchor windlass on an old sailing ship) which is complementary with and securely fastened to the transmission shaft 14. With such an arrangement of RH,LH; RH,LH, on the transmission shaft 14 both pairs of springs 51,53;52,54 will wind up or unwind together, depending on the rotation of the transmission shaft 14.

[0102] FIG. 24 shows alternate transmission shafts which are square 58 or hexagonal 59 in cross-section and these potentially offer better bite for the complementary fixtures 57 fitted to them, as with a polygonal cross-section to the transmission shaft, there will be less chance of counter rotation from the stored torque energy in the or each torsion spring 51-54.

[0103] The purpose of the springs 51,53;52,54 is to enable either a smaller drive motor to be employed than would otherwise be required as the springs 51,53;52,54 assist with the opening and closing of the insulated fire panel shutter 50 or the same standard drive motor 15 to enable particularly heavy panels 17 to be moved and formed into the shutter 18. The torsion springs 51-54 also act as a safety feature in this embodiment as they will prevent the panels 17 from crashing down should drive motor 15 fail. They will also extend the longevity of the drive motor 15 as it will not need to work as hard to raise the panels 17 of shutter 18.

[0104] A pull chain 60 of sufficient length is connected to the motor and is also shown in FIGS. 23-25 the purpose of which is to release the motor brakes and thus disengage the drive motor 15 from the gear box to allow the motor sprocket to move freely.

[0105] When the drive motor 15 is actuated, the shutter 18 is allowed to form in a manner previously described thus closing the insulated fire panel shutter 50.

[0106] In order to initially apply the appropriate amount of torque to the springs 51,53;52,54, one end of a rod (not illustrated) is inserted into one of the apertures 61 of the fixture 57 (which is at this point free to rotate) and is wound such that the appropriate torsion spring begins to store torque, and when sufficient rotations of the torsion spring have been completed (indicated by the marks on the torsion spring 51) the fixture 57 is securely fastened to the transmission shaft 14.

[0107] This process is repeated for each torsion spring 52-54 but the number of turns need not be identical.

[0108] Accordingly, in this embodiment, upon actuation of the drive motor 15, when the fire panel shutter 50 is in its open position, torque in each of the springs 51,53;52,54, will slowly build up as the shutter 18 forms.