GB2297113A

GB2297113A - Lintel with security shutter

Info

Publication number: GB2297113A
Application number: GB9500914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Colin Bell; Andrew Robert Crossley; Graham John Broom
Original assignee: RSL BRISTOL Ltd
Current assignee: RSL BRISTOL Ltd
Priority date: 1995-01-18
Filing date: 1995-01-18
Publication date: 1996-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-18
Also published as: GB9500914D0; GB2297113B

Abstract

A lintel 2 has a hollow defining a housing for a security roller shutter and includes a removable backplate 34 to allow access to the shutter for replacement or repair. The lintel can have a support wall extending between a front wall 18 and a back wall 16 in addition to the top wall 14. The shutter and removable backplate can be positioned below the support wall.

Description

LINTEL WITH SECURITY SHUTTER The present invention relates to a lintel, and in particular a lintel and security shutter assembly.

U.K. Patent Application GB-A-2158123 describes a hollow lintel including a recess into which a security shutter can be fitted. The recess is in the base of the lintel, so having the significant disadvantage that the security shutter is relatively inaccessible, so cannot be readily repaired or replaced.

U.K. Patent Application No. GB-A-2109848 discloses a support member which fits under a concrete lintel and has a removable back cover to allow access to a roller shutter contained within. Although the support member in which the shutter is housed is somewhat supporting, it is not sufficiently strong to act as a lintel.

In its first aspect, the present invention provides a hollow lintel defining a housing for a security roller shutter and having a removable backplate which is removable to permit access to the security roller shutter.

The lintel preferably comprises a spindle around which the shutter is rolled. The removable backplate is preferably substantially not load bearing. The lintel preferably includes a slot in its base through which the security shutter is furled or unfurled.

The slot can be defined along at least one side by a brush against which the surface of the shutter passes so as to clean the shutter surface as the shutter is furled or unfurled.

The lintel is preferably adapted to fit into a double wall comprising an outer skin and an inner skin. The backplate is preferably exposed on the inner skin in use so as to be readily accessible.

The invention in its first aspect also relates to a lintel and a roller shutter, the lintel defining a housing having a removable backplate, the housing receiving the roller shutter.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a hollow lintel comprising a top wall, a front wall including a transverse foot plate, a back wall which is relatively shorter than the front wall and a support wall extending between the front wall and the base of the back wall. These walls are preferably load bearing. The extended portion of the front wall and the intermediate wall defme a space for receiving a roller shutter.

A removable and preferably non load bearing backplate further defines the space in which the roller shutter is housed.

The roller shutter is preferably disposed on a spindle running between sidewalls. This shutter assembly is preferably completely removable from the lintel so that the roller shutter can be repaired or replaced.

Advantageously, it is the top wall, back wall, front wall and intermediate support wall which take the load bearing function. Accordingly, the shutter assembly need not be load bearing so can be readily removed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through the preferred lintel and security shutter assembly, Figure 2 is an expanded oblique view illustrating components of the assembly, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through one side of the window frame above which the lintel assembly is fitted.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a lintel 2 spans the inner 4 and outer 6 skins of a cavity wall 8. The lintel includes a bent-up member 10 having a top part 12 including a top wall 14, which contacts supports the inner skin 4, a back wall 16, a sloping front wall 18. There is also support wall 20 which is disposed in a plane below the top wall 14 and is attached to the bottom portion of the back wall 16 and the bottom portion of the sloping front wall 18. This support wall acts to strengthen the lintel and to prevent the lintel buckling in use.

There is, optionally, insulation board 19 inserted in the space defmed by the walls 14,16,18,20 of the top-part 12 of the bent-up member 10.

The bent-up member 10 also has a lower part 22 including a drop wall 24 from the bottom of the sloping wall 18 at the bottom end of which is a base plate 26 bent so as to be perpendicular to the drop wall 24. The base plate 26 is supported on bricks of the outer skin 6 in use so as to support the lintel 2 in position. The drop wall 24 is the front wall of a housing 28 for a security shutter 30. The housing includes a shutter assembly 32 having side plates 36 to which a back plate 34 is attached. A spindle 38 to which the security shutter 30 is attached extends between the two side plates 36. The spindle 38 is preferably made of aluminium. A top slot of the security shutter 30 is attached to the spindle 38 using straps. Thermal insulation 39 is provided in the space between the shutter 30 and the back plate 34.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, the preferred assembly includes side supports 40, and a slotted base plate 42 having a slot 44 through which the security shutter 30 passes as it is unrolled or rolled up. A brush 45 is provided along the edge of the slot 44 nearer the outer skin for use in cleaning the exposed side of the security shutter 30 as it is rolled up or unrolled.

The plates and wall of the preferred assembly, are preferably treated steel. In particular, they can be pre-galvanised using a zinc based coating then subject to a polymer powder coating before heat treatment at high temperature.

The back plate 34 and/or shutter assembly 32 can readily be removed allowing easy access to the security shutter 30, such as for replacement or repair. As the bent-up member 10 of the lintel is sufficiently stiff in itself to support the skins 4, 6 above a window, the back plate 34 of the security shutter is preferably not load-bearing so can be thin and readily removable. In particular, the back plate can have a thin wood veneer.

The lintel and security shutter assembly is used in a window 43 having a guide channel 41 for the unfurled portion of the shutter roller 30. The guide channel 41 is provided by a guide channel insert (cavity closer) 44 which is fitted into the cavity between window or door jambs 46. The insert 44 has side-walls 48 and fits within the cavity.

The insert 44 is thus held in place. The insert 44 is preferably of plastic material including insulation material 50 within its body. The guide channel 41 includes an aluminium lining 52.

Claims

1. A lintel having a hollow defining a housing for a security roller shutter and having a removable backplate which is removable for permitting access to the security roller shutter.

2. A lintel according to claim 1, comprising a spindle in the housing around which the shutter is rolled.

3. A lintel according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the removable backplate is at least substantially not load bearing.

4. A lintel according to any preceding claim, in which the housing has a base, the base including a slot through which the shutter is furled and/or unfurled.

5. A lintel according to claim 4, in which the slot is defined along at least one side by a brush against which a surface of the shutter passes so as to clean the shutter surface as the shutter is furled and/or unfurled.

6. A lintel according to any preceding claim adapted to fit into a double wall comprising an outer skin and an inner skin.

7. A lintel according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which the lintel further comprises a top wall, a front wall including a transverse foot plate, a back wall which is relatively shorter than the front wall and a support wall extending between the front wall and the base of the back wall below which the housing is located.

8. A lintel and a roller shutter assembly, the lintel defining a housing, the housing receiving the roller shutter and having a removable backplate to permit access to the shutter assembly.

9. A hollow lintel comprising a top wall, a front wall including a transverse foot plate, a back wall which is relatively shorter than the front wall and a support wall extending between the front wall and the base of the back wall.

10. A lintel according to claim 9, in which the top wall, front wall, back wall and support wall are load-bearing.

11. A lintel according to claim 9 or claim 10, in which insulating material is provided in the hollow.

12. A lintel according to any of claims 9 to 11, in which the extended portion of the front wall and the support wall define a space for receiving a security roller shutter assembly.

13. A lintel according to claim 12, in which the space is further defined by side walls.

14. A lintel according to claim 12 or claim 13, in which the space is below the support wall.

15. A lintel according to any of claims 12 to 14, in which a security roller shutter assembly comprising a roller shutter on a spindle is removable from the space for replacement, maintenance or repair.

16. A lintel according to claim 15, in which the roller shutter assembly includes side walls between which the spindle extends.

17. A lintel according to any of claims 9 to 16, in which the lintel further comprises a backplate which is removable to permit access to the security roller shutter.

18. A lintel according to claim 17, in which the backplate is attached to the side walls of the roller shutter assembly.

19. A lintel having a hollow defining a housing for a security roller shutter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

20. A lintel and a roller shutter assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

21. A hollow lintel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.