US2594922A - Sectional awning - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1952 HAwLA 2,594,922

SECTIONAL AWNING Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 FIG. I

FIG. 2

'- r INVENTOR 23 CHARLES HAWLA I /27 -26 ATTORNEY April 29, 1952 c. HAWLA 2,594,922

SECTIONAL AWNING Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR CHARLES HAWLA ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL AWNING Charles Hawla, St. Cloud,- Minn.-

Appiication September 15, 1950, Serial No. 184,962

3 Claims.

This invention relates to sectional awnings of the type wherein a multiplicity of long and relatively narrow sections are constructed from sheet metal or other suitably rigid material and adapted when in normal use to project from a supporting wall to form an inclined awning structure which is readily collapsible to an elevated and retracted positipn when not required for use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive awning of this class wherein the sections and supporting and actuating members therefor are 50 arranged as to permit the sections to be retracted from their normal inclined and extended positions to unusually compact retracted positions against the supporting wall.

A particular object is to provide novel mechanism for connecting, guiding and actuating a multiplicity of elongated sections which are normally positioned to form an inclined awning structure and in which the normally lower margins of the several sections are free to oscillate upwardly when the sections are retracted and the guiding the actuating mechanism is so arranged as to cause the collapse of the several sections against the supporting wall in usually compact positions in which the normally lower margins of the sections are elevated above their normally upper margins.

The invention also includes certain novel details of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example and not for the purpose of limitation, a preferredembodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing my improved awning in place on a wall, in the usual relation to a window and in normally eX- tended position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing the awning in retracted position;

Fig. 3 i a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing'the awning in retracted position by dash lines;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing details of the reel and guide for the for engaging and fastening the flexible member or chain for acutating the awning.

As shown in the drawing, my awning structure is composed of a multiplicity of sections indicated generally by the numerals 1, 8 and 9, the section I being the normally lowermost, the section 9 being normally uppermost and those indicated by the numeral 8 being the intermediate sections which are identical one with another. Each of the sections 8 has a lower, longitudinal margin which overlaps the upper margin of the subjacent section and is formed" with a rolled or beaded lower edge 8a. The section Q has a similarly beaded lower edge 9a which overlaps the upper margin of the adjacent section 8.

A pair of flexible members, preferably comprising chain l0, extend in spaced parallel relation one to the other directly beneath the lower surfaces of the several awning sections and crossways thereof. These chains are connected to the normally upper margins of the sections 8 and 9 by links H. As best shown in Fig. 5, the several connections between the chains I0 and sections 8 and 9 preferably comprise a downwardly deformed portion of the awning section which is engaged by the upper of two links I i which are of the split ring type adapted to be sprung to open position for the purpose of making the connection. The normally upper end of each of the chains [0 i fixed on the supporting wall by means of a bracket l2 which is fastened to the upper portion of the window frame Hi. The normally lower end of each of the chains In is fastened to a horizontal rod l4 which is fitted with a metal band l5 for attachment to the chain. The rod I4 is, in turn, fastened to the awning section 1 by means of bearing brackets I 6 which are riveted to a pendand flange 1a formed on the section I. Additional flanges lb depend from the end of the section 1 and the intermediate sections 8 and upper section 9 are also formed with sloping end flanges 8a and 9a respectively.

Rigid arms H are provided to support and guide the lower margin of the awning structure,

being of common type which are pivotally connected to the supporting wall and adapted to be oscillated upward at their outer ends to guide the awning to and from its retracted position. The arms ll may be integral with the horizontally extending rod l4 and pivotally connected to the window frame i3 by suitable brackets l8.

Manually operable means are provided for oscillating the arms I! upward when it is desired to retract the awning. The means illustrated comprise a pair of flexible members or chains I9 which are connected at their normally outer or lower ends to the horizontal rod l4 and normally extend obliquely upward therefrom to reels 20 upon which the chains are wound. These reels are fixed on a horizontal shaft 2! extending across the upper portion of the window frame and the shaft is supported in suitable bearing brackets which project from the Window frame. Also fixed on the shaft 2| is a reel 22 which is adapted to be turned to raise and lower the awning sections. To operate the reel 22 a manually operable chain 23 has one end portion or reach 23a wound clockwise on the reel 22 and the other reach 23?) wound counter-clockwise thereon so that when tension is applied to either selected reach of the chain 23 the reel 22 and shaft 2| will be turned in the appropriate direction to raise or lower the awning. As best shown in Fig. 4, the reaches 23a and 23b of the chain 23 are guided to and from the reel 22 through a bracket24 which is fixed on the window frame beneath the reel 22 and formed with eyes 25 to receive the respective reaches of the chain. To hold the chain 23 under tension in any selected position, I provide at a convenient elevation on the window frame a bracket 26 which is formed with a pair, of fingers 21 between which either reach of the chain 23 may be passed and held b engagement with the links thereof.

In operation, with the awning extending in the normal position of use, it will be evident that the chains H) are held under tension by the weight of the members connected thereto including the arms ll, rod l4 and sections I, 8 and 9. These chains and the connecting links H retain the several sections 8 and 9 in predetermined overlapping relation one to another and in proper relation to the lowermost section 1, the latter being held in extended position by its connections with the horizontal rod H. To

elevate and retract the awning, suitable tension is applied to the appropriate reach 23a or 23b of the chain 23 to turn the reel 22 and the shaft 21 in the appropriate direction and to wind the chains IS on the reels 2|. The chains [9 are thereby caused to oscillate the outer ends of the arms I! and rod I4 upwardly and toward the supporting wall. As the upward movement starts the chains become slack and allow the normally upper margins of the several sections to drop to positions where these margins are slidably supported on the chains [9 while the normally lower margins are elevated. As indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, the several sections as they approach their fully retroacted positions are slidably collapsed one on another and their normally lower margins are elevated above their normally upper margins. When the sections reach their fully retracted position they are forced to assume steeply inclined or substantially vertical positions in overlapping relation one to another and with their beaded edges 81) uppermost. The sections may thus be pressed against the supporting wall in unusually compact, retracted positions. They are held in such retracted positions by engagement of the appropriate reach of the chain 23 with the fingers 21 of the bracket 26. To lower the awning, the chain 23 is released from the bracket 26 and by appropriate manipulation and control of the chain 23 the arms H carrying the outer margin of the awning are allowed to swing outward and downward to the normally extended position.

My improved awning, in addition to its advantageous simplicity and compactness when in retracted position, has the further advantage of being adapted for ready replacement of canvas or other fabric awnings which are commonly supported on a frame, including arms similar to the arms 11. Such arms and the rod I4 may be operated to and from the awning retracting position by cords or like flexible members trained on pulleys, as in ordinary fabric awnings. Thus the several sections 1, 8 and 5 with their connecting flexible members III may be readily installed in place of worn out fabric awnings of the common type.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A sectional awning adapted to project from a supporting wall comprising, a multiplicity of elongated sections normally positioned to form an inclined awning structure in which the longitudinal margins of said sections overlap, one with another, flexible members connecting the normally upper margins of the successive sections together and having upper ends fixed on said supporting wall, the normally lower margins of said sections being free to oscillate upwardly when said flexible members are slack, said members being normally under tension, and means for actuating said sections to retracted positions in relation to the supporting wall, in which positions the normally lower margins of said sections are elevated above their normally upper margins.

2. An awning as defined in claim 1 in which said means for actuating said sections to retracted positions comprise, rigid arms pivotally connected to said wall at their inner ends and to the normally lower portion of said awning structure at their outer ends and flexible means extending beneath said awning structure and connected to the lower portion thereof whereby the outer ends of said arms may be oscillated upward and toward the wall while collapsing the several sections one upon another.

3. A sectional awning adapted to project from a supporting wall comprising, a multiplicity of elongated rigid sections forming an inclined awning structure in which the normally lower margin of one section overlaps the normally upper margin of another section, flexible means connecting said sections together and permitting the normally lower margins of said sections to be oscillated upward relative to their normally upper margins, means securing the normally upper ends of said flexible members to the supporting wall, a plurality of rigid arms pivotally connected to said wall and supporting on their outer ends the normally outer portion of said structure, said arms being oscillatable upward in substantially vertical planes to raise and retract said structure toward said wall, a plurality of flexible actuating members operatively connected to the outer portion of said structure and reels positioned beneath the upper portion of said structure and operatively connected to said flexible members, and means for actuating said reels for retracting said structure from its normally inclined position to a retracted position in which the normally lower edges of the several sections are elevated above their normally upper edges.

CHARLES HAWLA.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,233,515 Burke Mar. 4, 1941 2,435,0'73 Freeman Jan. 2'7, 1948

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