US3646877A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Closure operator
Assignee: Rixson Inc
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Filing: 1969-12-22
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Granted: 1972-03-07
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Expires: 1989-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A closure operator to effect remote, fail-safe opening and closing of a closure, particularly a multifold or interlocking slat curtain damper. A frame or shell envelopes the damper curtain which is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell. A rotatable drum is positioned within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain when it is folded so that the drum will not obstruct airflow through the damper when the damper is opened. A cable couples the drum and the curtain; and the curtain is opened in response to the winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation. A drum drive mechanism is axially aligned relative the axis of the drum so that both components extend completely across the frame or shell immediately adjacent the folded curtain. Upon occurrence of (1) a manual switch operation to effect damper closure, (2) a power failure, (3) circuit malfunctioning, or (4) the detection of an undesired condition such as smoke or fire, the drum drive clutch is disengaged. When the clutch is disengaged, the drum unwinds to lower the curtain and close the damper. In an alternative drum embodiment, the drum includes a cable takeup spool and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the spool. A drawn cup roller clutch couples the spool to the drum body. This clutch is engaged when the curtain is folded to open the damper; and the clutch is disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper. With this drum arrangement the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable (and tending to rewind the cable in the opposite direction) are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure.
Inventors
- 👤 David H Ellis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 21:32
CPC Classifications
A; A62; A62C; A62C2/00; A62C2/06; A62C2/12; A62C2/14; A62C2/16; F; F24; F24F; F24F13/00; F24F13/08; F24F13/10; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/32; F24F11/33; F24F11/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capabLe of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatable drum positioned in the air passage within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain with the drum masked by the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum will not further obstruct airflow through the damper when the damper is opened beyond the air obstruction provided by the folded curtain, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being folded in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, and a drum drive mechanism positioned in the air passage within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain with the drum drive mechanism masked by the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum drive mechanism will not further obstruct air flow through the damper when the damper is opened beyond the air obstruction provided by the folded curtain and with the drum drive mechanism being coupled to the drum to rotate the drum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capabLe of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatable drum positioned in the air passage within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain with the drum masked by the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum will not further obstruct airflow through the damper when the damper is opened beyond the air obstruction provided by the folded curtain, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being folded in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, and a drum drive mechanism positioned in the air passage within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain with the drum drive mechanism masked by the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum drive mechanism will not further obstruct air flow through the damper when the damper is opened beyond the air obstruction provided by the folded curtain and with the drum drive mechanism being coupled to the drum to rotate the drum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The combination of claim 1 in which the drum drive mechanism includes a clutch which is operatively engaged to fold the curtain and thus open the damper air passage by winding the cable about the drum relatively slowly, and in which the clutch is disengaged to enable at least a portion of the drum upon which the cable is wound to unwind relatively quickly and thus close the damper air passage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
282 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatable drum positioned within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum will not obstruct air flow through the damper when the damper is opened, the drum including a cable takeup spool and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the spool, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being opened in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, a drum drive mechanism positioned within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum drive mechanism will not obstruct airflow through the damper when the damper is opened and with the drum drive mechanism being coupled to the drum to rotate the drum, the drum drive mechanism including a clutch which is operatively engaged to fold the curtain and thus open the damper air passage by winding the cable about the drum, the clutch being disengaged to enable at least a portion of the drum to unwind and thus close the damper air passage, and a second clutch coupling the spool to the drum body with the second clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper and the second clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
282 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatable drum positioned within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum will not obstruct air flow through the damper when the damper is opened, the drum including a cable takeup spool and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the spool, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being opened in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, a drum drive mechanism positioned within the frame or shell adjacent the curtain when the curtain is folded so that the drum drive mechanism will not obstruct airflow through the damper when the damper is opened and with the drum drive mechanism being coupled to the drum to rotate the drum, the drum drive mechanism including a clutch which is operatively engaged to fold the curtain and thus open the damper air passage by winding the cable about the drum, the clutch being disengaged to enable at least a portion of the drum to unwind and thus close the damper air passage, and a second clutch coupling the spool to the drum body with the second clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper and the second clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
186 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatably supported drum mounted relative to the frame or shell, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being folded in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, a drum drive mechanism including a clutch which is operatively engaged to fold the curtain and thus open the damper air passage by winding the cable about the drum, and in which the clutch is disengaged to enable at least a portion of the drum to unwind and thus close the damper air passage, a motor coupled to the drum drive mechanism, means to deenergize the motor after the curtain is folded to open the damper, and means to maintain the clutch engaged when the motor is deenergized until damper closure is desired whereupon clutch disengagement enables at least a portion of the drum to unwind thus closing the dAmper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
186 words
An operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell, comprising a rotatably supported drum mounted relative to the frame or shell, a cable coupling the drum and the curtain with the curtain being folded in response to winding of the cable about the drum in response to drum rotation, a drum drive mechanism including a clutch which is operatively engaged to fold the curtain and thus open the damper air passage by winding the cable about the drum, and in which the clutch is disengaged to enable at least a portion of the drum to unwind and thus close the damper air passage, a motor coupled to the drum drive mechanism, means to deenergize the motor after the curtain is folded to open the damper, and means to maintain the clutch engaged when the motor is deenergized until damper closure is desired whereupon clutch disengagement enables at least a portion of the drum to unwind thus closing the dAmper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 4 in which the motor is remotely located from the drum drive mechanism, and a flexible shaft transmits motor shaft output to the drum drive mechanism.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
The combination of claim 4 in which the clutch is an electromagnetic clutch which includes a drum drive shaft coupled to the drum, an electromagnet, driving and driven magnetizable clutch plates enveloping the shaft and in which the driving clutch plate is geared to the motor shaft output and the driven clutch plate is keyed to the drum drive shaft, whereupon energization of the electromagnet causes the two clutch plates to engage one another to cause the motor to rotate the drum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 6 in which a worm ring gear is fixed to the driving clutch plate, and a worm gear driven by the motor engages the worm ring gear.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell in response to the rotation of a drum which is coupled to the curtain by means of a cable, the improvement comprising the drum including a cable takeup element and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the takeup element, and a clutch coupling the takeup element to the drum body with the clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper by rotating the entire drum in a cable winding direction, and the clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable by the drum body rotating in the cable unwind direction are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
In an operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing an air passage defined by the frame or shell in response to the rotation of a drum which is coupled to the curtain by means of a cable, the improvement comprising the drum including a cable takeup element and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the takeup element, and a clutch coupling the takeup element to the drum body with the clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper by rotating the entire drum in a cable winding direction, and the clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable by the drum body rotating in the cable unwind direction are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
169 words
In an operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing a passage defined by the frame or shell in response to the rotation of a drum which is coupled to the curtain by means of a cable, the improvement comprising the drum including a cable takeup element and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the takeup element, and a clutch coupling the takeup element to the drum body with the clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper and the clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure, and in which the cable takeup element is a spool sandwiched between the drum body which is formed into two sections joined by a shaft which carries the clutch and spool.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
169 words
In an operator for a multifold curtain damper having a frame or shell enveloping the damper curtain and in which the curtain is capable of opening and closing a passage defined by the frame or shell in response to the rotation of a drum which is coupled to the curtain by means of a cable, the improvement comprising the drum including a cable takeup element and a drum body of relatively greater mass than the takeup element, and a clutch coupling the takeup element to the drum body with the clutch being engaged when the curtain is being folded to open the damper and the clutch being disengaged when the curtain is released to close the damper whereby the forces of drum momentum acting upon the cable are substantially minimized when the curtain is released for damper closure, and in which the cable takeup element is a spool sandwiched between the drum body which is formed into two sections joined by a shaft which carries the clutch and spool.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-07 | 1975-09-06 | 1976-03-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-07 | 1979-09-06 | 1980-03-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-07 | 1983-09-06 | 1984-03-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |