US2548125A - Basement window and ventilator - Google Patents

Description

Aprrfifi W, 1951 H.'@. scH mT 253891125 BASEMENT wmnow AND VENTILATOR Filed Sept. so, 1948 INVENTOR.

ArrokA/fy Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED. STATES, PATENT OFFICE,

BASEMENT WINDOW AND VENTILATOR Harry 0. Schmidt, Pueblo, 0010.

Application September 30, 1948, Serial No. 52,030

4 Claims. (01. 98-37) This invention "relates to improvements in I basement lights and ventilators.

In many buildings and particularly in residences provided with basements, it is customary to provide for light and ventilation by means of small windows positioned in the basement or foundation wall below the top thereof.

Since foundation walls usually terminate a few inches above the grade line the major portions of the basement windows will be below the grade which makes it necessary to provide a sunken area about each basement window. The position of the window below the grade line and the sunken area are both highly objectionable. Such a construction, moreover, requires a window frame and a sash.

It is an object of this invention to produce a basement window and ventilator that can be positioned on top of the basement wall, between it and the first floor and between adjacent floor joists.

Another object is to provide a basement window and ventilator that can be positioned without cutting or forming openings in the top of the basement wall.

Another object is to provide a basement light and ventilator that will afford better ventilation than the ordinary basement windows and which can be provided with closure means that can be readily operated from the basement.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and a mode of operation that will now be described in detail, for which purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front end elevation looking through plane l-l, Figure 2, the screen being partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 2-2, Figure 1, showing the louvers and the door in open position;

Figure 3 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 2 and shows the louvers in closed position;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view showing the door removed and a portion broken away to better disclose the construction; 7

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing the door in closed position; and

Figure 6 is a view'showing the device in place in a wall, the screen being indicated by a fragmentary portion.

In the drawing numeral l0 designates the grade line and reference numeral II the foundation wall which has been indicated as of concrete but which may be of any other material such as stone, cinder block, or brick. The building wall I 2 has been shown as of brick.

Floor joists l3 are supported from the top of the wall as shown in Figure 2 and are usually positioned on sixteen inch centers, but may be spaced any desired distance apart.

The invention that forms the subject of this application comprises aprefabricated assembly comprising a tubular housing of rectangular cross section whose top has been designated by reference numeral M; the sides have been designated by reference numerals I5 and the bottom by I6. The bottom is made as long as necessary to extend across the top of the foundation wall and is provided at its outer and inner ends with flanges ll that lap the wall surfaces as shown. A layer of mastic I8 is provided between the top of the wall and bottom It as shown in Figure 2. Top I 4 terminates in an inwardly and downwardly inclined end wall Ma whose inner end has a short vertical wall I9 that terminates in a flange 20. Wall I9 is wide enough to cover the lath and plaster ceiling 2|. Sides l5 extend inwardly and are attached to end wall Ma as shown. The outer ends of sides I5 and top H are flanged outwardly as shown. Flanges I1 may be formed from the sheet metal as shown or by preformed angles or in any other way. The lower edges of sides I5 are flush with the ceiling surface. A door 22 is connected with flange H on the inner end of bottom l6 by hinges 23. Door 22 has a frame 23 about the edges of glass 24 and may hang vertically as shown in Figure 2 or horizontally as shown in Figure 5. Suitable means such as a turnbutton 25 may be provided to hold the door in closed position. The outer end of the tubular housing may be closed by a coarse screen 26 to keep flies and other insects out and this may be reenforced by spaced bars 21 (Figure 6) if desired.

It may be desirable at times to provide the device with a plurality of louvers 28 mounted for pivotation about parallel axis 29. The louvers are interconnected by a bar 30 to which an operating handle 3| is connected. When illumination is desired, louvers 28 must be open as shown in Figure 2 and door 22 may be either open or closed. The light Will strike the under surface of end wall Ma and be reflected downwardly as indicated in Figure 2. The undersuriace of end wall Ma must be reflecting. It may be painted or polished or it may be covered by a glass mirror.

When the device is used for a ventilator, door 22 and louvers 28 must both be partly or fully open. It is evident that the ventilation may be controlled by door 22 in the absence of louvers which, however, serve to keep out snow, rain and dust.

Attention is called in particular to the position of the device on top of the foundation wall and between the floor joists and to the many advantages of this construction over the usual basement windows. The material preferably employed is sheet metal but it may be made from wood or any other desirable or suitable material. The angle that end wall Ma makes with the horizon is optional.

Having described the invention what is'claimed as new is:

1. A basement light comprising an elongated tubular housing of rectangular cross section adapted to rest in a horizontal position on the top of a foundation wall and extend transversely thereof, the outer end terminating in an opening in a vertical plane for the admission of light, the inner end being closed by an inwardly and downwardly inclined member forming a continuation of the top of the housing, the under surface of said inclined member being reflective, that portion of the housing underneath the inclined member being light transmitting, whereby light entering through the housing will strike the reflecting surface and be directed downwardly into the basement.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 169,300 Satterlee Oct. 26, 1875 496,784 Hyzer May'2, 1893 1,549,662 Fedder Aug. 11, 1925 1,674,195 Droeger June 19, 1928 1,696,922 Nielsen Jan. 1, 1929 1,717,788 Kurtz June 18, 1929 1,761,250 Baltes June 3, 1930 1,907,928 Zaloudek et al. May 9, 1933 2,239,767 Anderson Apr. 29, 1941 2,471,980 Maynard et al May 31, 1949 2,472,024 Olson May 31, 1949

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