GB2250768A

GB2250768A - Shutter door resisting passage of flame

Info

Publication number: GB2250768A
Application number: GB9025219A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Mcilwrick
Original assignee: SHUTTER DOORS Ltd
Current assignee: SHUTTER DOORS Ltd
Priority date: 1990-11-20
Filing date: 1990-11-20
Publication date: 1992-06-17
Also published as: GB9025219D0

Abstract

A shutter door assembly (10) comprises a shutter door (11) and a door frame structure (12), the shutter door (11) being formed from a plurality of laths (13) pivotally attached to each other in edge to edge formation to form a curtain (20) suspended from a barrel (16) mounted in end plates (15). In order to increase visibility and ventilation through the door, the door (11) has a pattern of apertures (21) therethrough, the pattern being such that the passage of flames through the door (11) is prevented. <IMAGE>

Description

SHUTTER DOOR ASSEMBLY This invention relates to shutter door assemblies, and has particular application to shutter doors which are intended to serve as fire doors.

Before a particular fire door is specified for a particular application, it ' is customary for user requirement to be examined before choosing the particular door to suit those requirements.

In some cases it may be necessary to provide a door which permits a level of viewing therethrough and possibly also the passage of air therethrough for ventilation purposes. However, hitherto it has not been possible to provide a door with these characteristics along with a sufficient degree of fire resistance to pass the tests put forward for such doors by the relevant Authority. The shutter door of the present invention has arisen from a consideration of this problem.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shutter door assembly with which the above problem is avoided or substantially reduced, whereby doors in accordance therewith can be deemed to perform in the same manner for fire resistance purposes as doors which do not permit visibility or ventilation therethrough.

The invention provides a shutter door assembly comprising a shutter door and a door frame structure therefor, said shutter door being supported in said frame structure so as to be movable between door open and door closed positions, said shutter door comprising a plurality of laths pivotally connected to each other in edge to edge disposition, wherein said door has multiple apertures provided in at least a part thereof in such a manner whereby vision and passage of air therethrough is permitted whilst passage of flames is prevented.

Preferably said apertures are provided in each said lath. Furthermore, said apertures may be disposed such that their centres lie on a common line. Preferably said common line extends transversely of each lath.

More preferably said apertures are provided on at least two such lines, said apertures on one line being staggered in relation to those on an adjacent line whereby the centres thereof lie between the centres of the apertures on the adjacent line.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a shutter door assembly in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of a single lath which forms part of shutter door assembly of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the lath of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a shutter door assembly 10 comprising a shutter door 11 and a door frame structure 12. The shutter door 11 comprises a plurality of laths 13 pivotally attached to each other in edge to edge disposition to form a curtain 20. The frame structure 12 comprises an upper member or lintel 14, to each end of which is attached an end plate 15. A barrel 16 is mounted in end plates 15 so that the shutter door 11 can be moved from the door closed position as shown in Fig. 1 to a door open position in which the curtain 20 is wound around the barrel 16. The barrel 16 and curtain 20 when wound therearound can be enclosed in a hood 17 so as to be protected from debris and to provide a neater appearance, in this case the hood 17 being secured to the lintel 14.The assembly 10 as thus described is conventional and the weight of the curtain 20 is supported by the mounting of the barrel 16 in the end plates 15 and the attachment of the end plates 15 to the lintel 14.

However, in the present assembly the individual laths 13 are of different construction to those in conventional shutter doors.

It has been realised that if a number of apertures 21 are provided in the lath 13 in order to allow visibility or ventilation therethrough, then it is possible to do this whilst retaining the fire resistance of a shutter door constructed therefrom by appropriate positioning of the apertures 21 and quantity thereof.

Thus as is shown in Fig. 2, the laths 13 of the shutter door of the present invention are provided with multiple apertures 21 therein which are disposed in such a manner that the centres thereof lie on a set of parallel lines (X, Y, Z) extending transversely across the lath 13. Furthermore, the apertures 21 in adjacent lines (X, Y) are staggered such that the centres thereof lie between the centres of the apertures 21 on adjacent lines. In this way visibility is permitted through a shutter door constructed from these laths 13 and indeed ventilation is permitted whilst flames are prevented from passing through due to the arrangement of the apertures 21.

It is envisaged that it is possible to provide the apertures 21 over substantially the whole of each lath 13 whilst still retaining the fire resistance qualities thereof. In particular it has been proposed to provide perforations over approximately 85% of the laths 13, however it will be appreciated that it is possible to provide apertures 21 over other proportions of the laths 13.

With this arrangement it is possible to provide a shutter door assembly which permits visibility and ventilation therethrough yet is effective in preventing passage of flames.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

It will of course be appreciated that any pattern of apertures 12 can be provided on the laths 13 as desired or as appropriate. Furthermore, it is also possible for the number and dimensions of the apertures 12 to be varied if desired and it is also possible to vary the cross-sectional shape of the laths 13 from that shown in the drawings.

Furthermore, in order to increase the flame resistance of the shutter door still further it is possible to apply intumescent paint to all or part of the shutter door.

Claims

1. A shutter door assembly comprising a shutter door and a door frame structure therefor, said shutter door being supported in said frame structure so as to be movable between door open and door closed positions, said shutter door comprising a plurality of laths pivotally connected to each other in edge to edge disposition, wherein said door has multiple apertures provided in at least a part thereof in such a manner whereby vision and passage of air therethrough is permitted whilst passage of flames is prevented.

2. A shutter door assembly according to claim 1 wherein said apertures are provided in each said lath.

3. A shutter door assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said apertures are disposed such that their centres lie on a common line.

4. A shutter door assembly according to claim 3 wherein said common line extends transversely of each lath.

5. A shutter door assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein said apertures are provided on at least two said common lines, said apertures on one line being staggered in relation to those on an adjacent line whereby the centres thereof lie between the centres of the apertures on the adjacent line.

6. A shutter door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein at least a part of said shutter door is coated with a intumescent coating.

7. A shutter door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.