US2877517A - Jalousies - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1959 P. GRAHAM 2,877,517

JALOUSIES Filed Aug. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l /a M /8 20%21 i la 2 N VEN T01? Phil/:p Graham ATTORNEY March 17, 1959 P. GRAHAM 2,877,517

JALOUSIES Filed Aug. 25, 1954 FIG-6 l t I Il INVENTOR BY PAH/.p Gra/mm ATTORNEY United States Patent O JALOUSIES Phillip Graham, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application August 25, 1954, Serial No. 452,123

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) This invention relates to jalousies, or windows having movable slats, for closing building openings and the like and is a continuation-impart of my co-pending application Serial No. 265,465, filed January 8, 1952, now Patent Number 2,770,850, issued November 20, 1956, entitled Curved Closure Device, and my co-pending application Serial No. 363,867, filed June 24, 1953, now Patent Number 2,826,787, issued March 18, 1958, entitled Curved Closure Device, and my co-pending application Serial No. 449,695, tiled August 13, 1954, now Patent No. 2,826,788, issued March 18, 1958, entitled Curved Barrier.

Common fiat glass jalousies have many objectionable characteristics. They are fragile; they use a considerable amount of weighty material ineiciently; they act as a beam which is a weak ineflicient structure as compared to an arch structure using an equal amount of material; and they cannot divert a violent thrust into the edges of the jambs, thus they require strong thick jambs. They cannot yield materially to resist impacts and vibration, thus they shatter and create a hazard rather than otter security. They do not have a cushion-seal, thus they chatter and sometimes break from the effects of gusts of wind and they do not provide a seal against the passage of objectionable elements. They are mounted in a rigid costly frame.

The curved jalousies embodied in this invention do not have the objectionable characteristics of the common flat glass jalousies. These bowed jalousies effectively use less material to offer low cost protection from violent forces. They are self-sealed and cushioned. They can readily be mounted on a thin shelled wall at an opening without using a frame.

More particularly, this invention relates to bowed jalousies of thin reinforced plastic and the like that are freely tiltable normally, that yield and bind to their jambs when they are subjected to violent blasts to allow them to divert the violent blast forces into the edges of the jambs, particularly very thin jambs of curved walls, and including sealing and cushioning means to seal against the passage of undesirable elements and to cushion to prevent breakage and noise including chattering, means to seal jambs against moisture that would freeze on them and prevent the opening of the jalousies, also simple means to mount a set of jalousies without a frame on arched or straight walls and means to control a series of such jalousies simultaneously or independently.

An object of my invention is to provide a low cost, strong, light weight, durable, sealable, cushionable, attractive set of jalousies, able to yicldably resist and cushion violent blasts and impacts and to divert these forces into the edges of the jambs and which will prevent icing formations that normally make jalousies inoperative.

Other objects of my invention will become more apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

yso

ICC

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, elevational view showing jalousies mounted in a thin curved wall;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, along line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along line 5--5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, elevational view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view taken along line 7--7 of Figs. 4 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 8--8 of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the over-lapping edges of modified jalousies;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional plan similar to Fig. 7 showing a modified jalousie;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary, plan view similar to Fig. 7 showing a modified jamb;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary, plan view similar to Fig. 7 showing a further modified jamb; and

Fig. 13 is an elevational view showing jalousies in a curved closure such as a door or shutter.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings, identical jalousies J have a curved or bowed panel. The jalousies I are pivotally mounted in an opening in the curved or dished thin wall 2. The wall 2 may be a thin concrete building wall, or it may be a thin wall of a curved closure, such as a door or shutter.

The jalousies may also be mounted in an opening of a thick straight or curved wall. The jalousies I are fastened to the wall 2 by pivoted connectors B. A control mechanism C may be used to open and close the jalousies. A screen 3, indicated by a light dotted line, may be used with this type of jalousie. Opened positions of jalousies (shown closed) are indicated by dot-dash lines.

The jalousie pane 1 may be made of slightly flexible plastic. A plastic pane 1 would be light in weight. Such plastic jalousie panes may be made of various ingredients to suit various conditions. They may be translucent or transparent for most usages; they may be made opaque for unusual conditions when ventilation is wanted with little light passage. All such plastic jalousies may be made in various colors. Panes 1 may be reinforced with such materials, as paper, fiber glass and/or metal reinforcing impregnated in the plastic. Jalousie panes may also be made of other suitable materials, including glass, wood, and metal.

A pane 1 is curved with its convex surface bowed to the exterior. It acts as an arch to take violent thrusts from the exterior. A pane 1 may have intermediate tapered corrugations 4 to stiffen it against buckling tendencies, thus the corrugations 4 would allow the use of a thinner pane. The top part of a pane 1 has a crimped shape which stitfens it against buckling tendencies. The bottom of pane 1 is stiifened with a lip-like iiange. The bottom is also stiffened as it bears against the horizontal seal-cushion 5, which bears against the crimped part of the adjacent panel 1 or the like structure at the bottom of the wall opening.

The ends of the panes 1 of jalousies .l have a Hangelike offset 6 which stiffens the jalousies in width. Metal reinforcing 7 in offsets 6 may be made of wires welded together and to the head of pin 8 to make a strong arrangement when encased in the plastic.

The vertical seal 9 may be made of soft yieldable plastic or rubber. The seal 9 prevents the passage of undesirable elements and it can vyield to break a bonding sectional plan view taken effect from ice that may form a bridge from the wall 2 to the offset 6. The lower part of the jalousie may be pivoted out to break or shear such a bridge of thin ice. The seal-cushion 5 may have a thin skirt 5u to prevent ice from forming on the crimped surface and to allow easier -breakage of ice that may bridge across the intermediate parts of the jalousies. Where icing conditions are not to be encountered, skirt 5a may -be omitted. The seal-cushion 5 may be a resilient tube, with a small wire Sb through it to restrain it from stretching and sagging. Clips 5c may be attached to the ends of the wire 5b and hooked to the notches inthe ends of the pane 1. The seals 5 and 9 are easily attached or removed.

When adjacent jalousie edges are being closed they are cushioned by the flattening of the resilient seal 5. Wall slat 2a at the bottom of the wall opening provides a lapping means similar to the top crimped edge of a pane 1. Seals 5 and 9 may be translucent or opaque and they may be colored. Jalousies of limited usefulness may be used without seals 5 and 9. When jalousies are to be used where icing conditions do not prevail, smaller seals 5 may be used. Such small seals 5 may be attached close to the top of the jalousie to prevent forming a pocket above the seal. Such a pocket would catch dirt and condensation. The exposed upper end 9a of seal 9 is pressured by the ybottom of the seal 9 on the jalousie above it, to lbend it to the shape shown in Fig. 8. The end 9a seals all the surfaces it contacts. A short seal 9b on the bottom jalousie may be cemented to the jalousie or the wall 2.

The crimped tops of the panes 1 allow lapping and allow the exterior surfaces of the panes 1 to line up when the jalousies I are closed. This lining up of the closed jalousies allows the forces of violent thrusts on the convex surfaces of the panes 1 to be effectively arched into the edge of a very thin wall 2.

A connector B has a bearing block 10 which is attached to the wall 2 with screws 11. Screws 11 are of a type suitable for engaging the type of wall 2. A thin wooden wall 2 would require wood screws and other types of materials for wall 2 would generally require machine screws with metal inserts in the wall 2. A bearing 10 can be readily removed to allow removal or replacement of the pane 1. Long flexible panes 1 may be sprung out of engagement to the fixed bearings 10 by increasing the bowing, by hand pressure on the concave side of the pane 1. Pin 8 pivots in the bearing 10, also it may slide in the bearing when the convex surface of the jalousie pane 1 is subjected to a violent pressure or when such a pressure is released. A slight gap or lack of binding pressure between the edge of wall 2 and the pane 1 allows easy pivotal movement of the jalousie when there is no extremely high pressure on the convex side of the pane 1. This slight gap or lack of binding pressure is maintained bythe force of curved spring 12 and the resilient washerlike member 13. The spring 12 and the washer 13 are compressed by the effects of violent thrusts that slightly flatten and spread the jalousie. The flat washer 14 bears and rotates against the bearing 10 to prevent friction. When the offset 6 is made flexible or there is considerable play in the bearing 10, the jalousie ends would tend to hinge and close the gap or create binding pressure when a violent thrust is made on the convex side of the pane 1. Either the sliding of pin 8 or the hinging action, or both may be used effectively to cause the pane 1 to bind to the wall 2.

When in the closed position, the curved panes 1 can withstand a violent force on their convex or exterior surface by yielding and flattening slightly. The flattening of the panes 1 cause them to spread until they bind tightly to-the edges of the jambs of wall 2, then the panes 1 act as arches to divert the thrust into the jambs. A slight wind force on the exterior of the panes 1 is resisted by pins 8 and fasteners B. When a violent gust of wind or a missile driven by such a wind strikes the pane 1, the flexible pane 1 yields quickly lby slightly flattening and thus cushion the shock. The pins 8 resist only a small part of the thrust, as the panes 1 yield to allow most of the force to continue forward until the yielding causes the panes 1 to spread and thus bind to the `parallel jambs of wall 2. When the panes 1 bind to wall 2, the violent forces tend to compress the panes 1 and thus further the slight flattening, then the intense compressive forces created in the panes 1 are resisted bythe wall 2.

The washer 13 seals the metal surfaces against spray from rains to prevent corrosion. The screen 3 may be notched to clear the bearings 10 and bear against the washer 13. The pin 8 has a hexagon or square shoulder to receive a matching hole in hook bar 15. The pin 8 is further shouldered and threaded to receive the nut 16 and a lock washer.

The hooks on bars 15 engage sets of bead-like buttons 17a on control line 17. The control mechanism C includes the control line 17, pulleys 18, drum 19, crank 20 and lock-fork 21. The control line 17 engages pulleys 18 and drum 19. The line 17 is looped around drum 19, so the line is pulled when the hinged crank 20 is turned. The crank 20 swings down between the prongs of lockfork 21, after it is used for cranking, thus drum 19 is locked as it is restrained from rotating. The pulleys 18 slide for alignment when the line 17 moves in and out with the pivoting of the hook-bars 15. The spring 22 keeps the line 17 taut so that it binds to the drum 19. The line 17 may be a small metal cable, to which beads 17a made of metal may be soldered. During metal shortage periods, line 17 may be made of cord with knots and the like to act as beads. The control mechanism C allows various means to regulate the jalousies. There may be one or more sets of buttons 17a for `each connector B. Two sets of buttons 17a are shown. They allow positioning of the hook arms 15 to the line 17 to have jalousies differently regulated. Some jalousies may be kept closed while others are open. A jalousie such as the bottom jalousie may generally be kept closed to prevent a draft, by disengaging the line 17 from the bars 15. A forked ended stick may be used to reach and switch the line 17 at the upper jalousies. The control mechanism C may be made with very little metal. Thus during times of metal shortages, such as war times, this control C would be suitable. Jalousies J may be connected by modified common Ibar type regulators (not shown) if preferred.

When the thin jalousies I are open and subject to gusts of wind or when they are being regulated, they would have no tendency to twist when they each have two hook bars 15 engaged to control line 17. The heat of the sun would increase the arc of the panes 1 and thus tending to slightly bind the panes 1 to the jambs of wall 2. The heat would not create the intense binding effect of the pressure flattening of the panes. There would be only a little friction on the small areas of the wall ends where they are contacting the jalousies when the jalousies are opened, and guests of wind or heat from the sun tends to slightly spread the panes 1. When the jalousies J are nearly closed, gusts of wind would tend to close them, since the pins 8 are above the center of the outwardly exposed area, thus the wind pressure on the lower part would be greater. When curved jalousies are in open position, they cannot sag materially and break, as at jalousies would tend to do. The gutter-like depressions 1a near the ends of panes 1 carry off rain drainage that tends to flow towards the ends when the jalousies are open.

Jalousies of more limited usefulness may be made with less curvature or no curvature. Curved jalousies may be dished slightly for stiffness rather than be corrugated.

Fig. 9 shows fragments of modified jalousies Ja, and modified seal-cushion 5d. These jalousies may be used with a thicker wall 2. These jalousies may be used when jalousie material cannot be crimped economically.

Fig. 10 shows a fragment of a modified jalousie. A

thin curved pane 1b is a suitable shape for a curved sheet of plastic or glass. The ends of the pane 1b t into modified flanges 6a which are similar to flanges 6. A key 23, secured to the flange 6a, engages a notch in the end of the pane 1b, to prevent vertical movement. Curved jalousies 1b made of sheets may have a lapping arrangement similar to the arrangements shown in Fig. 9. A curved glass pane 1b with plastic anges 6a and seals 5d and 9 would be a useful combination.

Fig. ll shows a'modication which has a member 24 which is fastened to a thick wall 2b. This modification includes means to use the jalousies in openings in new or old walls.

Fig. 12 shows another modification which includes a wide jamb on a wall 2c. This arrangement is suitable for wood or concrete block construction. Special concrete blocks may be used to form the wall with the wide jamb. Access openings in the interior would allow access means to the control mechanism C. The resilient washers 13 seal the holes in the jambs.

Fig. 13 shows a further modification, including a series of jalousies mounted in an opening in a curved closure or barrier 25. The jalousies may be mounted in openings in the curved doors, shutters and barriers described in my three copending applications hereinbefore mentioned.

Jalousies or panes, as previously described, are usually mounted in series. One pane may also be used alone to close an opening. Such a jalousie or pane may be a window or a transom.

'I'hus it will be seen that I have provided an eicient and strong curved closure element, in the form of jalousie, slat, window, louver or the like, which provides optimum strength for a given amount of material and which, by curvature and yieldable nature of the pane or panel and yieldable fasteners, makes it possible to cushion violent forces and bind to the jambs, so as to divert the violent forces into the edges of the jambs where the wall is best able to resist the forces; also I have provided a crimped lapping oiset to allow the thin effective edges of a series of jalousies to line up so as to provide optimum bearing surfaces to very thin jambs; also I have provided novel stiffening means for the jalousie in the form of crescent shaped corrugations, crimped top edging and a anged lip at the bottom to permit the jalousie to ex without buckling.

Additionally, I have provided a closure element which may be made of plastic or other suitable materials and which may be provided with a resilient sealing and cushioning material.

While I have illustrated and described several specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a building Wall opening dened by horizontal top and bottom edge portions and substantially vertical side edge portions of the wall; jalousie means comprising a plurality of thin, flexible translucent panels having longitudinal axes extending horizontally across said opening in vertically spaced, parallel relationship and in substantially the same plane, means for pivotally mounting the ends of each of said panels to allow pivotal movement of said panels about their horizontal axes to permit the said panels to be pivoted into the open or closed positions, each of said panels being bowed horizontally outwardly of the building when in closed position, the bow spanning the width of said opening, said panels having their end edges in close proximity to said side edge portions of the wall, whereby external forces exerted against the outside convex surfaces of said panels will tend to slightly ilatten the panels and place them under compression so that said forces will be diverted substantially along the arcuate paths of the bows of said panels and through said end edges of the panels into the abutting portions of said side edge portions of the wall, an elastic sealing strip extending horizontally along one of the longitudinal edge portions of each of said panels, elastic end sealing strips extending along the end extremities of said panels to seal the gaps between the ends of said panels and said side edge portions of the wall, said end sealing strips being positioned outwardly from the outer face of said panels to allow the end edges of said panels to bear directly against, and to transmit blast forces to the said side edge portions of the said wall.

2. 'I'he combination recited in claim 1 together with means for selectively pivoting one or more of said panels about said longitudinal axes.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said vertical side edge portions of the wall are disposed in substantially the same arcuate plane as that of the said bowed panels, when the said panels are in closed positions.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 together with a door bowed outwardly of the building wall having said opening formed in a panel of said door.

5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said panels are of plastic material and each is provided with a tapered corrugation extending longitudinally of the panel and along an intermediate portion only of the length of the panel, said corrugation diminishing in height from the center towards the sides of the panel and being of zero height at said end edges, the top and bottom longitudinally extending edges of said panels have llanges, said corrugations and said llanges stitening said panels to prevent them from buckling while a1- lowing them to flatten under a thrust.

6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said pivotal means includes resilient means for normally biasing the ends of said panels away from the said vertical side edge portions of the wall to prevent the ends of said panels from binding against said vertical side edge portions of the wall, when the said panels are not being pressurized by blasts, said resilient means yielding when a violent pressure on the convex surfaces of the said panels causes the said panels to atten slightly so the said end edges bear against the said vertical side edge portions of the wall, said resilient means preventing side play and resultant chattering noise, in addition the said resilient means preventing excessive friction and wear between said panels and said vertical side edge portions of the wall when the said panels are being opened and closed, thus requiring less effort in operating said panels.

References Cited in the lo of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,207,147 Gilbertson July 9, 1940 2,208,198 Seaman July 16, 1940 2,314,476 Blumenthal Mar. 23, 1943 2,483,523 Brandon et al. Oct. 4 1949 2,487,108 De Carlo Nov. 8, 1949 2,505,155 Smith Apr. 25, 1950 2,554,822 Geier May 29, 1951 2,602,501 Roos July 8, 1952 2,620,869 Friedman Dec. 9, 1952 2,627,913 Hill Feb. 10, 1953 2,640,233 Silvers June 2, 1953 2,641,465 Snow June 9, 1953 2,693,010 Anderson Nov. 2, 1954 2,771,643 Zelov Nov. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 308,108 Great Britain Mar. 21, 1929

Images