Abstract:
A lockable shutter assembly has first and second shutters mounted operatively to a building and movable between open and closed positions. A locking device of the assembly has a bracket that extends longitudinally along a gap formed between the shutters when in the closed position. The bracket is supported slidably by the first shutter via a sliding coupling and regardless of shutter position. A releasable interlock of the locking device is carried between the bracket and the second shutter and generally operates between released and locked states. The assembly is placed into the locked state by movement of the bracket when the shutters are in the closed position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The subject invention generally relates to a shutter assembly and more particularly to a reinforced, locking, shutter assembly that withstands inclement weather. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various locking assemblies for shutters are known in the art. It is generally known that locking assemblies are utilized, when necessary, to lock pairs of shutters in a closed position on a dwelling. Shutters are used for both aesthetic and functional purposes on the dwelling. In the closed position, the shutters function to protect windows, doors, and other openings of the dwelling during inclement weather, such as precipitation storms, wind storms, and hurricanes. 
         [0003]    During such inclement weather, it is pertinent to lock, or retain, the shutters in the closed position such that the shutters can continue to provide adequate protection to the windows, doors, and other openings during and throughout the inclement weather. If the weather causes the shutters to open then the functional purpose of the shutters is defeated. 
         [0004]    Conventional assemblies for locking pairs of shutters in the closed position are deficient for many reasons. For instance, the locking assemblies of the prior art do not adequately retain the shutters in the closed position throughout the inclement weather. In these assemblies, wind either bends or breaks the assembly causing the shutters to open. Also, many conventional locking assemblies require excessive modification and direct drilling into and through the shutters to adequately retain the shutters in the closed position. In these assemblies the fastener extends through at least a portion of the shutters. As a result and to a varying degree, these conventional locking assemblies damage the shutters such that, after the inclement weather, the aesthetic purpose of the shutters is negatively impacted. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, some conventional locking assemblies, also referred to in the art as storm or locking bars, create an emergency egress issue that prevents occupants of the dwelling from escaping during an emergency, such as a fire. More specifically, a conventional storm bar is mounted across the shutters once the shutters have been closed. The storm bar is secured, typically screwed, into the dwelling on each side of the closed shutters to prevent the shutters from opening during the inclement weather. Screws are also used to connect the shutters to the storm bar such that the shutters can not be blown, or otherwise deflected, inward, i.e., toward the dwelling, during the inclement weather. With the storm bar screwed to the dwelling and the shutter screwed to the storm bar, the occupants of the dwelling cannot open a window or door from within the dwelling to release the storm bar and escape. 
         [0006]    Due to the deficiencies in the locking assemblies of the prior art, including those described above, it is desirable to provide a novel locking assembly for shutters that adequately retains the shutters in a closed position on a dwelling such that protection to a window, door, or other opening is maximized throughout any inclement weather. It is also desirable to provide a locking assembly for shutters that can easily be unlocked and opened from either side and when unlocked is clear of the opening. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES 
       [0007]    A lockable shutter assembly has first and second shutters mounted operatively to a building and movable between open and closed positions. A locking device of the assembly has a bracket that extends longitudinally along a gap formed between the shutters when in the closed position. The bracket is supported slidably by the first shutter via a sliding coupling and regardless of shutter position. A releasable interlock of the locking device is carried between the bracket and the second shutter and generally operates between released and locked states. The assembly is placed into the locked state by movement of the bracket when the shutters are in the closed position. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the bracket of the locking device is I-Shaped having a web disposed laterally between and perpendicular to inner and outer flanges and in the gap when the assembly is closed. Each flange has a first fin projecting laterally away from the web. The first fins carry in-part the sliding coupling and engage both exterior and interior surfaces or sides of the first shutter. Second fins of each flange project in an opposite direction from the first fins and are located directly adjacent to the respective exterior and interior surfaces or sides of the second shutter when the assembly is in the closed position for adding strength and rigidity of the closed assembly during inclement weather. The releasable interlock is preferably carried between the web and a distal edge face of the second shutter. 
         [0009]    Objects features and advantages of the present invention include a shutter assembly that can be unlocked and opened, and closed and locked from either the interior or exterior of a building. Other advantages include a locking device that is fully supported by the shutters and adds strength and rigidity to the shutters when in the closed position to resist inclement weather. Yet further, the assembly is relatively attractive when in the open position, relatively simple and robust in design, inexpensive to manufacture and in service has a long and useful life. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a shutter assembly embodying the present invention and having a pair of shutters illustrated in a closed position and a locking device illustrated in a locked state; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the right shutter of the assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a distal edge view of the right shutter; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the left shutter with an elongated member of the locking device illustrated in a released state; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a distal edge view of the left shutter; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partial top view of the shutter assembly; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of the locking device of the assembly taken from circle  7  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of the locking device similar to  FIG. 7  except illustrating a released state of the locking device; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the locking device taken from circle  9  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged and partial distal edge view of the right shutter illustrating a mortise of the locking device and taken from circle  10  of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a locking shutter assembly  20  of the present invention has a pair of shutters  22 ,  24  that mount slidably to the exterior of a structure such as an industrial building or dwelling (not shown). Preferably, the first or left shutter  22  has a substantially horizontal direction of movement as illustrated by arrow  25  in  FIG. 1  and the second or right shutter  24  has a substantially horizontal direction of movement as illustrated by arrow  27  in  FIG. 1 . Preferably the shutters  22 ,  24  slide open and closed similar to that of a traditional sliding French door arrangement and/or similar to that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/428,739, titled: “Shutter Assembly,” filed Jul. 5, 2006, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0022]    When the shutters  22 ,  24  are in an open position during mild weather conditions, they preferably lay flat to the structure so as not to obstruct the opening. When in a closed position  34 , the shutter assembly  20  protects the windows and/or doors from inclement weather, such as precipitation storms, wind storms, and hurricanes. To accomplish this protection, the shutter assembly  20  has a locking device  30  that reinforces and locks closed the shutters  22 ,  24  of the assembly  20 . 
         [0023]    The shutters  22 ,  24  preferably slide in opposite directions to one-another and along respective arrows  25 ,  27  when closing to cover the opening during inclement weather. The locking device  30  of the assembly  20  is generally integrated directly into both the left and right shutters  22 ,  24  and preferably is free of the building so that when the shutters are in the open position, and thus the device is in a released state  32 , the opening in the building is not obstructed by any portion of the assembly  20  including the device  30 . With respect to the building and when the left and right shutters  22 ,  24  are in the closed position  34 , each shutter has and carries a respective first or inside surface  36 ,  38  and a respective second or outside surface  40 ,  42 . The thickness of the shutters  22 ,  24  is generally equal to the width of distal edge faces  44 ,  46  carried by the respective shutters and that face one another and define an elongated and substantially vertical gap  48  between one-another. Preferably, the distal edge faces  44 ,  46  are substantially parallel to one-another and perpendicularly to movement directions  25 ,  27 . The locking device  30  preferably has an elongated retention bracket  50  that preferably has a lateral cross-section generally forming an I-Shape. The bracket  50  is supported slidably and carried by the left shutter  22  regardless of whether the assembly  20  is in the open position or the closed position  34 . The bracket  50  has a longitudinally extending web  52  disposed in the gap  48  when the shutters  22 ,  24  are in the closed position  34  and regardless of the device  30  being in a locked state  54  or the released state  32 . Preferably, the bracket  50  has an elongated inner flange or plate  56  and an elongated outer flange or plate  58  spaced from one-another by the lateral width of the elongated web  52  and co-extending longitudinally with the web  52 . Each flange  56 ,  58  has respective left fins  60 ,  62  and respective right fins  64 ,  66  projecting laterally outward in opposite directions and from respective mid or connecting portions  68 ,  70  of the inner and outer flanges  56 ,  58  respectively. 
         [0024]    Preferably, the web  52  of the bracket  50  is hollow, thus the web  52  has a first wall  72  generally facing the edge face  44  of the left shutter  22  regardless of the position of the assembly  20 , and a second wall  74  that faces and is orientated adjacent to the distal edge face of the right shutter  46  but only when the assembly  20  is generally in the closed position  34 . A substantially vertical channel  76  in the web  52  is defined by the first and second walls  72 ,  74  and the mid portions  68 ,  70  of the respective flanges  56 ,  58 . The left fin  60  of the inner flange  56  is located adjacent and slidably to the inside surface  36  of the left shutter  22  regardless of assembly  20  position. The left fin  62  of the outer flange  58  is located adjacent and slidably to the outside surface  40  of the left shutter  22  regardless of assembly  20  position. The first wall  72  of the web  52  is located adjacent and slidably to the distal edge face  44  of the left shutter  22  regardless of assembly  20  position. The right fin  64  of the inner flange  56  is located adjacent and slidably to the inside surface  38  of the right shutter  24  only generally when the assembly  20  is in the closed position  34 . The right fin  66  of the outer flange  58  is located adjacent and slidably to the outside surface  42  of the right shutter  24  only generally when the assembly  20  is in the closed position  34 . The second wall  74  of the web  52  is located adjacent and slidably to the distal edge face  46  of the right shutter  24  only generally when the assembly  20  is in the closed position  34 . 
         [0025]    The bracket  50  is engaged slidably to the left shutter by a sliding coupler  78  of the locking device  30  carried between the inside and outside surfaces  36 ,  40  of the left shutter  22  and the associated left fins  60 ,  62  of the bracket  50 . Preferably, the coupler  78  has a series of slightly elongated and vertical slots  80  spaced vertically above one another and located in both left fins  60 ,  62  of the respective inner and outer flanges  56 ,  58 . Associated with each slot  80  is a respective pin  82  projecting rigidly outward from the inside and outside surfaces  36 ,  40  of the left shutter  22 . Each pin  82  has a enlarged head  84  having a diameter that is larger than the width of the slot  80 , and a cylindrical shank  86  extending axially between the left shutter  22  and the enlarged head  84  and through each respective slot  80 . Preferably, the shanks  86  are threaded for rigid engagement to the left shutter  22 . Preferably, when the pins  82  are located in an upper end of the respective slots  80  the locking device  30  is in the locked state  54 , and when the pins are located at the lower ends of the slots  80  the locking device  30  is in the unlocked state. In this way, gravity tends to bias the locking device  30  toward the locked state  54  thus preventing unintended release of the device. Because the bracket  50  slides vertically within the gap  48  and between the released and locked states  32 ,  54 , the longitudinal length of the bracket  50  is shorter than the length of the gap  48  by a distance about equal to the longitudinal length of any one of the slots  80  of the sliding coupler  78 . 
         [0026]    The locking device  30  also has a releasable interlock  88  carried between the second wall  74  of the web  52  and the distal edge face  46  of the right shutter  24 . The interlock has a plurality of vertically spaced mortises  90  in the second wall  74  of the bracket  50  and a plurality of vertically spaced tenons  92  projecting outward from the edge face  46 . Preferably, the mortises  90  are shaped generally like inverted keyholes having an enlarged round section  94  communicating upward with a vertically extending notch section  96 . The mortises  90  are preferably similar to the pins  82 , having a shank  98  projecting rigidly from the edge face  46  of the right shutter  24  to a distal enlarged head  100 . The head  100  has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the round section  94  and larger than the width of the notch section  96 . 
         [0027]    Preferably the locking device  30  has two handles  102  for assisting in the initial pull of the shutters  22 ,  24  out of the closed position  24  from outside and inside of the building, and preferably to assist in the pull of the shutters  22 ,  24  into the closed position  24  from outside and inside the building. Each handle has a substantially linear rod  104  that slidably projects the mid portions  68 ,  70  of the inner and outer flanges  60 ,  92  and thus traversing the channel  76 . The rod  104  has an end  106  and an opposite internal end  108  each pivotally supporting respective pull stops or rings  110 ,  112  respectively located externally and internally with regard to the building. 
         [0028]    During closure operation of the assembly  20  with the user situated in the building, and when the shutters  22 ,  24  are slid along the respective directions  25 ,  27  toward the closed position  34 , the pull rings  112  are grasped causing the rods  104  of the handles  102  to preferably slide transversely through the bracket  50  until the external pull ring  110  abuts the mid portion  70  of the outer flange  58 . With the shutters  22 ,  24  continuing to slide closed, the now extended rod portion  114  can be used as a leverage to lift the bracket  50  upward toward the release state  32 . When so doing, the pins  82  of the sliding coupler  78  are relocated from the upper ends of the respective slots  80  to the lower ends. This positions the round section  94  of the mortise  90  of the releasable interlock  88  substantially level with the respective tenons  92 . Final closure of the shutters  22 ,  24  places the edge face  46  of the right shutter  46  between the right fins  64 ,  66  of the inner and outer flanges  56 ,  58  and places the enlarged heads  100  of the tenons  92  through the round section  94  and into the channel  76 . When the shutter assembly  20  is in the closed position  34 , the user with the assistance of gravity can push down upon the leveraging rod portion  114  causing the shanks  98  of the tenons  92  to position in the notch sections  96  of the mortises  90  thus placing the locking device  30  in the locked state  54 . 
         [0029]    During opening operation of the assembly  20  and with, for example, the user situated outside of the building, the external pull rings  110  of the handles  102  are grasped and pulled outward causing the rods  104  of the handles  102  to slide transversely through the bracket  50  until the internal pull ring  112  abuts the mid portion  68  of the inner flange  56 . Before the shutters  22 ,  24  can begin to open, the locking device  30  must be slid upward from the locked state  54  and into the released state  32 . To do this, the exposed rod portions are leveraged or pushed upward by the user then pushed along direction  25  to release the device  30 . With the bracket  50  clear of the right shutter  24 , the shutters can be freely moved toward the wide open position. 
         [0030]    One skilled in the art would now know that modifications to the preferred invention may include the omission of the inner or outer flange  56 ,  58  and the web  52  of the bracket  50  of the locking device  30 . For instance, a modified bracket could include only the inner flange with the sliding coupling carried between the left shutter and a left fin of the flange and the releasable interlock carried between a right fin of the flange and the right shutter. Various combinations of the bracket, the sliding coupling and the releasable interlock are now conceivable, however, rigidity and strength of the assembly  20  could be compromised and the desirable ability to operate the handles  102  from inside and outside of the building could be eliminated. 
         [0031]    Moreover, one skilled in the art would now know that the shutters  22 ,  24  could also be a French door wall arrangement. Yet further, the sliding arrangement of the shutters may be modified to create a pivoting arrangement as indicated by pivoting axes  26 ,  28  (as best shown in  FIG. 1 ). More specifically, the left shutter  22  may have a substantially vertical pivoting axis  26  located proximate to a left side of an opening in the structure such as a door or window, and the second or right shutter  24  may have a pivoting axis  28  orientated substantially parallel to axis  26  and located proximate to the right side of the opening. For pivoting shutters, however, the clearance between the inner and outer flanges would be greater, at least in part, than the thickness of the shutters. This could potentially degrade the locking strength of the shutters when in the closed position  34 . 
         [0032]    Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed, various changes and modifications may be made thereto by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It is also understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.