US2608797A - Hotbed - Google Patents

Description

P 1952 H. R. RAWSON 2,608,797

HOTBED Filed May 19, 1948 v 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Inventor Harold R. Ra wson Patented Sept. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Harold R. Rawson, Downers Grove, Ill. Application May 19, 1948, Serial N o..27,912

3 Claims. 1 This invention relates generally to hotbeds and more particularly to a hotbed including a frame with a sash extending over the top of the frame and pivoted to the frame adjacent the midpoints of the top edges of theside walls of the frame by novel means so that the weight of the} sash is substantially balanced for easy opening and whereby balanced openings are provided to insure against drafts in the hotbed due to wind,'the device being provided with means for automatic opening and closing of the sash according to changes in temperature within the hotbed.

'A primary object of this invention is to provide a sash mounting for a hotbed of extremely simple construction, allowing the easy opening of the hotbed manually, as well as automatically by means of heat responsive actuating means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hotbed construction in which the rear wall is higher than the front wall and the sash of the frame is pivoted so that balanced openings are provided to insure against drafts caused by wind blowing from'either the front or the rear of the hotbed, while still providing for ample ventilation thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a construction in which a sash in a hotbed frame is releasably secured at the sides of the frame so as to be easily removed as well as tilted.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a hotbed construction in which the front and rear walls are inclined in the same direction to the vertical, this feature, in connection with the above mentioned balanced opening feature, operating tofu-rther insure against the creation of drafts within the hotbed due to wind.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide a hotbed construction which is'relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is safe, simple and convenient to use, and which will give generally efiicient and durable service. a 7

With these objects definitely inview,-this invention resides in' certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure l is a three dimensional view of the assembled hotbed;'

Figure 2 is a grouped three dimensional view of the structure illustrated in Figure l, the sash being shown fragmentarily as removed from the hotbed, and the parts hereinafter referred to as the elongated hinged members being removed;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken-substantially upon the line 33 in Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the sash being shown in tilted position, a second position of a lower portion of one of the above mentioned elongated hinged members being shown in a second position in dash lines;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken substantially upon the line 44 in Figure 1; and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view designed to show the construction whereby the sash is releasably connected to the said lower portions of the elongated hinged members. Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the sever-a1 viewsof the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the hotbed includes a pair of side walls 10 which are vertical and which are of tapered form and rigidly secured to a front wall I 2 and a rear Wall l4. The rear wall 14 is of a greater height than the front wall l2 and both walls may be inclined in the direction which will be considered forward or toward .the front of the hotbed.

A sash, generally indicated by the numeral I6, is comprised of side rails l8, an upper rear rail 20 and a lower front rail 22, together with a complement of panes 24 of glass or the like. The side rails l8 rest upon a pair of plates 26 which are rigidly secured to the side walls Ill of the frame and extend from the front wall l2 to a point slightly beyond the mid-point of each side of the frame. The upper rearwardly disposed edge 26' of these plates supports the sash when thesame is tilted, as indicated in Figure 3.- r

Another pair ofsomewhat similar membersi2 extend the full length of the side walls l0 andare secured thereto on the upper edges thereof and parallel to the plates 26, to which plates these members 28 maybe rigidly secured.

A pair of elongated hinged'members, each comprised of "a lower portion 30, an upper portion 32 and a hinge 34, are secured by means of their upper portion 32 to the members 28, so that the lower portion 30 may be pivoted on the hinges 34, as is clearly indicated in Figure 3. A pair of spring clips of the sash l6 and these clips have portions which releasably engage in slots 38 on'the inner edges of the said lower portion 30, to hold the sash in 36 are mounted on the side rails I8 3 operative position relative to the frame, while allowing the sash to be tilted as indicated. The sash may be further supported, and its swinging motion limited by way of a longitudinally disposed check strip 48 rigidly secured to the frame at the upper rear edge thereof.

A heat responsive actuating means 42, of any suitable character, is rigidly secured, as indicated at M, to the plates 26, or to one of the plates 26, and this means 42 must have a reciprocating plunger id-or equivalent means adapted to reciprocate substantially vertically according to temperature changes and to engage a side rail iiiof the sash.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereon taken in connection with the drawings and with the above recitation of the objects sought to be. achieved by this invention. It will be clear how the inclined rear wall Hi accentuates the effect of the balanced'openings at'48 and 50 at the rear and'front. of the frame, as indicated in Figure 3, especiallywhen awind is blowing as from the left hand'side inFigure 3, while still. allowing for proper convective ventilating currents of. air within the hotbed. Obviously, theweight of the sash on the lower. side thereof; will be, slightly greater than the weight: of the sash above the points 26 of pivotal connection on the platesZG. The hinges 34 willbe' disposed substantially vertically above the said points 26. It will be clear how the above described construction allows, the sash to be tilted, as well as ailowingthe sash to beremoved from the lower'sections 3ilby merely forcing these sections upwardly away'fromthe sash, as indicated in Figure 3, whereafter' the sash may be removed from the hotbed frame whenever desired. In'this connection, it should be-noted that there is no positive orfixed'com nection between the sash and any portion of the frame, that is, there are no bolts or clamps necessary to be. used in order'tohold'the: sash in proper relation with the other" portionsof. the frame, while the automatic actuating means 42 is also freely disengageable'from'the sash and need not be manipulated or disconnected when the sash is to be removed.

Obviously, many minor variations may, be made in the details of constructionand proportionment of the various elements of this invention without departure from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of this invention should be limited onlyas determined by a proper interpretation of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v

1. A hotbed frame including upright side walls, a front wall, arear wall of a height greater than the height of said front' wall and inclined upwardly and forwardlytoward said front wall,

asash closing the top of said frame, said side walls carrying inclined plates supporting the forward portion of said sash, the upper edges of said plates terminating at'the midpoints-ofthe top edges of said side walls and constituting the pivotal supports for the midsection of said sash when the forward portion of said sash is upwardly tilted into open position, a pair of elongated members having an upper portion fixed in relation to the frame and a lower portion hingedly secured to the upper portion and releasably secured to the sash for pivotal movement therewith, whereby the weight of the sash is substantially balanced for easy opening and whereby balanced forward'and rear openingsare provided when the sash is tiltedin open position to insure against drafts in the hotbed due to wind, while improving ventilation.

2. A hotbed frame including upright side walls.

a front wall, a rear Wall of a height greater than the height of said front wall and inclined upwardlyand forwardly toward said front wall, inclined plates secured tothe interior surfaces of; said side walls and extending from said front wall and having upper ends terminating in spaced relation from said rear wall, said upper edges providing-sash-fulcrums and terminatingat midpoints of the top edges of the respective side walls, a pair of-swinging spaced parallel sash tilting members, means hingedly mounting said members on saidside Walls with the hinge points lined up with the sash fulcruming edges'of said plates, a sash closing the top of said frame; the midsection-portions ofsaid sash being rockable on said fulcruming points; and means releasably connecting said sash with said sash-tilting members for coincidental swinging with said members whereby the weight of thesash issubstantially balanced for easy opening andwherebyibalanced forward and rear. openings. are provided when the sash: is tilted in-open position to insure against drafts-in thehotbed while improving ventilation.

3; The structure specified in claim 2 and a longitudinally disposed check strip rigidlysecuredto the frame at the upper rear portion thereof, said strip overhanging an adjacent longitudinaledge'portion of. said sash whereby the sash when closed engages said check' strip.

HAROLD R. RAWSON.

REFERENCES CITED The-followingreferences are of record in the file of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 2, 1 9,33

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