US1188409A - Collapsible window-screen. - Google Patents

Description

E. T. BURROWES.. COLLAP SIBLE WINDOW SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN; 9, 1915.

1,188,409 Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. T. BURROWES.

COLLAPSIBLE WINDOW SCREEN.

' APPLICATION FILEDJAN. 9. m5.

1,188,409. Patented June 27,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

as. 2 'fl EDWARD r. :eunnowns or ron'rnnivn, MAINE.

COLLAPSIBLE WINDOW-SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 27 1916 Application filed January 9, 1915. Serial No. 1,310.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. BURROWEs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of -Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible WVindoW-Screens, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to window screens of the kind employed for excluding flies and the like, and more specifically to collapsible screens of this character.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a collapsible screen which is cheap I to manufacture, which can be packed into small space, and which may be easily applied to any ordinary window frame so as to effectively serve its purpose.

A further object is to provide a screen which can be conveniently shifted soas to always afford ready access to the outer shutters. To this end, I propose to provide a pairof rods or bars to which flexible screen material is secured, and on which it may be wound and unwound, as desired, and to so construct these bars that they may be caused to engage a window'frame between the guide beads thereof and support the screen material in operative position.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete window showing my improved screen applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lower part of such a window, on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal section through one of the window stiles and associated parts; Fig. i is a view of a double headed tack or button pin which I may employ" for holding the screen; Fig. 5 1s alfrag. mentary, vertical section through the meet-' ing rails of the upper and lower sashes, showing my improved screen in stored position, and a housing for protecting it'from the weather; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal section through the window stile, on an enlarged scale, showing a holding strip which I may employ in some cases; Fig. 7 is a central, longitudinal section through one of the pair of bars which I employ; Fig. 8 is a similar section through the other bar; Fig.

9 is an elevation of one end of the bar shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the fastening devices shown in Fig. 7 Fig.11 is an elevation of the other end of the bar shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the two rollers, showing my improved screen as it appears when packed for shipment.

, Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the usual window frame, and which is provided with inner and intermediate heads 2 and 3, respectively, and with an outer bead or blind stop 4.

5 designates the window sill, 6 the upper and 7 the lower sash. These sashes slide in g'uideways such as 8, formed between the beads, in a well known manner;

My improved screen comprises a piece of flexible screen material 9, such 'as netting, formed either of Wire or of fibrous material, such as cotton or linen, suitably sized or treated. This flexible material is secured at its ends to a pair of rods or bars 10 and 10, as hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 7, the rod 10 comprises metal having prongs 14 struck up therefrom.

This disk also preferably has prongs 15 struck therefrom and projecting from the opposite face thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. The disk 13 is attached to the bar 10 by means of a screw or nail 16, it being obvious that when such nail is driven down tight, the prongs 15 will become embedded in the end 'o'f'the roller and thus lock the disk 13 against ."rotation relative thereto.

, The opposite end of the rod 10 is provided with Y a relatively large bore 17, with a smaller bore 18 formedin-the bottom thereof. A rod or plunger 20 is arranged within the bore 17, having its inner end sliding snugly in the bore 18, and its outer end passing freely throughablock 24, securedin the outer end of the bore 17. A coil spring 19 surrounds the rod 20 and rests at one end against the bottom of the bore 17, and at the other end against a washer 21, fitted over the rod 20, and prevented from outward movement thereon by means of a suitable stop 22. This stop can be conveniently formed by upsetting the rod at this point, in a well known manner. The outer end of the rod 20 projects somewhat beyond the block 24, and is provided with a pointed end 23.

The bar 10 is similar in construction to the rod or bar 10, corresponding parts being indicated by similar reference characters with the addition of the exponent a. There is this difference, however. While the rod 10 is provided with a fastening device 13 adapted to bite into the window frame, the bar 10 is provided with a smooth button or the like 13 adapted to slide over the surface of the window frame. This button is preferably provided with a central countersink 14L for the reception of the fastening nail 16 At the opposite end of the bar 10, the pointed end of the rod 23, instead of being exposed, is embedded in a bearing block 25 having a smooth outer end. This bearing block projects into the bore in the bar and is capable of sliding freely therein, the block 2 being set back slightly from the end so as to accommodate the block 25.

lVhen packed for shipment, the screen material 9 is preferably wound partly around both rods 10 and 10 as shown in Fig. 12. This makes an exceedingly compact package, which takes up but a small fraction of the space occupied by the usual rigid screens and thus is very readily stored. I regard this as an important advantage of my improved construction.

The bars 10 and 10 may be readily sawed off to suit the width of the window to which they are to be applied, and the devices 13 and 13 can then be secured to such sawedofl ends. It will, of course, be understood, that the screen material may be trimmed accordingly, with shears or the like, to the proper width.

To install one of my improved screens in a window frame, the material is first almost entirely unwound from the bar 10, as shown in the drawing, and this roller is then fitted into the guideways of the window frame immediately below the upper sash. To do this, the point 23 is placed against one of the window stiles adjacent the upper sash and pressure exerted toward the point. This causes the rod 20 to yield and recede into the bore 17', thus permitting the other end of the bar, carrying the fastening device 13, to be brought up under the sash against the other window stile. Upon releasing the bar, the spring 19, acting against the collar 21 and the bottom of the bore 17 will exert a thrust, forcing the point 23 into the frame and at the same time causing the prongs 14 to bite into the frame at the other end of the bar. In this way the roller, when adjusted, becomes automatically locked in position and is held both against rotation and vertical movement.

The bar 10 is now inserted in the guideways between the beads in substantially the same manner, the block 25 yielding sufficiently to exactly accommodate itself to the width of the window frame, and the spring exerting a thrust so as to force this block and the button 13 into frictional engagement with the window stiles. It will be understood that this frictional engagement, while sufficient to hold the bar 10 against accidental displacement, still permits of such roller being both rotated and moved vertically. After placing the roller in posi tion, therefore, the operator can turn it so as to unroll the screen material to any desired extent, such material being in practice unrolled until the bar 10 rests upon the window sill, as shown in Fig. 2. This completely closes the window opening, the edges of the screen material resting against the inside of the blind stop 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. These edges may be held in position if necessary, by means of double headed tacks or push pins, such as illustrated at 27 in Fig. 4:. If, however, the screen material is relatively stiff, it will in many cases lie flat against the blind stop without the necessity of any fastening means.

In .some windows where the blind stop may be abnormally narrow, I may have recourse to the construction shown in Fig. 6. By reference to this figure, it will be seen that I propose to provide a strip 28 which may be formed of wood or thin L-shaped sheet metal, and which is adapted to be secured to the edge of the blind stop as by means of nails or the like 29. The edge of the screen material may then rest against this strip 28, and if fastening pins are needed, they can be inserted either in the crack between the strip and blind stop, or in specially formed openings provided in the strip itself, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. It will be understood that in frame constructions in which an outside bead is employed to guide the sash, instead of the projecting blind stop, the strip 28 may be secured to the edge of such bead.

It will be obvious that the bar 10 may be readily grasped and given a few turns, or may simply be pushed upward, so as to pro vide a space between itself and the sill through which access may be had to the outside blinds or shutters. In this way, access may always be had to the shutters without the necessity of taking out the screen.

When desired, the screen may be stored in shown in Fig. 5, with the two bars substantially in contact. In order to protect the screen from the weather when in such wound position, I may provide a housing 26, which is preferably formed of sheet metal or the like, and may conveniently be secured to the bottom rail of the upper sash in such a manner as to cover the two bars. It will be seen that with this arrangement, the screen is entirely protected from the weather, and may, if desired, be allowed to remain permanently in this position during the winter months.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a piece of flexible screen material, of a bar to one side of which such material is secured, and on which it may be wound, said bar comprising a rigid, one-piece body of a length substantially equal to the width of the screen material, means extending throughout the length of said bar for attaching the screen material thereto, and a spring-pressed plunger fitting within one end of said body, and adapted to engage the inside of a window frame.

2. The combination with a piece of flexible screen material, of a bar to which such material is secured, and on which it may be wound, said bar comprising a rigid, inextensible body, of a length substantially equal to the width of the screen material, a smooth 4 bearing surface formed at one end of said body, and a spring-pressed plunger fitting within and projecting from the opposite end thereof, said bearing surface and plunger being adapted to engage the inside of a window frame, and permit the rotation of said bar.

3. The combination with a piece of flexible screen material, of a bar to one side of which such material is secured, and on which it may be wound, said bar having at one end a fastening device comprising a plurality of spaced prongs, and a spring for forcing said prongs lnto a window frame to lock said bar against rotation.

4. The combination with a piece of flexible screen material, of a bar to which such material is secured, and on which it may be wound, said bar having attached thereto at one end a sheet metal disk provided with prongs projecting from both sides thereof,

the prongs on one side being embedded in the end of the bar, and the prongs on the other side being adapted tov bite into the window frame, so as to hold the bar against rotation.

5. The combination with a piece of flexible screen material, of a pair of bars to each of which the material is secured and on either of which it may be wound, one of 7 said bars having atits ends fastening means and exert a thrust against said fastening device to lock the bar in position, and the other of said bars having one end smooth and at the other a spring-pressed plunger adapted to bear against the window frame and exert a thrust against the smooth end to cause such end to frictionally engage the window frame. a

7. The combination with a windowhaving the usual sash, and guideways therefor, of a flexible screen, a bar on which said screen may be wound, said bar having its ends extending into the sash guideways and movable therealong, and a weather guard secured to the lower edge of said sash and so located as to house said bar and the screen material wound thereon when the sash is up and the bar in raised position.

8. The combination with a window frame having the usual blind stop, of a strip secured to the edge of said blind stop and having its inner face adjacent that surface of said stop which forms one side of the usual sash guideway, and flexible screen material extending across the window opening and resting atits edge against such 'inner face of said strip.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD T. BURROWES.

Witnesses: 7

GEORGE P. TURNER, ALICE M. GURNEY.

Jopiea 0! this patent may be obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

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