US3126048A

US3126048A - Hollands

Info

Publication number: US3126048A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1964-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 1981-03-24

Description

March 24, 1964 G. HOLLANDS FOLDING PARTITION SEAL Filed Sept. '7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l wf A UMA/5y March 24, 1964 G. HoLLANDs FOLDING PARTITION SEAL Filed spt. 7. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent York Filed Sept. 7 1961, Ser. No. 136,554 3 Claims. (Cl. 16S-40) This invention relates to a folding partition assembly and more particularly to a sliding partition which comprises a series of generally rectilinear panels hingedly connected to each other. The panels are slideably supported on an overhead track and may be shifted along said track to extended or edge to edge relation for use as a partition, room divider or the like, or the panels may be folded accordion-like into stacked side by .side position for storage.

In the co-pending application of Lapof, S.N. 6,963, tiled February 5, 1960, now abandoned, there is described a folding partition structure of the type described wherein the panels are provided at their lower edge portions with iioor seais which, in the extended or partition forming condition of the assembly, are pneumatically actuated to extend below the lower panel edges and into engagement with the floor. The space between the lioor and lower panel edges is thus spanned in effect by an extensible segment of the panel, thereby anchoring the lower panel edges against lateral movement and at the same time reducing the transmission of sound from one side to the other side of the panels.

In certain applications, it is particularly important to reduce sound transmission to an even lower level than that accomplished by the structure of the device of the aforementioned pending application. In a school gymnasium or auditorium, for instance, concurrent activities may be scheduled simultaneously at different locations within one large room, a folding partition being utilized to isolate the locations.

In the past, even the most advanced partition, such as is exemplified by the aforesaid co-pending application, has not provided the degree of sound and draft reduction desired in critical situations. This invention relates to an improved folding partition assembly which provides a greater degree of isolation than heretofore obtained or obtainable with such a structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide plural panel members which may be slideably extended to form a partition which partition forms a highly eflicient barrier between the areas thereby separated. A further object of this invention is to provide a sliding partition comprising a series of panels, which partition is sealed at its upper and lower edges to the adjacent partition surrounding structures.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide in a slideable partition assembly, comprising panels hung from a support track, novel means for forming a seal at the top edge of the panels, which seal is retracted during translatory movement of the panels to and from stored position to prevent interference of the seal with the movement of the panels. A further object of this invention is the provision of a simple yet highly eilicient seal member for lilling the space between the upper edge of a sliding partition and an overhead structure.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide pneumatically actuated top and bottom seals having a cooperative relation therebetween whereby the actuation of the seals is automatically timed to assure that inflation of the said seals will not cant or tilt the partition.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a sliding partition having top and bottom pneumatic seals wherein the top seals serve, in addition to closing the space between the upper edges of the panels and the upper support structure, to form a reservoir for the lower floor seals, thereby eliminating the necessity for frequent cycling of the air-compressor to keep the pressure in the system Within a selected range.

Other and further objects of this invention will hereafter become apparent in conjunction with a description of the accompanying drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a front elevational View of a pair of partitions n accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a magnified fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a magnified fragmentary section taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a magnified fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In accordance with the invention, a seriesI of panel members 10 slideably and pivotally hung from a horizontally disposed track 11 suitably secured to a crossbeam or like horizontal load bearing support. The track 11, which is conventional in design, has a generally AU- snaped cross-sectional conformation, the free ends 12, 13 of the U-shaped track being downwardly directed and bent inwardly or toward each other to provide spaced trough-like guide supports. Each alternate panel 10 is provided at a central portion thereof, with a roller carriage member 20 including a bracket support 21 secured within the panel 10, a vertically extending hanger rod 22 rotatably supported in bracket 21 and

support rollers

23, 24 secured to rod 22 and riding in guide troughs 13 and 12, respectively.

Each panel 10 is hingedly connected to another at the contiguous vertical edges E by oppositely handed hinges (not shown), it being understood that the panels, as in conventional assemblies of this type may be folded accordion-like to a collapsed side by side relation or extended as shown in FIG. 1 to form a divider or partition. Optionally, but preferably, the panels 10 are shifted to and from stored position by a chain drive Ch, secured to lead panel 10a and driven by motor M, it being understood that in certain applications, i.e., where the panels are small and few in number, motorized means for shifting the panels may be dispensed with.

The panels 10 are mortised or otherwise formed with downwardly directed hollow portions 30, within which portions floor seal members 31 are reciprocably mounted. The seal members 31 include lower or foot portions 32 of sponge rubber or like pliant conforming material, to aid in providing a seal beneath the panels despite irregularities of the floor surface. The seal members 31 are normally maintained in an upwardly reciprocated position (dot and dash lines FIG. 1), by means of coil tension springs 33 (see FIG. 1), secured at their lower ends to the upper edges of seals 31 and at their upper ends to the undersides of longitudinally extending struts 34 fixed within the panels 10.

The lioor seal is shifted from the aforesaid normally raised position by inflatable bladders 36 interposed between hollow shell-like enclosures 37 carried by the seal 31 and block members 38 depending from struts 34. The bladders 36 are normally pressed fiat by the action of springs 33 but, upon inflation, cause the seals 31 and asso ciated structure to be shifted downwardly and into floor engagement. The bladders 36 are connected in series by conduits 39, the first or innermost bladder 36a being connected to compressor 40 by conduit 39a. It will be understood that there is only one connection to the outermost bladder Sb. The lower seal construction is substantially in accordance with the structure described and illustrated in the aforesaid application, although the description herein is suicient to an understanding of the present invention.

The space between the top edges 15 of the panels 10 and the fixed overhead support structure is filled when the panels are extended, by an elongated expansible and inflatable top seal or bladder 42. The bladder 42 is secured to an extended guideway member comprising a horizontally extended leg or ledge portion 43 disposed above a part of the top edges of the panels 19, and a vertically extended leg or ledge portion 44 disposed along a portion of the sides 16 of the panels 1t). The leg 44a in the folding zone Z of the panels 10 does not extend below the uppermost edge 15 of the panels 10 so as not to interfere with the folding of the panels as the same are shifted to or from stacked condition.

The bladder 42 is preferably composed of neoprene or a like distensible material, and is so formed as to lie flat when not inflated. The bladder 42 includes a central air chamber 42a and appendages or fins 42h, 42C which are integral with the bladder yet do not communicate with the air chamber 42a;

The bladder 42 is mounted in the guideway member by means of nails, screws or the like 46 driven through tins 42b, 42e and into the guideway. Optionally, but preferably, the fin 42h is secured within a mortise 4411 formed on leg 44. The secured bladder, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, assumes an L-shape by conforming to the right angular junction between legs 43 and' 44, thus providing a slight bagging or excess of material at said junction. The remote end 42d (see FIG. 5) of the bladder 42 is sealed to prevent air leakage, the frame adjacent end`42e of said bladder being connected by T joint 4S to conduit 39a and to the output of compressor C.

The circuitry for operating drive motor M and compressor C is simple and conventional and will be fully understood by those skilled in the art and accordingly will be described functionally herein.

A starter switch 60 regulates the motor M and actuation thereof will cause. the motor to activate chain drive Ch causing the panels 10to be shifted from stacked position to extended position. In the Course of the movement aforesaid (as Well as in the retractive movement or collapsing of the panels), there is no pressure on the

lines

39a or 47. The bladder 42, by reason of its tendency to maintain itself in a collapsed condition, is held clear of interference with the top edges 15 of panels 10. Similarly, springs 33 keep seals 31 clear of the oor.

When the lead panel 10a reaches the fully extended position, laterally directed actuator bracket 62 engages limit switch 63, deactivating motor M and causing the compressor C to charge

bladders

42 and 36 of the upper and lower seals, respectively.

Preferably, bladder 42. and springs 33 are selected to provide a balanced interrelation whereby the bladders willV be inated by steps in sequence. In the preferred sequence, the initial pressure inilates the bladder 42 without distending the walls thereof to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3. The springs 3.3 are of a tension selected to permit the gradual downward movement of the seals 31 only after the bladder 42 has been fully inflated, but before the bladder has begun to distend. When further expansion of the bladders 36 is prevented by floor engaging contact of the seals 31, the fully inflated bladder 42 isdistended to substantially fill the channel dened by

legs

43, 44, and the top edges 15 of panels 10. A tight closure is thus formed between the upper edges of the panel and the supporting overhead structure.

The compressor is provided with high and low limit controls which may be set at selected levels so that the compressor will operate to raise the pressure to a desired level and will permit the pressure in the system to sink to a given lower level prior to again actuating the compressor. By this method, slow leaks in the system will not cause frequent cycling of the compressor. Preferably, the pressure values in the system will be about l0 to 2O pounds per square inch, suggested limit values being a cut off at about 17 p.s.i. and a reactivation of the. compressor at about 13 p.s.i. Moreover, strain on the compressor due to frequent cycling is further reduced by reason of the interrelation shift of the

bladders

42 and 36, in that the former acts as a reservoir for the latter to assure that the floor seals will be kept tightly in contact with the door, notwithstanding a slight drop in pressure in the system. The system acts in the aforesaid manner since the first effect of a pressure decrease in the systemA will be a slight shrinking of bladder 42 from the fully distended condition thereof. The floor seals are nonetheless kept tightly against tlie oor since the pressure required to seat the door seals is less that the pressure required to distend the top seal. By reason of the reservoir edect of the distensible top seal, it is possible to provide, as previously indicated, a 4 p.s.i., diderenti'al value between activation and deactivation of the compressor, whereas. in the structure of the co-pending application a differential of about 2 p.s.i. must be utilized to maintain the iioor seals in tight contact with the door. Obviously, the larger differential permitted with the present device will reduce by about one-half the recycling of the compressor.

A further advantage of providing seal members which act in the manner and order aforesaid, is that no tilting of the partition by premature inflation of the tgp seal is possible. To illustrate, if full expansion of the top seal were effected prior to the floor seals being projected into engagement with the floor, a tilting action of the panels would be observed. This tilting action would be occasioned by the off-center positioning of the top seal member. However, by projecting the oor seal prior to full expansion of the top seal member, the bottom of the panels is firmly anchored against lateral deflection with respect to the floor prior to the generation ofthe panel deecting force (by the top seal). Also, the L-shaped conformation assumed by thetop seal 42 assures that at least a part of said seal will be in contact with the top edge 15 of the panels even when the seal is not fully distended.

When it is desired to close or store the partition, the switch 60 is set to the reverse position, reverse actuation of the said switch being arranged, by known circuitry, to bleed the pneumatic circuit prior to actuating motor M. The motor M is then effective, through chain drive Ch, to return the panels to the stacked condition thereof.

While the invention is illustrated in conjunction with two partition assemblies, it will be obvious that any number may be employed. Likewise, it is clear that two or more partition units may be wired to be simultaneously or independently actuable.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and seek to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A folding partition assembly having a plurality of hingedly connected, generally rectangular panel members slideably hung from an overhead support track and shiftable therealong from an edge to edge extended condition to a side by side stacked condition, an extended guideway member paralleling said track and including ahorizontally disposed leg portion and vertically disposed leg portion, said leg portions in the extended condition of said panels, lying in proximate spaced relation, respectively, to portions of the upper edges and sides of said panels, said guideway portion defining with the upper edges of said panels a generally rectilinear channel portion having a vertically disposed, open-mouth portion, a horizon-v tally extendingl inflatable seal member secured to said guideway Within said channel portion and lying adjacent the uppermost portion thereof, said seal member being formed of resilient distensible material said seal member including wall portions elastically drawn to a first, relatively closely adjacent position with respect to each other in the uninated condition of said seal, said wall portions becoming more widely separated when said seal is inflated, vertically shiftable floor seals carried by saidv panels, and pneumatic means interposed between saidiioor seals and said panels for shifting said seals into floor engaging position, said pneumatic means and said inflatable seal member being connectible to a common inflation source.

2. A device in accordance with claim l wherein said seal member is generally L-shaped in cross-section in the. uninated condition thereof, and assumes a generally rectangular condition in the inated condition thereof.

3. A folding partition assembly having a plurality of hingedly connected, generally rectangular panel members slidably hung from an overhead support track and shiftable therealong from edge-to-edge extended condition to a side-by-side stacked condition, oor seals carried by said panels adjacent the lower edges thereof, said floor seals including pneumatic expansion chambers inflatable to shift said tioor seals downwardly into floor engaging position, spring means urging said floor seals to a normally raised position clear of said oor, an extended guideway member paralleling said track and including elements lying in proximate spaced relation to the upper edges of said panels and side portions, said elements and the upper edges of said panels together defining a channel which is open on one side to provide a mouth portion, a horizontally extending, inflatable upper seal member supported in said guideway above said upper edges, said upper seal member being distensible under inflating pressures, said upper seal, in the deflated condition, being clear of said upper edges and in the distended, inflated condition, engaging said upper edges, a common source of gas under pressure connected to said expansion charnbers of said floor seals and said upper seal member, the pressure required to distend said upper seal member being in excess of the pressure required to maintain said floor seals in oor engaging position, whereby said upper seal member, when distended, acts as a reservoir to maintain said oor seals in oor engaging position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,375 Hood May 25, 1897 607,826 Burger et al. July 26, 1898 1,796,660 Morse Mar. 17, 1931 1,806,859 Mattei May 26, 1931 2,469,131 Ross May 3, 1949 2,757,225 Dunn July 31, 1956 2,929,445 Haws Mar. 22, 1960 2,945,535 Haws July 19, 1960 3,086,261 Lapof Apr. 23, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 986,854 France Aug. 6, 1951

Claims

1. A FOLDING PARTITION ASSEMBLY HAVING A PLURALITY OF HINGEDLY CONNECTED, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR PANEL MEMBERS SLIDEABLY HUNG FROM AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT TRACK AND SHIFTABLE THEREALONG FROM AN EDGE TO EDGE EXTENDED CONDITION TO A SIDE BY SIDE STACKED CONDITION, AN EXTENDED GUIDEWAY MEMBER PARALLELING SAID TRACK AND INCLUDING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED LEG PORTION AND VERTICALLY DISPOSED LEG PORTION, SAID LEG PORTIONS IN THE EXTENDED CONDITION OF SAID PANELS, LYING IN PROXIMATE SPACED RELATION, RESPECTIVELY, TO PORTIONS OF THE UPPER EDGES AND SIDES OF SAID PANELS, SAID GUIDEWAY PORTION DEFINING WITH THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID PANELS A GENERALLY RECTILINEAR CHANNEL PORTION HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, OPEN-MOUTH PORTION, A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING INFLATABLE SEAL MEMBER SECURED TO SAID GUIDEWAY WITHIN SAID CHANNEL PORTION AND LYING ADJACENT THE UPPERMOST PORTION THEREOF, SAID SEAL MEMBER BEING FORMED OF RESILIENT DISTENSIBLE MATERIAL SAID SEAL MEMBER INCLUDING WALL PORTIONS ELASTICALLY DRAWN TO A FIRST, RELATIVELY CLOSELY ADJACENT POSITION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER IN THE UNINFLATED CONDITION OF SAID SEAL, SAID WALL PORTIONS BECOMING MORE WIDELY SEPARATED WHEN SAID SEAL IS INFLATED, VERTICALLY SHIFTABLE FLOOR SEALS CARRIED BY SAID PANELS, AND PNEUMATIC MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLOOR SEALS AND SAID PANELS FOR SHIFTING SAID SEALS INTO FLOOR ENGAGING POSITION, SAID PNEUMATIC MEANS AND SAID INFLATABLE SEAL MEMBER BEING CONNECTIBLE TO A COMMON INFLATION SOURCE.