US3045747A - Suspension and moving device for drapes and doors - Google Patents

Description

F. B. HILL 3,045,747 SUSPENSION AND MOVING DEvcE ,FOR DRAPES AND DooRs July 24, 1962 r15L.Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 16. 1960 NN NN ATTORNEYS July 24, 1962 F. B. HILL 3,045,747

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INVENTOR ATTORNEYS ilnited tates 3,045,747 Patented July 24, 1962 tice 3,045,747 SUSPENSIN AND MOVING DEVICE FOR DRAPES AND DOORS Franklin E. Hill, 2i)` 13th Place, Long Beach, Calif. Filed May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 297,379 2 Claims. (Cl. i60-331i) ingidevices for drapes or doors.

One of the main objects of the invention is in the provision of overhead substantially closed carrier supported mechanism for suspending and moving drapes or doors smoothly and easily.

Earlier devices of this general character have all been cumbersome, complicated, unsightly and dicult to maintain in smoothly operating condition. 'I'he heavy drapes impose frictional conditions on the supporting elements which prevent easy manipulation whether manual or motor controlled, Applicant in the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, provides specially designed carrier mechanism and guided synchronously actuated supports that insure smooth drape operation from a hidden position. It is the theory of the present invention to associate the elements in such manner that frictiony does not cause dillicult and jerky positioning of the drapes. It is also contemplated that'the general theory of the substantially closed overhead carrier mechanism be applied to the hanging and moving of doors.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of This invention relates generally to suspension and movlight weight drape supports and plastic guiding and actuating means that avoids friction to a large extent and insures smooth and` easy drape movement to properly hung position.

Still another object of the invention is in the provision of a screw supporting overhead carrier that guides driving and synchronized drape supports smoothly and easily to desired positions of adjustment.

' Yet another object of the invention is to provide drape supports that are mounted in a special anti-frictional manner in an overhead substantially closed carrier housing.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of hook supporting mechanism that permits manual attachment and removal of the `drapes in a simple and easy manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide manual or power driven drape supporting and moving mechanism that can be attached in the upper window frame or ceiling iu such manner that it is completely hidden from view.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of light metal and plastic drape supporting elements that operate smoothly to adjusted drape positions without lubrication of any kind.

Yet another object of the invention is in the provision of screw supporting overhead carrier and door supporting mechanism for moving doors smoothly and easily to desired adjusted positions.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as4 will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specication proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all ashereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View showing the supporting mechanism in closed drape position;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ot FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view` taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

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FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective View of one of the driving drape supporting blocks;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the driven drape Y supporting blocks;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view showing generally the manner of mounting the door supporting and moving mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of one of the door supports.

Referring to the drawings, and especially to the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG- URES l through 6, a drape carrier, generally referred to as C, is comprised of a longitudinally disposed housing lll that has laterally disposed flanges l2 and I4. The flanges 12 and 14 are plural apertured at 16 to receive screws 18 that secure the carrier C in the upper window frame or ceiling 20. The carrier housing 10 is closed on all sides with the exception of a continuous longitudinal opening 2l in one side thereof. The housing 10 is bored throughout at 22 to` form a screw cylinder. The housing 10 is also recessed longitudinally at 24 to form a yoke hub` support. A vertically disposedV longitudinal recess 26 in the housing 10 provides a drape support guide, The ends of the housing 10 are initially open to permit assembly of the actuating mechanism, later to be described. The housing `10 may beV extruded or cast as desired. Dual end plates 28 and 30 are attached to the carrier or housing Ill in final assembly.

A screw 32 threaded in a standard left and right manner at 34 and 36 is contained in the bore or cylinder 22. One end of the screw 32 has a bearing support 3S, in end plate 30. The other end of the screw 32 extends through ".the end plate 28 at 40 and iin-ds bearing support in the plate 28,. The screw 32 is power driven by means of a gear 42 secured to the screw end 40 and a pair of meshing gears 44 and 46. The gear 46 is secured to a drive shaft 48 of a conventional electric motor 50 supported on the end plate 28. Any gear ratio desired may be obtained by arrangement of suitable gears.

The screw 32 may ,bev formed of a hollow aluminum tube of circular form S2 or it may have hexagonal shape as shown at S4A in FIGURE 8. Although the screw 32 may be formed in several ways, it is intended that the tube surface be sand blasted at 56 and the left and right threads 34 and 36 be built up by molded plastic iiberglas threads 58 to form an integral screw unit.

A pair of drape supporting and driving blocks 60 and 62 are shown in adjacent position in FIGURE 1. They are identical in every respect :and each block, as shown in FIGURE 5, has a yoke generally refenred to as Y connecting the block with the left and right threads on the screw 32 as -willv later be described. The driving drape supports Ior blocks 6) and 62 are :fashioned initially by extrusion and then cut to similar lengths. The driven 'blocks 6I) and 62 support .the inner edges of the conventional drapes D as shown in FIGURE l. Inasmuch as `they aire identical, only one will be described. An inner block portion 64 is formed in louter contour to coincide in a sliding manner with the recess 26 in the carrier or housing I0. 'Ihe portion 64 has an inner recess 66 machined therein. A slot 68 is milled in the 4inner face 70yof the block 64. A pair yof circular nylon plugs 7-2 are fitted into milled recesses 74l in the upper surface 76 of block portion 64. A -second pair of nylon plugs 78v 4are -iitted int-o milled openings 80 on the lower face $2 of block 64. The plugs72 and "781 are disposed requiring no lubrication and they rit the inner block portion 64 in proper guided sliding relationship in the recess 26. The plugs may be loosely attached for roller action. An outer block attachment portion 84 is reduced in size at 86 `and recessed at 88 to slide longitudinally in the opening 21 formed in the side of Ithe carrier or housing 10. The outer block portion 84 is recessed at 90 in a continuous manner 4to form downwardly projecting bifurcated plates 92 and 94. The inner plate 92 is spaced at 96 from the lower side of the outer face of housing 10. The yoke, generally referred to as Y, has `a screw thread engaging portion 98 projecting from a rearwardly disposed hub 100 that is slidable longitudinally in the carrier or housing recess 24. A circular portion 102 on the outer end of Ithe hub 100 is spaced therefrom by a circular groove 104. The groove 104 is slidably received in the opening 68 and Ithe portion 102 is received in the vertical recess 66 in the inner block portion 64. Actuation of the screw 32 obviously moves the yoke 98 in the direction indicated by the left or right threads 34 and 36. The yoke 98 having its hub 100` slidably and operatively received in the inner block portion 64 moves the drape supporting block laterally in the recess 26.

The outer block portion 84 is connected to an inner arm 106 of a lazy tong lever generally referred to as L. The connection is made by 1a pin `108 that engages spaced openings 110 in bifurcated plates 92 and 94. The pin 108 passes through the opening in a ring 112 that clamps the dual plates 114 forming the lever arm 106. When initial assembly is made by connection of the various parts .at the ends of the carrier 10, 1a head 116 on the pin 108 is slid into the space 96 between the inner plate 92 and the outer lower surface of housing 10. The pin is therefore held in position at all times without further securing means. A shallow vertically disposed groove 118 on the outer face of `the block portion 84 has a ilat spring 120 humped at 122 fastened therein at one end by means of a screw 124 threaded into the block at 126. A conventional drape hook, lgenerally referred to as H, has its inner end 126 engageable with the supporting block by a sidewise manual movement that snaps the hook H securely under the hump 122 of the spring 120. Manual engagement and release of a single drape hook H is therefore accomplished without affecting adjacent hooks. The drape hooks H are attached to Iapertures in brackets 127 on .the inner adjacent driving support attachment members 84 as shown in FIGURE 1.

The screw and yoke .actuated drape supporting block of the dual set, just described, provides the driving means for the multiple spaced drape supporting blocks 128 shown specifically in FIGURES 4 and 6. The drape supports 128 are similar in every respect to the driving blocks 64 actuated by the screw and yoke mechanism with the exception that they do not have the recess 66 and slot 68 for receiving the hub elements of the yoke 98. The drape supports 128 have therefore been given prime numerals to identify similar parts. The blocks 128 Aare pivotally connected at `130 to the upper ends of a conventional lazy tong lever described generally as L. The outer ends of the lazy tong lever L are pivotally connected yat 132 and 134 lto the end plates 28 land 30, respectively.

The operation of the device is simple, The drapes are fastened to the hooks in conventional properly hung position as shown in FIGURE 1. The drape moving mechanism is completely hidden from View. Whether manually or power operated, the screw 32 and yokes Y move the dual driving blocks 60 and 62 outwardly or inwardly to desired drape adjustment. The multiple driven drape supports 128 are synchronously moved in the same manner by the lazy tong lever L. The drapes are thus hung at all times in attractive properly folded condition. The movement is -accomplished smoothly and easily by the light weight metal and plastic parts which require no lubrication at any time. The positioning of the moving parts Within the closed carrier housing permits smooth operation with `a minimum amount of friction. The device is substantially dirt and dust proof.

In FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, a modication of the drape moving mechanism has been applied to doors. A carrier or housing 136 of light weight metal is formed by extrusion with a cylindrical bore 138, a yoke hub recess 140 and a driving block recess 142. A continuous longitudinal opening in the carrier 136 is designated 143. The carrier 136 is attached by apertured flanges 146 and plural screws 148 in the door frame and wall F. A circular or hexagonal light metal tube 54 has a plastic thread 152 molded thereon in the manner described earlier. In this instance, a single thread is used. A yoke 154, hub 156, roller 158 and groove 160, identical to those previously described engage a slot 162 and recess 164 in a driving block or door support 166. The block 166 has dual nylon anti-friction rollers 168 disposed in milled openings 170. The rollers or fixed plugs, if desired, ride on the bottom of recess 142. A projection 172 of the block or support 166 is flanged laterally at 174 and 176. The flanges 174 and 176 are connected by dual screws 178 to a bracket 180. The bracket 180 is bolted in plural manner at 182 to the upper edge of a door D. The threaded tube or screw 54 is mounted and driven by an electric motor 184 in the same manner as described earlier. The assembly and other connecting elements are also the same.

The operation of the power actuated door moving mechanism is simple. Several driving blocks are required to properly support and move the door. Power actuation of the threaded screw 54 moves the yoke 154 in desired direction. The yoke simultaneously moves the door supporting blocks 166 and brackets 180. Because of the carrier suspension and association of the metal and plastic elements, the door moves smoothly and easily to desired position. 'Ihe association of the driving mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the modification within a recessed carrier obviates the entrance of dirt, dust `or water and insures continuous smooth operation.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely diferent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying speciiication shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for opening and closing a pair of drapes, comprising: an overhead horizontally extending elongated carrier housing, said carrier housing being formed with a longitudinally extending bore, a continuous side vopening extending from said bore to one side of said housing and a recess between said bore and said side opening; a left-hand and right-hand threaded screw in said bore, said screw being rotatably supported relative to said carrier housing; a pair of yokes engaging said screw and supported in said carrier housing so as to be horizontally movable relative to said carrier housing upon rotation of said screw, said yokes including a connection element that moves in said recess; a pair of driving drape support members slidably disposed in said recess for horizontal movement along said carrier housing, said driving drape support members being proximate relative to one another when said drapes are closed, with each of said driving drape support members being non-rigidly secured to the connection element of one of said yokes, and each of said driving drape support members extending out of said side opening; a plurality of driven drape support members slidably disposed in said recess between each of said driven drape support members and the opposite ends of said carrier housing for horizontal movement along said carrier housing, each of said driven drape support members extending out of said side opening; lazy tong levers drivingly connecting said drape support members whereby horizontal movement of said driving drape support members will effect concurrent horizontal movement of said driven drape support memibers; drape attachment means secured to each of said drape support members on the side thereof remote from said housing whereby drapes attached to said attachment means will hide said carrier and lazy tong levers from observation from the side of said housing remote from said drapes; and power-operated actuating means for rotating said screw whereby said yokes and drape support members are moved longitudinally relative tto said housing in a synchronized manner in either direction to open or close said drapes.

`2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said poweractuated means includes an electric motor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lacey Jan. 9, 1923 Streby Nov. 8, 1938 Fentress July 24, 1951 Rosenbaum July 20, 1954 Rosenbaum July 20, 1954 Pugh Aug. 31, 1954 Bennett Aug. 6, 1957 Light Mar. 29, 1960

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