US3451180A - Skirting for below dwelling - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1969 F. L. STRUBEN VSKIRTING FOR BELOW DWELLING Filed Dec. 12. .1967

I of 2 Sheet INVENTOR June 24, 1969 F. L. STRUBEN SKIRTING FOR BELOW DWELLING Filed Dec. 12, 1967 FRANCIS L. STRUBE/V FY Mam;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,451,180 SKIRTING FOR BELOW DWELLING Francis L. Struben, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Silver Top Manufacturing Company, Inc., White Marsh, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Dec. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 689,852 Int. Cl. E06b 3/54; E04b /52, N34

US. Cl. 52-478 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shutter arrangement is provided which makes use of resilient slats. These slats clip into slotted angle posts with the latter being heightwise adjustable and spring-biased.

This invention relates generally to building structure, and more particularly it pertains to skirting of the shutter type for enclosing the crawl space beneath dwellings, especially those of trailer house type.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shutter arrangement which utilizes formed metal slats and mounting post assemblies of extruded shape metal.

Another object of this invention is to provide an easily installed skirting which compensates for irregularites between dwelling underside and base pad throughout the length of installation.

To provide a skirting arrangement which will not rattle and which requires no fasteners to install are other objects of this invention.

Still another object of this invention is to provide hidden attachment points for the clapboard-like slats and posts which serve also as bridges for abutting or overlap junction of two lengths of slats.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trailer house embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly exploded view showing the manner of attachment of a slat to the front face of a post;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a post;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical trailer house or dwelling is generally designated by letter D. This dwelling D is equipped with a skirting installation 10 for the purpose of enclosing a crawl space area C.

The skirting installation 10 consists of a plurality of post assemblies 12 which are installed, as will be related, in spaced relationship extending from the underside of dwelling D to the ground or a base pad B.

The post assembly 12, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, consists of a post body 14 of extruded metal having a pair 3,451,180 Patented June 24, 1969 of side flanges 18 generally at right angle relationship joined by a median web 16. The diverging edges of the side flanges 18 are provided with several opposing pairs of spaced slots 20, 22. The uppermost slot 20 of each pair is cut in an upwardly angled direction. The lowermost slot 22 of each pair is cut in a downwardly angled direction.

The converging edges of the side flanges 18 embrace an upper spike 24 and a lower spike 30. An end of the upper spike 24 is double pointed as shown. This end can be extended adjustably by means of adjusting slots 28 for the fasteners 26 that pass through the web 16 into the spike 24 as shown in FIG. 5.

The lower spike 30 which may be singly or doubly pointed has a tab 32 best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 and is only slidably retained in the post body 14. A compression coiled spring 34 bears at the upper end against an abutting screw 36 passed through one of a plurality of holes in the web 16. The lower end of spring 34, in contact with the tab 32, applies a bias when the spike 30 is caused to retract.

This occurs when the posts 12 are installed by pressing them against the base pad B and allowing them to spring-expand upwardly against the underside of the dwelling D as shown in FIG. 1.

The slats or skirting members 38 are made of a resilient sheet material and formed as shown in cross section in FIG. 2 to have an upper flange 40 and a lower flange 48 along their lengths. The upper flange 40 is angled upwardly to match the angle of the slot 20 in post 12, the lower flange 48 is angled downwardly to match the angle of slot 22.

A short web 42 joins the upper flange 40 to the face 44 of the member 38 while a longer web 46 similarly joins the lower flange 48 to the face 44. This gives the skirting member 38 a generally clapboard appearance.

The members 38 are installed by bowing them transversely so as to cause the flanges 40 and 48 to enter the slots 20 and 22 respectively where they engage resiliently on release. The lower web 46 will then overhang to a degree so as to hide the engaging area from view.

Although not illustrated, the ends of two lengths of skirting members 38 may be abutted or lapped at a post location by supporting one free end on one flange 1-8 and the other free end on the opposite flange 18 of a common post 12. Angle stock will provide corner finishing angles 50 as shown in FIG. 1.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self accommodating skirting for buildings and the like, having integral fasteners, in assembly including a vertical post, a spring biased downward extension of the post, a multi-slotted flange member integral with the post, and horizontal skirt means having edges adapted for resilient engagement with plural slots of the said flange, the improvement comprising, the said flange member comprising a pair of vertically parallel flanges and a median web joining the said flanges together at an angle defining converging and diverging flange edges; the said slots being formed in the respective edges of the said flanges in vertical series alternately upwardly and downwardly tending, and in horizontal correspondence on the respective diverging flange edges; and the said skirt means comprising plural members having respectively upturned upper edges and downturned lower edges for engagement with the upwardly and downwardly tending slots.

2. A device as recited in claim 1, the said post being intermediate the ends of said plural skirt means members, the said slots being in vertically spaced relation, and each said skirt member having an integral projecton below the said downturned lower edge, whereby an engagement with the said slots the said skirt members are positioned in overlapping vertically spaced relation, the said overlap concealing the post and edges of the said plural skirt means members engaged therewith.

3. A device as recited in claim 2, and an adjustable upward extension of the post including a double pointed plate adjustably fastened to the post by means fixed in vertically slotted relation to the median web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 494,710 4/1893 Carver 52--732 2,607,089 8/1952 Clark et a1. 52473 2,859,494 11/1958 Hull 52222 X 3,113,357 12/1963 Reukauf et a1. 52-155 X 3,256,655 6/1966 Teeter 52155 X 3,343,326 9/1967 Sickler et al 52155 X ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R.

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