U.S. patent number 3,565,152 [Application Number 04/755,295] was granted by the patent office on 1971-02-23 for foldable partition.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Papsco Building Products Inc.. Invention is credited to Arthur W. Le Gette, Harry Cohn, Jr., William G. Papsco.
United States Patent |
3,565,152 |
|
February 23, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
FOLDABLE PARTITION
Abstract
A three-section portable partition has identically shaped
vertical posts formed with continuous slots for adjustably mounting
appurtenances and also to provide a unique interlock with
transverse panels for exceptional panel rigidity. The partition
sections are hinged at adjacent vertically extending edges and are
pivotable relative to each other about the vertical hinge axes
between a fully folded storage position with the planes of the
sections approximately parallel to an extended or operative
position with the section planes intersecting at equal angles.
H-shaped transverse frame members interconnect with the posts such
that a one-piece key is readily insertable into and is hidden
within the upwardly opening recesses of the top transverse members
to lock the sections in the operative position. Lockable casters on
the outside posts provide three-point support for the unfolded
partition and a fourth caster on one of the inner posts is elevated
slightly above the plane of the other three to give support when
the partition is folded.
Inventors: |
Harry Cohn, Jr. (Portola
Valley, CA), Arthur W. Le Gette (Orinda, CA), William G.
Papsco (Portola Valley, CA) |
Assignee: |
Papsco Building Products Inc.
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25038558 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/755,295 |
Filed: |
August 26, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/135; 40/610;
40/605; 160/351 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
5/00 (20130101); E04B 2/7427 (20130101); E04B
2002/7483 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
5/00 (20060101); E04B 2/74 (20060101); A47g
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;160/135,351
;52/36,339,241,242,280,582 ;248/223,225,243--245 ;211/(Inquired)
;100/(Inquired),108,152 ;16/35 ;40/125,125(H),(Inquired) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peter M. Caun
Attorney, Agent or Firm: John F. Lawler
Claims
We claim:
1. A foldable partition adapted to stand vertically on a supporting
surface and having a plurality of plane sections pivotably
interconnected at adjacent vertical edges for relative movement
between a folded position with the sections adjacent each other and
an unfolded position with the sections angularly displaced from
each other, each of said sections comprising: a panel; inner and
outer vertically extending posts telescoped over the side edges of
said panel; upper and lower transverse members secured at opposite
ends to said posts and telescoped over the upper and lower edges,
respectively, of said panel, said upper member having an upwardly
opening passage traversing at least part of the upper end of the
inner post; means for securing said posts and said members to said
panel, each of said posts having at least one vertically extending
recess on the same side of the panel, and a caster secured to and
projecting below the lower end of the outer post engageable with
said supporting surface; a caster secured to the lower end of the
inner post of one of said sections; and means for locking said
sections in the unfolded position comprising a key having legs
adapted to be disposed in the vertical planes of and intersecting
at the desired angular displacement of said sections in the
unfolded position and alignable with the inner posts and engageable
with said upper members to limit relative pivotal movement of said
sections.
2. The partition according to claim 1 in which said passages are
open at their ends adjacent to the respective inner posts, said key
being a one-piece bar-type element insertable into said
passages.
3. The partition according to claim 1 in which each of said posts
comprises a one-piece extrusion having a generally U-shaped cross
section with a plane end wall and opposing sidewalls and spaced
strips opposite said end wall, said sidewalls having opposed
inwardly extending channel-shaped portions defining said vertical
recesses, the space between said strips being approximately equal
to the thickness of said panel whereby the latter extends into the
post between said strips.
4. The partition according to claim 3 in which the space between
said inwardly extending portions of the side walls is approximately
equal to the panel thickness, and securing means extending through
the inwardly extending sidewall portions into said panel.
5. The partition according to claim 3 in which said strips have
lipped edges, and plates adapted to be disposed between said strips
on parts of the post above and below said panel, said plates having
interlocking engagement with said strip edges.
6. The partition according to claim 3 in which each of said
transverse members is H-shaped in cross section and has outwardly
extending legs defining said passage, the ends of said members
extending into said outer and inner posts between the strips
thereof, said members having slots therein for receiving the edges
of said strips.
7. The partition according to claim 1 in which said panel is a
laminar structure having a rigid centerboard and porous outer
boards, said securing means comprising screws extending through the
walls of said posts and of said members into said centerboard.
8. The partition according to claim 1 in which the outer post
extends vertically from its junctions with said transverse members
and the upper end of the inner post is flush with the upper member,
the end wall of said inner post having an upwardly opening slot
therein aligned with said passage in the upper member and
dimensioned to receive a leg of said key.
9. The partition according to claim 1 in which each post has a pair
of lips defining the opening of the vertical recess therein, in
combination with a bracket adapted to be secured to each of said
posts, said bracket having support plate and a brace member
integrally joined in a T-shaped cross-sectional configuration, the
junction of the plate and brace member having a longitudinal bore
therethrough, an elongated bolt extending through said bore and
projecting therefrom for insertion into said vertically extending
recess of the post, and a nut disposable within said post recess
and threadedly engageable with said bolt whereby to clamp said
plate and brace element against the sidewall of the post when said
bolt is tightened.
10. The partition according to claim 11 in which a rear edge of
said brace member abuts said post within said vertical recess and a
lower edge thereof inclines upwardly toward convergence with said
plate in a direction outwardly from the post.
11. The partition according to claim 10 in which said nut has a
parallelogram-shaped profile with a height less than spacing of the
lips of the recess whereby the bracket is clampable to and
unclampable from the post at any selected height.
12. The partition according to claim 1 with at least three of said
sections, said caster on the inner post being spaced slightly above
said supporting surface when said sections are in the unfolded
position.
13. The partition according to claim 1 with accessory supporting
bracket means insertable into said vertical recesses and releasably
interlockable with said posts at selected elevations therealong.
Description
This invention relates to room dividing partitions, and more
particularly to an improved three-section foldable partition.
The efficient use of room space in schools, libraries, hospitals,
auditoriums, gymnasiums, cafeterias and convention halls may be
greatly enchanced by the use of space dividing partitions. The
utility of such partitions is measured by the ease with which they
are stored, moved into position and set up, their structural
rigidity and stability in the unfolded or operative position, and
the facility with which appurtenances such as shelves, work tops
and the like may be supported on the structure. In addition, the
partition should balance these functional features with an
eye-pleasing design which blends tastefully with the decor of the
room. Finally, structural simplicity is needed in such partitions
to permit fabrication of low cost units that provide an
economically equivalent alternative to permanent or semipermanent
wall structures.
A general object of the invention is the provision of a foldable
room partition that meets the aforementioned criteria for such
structures.
A more specific object is the provision of a foldable partition
which may be quickly locked in the open position by a key that is
hidden from view.
Another object is the provision of such a partition with posts
formed to readily interlock with vertically adjustable bracket
means without compromising the strength and rigidity of the
posts.
Still another object is the provision of a three-section foldable
partition with a center caster shorter than casters at the
extremities of the sections to provide two stable planes of support
for the unit in the folded and unfolded positions,
respectively.
Each panel of a three-section partition is rigidly framed in and by
interlocked vertical side posts and upper and lower transverse
H-members. Each post is a one-piece extrusion with continuous
vertically extending lipped recesses on opposite faces to which
outwardly projecting brackets are connectable and adjustable to
selected elevations for supporting work tops, book shelves and
similar appurtenances. The upwardly opening channel-shaped recesses
of the top H-members intersect at the hinged sides of the opened or
extended sections and provide a receptacle for a one-piece key
which locks the panels relative to each other. The partition is
supported on lockable casters and may be arranged serially with
other opened partitions to divide available space into a variety of
sizes and configurations.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partition unit embodying the
invention and shown in the opened or operative position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same partition unit in the
folded position;
FIG. 3 is a vertical section of a panel showing the upper and lower
parts thereof; the section being taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the caster
mounting block in the post;
FIG. 5 is a top partial plan view partly in section of the extended
partition, the view being taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view of the hinged end of one of the
partition sections, the view being taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a se taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 5 showing the construction
of the work top support bracket and its connection to the post;
FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 10 is an end view of the bracket showing the bolt head shape,
the view being taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A partition assembly 10 embodying the invention is shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 in the unfolded and folded positions, respectively, and
comprises three substantially identical planar sections 11, 12 and
13 which extend vertically from a supporting floor surface S. The
sections are interconnected at their inner ends by hinges 14 and 15
for pivotal movement relative to each other about vertical hinge
axes A and B. The entire assembly 10 is readily movable over the
surface S on casters 17 mounted at the outer extremities of the
sections and on a central caster 18 mounted at the inner end of
section 13. Casters 17 preferably are lockable in order to prevent
movement of the assembly when desired and have foot-actuatable
locking levers 19 for this purpose.
In order to rigidly lock the sections in the unfolded or operative
position shown in FIG. 1, a star-shaped bar-type key 21 having
three fixed arms 21a is inserted out of view into corresponding
recesses or passages in the tops of the three sections.
Alternatively, a similarly shaped channel-type key 23 may be
disposed over the exterior of the upper parts of the sections for
the same purpose. In addition to functioning as a room divider, the
partition assembly may also carry a work top or shelf 25 which
projects out from sections 12 and 13 as shown and is vertically
adjustable supported thereon by brackets 26 as described in detail
below. It will be understood that other appurtenances such as
cabinets, book shelves, electronic voice equipment and lighting
fixtures may also be mounted on the partition sections, the work
top 25 being merely exemplary of this feature of the assembly.
Sections 11, 12 and 13 are similar in construction and therefore
the following description will be directed primarily to section 13;
like reference characters indicate like parts on the drawings.
Section 13 comprises vertical posts 28 and 29, horizontally
extending upper and lower transverse members 30 and 31,
respectively, and a panel 32 framed in the posts and transverse
members. Post 28 extends below member 31 by a slightly greater
distance than does inner post 29 and casters 17 and 18,
respectively, project equally from the lower ends of the posts.
Thus the three casters 17 at the partition extremities are in a
common plane below center caster 18 and support the posts 28
perpendicular to the floor surface S when the partition sections
are unfolded as shown in FIG. 1; caster 18 is spaced slightly above
the floor surface as shown in FIG. 6 when the assembly is opened.
Upon folding the sections into the position shown in FIG. 2,
however, center caster 18 engages the floor surface S and
stabilizes support of the folded assembly on the floor. The lower
ends of inner posts 29' of sections 11 and 12 are flush with the
bottoms of lower members 31 and to this extent section 13 differs
from the other two.
Posts 28 and 29 are identically shaped preferably anodized aluminum
extrusions, each having a generally channel-shaped cross section,
see FIGS. 4 and 5, with a plane end wall 34, sidewalls 35 and 36
formed with vertically extending outwardly opening channel-shaped
recesses 37 and 38, respectively, and coplanar spaced inner strips
39 and 40 opposite the end wall. The space between the edges of
strips 39 and 40 defines a vertically extending opening 41 in the
post. The portions of the post which extend above or below
transverse members 30 and 31 may have plates 42 which slidingly
interlock with the edges of the strips and therefore cover those
lengths of opening 41.
Panel 32 preferably is a laminar structure and comprises a woodlike
center sheet 44 sandwiched between outer sheets 45 and 46 of
composition board or tack board preferably having suitably textured
and colored external surfaces. The stiff centerboard gives
structural rigidity to the panel and the less dense decorative
outer sheets provide a lightweight acoustically impervious tack
wall ideally suited for a room divider. Additionally, the dense
center sheet 44 provides a suitable means to which frame securing
screws may be firmly anchored. The thickness of panel 32 is
approximately the same as the width of post opening 41 and the
narrowest internal spacing of post sidewalls 35 and 36 so that each
post is snugly telescoped over the outer edges of the panel and is
secured thereto by screws 47 which extend through the backwalls of
vertical recesses 37 and 38.
Upper and lower transverse members 30 and 31 are H-shaped
preferably anodized aluminum extrusions, see FIG. 3, which extend
snugly over the upper and lower edges, respectively, of panel 32
and are secured thereto by screws 49. End portions 50 and 51 of
each member 30 and 31 extend into outer and inner posts 28 and 29
through the vertical post openings 41, see FIG. 5, and for this
purpose members 30 and 31 are formed with vertical slots 52 into
which the edges of post strips 39 and 40 extend. The panel "frame"
consisting of posts 28 and 29 tightly interlocked with transverse
members 30 and 31 thus has a border continuity which both enhances
the appearance and preserves the structure of the entire panel
section. The vertically extending legs 30a and 31a of members 30
and 31 define the sides of channel-shaped passages 53 and 54 and
have lipped ends 30b and 31b designed to receive and slidingly
interlock with a cover plate 55 similar to plate 42 and indicated
in broken lines on member 31 in FIG. 4. Passage 53 in upper member
30 is a convenient receptacle for receiving the legs of key 21 to
lock the partition sections open. Use of the interlocking cover
plate 55 on lower member 31 converts the latter into a convenient
conduit for electrical cables and the like if this service is
desired or required. In order to accommodate the one-piece locking
key 21, U-shaped slots 56 are cut in the tops of walls 34 of inner
posts 29.
Each of the casters 17 and 18 is securely mounted in the lower end
of a post by a metal block 57, see FIG. 4, which fits snugly within
and against the post walls and is secured thereto by screws 58.
Hinges 14 and 15 are both secured to inner post 29 of section 13,
see FIGS. 5 and 6, and their other halves are connected to the
inner posts of sections 11 and 12, respectively. In other words,
sections 11 and 12 are hinged to section 13. These hinges
preferably are almost as long as the posts so as to insure stable
pivotal connection of the sections free of play. The central caster
18 is secured within the lower end of inner post 29 of partition 13
and, as shown in FIG. 6, is spaced slightly above the floor surface
S when the partition is in the operative or unfolded state so that
a very stable three-point support is provided by casters 17.
While the partition is shown and described in the open position
with the planes of the sections intersecting at 120.degree. and
thus providing maximum stability to the unit, it will be understood
that the sections may be locked open at other intersecting angles,
for example, 90.degree. . When opened and with the casters locked,
the partition is a stationary wall unit; several such wall units
may be arranged in series to divide large areas into a wide variety
of shapes and sizes as desired. Storage of a plurality of
partitions is convenient and compact by nesting units that have
been folded into a V-shaped configuration or the like.
Brackets 26 are uniquely designed to releasably interlock with
posts 28 and 29 so that work top 25 or other accessories they
support may be conveniently installed and adjusted to any desired
height without disturbing the basic partition setup. Referring now
to FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10, bracket 26 comprises a one-piece member 59
having a T-shaped transverse section (FIG. 8) and having a
horizontal top plate 60 and a vertical brace 61 connected at and
integral with a hub 62. A bore 63 in hub 62 receives an elongated
bolt 65 having a T-shaped head 66, see FIG. 10, abutting the outer
edge of member 59, the bolt being threaded at the opposite end to
receive a nut 68 which fits into vertical recess 37 or 38 of the
posts. Nut 68 is designed to fit long ways into recess 37 as shown
in broken lines in FIG. 9, and when rotated 90.degree. to lock
behind lips 37a (or 38a). The profile of the nut is substantially a
parallelogram as shown with a length slightly greater than the
width of recess 37 so to limit rotation of the nut to 90.degree. in
one direction (clockwise as shown in FIG. 9) and thus facilitate
tightening of the bolt.
The underside 61a of brace 61 slants downwardly from the outer
extremity to a rear edge 61b of substantial length which abuts
against the inner wall of post recess 37. The inner or rear edge
60a of top plate 60 engages the outer surface of the post sidewall
and clamps against the post when the bolt and nut are tightened.
The work top 25 is secured by any suitable means to bracket plate
60.
Bracket 26 may be clamped to as many posts as desired or required
for the particular application. The bracket is installed simply by
inserting nut 68 into the post recess and rotating bolt head 66 to
rotate the nut and tighten the bolt. Similarly the bracket is
loosened by the reverse operation, moved to a different height as
desired, and retightened without disconnecting the bracket from the
post.
* * * * *