US3419063A

US3419063A - Top carrier system for drapery panels

Info

Publication number: US3419063A
Application number: US609422A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald E Mock; Banner Joseph
Original assignee: ANJAC PLASTICS Inc
Current assignee: ANJAC PLASTICS Inc
Priority date: 1967-01-16
Filing date: 1967-01-16
Publication date: 1968-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-31

Description

31, 19 8 MOCK ETAL 3,419,063

TOP CARRIER SYSTEM FOR DRAPERY PANELS Filed Jan. 16. 1967 Sheet of 2 Pie. 1.

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/0 vJO5EPl-l BAA/IVER By EDWARD D. OER/Au Arvneusy Dev}; 31, 1968 E. MOCK ET AL 3,419,063

TOP CARRIER SYSTEM FOR DRAPERY PANELS Filed Jan. 16. 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 I n \\\\\\\\\\\\i iiliiiii IIII'MIIIIIII 4 INVENTORS DONALD E. MOCK, JOSEPH BANNER.

EDWARD D. O'BR/AA/ A TTOE/VE) United States Patent 3 419 063 TOP CARRIER SYSTEM EOR DRAPERY PANELS Donald E. Mock, Covina, and Joseph Banner, Whittier, Califi, assignors to Anjac Plastics, Inc., El Monte, Calif.

Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,422 Claims. (Cl. 160199) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Drapery panels are panels which are hinged together on upright axes and are movable from an extended position where they close an opening to an accordian folded position away from the opening. The top carriers on these panels permit motion across the opening and permit the accordian folding action of the panels. The top carriers comprise hangers of uniform cross section so that they may be extrouded. The hangers are pivoted to overhead trolleys. The hangers are hinged together by means of hinges of uniform cross section and the hinges are secured into the hangers to permit the necessary accordian folding. This abstract is not considered to define the invention.

BACKGROUND Closures for openings are well known. Closures for windows to close out the view fall into several different categories. Curtains and shades are well known. Furthermore, Venetian blinds have been used for some time. Venetian blinds have the advantage of being partially opened to permit limited ventilation and light transmittal, and can also be completely raised to permit unobstructed vision or passage. However, Venetian blinds have the disadvantage of being incapable of being fully closed. Thus, they do not completely shut out light, even in the fully closed position. Another type of closure falls in the general heading of drapery. Past drapery has been made of textile materials which has been hung by its top edge to runners on a track. Moving the runners along the track moves the drapery in front of or away from the opening. Such draperies have a great advantage from the esthetic viewpoint, but again are not opaque to light or to the movement of air. Room dividers comprising hinged doors are well known. However, these are of such size that they are not conveniently usable in the usual closure windows, or in many other locations because of their bulkiness. The drapery structure of this invention more nearly resembles such folding structures than it does the well-known textile drapery.

SUMMARY This invention is directed to a top carrier system for drapery panels. The drapery panels to which the top carrier system of this invention is applicable comprise a plurality of relatively rigid upright panels which are hinged to each other. When the panels are extended, they lie generally in the same plane and can act as a separator. The panels can be accordian folded which reduces the overall length of the drapery structure so that the spaces formerly divided are not now separated by the panels. In order to provide this extension and folding movement, the drapery panels must be properly supported at their tops. A track is provided and trolleys engage the track. Each of the panels has its own suspension bracket by which the associated drapery panel is supported. Each suspension bracket is pivotally supported upon its trolley to permit the accordian folding motion of the panels. Preferably, each suspension bracket comprises a channel which is open in the downward direction. A drapery panel is inserted into this channel and is retained therein. Retention is preferably by means of interengagement between 3,419,063 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 the suspension bracket and the panel. Furthermore, hinges are preferably provided between adjacent suspension brackets to control the accordian folding of the drapery structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a drapery structure which comprises a top carrier system for drapery panels of such nature that the top carrier system permits and controls the accordian folding and extension of drapery panels depending therefrom. It is a further object of this invention to provide a top carrier system wherein a plurality of trolleys are movably mounted on a track and a suspension bracket is pivotally mounted upon each trolley, the suspension bracket being adapted to support a drapery panel. It is still another object of this invention to provide a top carrier system which is economic of manufacture and of long trouble-free life so that it may be readily used in a large number of applications. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following portion of this specification, the claims and the attached drawmgs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, of a drapery structure employing the top carrier system for drapery panels of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view, partly in section, showing further detail of the top carrier system and the associated drapery panels.

FIG. 3 is a section taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 55 of FIG. 2, showing one embodiment of the hinge structure between adjacent suspension brackets.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing a preferred embodiment of the hinge structure.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing still another embodiment of the hinge structure between the suspension brackets.

DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, a drapery structure as generally indicated at 10 and drapery structure 10 incorporates the top carrier system for drapery panels of this invention. The top carrier system is generally indicated at 12. First considering the drapery panels, three panels within a series of panels are indicated at 14, 16 and 18. These panels are hinged together by means of panel hinges 20 and 22. Referring particularly to FIG. 4,

drapery panels

16 and 18 have

central panels

24 and 26 which determine the width of the drapery panels. These central panels are preferably fiat and planar.

Hinge lugs

28 and 30 are respectively formed at the edges of

central panels

24 and 26, it being understood that similar hinge lugs are provided along the entire length of each one of the panels, along each of the edges. Hinge lug 28 has

retainer flanges

32 and 34 thereon while hinged lug 30 has retainer flanges 36 and 39 thereon. These retainer flanges extend toward the center of the drapery panel parallel to and spaced from the respective central panels. As is seen, one retainer flange is positioned on each side of the central panel. These retainer flanges define slots on each side and at each edge of the central panel. If desired, decorative panels may be inserted in the slots and may be retained by any convenient means. This structure is shown in more detail in Tsuhako Patent No. 3,277,952 granted Oct. 11, 1966.

Hinge lugs 28 and 30 respectively have

longitudinal openings

40 and 42 therethrough. These openings are generally circular in the embodiment shown. The outer edge of each of the drapery panels has a slot opening into these 3 longitudinal openings.

Slots

44 and 46 are shown. The

openings

40 and 42 can be of any desired configuration, as long as they are provided with narrow slots.

Hinge 22 is shown in considerable detail in FIG. 4. Each of the hinges is identical to hinge 22, except that the hinges are alternately arranged between the drapery panels. As is seen in FIG. 2, body 48 is positioned toward the viewer while in hinge the body is positioned away from the viewer, to provide for accordian folding. The hinges are preferably made of highly plasticized polyvinyl chloride, highly plasticized polyvinyl acetate or highly plasticized copolymers of these mixtures. These materials provide a highly flexible, elastomeric material suitable for this use. Other materials may have the desired flexible properties to permit them to be used. Body 48 is relatively thick and therefore not particularly flexible.

Flanges

50 and 52 are integrally formed with the body and relatively thin so as to a highly flexible, in the order of flexibility of thin leather. The ends of

flanges

50 and 52 respectively carry

beads

54 and 56 which extend along the length of the hinge.

Beads

54 and 56 are of such size as to fit within the longitudinal openings and 42, while flanges and 52 are sufliciently thin to fit through

slots

44 and 46. The hinges are formed in a normally U shaped configuration, with

flanges

50 and 52 substantially parallel to each other. Therefore, when stressed to the position shown in FIG. 4 they have an internal stress which urges the

drapery panels

16 and 18 to lie parallel to each other. However, this force is relatively small, and merely helps in providing force in the correct direction to cause accordian folding.

Primarily considering FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, track 58 provides

rails

60 and 62 which movably support the top carrier system 12. Trolley 64 comprises truck 66 which carries

wheels

68 and 70. The Wheels engage upon the rails to provide for a longitudinal movement of top carrier 12 along the length of the track 58. Truck 66 is preferably of stamped metal and is U shaped with the bottom of the U extending downward. Clamp 72 forms part of trolley 64 and is pivotally secured to truck 66 by means of pivot pin 74. Pivot pin 74 thus lets clamp 72 turn upon the vertical axis of the pin. Clamp 72 is generally U shaped with its base pivoted upon pin 74 and with its arms extended downward. The arms terminate in inwardly extending

flanges

76 and 78.

Hangers

80, 82, and 84 respectively carry

drapery panels

14, 16, and 18. The hangers are of uniform cross section so that they can be extruded. As is seen particularly well in FIG. 3, hanger 82 has

grooves

86 and 88 into which flanges 76 and 78 can be inserted. Preferably, the

flanges

76 and 78 are impressed into the material of hanger 82 to prevent longitudinal movement of clamp 72 with respect to hanger 82. The remainder of hanger 82 is substantially in the form of a channel having a downwardly extending front flange 90 and a downwardly extending rear flange 92. These flanges are substantially parallel to each other to leave slot 94 between them. Front flange 90 is substantially planar and extends down to the top of drapery panel 16. Rear flange 92 has divider flange extending inward to divide the interior slot into upper slot 94 and lower slot 98. Rear flange 92 terminates in engagement hook which extends toward front flange 90 and upwardly, as is seen in FIG. 3.

As is seen in FIG. 2, the upper outside corners of drapery panel 16 are cut away so that only the central portion of central panel 24 extends upward past the lower edge of front flange 90. The central portion of central panel 24 extends upward against the inside of front flange 90 into the slot formed between

flanges

90 and 92. It may, if desired, extend substantially all the way to the top of that slot. Retention is achieved by stamping the

retention tabs

102 and 104 out of the plane of central panel 24. These retention tabs remain attached to the central panel along their top edges and extend away from the central panel at their bottom edges. As is seen in FIG. 3, retention tab 102 engages over engagement hook 100 to prevent downward movement of the drapery panel out of hanger 82. However, the resiliency of

retention tabs

102 and 104 permits the drapery panel to be inserted into its hanger by upward thrust of the drapery panel to cause the retention tabs to snap over the associated engagement hook. By this means, the drapery panel is permanently installed within its hanger.

Carrier hinges 106 and 108 are respectively positioned between hangers 80 and 82, and

hangers

82 and 84. The embodiment of the carrier hinge shown in FIG. 2 is shown in section in FIG. 5. However, this is not the preferred embodiment of the hinge, but is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to simplify the showing in those figures. As is seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, hinge 108 comprises identical hinge halves 110 and 112. These hinge halves are pivoted together by hinge pin 114 which is positioned in a pivot hole in hinge boss 116. Spacer washer 117 is located between

hinge halves

110 and 112 and on pin 114. This spaces the halves so they are aligned to enter

slots

94 and 98. The washer is the same thickness as divider flange 96.

Securing tail 118 is formed as part of the hinge half 110 while securing tail 120 is formed as part of the hinge half 112. Stop 122 is formed on hinge boss 116 and limits the opening of the hinge to the point where securing

tails

118 and 120 are aligned with each other. The limit position is defined by stop 122 engaging the end of hanger 84. A similar stop on the other hinge half engages hanger 82. Securing tail 118 is positioned in upper slot 94, above divider flange 96. Securing tail 120 is inserted into hanger 84 into a space corresponding to lower slot 98, between divider flange 96 and engagement hook 100. Thus, the hinge is retained in position. Even though the hinge does not stop opening of the drapery panels until they lie in the same plane, closing can be accomplished because of the internal stresses in

hinges

20 and 22 which urge the drapery panels in a direction for accordian folding.

In order to prevent any question about proper folding, carrier hinge 124 is preferred. As shown in FIG. 6, hinge 124 comprises hinge halves 126 and 128 which are again identical. Similarly, the securing tails on

hinge halves

126 and 128 are inserted into the appropriate slots in the adjacent hangers. However, stop 130 limits the opening of hinge 124 to 150".

In the embodimentshown in FIG. 7, hinge 132 is shown. Carrier hinge 132 comprises identical hinge halves 134 and 136. These hinge halves have securing tails which are insertable into the appropriate slots and adjacent hangers. The hinge halves are provided with stops 138 which limit Opening of the hinge to 135. There may be decorative occasions in which such limited opening is desirable. It can be readily seen from FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 that the angle of the stop determines the opening limit, and the stop angle can be chosen to suit particular needs.

The above described top carrier system for drapery panels provides an economic and sturdy structure. Proper support is provided for each of the drapery panels and hinges control the relationship between adjacent hangers and adjacent drapery panels. Furthermore, while the struc ture is of economic construction and easily assembled, and most of the parts can be extruded from polymer composition material, its parts are so interrelated that it is a sturdy construction and has a long, trouble-free life.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A drapery and carrier system which includes:

a horizontal extending track,

a plurality of seperate Wheeled trolleys, each of said trolleys being supported by its wheels on said track so as to extend downwardly from said track,

a clamp means pivotally mounted on each of said trolleys so as to extend downwardly therefrom and so as to be capable of being rotated with respect to the trolley upon which it is located in a vertical axis,

each of said clamp means including an engaging means located at its lower end,

a plurality of hangers, each of said hangers having a groove means and a channel defined by front and rear flanges and an internal hook extending into the channel from the rear wall thereof,

each of said hangers being located on one of said clamp means so as to be supported thereby by the engaging means on the one of said clamp means extending into the groove means on the hanger,

said hangers when supported by said clamp means being located so that the channels within the said hanger are downwardly directed and so that said front and rear flanges extend vertically,

a plurality of vertical drapery panels, each of said panels including retention tab means extending outwardly from the top thereof and being of such a dimension as to be capable of being inserted within said channels past the hooks extending into said channels,

each of said panels having the top thereof extending into the channel in one of said hangers in a position in which the retention tab means located on the top engages the hook within the channel so as to support the panel so held in a vertical position,

hinge means connecting adjacent ends of adjacent of said panels so that said panels may be folded with respect to one another by said clamp means rotating with respect to said trolleys as said trolleys are moved towards one another.

2. A drapery and carrier system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said engaging means are secured within said groove means so that said clamp means do not move with respect to said hanger means. 3. A drapery and carrier system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said hangers being of the same widths as said panels, and said groove means, said channels and said hooks extend between the ends of said hangers. 4. A drapery and carrier system as claimed in claim 3 including:

stop means located on said hinge means, said stop means limiting the opening of said hinge means. 5. A drapery and carrier system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said engaging means are secured within said groove means so that said clamp means do not move with respect to said hanger means, said hangers being of the same width as said panels,

and said groove means, said channels and said hooks extend between the ends of said hangers, and stop means located on said hinge means, said stop means limiting the opening of said hinge means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,717,033 9/1955 Breslow et al. -199 X 2,746,540 5/1956 Dixon 160-206 3,137,027 6/1964 Birkle. 3,167,111 1/1965 Harris 160-199 X 3,277,952 10/1966 Tsuhako 160-183 X 3,331,427 7/1967 Colombo 160-199 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 160-206