Flush mount whole house fan shutter

Abstract

A shutter assembly for a whole house fan is disclosed which can be flush mounted (i.e., substantially coplanar) with the underside surface of a ceiling so as to close off an opening in the ceiling leading to a whole house fan located thereabove. The shutter assembly comprises a frame somewhat larger than the opening and adapted to be flush mounted to the underside of the ceiling surrounding the opening. The frame is comprised of side and end members. A bracket at the intersection of the frame members securely joins the frame members together. The brackets have temporary attachment tabs for temporarily holding the frame in place with respect to the ceiling sheathing until the frame is securely secured to the ceiling structure. These temporary securing tabs are carried by the brackets and are spaced from the portion of the frame which is flush mounted to the underside of the ceiling so as to hold the ceiling between the frame and the tabs, and thus hold the frame assembly in place. At least some of these tabs are selectively movable between a retracted position in which the frame may be inserted upwardly through the opening, and an extended position in which the tabs extend out over the ceiling thereby to hold the shutter assembly in place with respect to the ceiling.