US489482A - Fire-screen - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. H. JESSUP.

FIRE SGREEN.

No. 489,482. Patented Ja'nfilO, 1893. I

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. H. JESSUPP 1 FIRE SCREEN, N0. 489,482. Patented Jan. 10, 1893.

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GILBERT H. JESSUP, OF TRACY, MINNESOTA.

FIRE-SCREEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,482, dated January 10, 1893.

Application filed March 22, 1892. Serial No. 425,973. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT H. J ESSUP, of Tracy, in the county of Lyon and State of Minnesota, have invented a certain Improved Fire-Screen for Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for quickly and temporarily covering and protecting any portion or all of a building from fire in adjacent buildings or from hail during hail storms and its object is to provide for this purpose a cheap, small light and collapsible screen, which in ordinary times may be folded and stored in a convenient place for ready access in times of danger.

To this end my invention consists in a fire screen of the construction hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the side of a building equipped with one of my devices and with means for securing another of the same over a second window. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the window and one of my screens. Fig. 3 is a View showing two sections of the screen and the arc described by the edge of one in folding it down upon the other. Fig. 4 is an end view of a folded screen. Fig. 5 is a front view of a building showing a number of my devices thereon. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan-view of the same.

As shown in the drawings, my screen is made up of a series of long narrow sections of thin sheet metal 2 preferably of steel. The several sections are fastened together by the circular rings 3, the same being inserted through openings 4 provided along the edges of the sections. Each section has its edge 5 doubled. over and pressed down to form a strengthening rib. It will be noticed that the positions of the holes in alternate places differ. For instance in the plate 2 the holes 4 are arranged at distances from the edges of the plate equal to the diameter of the inner part of the ring, while in the sections either above or below the holes are placed as close to the edge as the rib or turned edge 5 will permit, in order to permit the same to swing readily upon the hinge rings. 'In this Way I assure the lapping of the plates all in the same direction and the screen when taken down will fold back in alternate directions so that the same when folded will present the flat compact appearance shown in Fig. 4 with the exception that in the actual device the proportions of the different parts are much smaller and hence the screen will fold into considerable less space than can well be indicated in the drawings. In folding the long edge of one section will so bind in the fastening rings 3 as to prevent the narrow edge driven into the wall 10 of the building. These 7 5 hooks are arranged in any desired position upon the building or over the windows and doors thereof and have the outwardly turned ends 11 which render easy the attachment of the screen thereto.

In the inner edges 12 of the window or door casing I provide one or more small staples 13 and in one or all of the rings 3 of the screen I provide the soft wire loops 14 which after the screen has been hung upon the hooks may 8 5 be readily twisted into the staples and the edges of the screen thereby made fast upon the wall to prevent their being blown or pushed aside. Hooks may be employed for this purpose, if desired.

It is often necessary and desirable to cover the entire front of a building in order to prevent its catching fire froma building in close proximity thereto and particularly to protect glassfronts of buildings where permanent 5 shutters are undesirable. Where such is the case I arrange the hooks 8 in a row or rows across the front or side of the building so placing the hooks that when the several screens are hung upon the hook the vertical zoo edges of the screens will lap upon one another as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thus closing all spaces or cracks which might otherwise be left between the several devices. Owing to the fact that the screens have a thickness equal only to that of the overlapping horizontal edges of their sections a very close contact may be had between said vertical edges. After being placed in position the screens may be bound together connecting the edge rings of adjoining sections or screens by means of the previously arranged wires 14. I thus provide a device which when extended covers and thoroughly protects a large surface; which when folded occupies much less space than any of the fire screens heretofore devised, which is extremely light, weighing only about twenty pounds and hence adapted for ready use by a single person, and which owing to the particular ring hinge joints which I employ between the several sections cannot get out of order or fail to fold or unfold with all desired readiness and speed.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

1. The combination in a fire-screen, of a se- 1 ries of overlapping horizontal sections having perforated edges,with hinge rings arranged in said holes to join the sections, the lower edges of all the sections lapping outwardly, and a hook or hooks whereon to hang the whole, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a fire-screen, of a series of overlapping metal sections, with rings for securing the overlapping edges of adjoining sections and the openings for the rings in a given section being close to the edges thereof, and the holesin the adj oiningsection atgreater distances from the edges of said adjoining sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination with a series of sheet metal sections, having ribbed edges, of rings 3 for securing the sections together, said sections being overlapped as described, hooks arranged upon the building, the upper section provided with openings therefor, and Wire loops arranged in said rings for binding the vertical edges of the screen, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof witness my hand this 17th day of March, 1892.

GILBERT H. JESSUP.

In presence -of- O. G. HAWLEY, F. S. LYON.

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