U.S. patent number 3,768,222 [Application Number 05/188,290] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-30 for partition device.
Invention is credited to Herbert La Mont Birum, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,768,222 |
Birum, Jr. |
October 30, 1973 |
PARTITION DEVICE
Abstract
This invention relates to a privacy screen comprising a screen
panel having a perimeter edge surface between opposed facia
surfaces; a perimeter moulding having a channel extending
longitudinally thereof; said channel of said perimeter moulding
having a longitudinally extending seat and a locking shoulder
underlying said seat at each side of said channel.
Inventors: |
Birum, Jr.; Herbert La Mont
(Titusville, NJ) |
Family
ID: |
22692544 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/188,290 |
Filed: |
October 12, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/239; 52/282.2;
160/135; 181/287 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G
5/00 (20130101); E04B 2/7427 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47G
5/00 (20060101); E04B 2/74 (20060101); A47g
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/282,239,281,238,277,284,241,586,582 ;160/135 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Faw, Jr.; Price C.
Claims
What I claim as my invention is:
1. A privacy screen comprising a screen panel having a perimeter
edge surface between opposed facia surfaces; perimeter moulding
extending longitudinally of said edge surface and having side walls
in face to face relation; said side walls each having a
longitudinally extending seat and a locking shoulder underlying
said seat, a decorative moulding between said side walls of said
perimeter moulding for at least a portion of the extent of said
perimeter moulding, said decorative moulding having downwardly
depending sides, said downwardly depending sides each having a
longitudinally extending seating surface in one of said seats of
said perimeter moulding and a locking flange extending from said
seating surface in juxtaposed relation to one of said locking
shoulders of said perimeter moulding; said dependent sides being
flexible laterally of each other whereby said decorative moulding
can be projected between said side walls of said perimeter
moulding, a post having a longitudinal axis and an elongated anchor
formation extending longitudinally thereof, said anchor formation
having downwardly depending sides, said downwardly depending sides
of said anchor formation each having a longitudinally extending
seating surface in one of said seats of a portion of the extent of
said perimeter moulding, and a locking flange extending from said
seating surface in juxtaposed relation to one of said locking
shoulders of said perimeter moulding; said dependent sides of said
locking formation being flexible laterally of each other whereby
said post can be projected between said side walls of said
perimeter moulding.
2. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post, each of
said privacy screens comprising a screen panel having a perimeter
edge surface between opposed facia surfaces; perimeter moulding
extending longitudinally of said edge surface and having side walls
in face to face relation; said side walls each having a
longitudinally extending seat and a locking shoulder underlying
said seat, a decorative moulding between said side walls of said
perimeter moulding for at least a portion of the extent of said
perimeter moulding, said decorative moulding having downwardly
depending sides, said downwardly depending sides each having a
longitudinally extending seating surface in one of said seats of
said perimeter moulding and a locking flange extending from said
seating surface in juxtaposed relation to one of said locking
shoulders of said perimeter moulding; said dependent sides being
flexible laterally of each other whereby said decorative moulding
can be projected between said side walls of said perimeter
moulding, each of said screens being connected to said connecting
post at one edge thereof, a connector on said connecting post
connecting said connecting post to each of said screens as
aforesaid, said connector having opposed sides flexible laterally
of each other, each of said sides having a seating surface in one
of said seats of said perimeter moulding and a locking flange
extending from said seating surface in juxtaposed relation to one
of said locking shoulders of said perimeter moulding.
3. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post as claimed
in claim 2 wherein said perimeter moulding has a skirt at each of
said side walls that extends over the marginal portion of each of
said facia surfaces of said screen panel.
4. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post as claimed
in claim 3 in which said seats of said side walls slope towards
each other and inwardly of the space between said side walls.
5. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post as claimed
in claim 2 in which said seats of said side walls slope towards
each other and inwardly of the space between said side walls.
6. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post, each of
said privacy screens comprising a screen panel having a perimeter
edge surface between opposed facia surfaces; perimeter moulding
extending longitudinally of said edge surface and having side walls
in face to face relation; said side walls each having a
longitudinally extending seat and a locking shoulder underlying
said seat, a decorative moulding between said side walls of said
perimeter moulding for at least a portion of the extent of said
perimeter moulding, said decorative moulding having downwardly
depending sides, said downwardly depending sides each having a
longitudinally extending seating surface in one of said seats of
said perimeter moulding and a locking flange extending from said
seating surface in juxtaposed relation to one of said locking
shoulders of said perimeter moulding; said dependent sides being
flexible laterally of each other whereby said decorative moulding
can be projected between said side walls of said perimeter
moulding, said connecting post being round in cross-section, said
connectors being connectible to said connecting post at selected
positions around said cross-section of said connecting post, said
seats at each side wall of said perimeter moulding being on the arc
of a circle.
7. A plurality of privacy screens and a connecting post as claimed
in claim 6 wherein said perimeter moulding has a skirt at each of
said side walls that extends over the marginal portion of each of
said facia surfaces of said screen panel.
Description
This invention relates to a privacy screen.
Privacy screens are extensively used in office and lounge areas for
the purpose of partioning the general space. They are of various
types and it has been the experience in using these screens that if
they are made with sound absorbing characteristics they function
similarly to ceiling to floor partitions from a sound insulating
point of view. They have the advantage over wall to ceiling
partitions that they permit the more free circulation of air in the
general office or lounge space.
It is of importance to be able to arrange privacy screens in a
variety of positions with respect to each other with a minimum of
custom fabrication.
The facia covering of these panels is usually a fabric and it is
desirable that the fabric should be easily removable for cleaning
and replaceable without the necessity of returning the screen to
the factory.
The novel screen design of this invention permits one to arrange
screens in a multitude of arrangements without custom fabrication.
With the invention, it is also possible to easily remove the facia
for cleaning and to replace it.
According to the invention, a privacy screen is formed with a
screen panel that has a perimeter edge surface between opposed
facia surfaces. The perimeter moulding has a channel that extends
longitudinally thereof and the channel has a longitudinally
extending seat and a locking shoulder underlying the seat at each
of its sides. The invention will be clearly understood after
reference to the following detailed specification.
In the specification,
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two screens according to the
invention assembled together at right angles to each other;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a corner of one of the panels of
FIG. 1 at the circle, broken away to illustrate the
construction;
FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the construction of the frame at the
supporting legs;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1 but
also showing the possible location of other screens; and
FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the manner in which two panels
can be hinged together.
In the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a privacy screen assembly that
consists of two similar screen panels 10 secured together along one
edge thereof. The screen panels each comprise a perimeter frame
made of light gauge sheet metal perimeter frame members 12 mated
and spot welded together as at 14 at each of the four corners as
illustrated in FIG. 2. Expanded metal grids 16 extend across the
rectangular space defined by the perimeter members 12 on each side
of the frame and are secured to the side walls of the perimeter
frame members 12 by spot welding. These grids are secured by spot
welding all around the frame and rigidify and strengthen the
frame.
The space between the grids 16 is preferably filled with a sound
deadening material 15 such as glass fiber.
The perimeter frames have vertical support member 18 which are
connected to the top and bottom frame members 12 by spot welding as
indicated at the numeral 20 of FIG. 3.
A basic frame construction of this nature can be made with high
strength of quite light materials. For example, it has been found
that one can make a strong frame if one constructs the side and top
perimeter frame members 12 of 24 gauge sheet steel, the bottom
perimeter member 12 of 18 gauge sheet steel and the vertical
support members 18 of 18 gauge sheet steel. The expanded metal
grids 16 performs a considerable rigidifying function and it has
been found that with the construction no knee or cross-bracing is
required.
The screens are supported in operative position on legs 22 which
are bolted thereto by means of bolts 24 that extend through a foot
member 26 and screw into a threaded plate 28 that is bolted to the
bottom frame member 12 by bolts 29. It will be noted that the leg
member 22 is an extruded aluminum or like material section and that
it has a guide channel at its centre for the bolt 24.
The foot member 26 on the bottom of the leg is formed with a recess
to accommodate the head of the bolt.
In FIG. 1, alternative types of foot members have been illustrated.
The screen at the left in FIG. 1 has a foot member 26 that can be
rotated from the dotted line position indicated at the left-hand
side to the solid line position. When in the solid line position,
it is capable of supporting screen 10 in a free standing position.
However, if more than one screens are connected together as
indicated in FIG. 1, the long foot member 26 is not necessary and a
simple plate 30 similarly recessed to accommodate the head of the
bolt 24 can be used.
The screens have a decorative facia surface 32 which is preferably
of fabric. It will be noted that the perimeter frame members 12
have an outwardly extending flange. The space contained by these
outwardly extending flanges is filled with a board 34 and the board
is overlaid with the facia cloth 32.
The free edges of the facia cloth 32 are secured to the inside of
the channel of the perimeter frame members 12 by means of a
pressure sensitive adhesive tape 36 that has adhesive on both
sides.
The metal perimeter frame, with its sound absorbing centre 15,panel
board 34 and facia cloth 32 is trimmed with a perimeter moulding 38
secured by means of screws 40 to the bottom of the channel of the
perimeter frame members 12.
Perimeter moulding 38 is made as an extruded plastic section from a
suitable plastic such as polyvinylchloride or
acrylonitule-butadiene-styrene. It is adapted to receive and retain
a decorative edge surface moulding 42. The perimeter moulding 38
has a longitudinally extending seat 44 at each side of its channel
configuration that is designed to accommodate the seating surfaces
of the decorative moulding 42 and a locking shoulder 48 underlying
the seat 44 designed to co-operate with the locking flanges 50 that
extend from the seating surfaces 46 of the decorative moulding
42.
The decorative moulding 42 is made from an extruded plastic such as
polyvinylchloride and the downwardly extending sides which consist
of the seating surfaces 46 and locking flanges 50 are flexible
laterally with respect to each other as are the sides of the
channel configuration of the perimeter moulding 38. In their normal
position, the seating surfaces 46 and locking flanges 50 lie
substantially in juxtaposed relation to the seats 44 and locking
shoulders 48 of the perimeter moulding 40 but they are flexible
laterally and they do flex laterally as the decorative moulding 42
is projected into the channel of the perimeter moulding to permit
the decorative moulding enter and interlock with the perimeter
moulding. Similar lateral flexing takes place when the decorative
moulding is withdrawn from the channel.
The lower marginal edge of the locking flanges 50 is turned
inwardly to form a camming surface that co-operates with the
seating surface 44 as the two members are projected together.
The perimeter moulding 38 is applied to the marginal edges of the
panel and the corners are mitered as indicated at FIG. 1. The
decorative moulding 42 is also mitered at the corners.
The perimeter moulding 38 is also designed to connect with a
connecting post 52 which,in the embodiment of the invention shown,
is formed of two extruded aluminum sections that are telescoped
together. The connecting post 52 is adapted to secure two or more
panels together in radial disposition with respect to the
connecting post as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows the detail
of a section along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1.
As indicated above, the connecting post is an extruded section and
has a constant cross-section similar to the one illustrated in FIG.
4 for its full extent. On its outer surface it has a plurality of
T-shaped formations and adjacent T-shaped formations define
longitudinally extending locking troughs 54 which slidably receive
lockings lugs 56 on the connectors 58. Connectors 58 are formed
from an extruded plastic material such as polyvinylchloride and are
of constant cross-section for their full length. They are designed
to seat on and interlock with the perimeter moulding 38 and in this
respect they have seating surfaces 60 which seat on the seats of
the perimeter moulding and locking flanges 64 which co-operate with
the locking shoulders of the perimeter moulding.
The plastic connectors are attached to the aluminum post 52 by
sliding the lugs 56 into the spaced apart locking troughs 54 from
one end of the post. The connector 58 and the post 52 are
preferably co-extensive in length so that when the connector is
slid into locking arrangement with the post, the seating surfaces
62 and locking flanges 64 are substantially co-extensive with the
perimeter moulding on the edge of the panel that is to be secured
to the post.
The post 52 is round in cross-section and the seats 44 on the
perimeter moulding are designed to receive the round surface of the
post.
In FIG. 4, details of two panels 10 have been illustrated but the
location of two other panels has been indicated in broken
lines.
In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 each panel is at right
angles with respect to an adjacent panel but it will be apparent
that this right angled radial disposition of the panels is not the
only possible arrangement. One could, for example, arrange to have
three panels connected to the post 52 at angular dispositions with
respect to each other of 120.degree. by relocating the connector
members 58 in spaced relation around the round post 52.
The perimeter moulding 38, the post 52 and connector 58 have been
designed for maximum flexibility of arrangement of the panels with
respect to each other.
FIG. 5 illustrates a method of hingedly interconnecting two panels
10. In this case, hinge plates 70 are bolted to the bottom of the
perimeter frame by bolts 72 and interconnected by means of a hinge
pin 74. An arrangement similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5 is
duplicated at the opposite end of the joined edges of the two
panels 10. The decorative moulding 42 is secured to the perimeter
moulding 38 in the same fashion to finish the panel and in this
respect, the perimeter moulding is parted at the hinge to permit
operation of the hinge. Similarly, the decorative moulding is cut
to permit functioning of the hinge.
The design of the panels as a whole has very substantial advantages
from a production and servicing point of view. The perimeter frame,
as indicated above, can be made from relatively light metal without
heavy bracing supports because of the use of the expanded metal
grids 16. These members also serve to contain the sound absorbing
glass fiber interior 15. The panel boards 34 are housed under the
flanges of the perimeter frame member 12 and the decorative facia
fabric 32 is simply folded into the trough of the perimeter members
and secured at its margins by means of the tape 36 that has a
pressure sensitive adhesive on both of its sides. This is a very
simple means of attachment of the facia fabric 32.
The perimeter moulding is secured to the frame by screws 40 and at
the same time the facia fabric is provided with a protective and
decorative margin in the form of the skirt that extends over the
marginal portion of the facia fabric 32.
The construction is very desirable from a servicing point of view
because when one desires to clean the facia fabric, it is merely
necessary to remove the perimeter moulding to release the facia
cloth for cleaning. It can be simply reinstalled by using the
pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
The perimeter moulding has been designed to accommodate both the
decorative moulding 42 and the connectors 52 of the post assembly
and the seats of the moulding and post have a configuration that
permit a varied disposition of the panels with respect to the
post.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that many screen
arrangements are possible. One can easily put together a complete
enclosure using the type of corner post connection shown in FIGS. 1
and 4. The angular disposition of adjacent panels need not be right
angled but can be varied by changing the spacing of the connectors
58 on the post 52. A feature of the screen is the perimeter
moulding which by its design permits the easy assembly and removal
of the facia fabric and also permits the decorative finishing of
the edge and the ready securement of a panel to a connecting post.
The connecting post 52 being round and the seats of the perimeter
moulding arcuate, facilitates the arrangement of the screens in any
angular arrangement with respect to each other around the post.
The screens 10 will vary in size according to requirement.
Satisfactory functional screens having heights of between 4 feet
and 6 feet have been designed. In the case where the screens are
secured to a post, as indicated in FIG. 4, it is not necessary that
the anchor strips 58 extend for the full length of the post.
Usually the post will be co-extensive with the meeting edges of the
screens, but the anchor devices can be spaced apart along the
length of the post. It has been found that with a screen having an
edge dimension of about five feet, two anchor devices having a
length of about one foot each are satisfactory. The longitudinal
extent and number of anchoring devices is a matter of choice.
* * * * *