Rolling protective gate for store fronts or the like

Claim 1

A rolling gate adapted to provide a transparent displaceable security closure for a building access opening defining a store front, said gate comprising: a plurality of elongated transparent slats disposed horizontally in vertically-spaced relationship, each slat having a narrow, rectangular body portion and being sized to extend across the entire width of said access opening, a plurality of elongated metal rods interconnecting said slats in their spaced relationship, with each rod being sized to extend across the entire width of said access opening, each of said elongated metal rods being elliptical in cross section and having convex front and rear walls, each rod having a height appreciably less than the height of the body portion of each slat, and a width appreciably greater than the thickness of the body portion of each slat, and coupling means formed integrally on each of said slats and rods for pivotally connecting each transparent slat along its entire upper and lower edges between a pair of adjacent rods to form the assembled gate, said coupling means comprising an enlarged bead formed integrally along the full length of each longitudinal edge of the narrow body portion of each transparent slat, and a pair of elongated sockets of circular cross-section formed integrally in the upper and lower portions of each metal rod and extending the full length of said rod, each of said sockets being sized to receive the enlarged bead of an adjacent slat for turning movement therein, whereby said interconnected and articulated slats and rods provide a rolling security gate for said store front, which, in lowered position, has a completely solid body without interruptions or gaps, which provides visibility of said store front and passage of light therethrough.