U.S. patent number 3,685,223 [Application Number 05/075,990] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-22 for operable wall panel.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sher Walls, Inc.. Invention is credited to John C. Sherwood.
United States Patent |
3,685,223 |
Sherwood |
August 22, 1972 |
OPERABLE WALL PANEL
Abstract
An operable wall panel has a header that is spring biased toward
the ceiling, spaced latches along one side that are extendable
through slots in the stile to lock to pins in an adjacent panel,
and a roller in a ceiling track. The panel is raised and lowered
along a rod that extends from the roller and through a horizontal
bar below the header. One end of such bar is pivoted to the panel
and its other end is linked to a vertical side bar that operates
the latches. The horizontal bar is also coupled to the header. The
side bar is raised and lowered by a cam in the preferred
embodiment. When the side bar is lowered, the header is retracted
from the ceiling, the latches are retracted into the panel, and the
horizontal bar bottoms against the lower end of the rod to
facilitate upward movement of the panel so that its lower end
clears the floor. When the side bar is raised, the panel settles to
the floor, the header is freed to move against the ceiling, and the
latches are extended for latching engagement with an adjacent
panel. At the upper end of the panel is a pin that is normally
biased into the track to keep the panel from rotating while it is
being moved along the track, but which is retractable to permit the
panel to be swiveled on the rod so as to facilitate face-to-face
stacking of panels at one end of the track when the panels are not
in use.
Inventors: |
Sherwood; John C. (La
Crescenta, CA) |
Assignee: |
Sher Walls, Inc. (Santa Fe
Springs, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22129226 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/075,990 |
Filed: |
September 28, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/64;
49/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/827 (20130101); E05D 15/0604 (20130101); E05D
15/58 (20130101); E05D 2015/586 (20130101); E05Y
2900/00 (20130101); E05Y 2900/142 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
2/82 (20060101); E05D 15/06 (20060101); E05D
15/00 (20060101); E05D 15/58 (20060101); E05d
015/26 () |
Field of
Search: |
;160/206,40 ;52/64,122
;49/125,127,130 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Murtagh; John E.
Claims
I claim:
1. In combination:
an upright panel;
a track disposed above the panel;
roller means on the track;
a vertical rod attached to said roller means,
said rod extending into the top of said panel;
and means in said panel for effecting limited vertical movement
thereof on said rod, including
means for holding said panel in an upper position wherein the lower
end is clear of the floor and for releasing said panel to permit
its lower end to set on the floor, including an elongated element
pivoted at one end to said panel,
an intermediate portion of said element bearing against the lower
end of said rod in a lowermost position of the free end of said
element to force said panel to its upper position,
and being in substantial non-bearing engagement with the lower end
of said rod in an uppermost position of the free end of said
element to free said panel to set on the floor;
and said holding means being operable to move the free end of said
element between its lowermost and uppermost positions.
2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said panel has a rigid
framework including
an elongated base,
a horizontal beam a substantial distance from and coextensive with
said base,
and respective stiles extending between and secured to the ends of
said base and beam;
and wherein said elongated element is pivotally mounted on said
framework adjacent said beam.
3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said stiles extend above
said beam;
a header vertically slidable on the upper ends of said stiles;
means normally biasing said header toward engagement with the
bottom of said track;
and header control means operable by said panel holding and
releasing means to retract said header against said biasing means
and clear of the bottom of said track, and to release said header
to permit said biasing means to move said header against said
track,
said header control means retracting said header when said base is
clear of the floor, and releasing said header to engage the track
when said base is lowered to the floor.
4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said header control means is
coupled to and operable with said elongated element.
5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said holding and releasing
means includes a vertical element connected to the free end of said
elongated element;
and means for operating said vertical element to pivot said
elongated element and move its free end between its lowermost and
uppermost positions.
6. The combination of claim 3, wherein said vertical element is a
bar;
and cam means rotatably supported by said panel,
a portion of said bar engaged by said cam means and movable thereby
to raise and lower said bar.
7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said panel has an elongated
base, a horizontal brace spaced vertically from and coextensive
with said base, and respective stiles extending between and secured
to the ends of said base and brace,
said elongated element being located below said brace,
said rod slidably extending through said brace and said elongated
element,
the portion of said rod below said elongated element being
threaded;
a compression spring on the lower end of said rod;
and a nut threaded onto the lower end of said rod for adjustably
positioning said spring.
8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said stiles extend above
said brace;
an inverted U-shaped header extending between the upper ends of
said stiles,
said header being vertically slidable;
spring biasing means supported by said framework above said brace
for normally biasing said header toward said track;
means operable upon downward pivotal movement of said elongated
element to pull said header down to a position clear of said
track,
said header operating means being operable upon upward pivotal
movement of said elongated element to permit said biasing means to
force said header into engagement with said track.
9. The combination of claim 8, including
a bar pivoted on said brace with its other end extending above said
brace;
a vertical rod secured at its upper end to said header and
pivotally linked at its lower end to the other end of said bar;
and a rod link attached to said elongated element and slidable
against said pivoted bar,
said rod link being adapted to capture and force said pivoted bar
downwardly upon downward pivotal movement of said elongated
element,
said rod link being moved to free said pivoted bar for upward
movement upon upward pivotal movement of said elongated
element.
10. The combination of claim 9, further including spaced latch
elements pivotally mounted to said framework adjacent one
stile,
said one stile having openings through which said latch elements
are extendable,
the other stile having openings aligned with the openings in said
one stile;
spaced pins mounted to said framework transversely of and adjacent
to the openings in said other stile,
said latch elements being extendable from the openings in said one
stile a distance greater than the spacing of said pins from the
openings in said other stile,
whereby similar latch elements in another panel may enter the
openings in said other stile and lockingly engage said pins;
and means for pivoting said latch elements to unlatching positions
when said elongated element is pivoted to its lowermost position,
and to latching positions upon pivotal movement of said elongated
element to its uppermost position.
11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said latch pivoting means
includes spaced pairs of pins carried by said vertical bar,
the inner end of each latching element being located between the
pins of a respective pair.
12. The combination of claim 3, wherein said panel in its raised
position is adapted to be swiveled on said rod;
a pin supported by said framework and horizontally spaced from said
roller;
means normally biasing said pin into said track;
and manually operable means for retracting said pin clear of said
track to permit said panel in its raised position to be swiveled to
a desired angle with respect to said track,
said elongated bar being movable to its uppermost position to lower
said panel in any desired angular position thereof with respect to
said track.
13. The combination of claim 12, further including horizontally
spaced bumper elements attached to said framework,
said bumper elements being positioned below said track a distance
so as to extend above said header in the retracted position
thereof.
14. The combination of claim 11, including seal strips along the
top surface of said header and the face of one of said stiles.
15. The combination of claim 3, wherein said track has two rails,
said roller including a body located between said rails,
said rod being secured to said body;
wheels on said rails rotatably connected to said body;
and rollers between said rails carried by said body.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to movable wall partitions of the type
adapted to be set up side by side to form floor to ceiling wall
sections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In hotels, convention halls, schools and the like, it is frequently
desired to divide a single large room into two or more smaller
rooms to accommodate different groups of people who wish to conduct
different activities at the same time, e.g., different groups of
specialists meeting at the same time to discuss problems in their
particular areas of interest. In such cases, it is important that
temporary wall sections set up for this purpose should provide as
effective an acoustical barrier as a permanent wall.
Movable partitions for this purpose are necessarily of substantial
size and weight, and means have heretofore been devised to minimize
the labor required to move them into place. For example, panels
have been constructed with rollers on their lower ends which run in
tracks in the floor. In such arrangements, workers must support
each panel in an upright position while moving it along the track
to the desired position, following which a header at the upper end
of the panel is forced upwardly against the ceiling, as by
operating mechanism within the panel to which the header is
attached. Typically, an opening is provided in the face of the
panel to receive a crank for operating the header control
mechanism. In other arrangements, means in the panel are provided
to retract the wheels upwardly to permit the bottom of the panel to
seat on the floor.
There are a number of drawbacks to these arrangements, including
the accumulation of dirt and obstacles in the track which impede
the desired movement of the panels along the track and desired
seating of the lower ends of the panels on the floor. Also, where
the edges of adjacent panels are merely butted together, variations
in the contour of the floor make it impossible to maintain adjacent
panels in face-to-face abutting relation along their lengths.
It is also known to mount such panels from an overhead track, as by
rollers at the edges of the upper end of each panel. In such
arrangements, resilient strips extend from the lower ends of the
panels to engage the floor. These arrangements also suffer the
disadvantage that they do not provide adequate acoustical sealing
on uneven floors. Moreover, such arrangements constitute tremendous
loads on the overhead track and the supporting ceiling structure,
which cause deflection in these structures and often prevents the
desired positioning and joinder of adjacent panels, and which
necessitates expensive general construction of supporting
superstructures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention embraces an operable wall panel which depends from a
single carrier movable in an overhead track, and includes means
within the panel which is operable to effect limited vertical
movement thereof whereby it can easily be moved to a desired
position when raised, and released to set on the floor in the
desired position. The invention also embraces a header at the upper
end of such panel, and means for simultaneously operating the
header and panel control means to effect simultaneous sealing with
the overhead track and the floor when the panel is lowered, and to
free the header from contact with the track when the panel is
raised. Also embraced are edge locking and sealing means by which
adjacent panels are automatically drawn together in sealing
engagement when the mechanism in the panel is actuated to lower the
panel. This invention permits a number of wall panels to be
supported from an overhead track which is incapable of supporting
the combined weights of such panels, and thereby avoids the
necessity for building a massive supporting structure of the type
heretofore required for overhead pendent panels. Firm sealing
engagement with the floor and ceiling is assured despite uneveness
in floors, as is continuous edge sealing of abutting panels along
their lengths.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a number of panels of the
invention being positioned to form a wall section;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the panels of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a panel in position on the
floor with its header sealingly engaging the overhead track, with
latching elements extending into and locked to an adjacent panel,
and wherein a panel face is removed to show the elements for
operating the panel, header and latches;
FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3, showing the positions of the parts
immediately upon the panel setting on the floor and before the
header movement and locking actions;
FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 3, showing the positions of the parts
wherein the panel is lifted clear of the floor;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of
FIG. 3;
FIG. 6a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the region
indicated at 6a in FIG. 6;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the
line 8--8 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the cam arrangement;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the
line 10--10 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged side elevation view of the end portion of
one of the latch elements, showing the element shaped to exert
locking force on pins contacted at different points on the element;
and
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary front elevation view of adjacent
interlocked panels of a wall section to aid in explaining the
manner in which the panels are locked in sealing engagement despite
unevenness of the floor surface on which they are lowered.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a plurality of operable wall panels 10 of
the invention carried by an overhead track 12. It is preferred that
the bottom of the track 12 be at the level of the acoustical
ceiling typically employed in modern structures, and is suitably
secured, as by straps 14, to the permanent ceiling 16. Each of the
panels 10 has the same mechanism located therein, and the parts of
such mechanism are so located that individual panels may be
provided with windows and doors as indicated at 18, 20 in two of
the panels in FIG. 1.
In the illustrated arrangement, the panels 10 when not in use are
stored at the ends of the track 12. To facilitate face-to-face
stacking of the panels, each is adapted to be swiveled on the
track, and to this end each is suspended from a centrally disposed
track roller 22. When it is desired to form a wall section, the
panels are successively moved outwardly from the track and swiveled
(clockwise as indicated in FIG. 2) to bring their upper ends
parallel to the track. By means hereinafter to be explained, each
panel is provided with a retractable pin 24 which is adapted to
enter the track and prevent the panel from turning as it is moved
to the desired position.
Each panel is provided with a header 28 which is adapted to be
moved into sealing engagement with the track 12. As the panel is
moved along the track, its lower end is clear of the floor,
indicated at 30 in FIG. 1, and the header 28 is clear of the track.
When the panel reaches the desired position, the mechanism therein
is operated to lower the panel onto the floor and to raise the
header into sealing engagement with the track. Simultaneously,
locking or latching elements 34 in the panel extend into the
adjacent panel and lock the panels together in sealing engagement
along their lengths.
Operation of the mechanism within a panel is effected through an
opening in one of its faces, as indicated at 36 in FIG. 1. Such
opening is adapted to receive a tool for operating a large cam 40
(see FIGS. 3-5) which is rotatably mounted at 42 on a stationary
strap 44. The strap 44 is shown secured to a block 46 forming part
of the panel, but may if desired be secured to or otherwise made
integral with the stile at the left edge of the panel.
As best seen in FIG. 10, the cam bushing has a noncircular opening
to matingly receive the end of a crank pin (not shown) inserted
through the opening 36 in the face of the panel. By rotating the
cam with such a tool, a vertical bar 50 is raised and lowered. At
its upper end, the bar 50 is pivotally linked at 52 to one end of a
generally horizontal bar 54. At its other end, the bar 54 is
pivoted on a pin 56 that is secured to the panel, e.g., as on the
lower end of a short block 58 that is integral with a stationary
cross beam or brace 60 that spans the width of the panel. Thus,
vertical movement of the bar 50 causes the left end of the bar 54
to be raised and lowered as it pivots on the pin 56.
In the arrangement shown, the bar 54 and cross beam 60 have aligned
openings intermediate their ends through which a rod 62 slidably
extends. The upper end of the rod 62 is attached to the roller 22.
A nut 64 is threaded onto the lower end of the rod 62, and a
compression spring 66 is located between the nut 64 and the bar 54.
The spring 66 is a relatively strong spring of only a few turns,
and functions as a buffer to prevent damage to the bar 54. To
prevent the bar 54 from directly engaging the spring 66, a washer
68 may be welded or otherwise secured to the bar 54. As will be
seen from the following description of the operation of the bars
50, 54, the panel is lowered to the floor by moving the bars
upwardly, and is raised from the floor by moving the bars
downwardly.
FIG. 3 shows the panel with its lower end resting on the floor, and
FIG. 5 shows the panel with its lower end raised from the floor. In
FIG. 3, the bars 50, 54 are raised to their uppermost positions,
and the washer 68 is clear of the upper end of the spring 66. As
the bars 50, 54 are lowered, the spring 66 is compressed by the bar
54, and further downward movement causes an upward force to be
transmitted through the pin 56 and block 58 to the cross beam 60.
Such upward force effects upward movement of the panel along the
rod 62.
The extent to which the panel is lifted from the floor is
determined by the position of the nut 64 on the rod 62. The higher
the nut is threaded onto the rod, the greater is the clearance of
the lower end of the panel from the floor in the lowermost
positions of the bars 50, 54.
The construction and operation of the cam means for controllably
raising and lowering the bar 50 will be described with reference to
FIGS. 9 and 10 along with FIGS. 3-5. The lower end of the bar 50 is
bifurcated and its braches straddle the cam 40. Below the cam is a
roller bearing 80 that is rotatable on a pin 82 that is staked at
its ends in the branches. The rim of the cam rides against the
bearing 80 so that when the cam is turned in one direction to
increase the radial distance between the bushing 42 and roller 80,
the roller 80 is cammed downwardly, thereby causing the bar 50 to
be lowered. When the cam is rotated in the opposite direction
wherein such radial distance decreases, the roller 80 follows the
cam contour and the bar 50 is raised until the panel sets on the
floor.
Thereafter, further upward movement of the bar 50 is effected by
utilizing a flange or lip extending from the face of the cam. In
the arrangement shown, the front face of the cam adjacent the lip
83 is provided with depressions 84, and the front branch of the
bifurcated end of the bar 50 supports a pin 86 (FIG. 10) that is
slidable in a plug 88 threaded into the front portion of the lower
end of the rod 50, and which is continually biased against the cam
face by a compression spring 92 in the plug 88. When the cam 40 is
turned, the pin 86 is cammed into and out of each depression while
following the rim 83.
FIG. 10 also illustrates means to prevent the ratchet pin 86 from
moving the cam laterally. For this purpose, a portion 94 is secured
to the back leg of the split end of the bar 50, and a bolt 96 is
threaded through the sleeve to engage the back surface of the cam
40. A nut 98 is threaded onto the outer end of the bolt and against
the outer end of the sleeve 94 to hold the bolt 96 firmly against
the back surface of the cam. If desired, the back surface of the
cam may also be flanged, and the bolt 96 adapted to ride thereon,
to aid the similar action of the pin 86 for raising the bar 50.
Operation of the cam 40 and bars 50, 54 also effects movement of
the header 28 into and out of sealing engagement with the track 12.
In this connection, the header 28 is essentially formed of a
channel-shaped cap over the upper end of the panel 10, and which is
vertically slidable thereon. The header 28 is biased upwardly, and
to this end there is shown spaced brackets 102 that are secured to
the panel, as to posts 104 which extend upwardly from the cross
beam 60. The brackets 102 slidably support rods 106 which are
fastened at their upper ends to the web of the header. Springs 108
are positioned on the rods 106 and compressed between the upper
ends of the brackets 102 and the web of the header.
Also secured to the web of the header is a rod 110, the lower end
of which is pivotally linked at 112 to end of a bar 114 that is
pivoted at 116 to the cross beam 60. The bar 114 is linked to the
bar 54, and to this end a link element 120 has its lower end
secured to the bar 54 and its upper end slidable against the bar
114. In the uppermost position of the bar 54, the upper end of the
link 120 is clear of engagement with the bar 114, and the springs
108 move the header 28 against the bottom of the track 12.
In this latter connection, and referring to FIGS. 6 and 6a, the web
of the header is provided with spaced grooves 122 in which sealing
strips 124 are anchored. The upward thrust of the springs 108 is
sufficient to cause the strips 124 to be pressed firmly against the
bottom of the track 12.
When the bar 54 is moved to its lower position (FIG. 5), the upper
end of the link 120 engages the bar 114 and pivots it downwardly.
The rod 110 is accordingly pulled down, whereby the header 128 and
the sealing strips 124 thereon are moved downwardly and clear of
the track. The springs 108 are of course compressed, and are
thereby conditioned so that upon upward movement of the bar 54 and
link 120, the link 114 is pivoted upwardly and the rods 110, 106
are thrust upwardly to permit the strips 124 on the header to be
brought into engagement with the bottom of the track 12.
Again comparing FIGS. 3 and 5, it will be noted that the link 120
engages the bar 114 at a point spaced on its pivot 116 so that
slight downward movement of the link 120 effects a substantial
downward movement of the end of the bar 114 and the rod 110. Thus,
a substantial mechanical advantage is obtained wherein slight
movement of the bar 54 effects a substantially greater vertical
movement of the header. In one construction, the links of the
associated elements are such that when the bars 50, 54 are in their
lowermost positions (FIG. 5), the lower end of the panel is spaced
approximately 1.5 in. from the floor and the web of the header is
spaced 1.0 in. from the bottom of the track 12. When the cam is
operated to raise the bars 50, 54, the link 120 releases the bar
114 during the initial portion of the upward travel of the bar 54,
whereby the header is allowed to engage the track before the panel
is firmly seated against the floor.
It should be noted that since the panel is carried on a single
suspension, i.e., the roller 22, the panel could cock or "walk,"
and vibrate as it is moved along the track, and thereby create
undesired stresses in the track. However, the buffer spring acts as
a cushion to prevent such results, and permits the panel to move
smoothly along the track.
Additional means prevent the header from striking the track as the
panel is moved along the track to a desired position. As shown in
FIGS. 3-5, spaced bumper casters 130 are mounted on the upper ends
of the posts 104 and extend through openings in the header. The
casters 130 are positioned so that when the panel is raised from
the floor and the header is clear of the track, the tops of the
casters extend above the header and are spaced from the track. The
casters are positioned along the center line of the header, i.e.,
between the sealing strips 124 thereon. Accordingly, should the
panel be cocked while it is being moved along the track to the
desired position, the casters bump against the track and prevent
the header from striking the track. When the panel is in the
desired position and the control mechanism is operated to lower the
panel onto the floor and to release the header for upward movement,
the upper surface of the header moves above the tops of the casters
and sealingly engages the bottom of the track.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the preferred arrangement of the track 12
and roller 22. As shown, the track is an inverted U-shaped element
having its lips turned inwardly to provide coplanar rails, and the
roller has spaced wheels 136 which roll on the rails. As shown, the
wheels 136 are mounted on the ends of a pin 138, which also extends
through a hub element 140 located between the wheels. A part of the
body of the element 140 is located between the confronting edges of
the rails, and the upper end of the rod 62 is secured to the lower
end of the body. The element 140 also carries rollers 142 which are
located between the edges of the rails and are rotatable on
vertical axes, as on vertical pins 144 that are staked at their
ends into spaced portions of the body. The wheels 136 and rollers
142 cooperate to effect movement of a raised panel along the track
with a minimum of friction.
As previously mentioned, the latches 34 are utilized for locking
adjacent panels together. As best seen in FIGS. 3-5, the latches
are elongated elements which are pivotally supported intermediate
their ends at 150, and which have their inner ends located between
a pair of vertically spaced pins 152, 154. The outer ends of the
latches extend through openings 156 in the stile 158 at the edge of
the panel. Inwardly of the edge of the adjacent panel are fixed
transverse pins 160 to be engaged by the outer ends of the latches
34. The pins 160 may, as indicated, be secured in the side walls of
housings 162 which have open ends facing the panel edge, and which
may be secured to the stile 164.
When a panel is raised (FIG. 5), i.e., with the bar 50 in its
lowermost position, the upper pins 152 hold the latches 34 so that
their outer ends are above the pins 160. When such a panel is moved
into edge abutment with a panel that is seated on the floor, the
outer ends of the latches enter the housings 162. When the cam 40
is operated to raise the bar 50, the lower pins 154 engage the
inner ends of the latches 34 and pivot them downwardly so that
their latching ends engage the pins 160. Further, and referring to
FIG. 11 along with FIGS. 3-5, the latching ends of the elements 34
are contoured so as to contact the pins 160 shortly before the
upward travel of the bar 50 is completed, so as to force the pins
and latches towards each other in the last portion of the travel of
the bar 50. This action insures that the panels are drawn tightly
together and are firmly sealed along their lengths.
In this latter connection, and referring to FIG. 8, the stile 158
is shown with grooves in its web in which resilient sealing strips
168 are locked. When the panels are drawn together in the manner
above explained, the strips are compressed between the faces of the
stiles 158, 164 and effect a firm seal along the lengths of the
panels. It should be noted that the latches 34 and the aligned
openings through which they extend in the stiles are located in the
portions of the webs of the stiles between the sealing strips
168.
As previously indicated, the pin 24 is extendible into the track to
prevent the panel from turning as it is moved along the track, and
is retractable to permit the panel to be swiveled. As shown in
FIGS. 3-5, a U-shaped bracket 180 is secured to the left post 104,
and a rod 182 is slidably disposed in the bracket. The pin 24 is an
integral extension of the rod 182. Between the legs of the bracket,
a compression spring 184 surrounds the rod 182 and is compressed
between the lower leg of the bracket 180 and a flange on the rod
182 that is normally biased against the upper leg of the bracket.
Connected to the lower end of the rod 182 is a wire 186 which
extends downwardly and through the back of a cup-like element 188
that is secured to the stile 158. The lower end of the wire is
connected to a ring 190.
With the above-described arrangement, the pin 24 is normally biased
upwardly so that it is located between the edges of the rails.
Thus, any tendency of the panel to turn as it is moved along the
rail is prevented.
When it is desired to swivel the panel, one grasps the ring 190 and
pulls it down, whereby the rod 182 is pulled down against the
spring 184 until the upper end of the pin 24 clears the bottom of
the track. This is done, of course, only when the panel is raised
clear of the floor, and the header 28 is free of the track. It is
then a simple matter to swivel the panel on the rod 62. In this
regard, the upper end of the rod 62 may be threaded into the lower
end of the body portion of the roller 22. In such an arrangement,
turning the panel at 90.degree. to the track is accompanied by a
90.degree. turn of the rod 62. Any other suitable means may be
employed to permit such swivel movement of the panel, e.g., the rod
62 may be in two parts connected by a universal joint.
The previously described mechanism for raising and lowering the
panel is adequate to controllably operate panels of substantial
size and weight. In one example, a panel approximately 10 feet high
and 4 feet wide employs a bar 54 approximately 3 feet long that is
positioned approximately 7 feet above the bottom of the panel, and
a vertical side bar 50 approximately 6 feet in length. The weight
of such panel and the parts therein is approximately 300 pounds. In
such example, the cam 40 is of sufficient size to subject the bar
50 to approximately a 4-in. travel. However, the midportion of the
bar 54 moves approximately half that distance between its uppermost
and lowermost positions.
As will be appreciated, a substantial force is required to turn the
cam 40 in this example. While the parts are arranged so that the
weight of the panel is effectively evenly distributed at the ends
of the bar 54, it may be desired to employ spring aids to minimize
the force required to turn the cam and operate the linkages. In
this connection, a tension spring 192 is shown connected between
the cross beam 60 and a washer 194 on the upper portion of the rod
62. A nut 196 is threaded on the rod below the washer 194 for
adjustably positioning the upper end of the spring 192. A further
tension spring 198 is shown connected between the lower end of the
bar 50 and the bottom crosspiece 47 (or the lower end of the post
46 thereon). The spring 192 provides a lifting force which assists
the upward movement of the panel which the two bar linkage 50, 54
is lowered, i.e., to raise the panel from the floor. When such
linkage is raised, the spring 198 is extended, and serves to
provide a restraining force to prevent such sudden upward movement
of the linkage as would cause the panel to impact against the floor
too sharply.
It is desired that when the panel is in the raised position, the
parts are locked in the positions shown in FIG. 5. In the
illustrated arrangement, such locking is facilitated by making the
last or outermost depression in the face of the cam 40 somewhat
deeper than the other depressions 84. In FIG. 10, such deeper
depression is indicated at 200. The pin 86 is cammed out of the
depression 200 in the same manner as it is moved out of the
depressions 84. However, a substantially greater force is required
to move the pin out of the depression 200, i.e., the depression 200
is sufficiently deep as to insure that the parts will be held in
the positions shown in FIG. 5 until such greater force is
applied.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are referred to to explain the utility of the
invention for sealingly securing adjacent panels along their edges
when their lower ends are seated on uneven portions of the floor.
In FIG. 12, the lower end of the right-hand panel is on a portion
of the floor that is lower than that on which the adjacent panel is
seated. Referring to FIG. 5 along with FIGS. 11 and 12, this means
that when a raised panel is moved toward edge abutment with an
adjacent panel, the latches 34 will engage the pins 160 nearer the
ends of the latching fingers than in the situation where the
portions of the floor on which the adjacent panels are to be seated
are even. However, the fingers are long enough and are contoured so
that the desired pull-in forces are exerted even though the
vertical distance between the pins and pivot axes of the latches
varies considerably, e.g., up to 0.75 in. Thus, the sealing strips
carried by the stile 158 (FIG. 8) firmly and sealingly engage the
face of the stile 164 along its length even though the adjacent
panels are on portions of the floor that are significantly
uneven.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the panel has a rigid
framework formed by the base 47, the cross beam 60, and the stiles
158, 164 secured to the ends thereof. Face panels, indicated at
202, 204 in FIG. 8, are secured to the stiles, and to this end the
stiles may be formed as conventional aluminum extrusions having
edge grooves to receive the edges of the face panels. Such an
arrangement permits the panel to be made as a hollow core structure
of minimum weight, and to this end the space between the face
panels is filled with suitable lightweight honeycomb core material.
Also, such material may be arranged to permit conventional
insulation material to be placed between the face panels.
Therefore, a wall section formed of a plurality of such panels is
one which assures optimum acoustical barriers between spaces on the
opposite sides of the wall section.
As above noted, operable wall panels made in accordance with the
invention may be of substantial size and weight. In the example
previously given, it is apparent that in forming a wall section of
a plurality of such panels, the track 12 and the ceiling to which
it is secured would be unduly stressed by moving all of the panels
to the desired positions before lowering them. For example, it may
be desired to form a wall section of 20 panels each weighing 300
pounds. The strength of the track may be such that building codes
will not permit a load greater than 1,000 pounds to be placed on
it. By means of this invention, however, a wall section weighing
6,000 pounds can easily be accommodated. It is only necessary to
move no more than three panels along the track at once. In fact,
only one panel at a time need be moved along the track and
positioned on the floor before moving the next panel, and in such
case the track is never subjected to a load greater than 300
pounds.
Operable wall panels made in accordance with the invention are
ideally suited to form a permanent wall. For either a temporary or
permanent wall, the latches may be eliminated from the panel at one
end so as to permit the sealing strips at that edge to engage the
wall with which the wall section of the invention is to be joined.
Or the walls between which a wall section of the invention extends
may be provided with vertical channels or sofits into which the
edges of the panels at the ends of the wall section extend.
Operable wall panels in accordance with this invention are also
adapted for uses which are not possible with panels heretofore
known. For example, the single suspension feature of this invention
permits the panels to be seated on a floor in a swiveled position
and at any desired angle to the track. Thus, a solid wall can be
formed to separate a large room into two smaller rooms for separate
meetings, e.g., two school rooms. When it is desired to permit
students on both sides of the wall to hear a lecture by a teacher
on one side, the panels can quickly be individually raised,
swiveled to the desired angle, and then lowered to the floor. The
pins 24 in such case may be provided with suitable means to keep
them retracted.
This invention embraces other means suitable to perform the
functions of the parts described herein. For example, a line and
capstan may be used in lieu of the side bar and cam, wherein the
lower end of the line is attached to a capstan which is rotated by
an external crank to shorten and lengthen the line for lowering and
raising the free end of the bar 54. Such a capstan may be held in
any position via a toothed ratchet wheel which can be released to
permit reverse rotation of the capstan. Other latch means are also
embraced by this invention, as well as other means for raising and
lowering the header. For example, latches may be employed which
have toggle means for tripping them to snap into and out of their
locking positions. The header may be operable directly from the bar
50 or its equivalent, as via gear means. Also, the operable panel
lends itself to use without a movable header. In this regard, the
upper end of the suspended panel may be inserted in a soffit that
extends below the track, so that the upper end of the panel is not
exposed in either its raised or lowered positions.
As will now be seen, operable wall panels of this invention avoid
the necessity of a perfectly horizontal track in order to insure
edge to edge abutment of adjacent panels along their lengths. In
known overhead track walls, the track is calculated to deflect to
the horizontal when loaded. But settling of the building results in
the track varying considerably from the horizontal. This factor,
together with naturally existing uneven floor conditions, prevents
adjacent panels from being properly sealed together. In fact, such
conditions occasionally are so severe that the panels either cannot
be moved at all or can be moved only by shoving them with
considerable force. Panels of this invention, however, are easily
moved and operated to be sealingly engaged with the floor, the
track, and adjacent panels, despite such factors.
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