The device according to the invention can be used at places where the closing element and shade or the safety device arranged on one side of a wall/building is operated by means of a pulling element (strap or wire) from the other side of the wall/building. The closing element, shade or safety device can be optionally installed on and operated from either the internal (second) or external (first) side of the building.

Background of the invention There are solutions widely used in the industry wherein a tool installed to one side (e. g. external) of some structure is operated from the other side (e. g. internal) of the structure. These tools can be blinds, grids, gates, etc., which are usually vertically oriented and they operate by gravitation owing to their own weight. For facilitating opening, in some cases helical springs are applied, but in these cases the force of the spring is usually not larger than 20-50% of the opening force. Counterforce or braking is necessary when the moving of the structure is unbalanced. In these cases the shades or safety devices wound up on a shaft or moving in sliders and/or in rails are operated mechanically or by some machine.

Blinds, shades or grids situated in external places and operated from internal places are well known. In these structures, the blind, shade or grid is wound up onto a shaft, at the end of which a reel is mounted. A strap is wound to this reel and the other end of that strap is placed into an internally situated the strap-holder. This strap-holder is usually of a spring-biased mechanism. The blind, grid or shape is moved so that the strap is pulled downwards, as a result

of this, the strap winds down from the reel, whereas the blind, grid or shade being in one unit with the reel, winds up onto the shaft. In another solution, a helical spring for turning is mounted to the shaft or into the shaft onto which the blind, grid or shade is wound, which spring facilitates the movement. In cases of blinds, grids or shades of large size and weight, or for special demand, the structure can be operated by an electric motor.

Such a structure is described in EP 0 207 870, which comprises a blind installed preferably onto a skylight. The structure consists of a frame moving on an upper shaft, in which the wound blind is situated. The structure is moving together with the opening of the skylight. The blind is guided from its sides.

Operation is realized by a strap. At the end of the winding shaft of the blind a reel is to be find, to which the strap is wound up. Behind the upper holding frame, another, spindle reel is situated. The operation is performed by turning the spindle until the strap is unwound from the reel to the spindle reel. This solution suits for operating blinds or grids of upper wound and upper operation moving by gravitation and not biased.

Certain parts of buildings should be protected against solar light, light or violent intrusion. These are usually openable doors and windows, or walls, building elements, building structures, which have to be protected, either recurrent or permanently.

The most efficient solution in which the movable protecting device- preferably closing element, shade or safety device-is installed to the external side of the building to be protected. Their material and structure is known, and they are developed to be suitable for resisting heat or light radiation, or unauthorized intrusion.

The general experience with shades and safety devices is that the bottom part of the structure is fixed by hand (by hooking). This solution is cumbersome and is applicable only when the structure is accessible from the outside. They are inapplicable and unpractical for fix windows, walls, building structures or at high places. Especially important are these structures in cases of inclined skylights, protecting roofs, roofs, winter gardens or greenhouses, where the heat and light radiation of the sun is significant.

In skylights, external shades are applied for protection against the sun.

These are generally spring-biased roller blinds operating as follows. The lower, reinforcing part of the shade situated in the upper sash of the skylight is hooked into a clamp being on the lower part of the sash. This procedure can only be done in the open state of the window. If the skylight is too high and cannot be reached, some auxiliary tool should be used (e. g. ladder, hooking stick, etc.), or the external shade cannot be used at all. These solutions are used by Velux, Roto, Fakro, Schindler and by other skylight manufacturers as well.

When the shade or safety device should be used only periodically, solutions developed so far cannot be used, and in these cases usually fix structures are installed. The operation of shades or safety devices situated in the outer space from the inside is generally very complicated, it is usually realized by electric motors, which cannot be used in each case, furthermore they are rather expensive.

The task of this invention is to produce a device solving the problem of moving safely the shade or safety device situated in the one side of the building (wall) from the other side, making the operation of the shade, safety device or closing element installed simple and safe under every condition, in every distance, direction and inclination. The device according to the invention is suitable for shading and/or protection of walls or other similar structures.

Brief description of the invention The solution according to the invention is based on the recognition that the shade, safety device or closing element installed on one side of a wall (building) can easily and simply be operated from the other side by means of a pulling element (strap or wire).

The basic version of the invention is defined in general by claim 1. Claims 2-9 define versions for openings formed in walls, optionally closed or closable by a door or a window, if desired. From among them, claim 6 describes a version applicable for skylights built into the shell structure of roofs, where the pulling element is preferably led through to the second side of the wall, i. e. to the inside of the building in ascending direction in order to avoid the infiltration of rain

water, for which purpose the pulling element is preferably guided by two rollers ensuring also the possibility for changing the direction.

Brief description of drawings The device according to the invention is discussed by reference to examples shown in the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an elevation of en embodiment of the device according to the invention with a closing element situated on a first side of a wall viewed from the first side of the wall.

Figure 2 shows the sectional view of the version in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows the use of a simple guiding means.

Figure 4 shows the section of the guiding means combined with a guiding sleeve installed on both sides of the wall.

Figure 5 shows the section of a self-aligning guiding means rotating around the axis of the bore-hole.

Figure 6 shows a version with a guiding means having a double roller and mounted on a skylight.

Figures 7 and 8 show top and side views of the version of the guiding means of Fig. 6, respectively.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the most generally usable embodiment of the device according to the invention. In wall 1 there is an opening closed by window 2 (of course, the opening can be closed also by a door instead of window 2), and there is a glazing 30 in window 2. Window 2 has a sash fixed relative to wall 1 and there is a shaft 6 biased by a spring and rotatable around a first axis of rotation connected to said sash by means of fastening means 26.

One side of the closing element 3 made of a flexible material is fastened to shaft 6. Closing element 3 may be e. g. a net-like structure made of metal, such as a fly-screen, translucent or opaque shading textile or some similar material 7 forming eventually a changeable advertising surface when provided with an appropriate pattern or coloring, or may be a shade or safety device. Shaft 6 winds up said closing element 3 due to the tension exerted by the bias of the

spring. To the other end of the closing element 3 a reinforcing means 8 is fixed.

In unwound state said closing element 3 may cover practically totally the glazing 30 of the window 2, but it is not necessarily so.

Window 2 has a sash 4 fixed relative to the wall 1. Fastening means 26 is fixed to this sash 4, which keeps shaft 6 at a distance from the relating parts of window 2 so that material 7 could be wound up totally to shaft 6. A pulling element 15 is fixed to said reinforcing means 8, the material of which pulling element 15 is a strap or a wire of flexible material, of stranded or multiply stranded, knitted or complex structure and is made of solid plastic material, natural or synthetic fibers or metal corresponding to actual requirements.

Differently from conventional structures pulling element 15 is guided through the second, in this case to the internal side of wall 1. For this purpose on said sash 4 of window 2 (which can be considered as a part of wall 1) a through-hole 9 is made and said pulling element 15 is guided by guiding means 16 to the direction of the centerline of through-hole 9. On the second side of wall 1 a fixing means 31 is also situated suitable for holding back closing element 3 against the bias of shaft 6. As is seen in Fig. 3, in order to guide pulling element 15 properly, guiding means 16 contains roller 17 pivoted rotatably around a second axis of rotation, which guides pulling element 15 placed onto its circumference towards the central line of through-hole 9. For realizing this said second axis of rotation is situated transversally to the direction of biased pulling element 15.

In use, by means of pulling element 15 accessible from the second side of wall 1 closing element 3 can be pulled down manually or even by a motor against the bias of shaft 6, and by fixing means 31 situated on the second side of wall 1 closing element 3 can be fixed at the required vertical position in a unwound state. Another solution is also possible, in which said shaft 6 is placed at the bottom side of window 2 and in this case said closing element 3 should be pulled upwards by pulling element 15.

In order to decrease friction and wear of pulling element 15 a guide sleeve 10 of a low friction material can be introduced into through-hole 9 as is shown in Fig. 3.

Friction can be decreased further e. g. by placing a roller also to the second side of wall 1 as illustrated in Fig. 4. A solution is e. g. if on both sides of wall 1 identical guiding means 16 are arranged. In case of the embodiment shown at the upper part of guiding means 16 arranged at the first side of wall 1, and as fixing element an indentation 19 is provided which defines the position of said reinforcing means 8 in a pulled down position and hinders its displacement e. g. by wind.

Of course, it might be necessary to direct pulling element 15 e. g. in horizontal direction to fixing means 31 located on the second side of wall 1. In order to do this an internal guiding means can be applied which is capable of deflect the path of pulling element 15 towards any direction, or this guiding means 18 may be developed with a self-aligning structure. For this purpose, roller 17 of guiding means 18 is situated on a rotatable bearing assembly 13.

This bearing assembly 13 is rotatable around an axis of rotation coinciding with the central line of through-hole 9 and with the path of pulling element 15 guided through this bore-hole. Both guiding means 16 and 18 can be developed with a sleeve 10 facilitating the adjustment of the desired position.

If guiding means 16 and/or 18 contains a self-aligning roller 17 it is preferred to form bearing assembly 13 so that it could rotate easily. To facilitate this bearing assembly 13 can be coupled to a socket 23 provided with sleeve 10 and an appropriate flange or to a base 22 without sleeve by means of e. g. a bearing 24, which base 22 should be fixed to said wall 1 or to frame or sash 4 of window 2.

The solution according to the invention can be, of course, used not only for window sashes, but also to doors, thus everywhere windows are mentioned, the person skilled in the art should apply it also to doors.

According to the invention closing element 3 installed on the first side of the wall 1 or window 2 can be operated from the second side of wall 1 or window 2 by means of pulling element 15 both manually or by a motor from any distance and direction.

As shown on Fig. 3 on the first side of wall 1 in through-hole 9 a socketed roller forming said guiding means 16 is situated, whereas on the second side a guiding sleeve 10 is placed into through-hole 9.

Figure 3 shows in detail the guiding means 16 comprising a roller 17 mounted rotatably by means of a pin 29 and arranged in a roller house made of bent plate. Guiding means 16 can be fixed at the desired site by a nail or screw 11.

In Figure 4 on both sides of the through-hole 9 guiding means 16 are mounted each containing a roller 17 mounted on a bearing assembly 12 and combined with a guiding sleeve 10. Guiding means 16 being outside is shaped so that reinforcing means 8 of closing element 3 abuts on the indentation 19 of the bearing assembly 12 of guiding means 16thereby reinforcing means 8 is located in a fixed position.

Figure 5 shows a self-aligning guiding means 18 composed of a roller 17 mounted on a rotatable bearing assembly 13 and connected to a socket 22. A socket 23 integrated with a guiding sleeve 10 shown at the left side of the Figure can also be applied to meet actual requirements.

Self-aligning guiding means 18 is connected to sockets 22 or 23 by sliding bearing or ball bearing 24 and can rotate freely between 0 and 360°.

Thus it can be achieved that closing element 3 can be located at any distance, direction or angle relative to through-hole 9 on the first side of wall 1 or window 2, and pulling element 15 can be operated from any direction or angle from the second side of wall 1 or window 2.

Solutions having different guiding means 16 or 18 on different sides of through-hole 9 can also be used.

The material of guiding sleeve 10, guiding means 16 or 18 and bearing assemblies 12,13 is preferably metal, plastic or their combination.

If the angle between the trajectory of closing element 3 and the direction of through-hole 9 is larger than 90°, it is preferable to use a combined guiding means 14 containing an additional roller 17' (Figs. 7 and 8). In this solution, in the guiding means 14 comprise at least 2 (it can be more) rollers 17 and 17'.

The size of guiding means 14, and thus the distance 25 between rollers 17 and 17'can be arbitrarily chosen.

In case of inclined walls 1 or windows 2-which may be roofs, protecting roofs, windows, doors, wall, winter garden, glass-house or any other structure- for guiding through pulling element 15, depending on the actual construction, guiding sleeve 10, and/or guiding means 16, self-aligning guiding means or combined guiding means 14 can be applied and adapted to the given task.

If combined guiding means 14 is used, the distance 25 between its rollers should be so that pulling element 15 is not in contact with the first or second side of the inclined wall 1, in case of skylight with its window sash, i. e. with its turnable frame (which forms the movable part of wall 1).

The version illustrated in Fig. 6 is especially important in case of windows adapted to be built into the shell structure of roofs. Such a skylight may be openable or fixed. Closing element 3 (in this case the shade) is situated at the outer-upper part of the skylight. In skylights according to the Figure, at the lower part of window sash 27 of window 2, or in case of fixed window 2, at the lower part of sash 28 of window 2, a through-hole 9 is to be found, in which on the first side (in this case at the outside) guiding sleeve 10, whereas on the second side (in this case at the inside) guiding means 16 or 18 is placed depending on the building height of the window. Combined guiding means 14 is mounted to the lower part of glass 30 of window 2, preferably to its frame 34. Distance 25 between rollers 17,17'of guiding means 14 should be so that pulling element 15 can be guided through without its contact with the structure of window 2. By applying guiding means 14, pulling element 15 can be guided through with a deflection of 180°. Through-hole 9 and guiding sleeves 10 in it, and guiding means 16 or 18 are placed preferably in the influence line of pulling element 15 directed through guiding means 14. Strap or wire 15 is fixed to reinforcing means 8 of closing element 3.

Operation of closing element 3 in the version shown in Fig. 6 takes place as follows.

In the starting position, closing element 3 is situated at the outside-upper part of window 2, in this case of the inclined skylight. The material 7 of closing

element 3 is wound to spring shaft 6. Pulling element 15 is fixed to the reinforcing means 8 of closing element 3.

When operating closing element 3, pulling element 15 is pulled from the first (external) side of window 2 through rollers 17,17', guiding sleeve or sleeves 10 in through-hole 9, and the roller of guiding means 18 from the second (internal) side of window 2, until the desired shading effect is achieved.

Reinforcing means 8 of closing element 3 butts on the fixing part 19 of the double roller of guiding means 14, and remains there fixed.

An opposite or sideways arrangement and operation is also possible. In this case, closing element 3 is situated at the lower or side part of window 2, and the guiding through of pulling element 15 occurs at the upper part or at the opposite side of the sideways mounted closing element 3.

Closing element 3 should be made in the known manner so that the material 7 of closing element 3 fixed to spring shaft 6 can yield to the effect of wind, so that a stronger wind cannot tear down closing element 3.

Reinforcing means 8 of closing element 3 is supported on the lower part of window 2 at a site developed for this purpose, thus a fix position during operation of the closing element 3 is ensured.

Fastening of pulling element 15 occurs on the second (internal) side of window 2 in the known manner as follows. In case of a normal skylight, the free end of pulling element 15 is fixed in the proximity of the internal side of through- hole 9 by fixing means 31. In high building structures, the skylight and site of operation can be in any distance and direction from each other, pulling element 15 run freely on the second (internal) side of window 2 or it can move in a sleeve pipe. Fixing the end of pulling element 15 is adjacent to the site of operation. If the guiding of pulling element 15 is not linear (e. g. it has a break), or if a sleeve pipe is applied, it should be taken into account that friction at the breaks or in the pipe should not be so large that it hinders the operation of pulling element 15 and closing element 3. Fixing means 31 bearing pulling element 15 is placed at the site of operation.

In another solution, moving the structure by an electric motor in the usual way is also possible. In this case, the electric motor winds up pulling element 15

to a reel that forms, at the same time, the fixing means for fastening pulling element 15. The operation of the electric motor is possible everywhere, independently of the site of application. If there is a need, one or more closing elements 3 can be operated centrally or automatically.

It is seen from the above that the device according to the invention provides an excellent solution for an old problem, not solved till now, for both usual and high installed skylights.

If distance 25 between rollers 17 and 17'of guiding means 14 is so large that it causes a problem in the development of guiding means 14, it is preferable to apply two or more guiding means 16, since the combined guiding means 14 is a further developed version of guiding means 16. In this case, a combination of self-aligning guiding means 18 and guiding means 16 can also be applied.

By applying the solutions according to the invention, closing element 3 mounted to the first side of wall 1 or window 2 (door) can be operated from the second side of wall 1 or window 2 from any distance and direction.

A further advantage of the solution according to the invention is that closing element 3 can be operated and adjusted to any position by pulling element 15 continuously corresponding to the requirements.

An even further advantage is that by using the solution according to the invention, in addition to protection against heat load, efficiency against extreme weather conditions (e. g. cold, rain or hail) can also be ensured.