US2982196A - Ceiling structure - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 P. H. SHERRON CEILING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR. PYERCIVAL H. SHERRON B ink a I!!! ll 1 ATTORNEYS 'May 2, 1961 I P. H. SHERRON CEILING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 11, 1959 FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

FIG. 2.

FIG. 6.

FIG. 5.

INVENTOR.

PERCIVAL H. SHERR ATTORNEYS CEILING STRUCTURE Percival H. SherronfJamaica, 'N.Y. Sherron Metallic Corp., 1201 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn 37, NY.)

Filed'May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,337

1 Claim. (CI. 98-33) This invention pertains generally to ceiling structures,

and particularly to ceiling structures for telephone booths.

The problem of providing a ceiling structure for telephone booths affording adequate and easy access to electrical equipment and wiring for the illumination and ventilation of such booths is not without difficulty of solu-' tion. Adequate illumination without unpleasant glare'is particularly important in such closely confined areas as is spaces during their use. Ceiling structures providing such facilities, therefore, are in considerable demand.

Various ceiling structures and combinations have been: suggested in the prior art, but with certain shortcomings with respect to access to the functioning parts, simplicity" and efiiciency in construction, and improved design and appearance. 7 l I A feature of the present invention resides in the accomplishment of a unique result with respect to ceiling structures stemming from the novel arrangement and combination of parts, and their dispositionwith respect to each other in combination with associated parts, whereby a new and highly useful structure is provided.

Other features of the invention reside in the means for accomplishing the specific purposes attained.

Further features of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following particular description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a unit embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view shown broken taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section shown broken taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section shown broken taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section shown broken taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a section shown broken taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, housing 11 is shown comprised of top 12, sides 13, which are conveniently four in number, and bottom 14, to form an enclosure for lighting means '15 and air propelling means 16.

Lighting means '15 preferably takes the form of one or more circular fluorescent tubes, as illustrated, accompanied by the usual electrical devices for their functioning, e.g.' ballast transformers, and starters, which are conveniently encased by an enclosure 45, and appropriate connections to a source of electrical energy, not shown.

Air propelling means 16 suitably takes the form of an electrical fan which also is provided with means for connecting the same to a source of electrical energy, not shown.

The specific disposition of panel 17 with respect to bot- Patented May 2, 1961 tom 14and the associated structure, including the novel securing means for panel 17, whereby panel 17 is securely held in closed position, and may be readily and easily re leased and moved to open position, is a particular feature of the invention.

Panel 17 in bottom 14 is hinged at 13 preferably with a hingeof the piano type. border 21, shown rectangular, to which the hinge at 18 is attached, a plastic sheet 22, preferably translucent or transparent, supported on border 21, and an opening 23 in plastic sheet. 22 over which is disposed screen member 17 is in closed position. 7

Plastic sheet 22 may be secured to border 21 in any desired manner, but preferably by the novel combination of parts shown and now to be described.

It will be noted that border 21 is L-shaped in cross section'as seen in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, with one leg of the .L of each of the sides being in one plane so as to support plastic sheet 22 from the bottom. Angular retaining member 25' is' attached, by suitable means such as by screws or welding, to side 29 of border 21 as seen in Figures 3 and 4. The border 21 and the retaining member 25 conjointly form a frame for the plastic sheet 22. Edge" 26 of plastic sheet 22 is positioned between side 29 of border 21 and angular retaining member 25, being engaged by positioning member or car 27 to provide space 28, the purpose of space 28 being hereinafter more particularly described. Plastic sheet 22 is held against the remaining sides of border 21 by" angular members 31 which are preferably removably attached to border 21 as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Bottom 14 about panel 17 is comprised of two spaced is bent upwardly'to meet upper member 46 and then. outwardly in contact therewithto-form a recess and an overlying ledgeor lip 30 which extends over the periphery of panel 17 when panel 17 is in closed position.

Panel 17 is held in a closed position by a plurality of screws 32 which engage threaded members 33, which conveniently may be nuts, and which threaded members are attached to lip 30. Heads 39 of screws 32 are positioned in space 28 so as to minimize the possibility of unauthorized tampering and to provide an exceptionally neat appearance, while still affording easy access to said screws. Also each access hole 40 in side 29 through which the respective head 39 may be reached with a tool, such as a screw driver, is preferably of smaller diameter than head 3'9, to prevent loss of the screw 32 when panel 17 is in open position, such as illustrated at 20 in Figure l. Screws 32. are conveniently inserted through angular retaining member 25 before the latter is attached to side 29.

Screen member 24 is shown held in position over opening 23 by means of retaining rim 34, screws 35, and nuts 36, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Sides 13, dis-posed around the periphery of unit 11, are provided with openings covered by screen members 37 to permit circulation of air driven by fan 16.

Motor 38 of fan 16 is supported from top 12 by brackets, not shown.

Fluorescent tubes 15, shown circular, are supported from top -12 by brackets 44. The upper fluorescent tube is installed first outside the brackets, after which the lower tube is placed inside the brackets, as shown.

Housing 11 is shown adapted for mounting on sidewalls 41 of a telephone booth by means of flanges 42 and 43. Each flange 42 is attached to a wall 41 by any suitable means, e.g. by a channel at its end fitting over the top of the wall 41. Each flange 42 extends inwardly from its respective wall 41. Each flange 43 is Panel 17 is comprised of a attached to a side 13, or is formed from it, and extends outwardly from it. When unit 11 is installed in a telephone booth, flanges 43 rest on flanges 42 and are thus supported. In turn, flanges 43 support housing 11. This type of mounting may be extended to all four sides of a telephone booth, if desired. 7

In operation, panel 17, being closed, is opened by inserting a tool, such as a screwdriver, through access holes 550 so as to engage heads 39 of screws 32. Screws 32 are then backed out of threaded member 33 thus releasing panel 17 which may then be swung downwardly about hinge 18 to provide ready access to the equipment housed within housing 11.

When access internal of housing 11 is no longer needed, panel 17 is swung upwardly about hinge 18 and screws 3-2, which have been retained in place, are screwed into threaded members 33, thus securing panel 17 in closed position. When the tool used to operate screws 32 is withdrawn from access holes 40, panel 17 in bottom 14 has an extraordinarily clean and uncluttered appearance due to the unique arrangement of screws 32 and associated parts, and the outer surface of panel -17 is flush with the rest of bottom 14. 1

Sheet 22 may, of course, be of any other material, e.g. glass, clear or frosted, but is preferably of an unbreakable variety of material, e.g. the product known in the art under the trade mark Plexiglas. Other parts may be conventionally of metal or other suitable material,

It is to be understood that the above particular description is by way of illustration and not oflimitation, and that changes, omissions, additions, substitutions, and/or other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly it is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in theclaim, the various features of patentable novelty that reside in the invention.

I claim:

In a ceiling structure for a telephone booth, a housing adapted for enclosing means for illuminating and ventilating the booth including a horizontally extending bottom wall comprising spaced coplanar portions providing an opening therebetween, upright walls extending about the periphery of said bottom wall and provided with screened openings for the passage of air, said bottom wall portions and said upright walls conjointly defining a rectangular opening in the bottom of said housing, the undersurface of each of said wall portions adjacent said opening being undercut to provide a recess and an overlying ledge both extending along the edge of said opening, and a closure for said opening including a panel in the form of a translucent plate having a screened opening for the passage of air, and a frame extending about said plate including on each side thereof longitudinally extending horizontal upper and lower walls and a longitudinally extending vertical wall joining said horizontal walls, the marginal areas of said plate being embraced and retained by said frame walls, and the marginal areas of said frame adjacent said bottom wall portions being nested in said recesses, hinge means interposed between the vertical wall extending along one side of said frame and the opposed surface of the associated recess and operable for swinging said frame downwardly to afford access to the interior of said housing, and means securing said frame and the panel mounted therein from swinging open including a plurality of screws projected freely through the upper wall of the frame on the side of the frame remote from said hinge means and operatively threaded removably into the overlying ledge, the edge of said plate proximate said screws being set back from the latter, and the lower wall areas of said frame underlying said screws being apertured to afford access to said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Faber Oct. 10, 1933 Sherron Apr. 7, 1959

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