US1656910A - Speaking panel - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,656,910

1 R. DUNBAR SPEAKING PANEL %MMM Jan. 24, 1928.

1,656,910 R. DUNBAR SPEAKING PANEL Filed uf.f 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A* y l 00 Y Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

insane UNITED Sf'lii'jllESl PATENT OFFICE..

ROBERTSON DUNBARQOF CLEVELAND, OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO THE VAN DORN IRON WORKS COMPANY', 0]:'1k CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPEAKING PANEL.

Application 'led August 25,192.7. Serial No. 215,412;

This invention relates to jails and particularly to conversational panel structures for use in connection with jails for permitting the inmates or prisoners to converse withtheir guests or attorneys without possibility of anything except conversation passing between the tube.

In jails it is essential that the inmates be permitted to talk to either their guests and attorneys in a guarded manner to the ei:- tent of preventing anyone from the outside transmitting anything to the prisoner eX- cept as permitted by the guards. In providing for conversation or legitimate vis1ting between the inmates and the guest it is essential that there be clear vision between the two parties and that free conversational intercourse may be had either in a whisper or otherwise without providing any means by which dope, saws or 'other undesirable things may be passed in to the prisoner.

The present invention aims to accomplish the desired result in a speaking or conversation panel for use in jails by having one or more thick glass panes supported in the jail structure in a suitable place whereby the inmate may see the guests, etc., and arranging the glass panel or panels in a manner such that conversation may be had around its edges without any danger of undesirable things being passed through the same circuit.

The invention is very fully set forth in the following description, drawings and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. `1 is a view of a panel or a portion of a jail structure located at a suitable point in the jail so that visitors may be led to one side and prisoners to the other. For example, the visitors may be led to the side set forth in elevation in Fig. `1, with the prisoners on the reverse side. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of a portion of one of the windows; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line Bw of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 represents a suitable panel usually of tool steel and supported in the jail structure in a convenient place where the prisoner may be led to one side and the guest to the other side. This panel is provided with a plurality of openings 2 forming windows through the panel. Secured about and close to the edge of each of these openings is a suitable yielding spacer 3 formed of flat wire bent in transversely to form a .zigA zag '.iriangeinent, as shown.v These strips are secured at suitable intervals to the visitors side of the panel 1.` Surrounding each of these openings is a suitable spacing frame 4 provided with an opening 5 larger but of the saine shape as` its corresponding opening 2. Upon the inner face of this frame is the inner iinishing and clamping frame G having aplurality of openings 7 therein corresponding to the openings Q. The frames 4 and 6 are secured to the panel 1 by suitable screws 8, indicated in dotted lines, and suitably distributed about the parts. This outer frame 6 about each of the openings 7 is provided with zig zag glass holding strips 9 similar to strips 3. Between the strips 3 and 9 a suit-y able heavy glass pane 10 is mounted. Each of these panes is less in size than its corresponding opening 5 in the frame 4, so as to provide a free conversational passage 11 around its edge. Toprevent the pane from sagging to the bottom, suitable spacers 12 may be provided. The space 11 at the bottom is vented downward by suitable openings 13 extending through the lower part of the frame 4 below each glass pane.

It will be evident that the foregoing arrangement .provides a structure wherein a supporting channel for the glass pane is spaced about and away from the margin of the pane to provide a battled speaking passage.V

The panel below the window on both sides may be provided with shelves 14 and 15 and one or both sides may be provided with a suitable seat 16 which may be of the folding type, as shown.

In use the guard leads the guest to the outside of one of these speaking panels and then conducts the prisoner to the opposite side. The panels are arranged at a suitable height so that clear vision may be had between the parties and conversation may be conducted around the edges of the glass panes. If the visitor should attempt to pass saw blades or other implements through the openings provided by the zig Zag strip 9, the articles will engage the frame 4 and will not turn or pass around the edge of the glass. If any attempt is made to blow powdered dope of any kind to the prisoner, this dope is collected in the marginal spaces 1l and at the bottoni it may pass out on the visitors side. The panels may be removed for cleansing purposes by removing the screws When the entire structure ina-y be disassembled and thoroughly washed and replaced.

What I claim is:

l. A speaking panel structure for jails comprising' a main panel having an opening, a glass pane `Within said opening, a channel carried by said panel about said openingand enoasing' theinargin ofthe glass pane and spaced from the sides and edges thereof. and glass supporting and speaking passage formspeaking passage forrnmgmeans is of` re- 20 silient material.

8. A speaking panel structure for jails as in claim 1 wherein the glass supporting and speaking passage forming means is formed of flat Wire bentinto zig zag yielding ar- 25 rangement and secured to the inner sides of the channel. j p In testimony whereof I hereby afix my signature. l

ROBERTSON DUNBAR. i

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