US2042617A - Adjustable louver - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1936. J. E. MURPHY ET AL 2,042,617

I ADJUSTABLE LOUVER Filed Jan. 22, 1934 2 Sheet's-Sheet l A June l2, 1936- J. E. MURPHY ET A1. 2,042,617

ADJUSTABLE LOUVER Filed Jan. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY BY ACN. Plz-0500 Patented `lune 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE LoUvEn James E. Murphy, Helmuth W. Schmitz, and Alexander M. Peabody, Seattle, Wash.

Application January `.22, 1934, Serial No. 707,690

1 Claim.

This invention relates to louvers and it has reference more particularly to louvers of that character designed for application to wall openings for purposes of Ventilation and for admittance of light; the device of this invention being especially applicable to window transoms or other wall openings, as provided in passenger carrying ships and railway cars, for purposes of obtaining light and proper ventilation.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a device embodying a plurality of co-operatively arranged, pivotally adjustable louver panels mounted in a frame structure that is applicable to a wall opening as a unit structure, and including means fo-r effecting a simultaneous adjustment of all the louver panels between open and closed positions.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a louver structure in which the panels are mounted in parallel relation and have supporting pivots at their opposite ends in axial alinement and wherein all the panels may be adjusted into the same plane, in edge to edge relation, to completely close the opening to which theyT are applied or may be adjustedY toward either side of the said plane to various angular positions between closed and fully opened positions.

Another object of the invention resides in the rounding of the adjacent edges of the louver panels to provide for their coming in close relation for film sealing when moved to closed position.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts, in their relationship, and in their means for and mode of operation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Where- Fig. 1 is an elevation of the present louver as applied to a window opening; the illustration showing the device from the outside.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, as seen on line 2--2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, cross section, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional detail of the upper or head portion, taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional detail taken on line 5--5 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail illustrating the rounding of the panel edges for obtaining a close fitting joint for lm sealing.

Fig. 'l is a view diagrammatically illustrating a mechanical means employing cylinders and a iluid pressure medium for actuating the louver panels of a series of openings between open and closed position.

Fig. 8 is a similar View illustrating a cable connection for actuating the panels of a plurality of louvers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- The louver, in its present form of construction, comprises a rectangular frame structure of sheet metal and of such dimensions that it will closely t within the opening to which it is to be applied. 'Ihis frame comprises a lower sill portion 2, opposite side portions 3-3 and a top or head portion 4; each of which parts is pro-vided with an inturned flange 5 about its inner edge, as seen in Fig. 3, and with an out-turned flange 6 about its outer edge for reception of screws, or the like, 'I for securing the frame to the enclosing framing, including the Wooden top and bottom members 8 and 9 seen in Fig. 3 and the opposite side rails IIJ and IB', as seen in Fig. 2. Suitable casings, as at II may be provided about the louver frame to present an attractive finish tothe opening.

The openingl provided within the frame structure of the louver is of rectangular form and ls fitted with a plurality of vertically arranged and parallel louver panels I2, preferably of glass. Each panel is seated at its upper and lower ends, respectively, in grooved mounting bars I3-I3 each of which has a central pivot member. The pivot members I4 and I4', respectively, of correspending upper and lower bars are in axial alinement and the several panels pivot in either direction about parallel axes.

A metal bar I6 is secured longitudinally of the frame upon the sill portion 2 for re-enforcing and this is provided with sockets II in which the pivots I4 of the lower panel mounting bars I3' are revolubly contained. The pivots I4 of the upper bars I3 consist of short shafts that extend revolubly through openings I8 in the head portion 4 and also through openings I9, registering therewith, formed in a re-enforcing plate secured longitudinally upon the head portion 4, as seen in Fig. 2. These latter pivots I4 have gear wheels 2| fixed thereon to mesh with teeth 22 of a rack bar 23 that is slidably movable in guides 24 xed upon the plate 20.

The bar 23 at a central point has a gear toothed top surface 25 with which a gear wheel 26 meshes. Wheel 26 is fixed on a shaft 2'I mounted in bearings 28 iixed to plate 20 and it extends to the inside of the frame where it is equipped with a hand wheel 30.

The construction above described provides that upon manual rotation of the hand wheel, in opposite directions, the rack bar 23 will be shifted accordingly in an endwise direction. The shifting of this bar effects a like rotative movement of all gears 2l and thus simultaneously effects a rotative adjustment of the louver panels, which may be swung from neutral position, at which they completely close the opening, as seen in Fig. 1, to different angular positions as illustratedrin dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It will be observed by reference to Fig, 6 that adjacent edges of the panels are rounded oi arcuately as at 35 about the axial lines of the panels. Thus, they are permitted to be brought substantially into line contact, or sufficiently close' that the joint between them can be sealed by a water film. This is advantageous as it provides for tightly closing the louver by an adjustment whereby all panels are brought into the same plane and thus avoids necessity of overlapping the panel edges which would limit the adjustment of the panels to one direction.

In Figs. 7 and 8 we have illustrated diagrammatically means for automatic actuation of a series of louvers. As shown in Fig. 7, there is a cylinder 40 associated with each louver. Piston 4I is reciprocally contained in the cylinder and connected by a link 42 with a lever arm 43 lixed on the hand wheel shaft 21. Pressure medium supplied by a pipe 45 is adapted to be admitted through a valve device 46 and pipes 41--48 to the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston to actuate it in opposite directions. The valve is a four-way construction and by its manipulation the louver panels may be adjusted in opposite directions from closed position. One valve may control the application of pressure medium to the cylinders of a series of louvers.

In Fig. 8 is another form wherein a cable belt 50 is extended about wheels 5| and 52 and along a series of louvers and the levers 43 of the several louvers are connected to the lower run of the cable for simultaneous operation which is effected by rotation of the wheel 5I.

yWhen closed, they effectively keep .out rain as the water seals the close joints between closed panels. Water which might seep through the panel joints 'is drained back to the outside through perforations in the base bar as seen in Fig. l, since the upturned flange prevents its iiowing to the inside.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- In a louver construction, a metallic frame structure tted in a wall opening and having top and bottom sills said bottom sill having an upturned flange along its inner edge, a rail fixed lengthwise of the sill and spaced from the flange, and provided with drainage ports therethrough from its inner to its outer side, a plurality of louver panels arranged vertically in said frame and having mounting pivots centrally at the upper and lower ends; the lower pivots being mounted in said rail and the upper pivots extending through said top sill, gear wheels xed on said pivots above the top sill, a rack bar slidable on said sill and meshing with said gear wheels, manual means for shitting the rack to effect rotative adjustment of the louver panels; said panels having parallel axes and parallel opposite side edges, and said edges being arcuately curved about their axes, whereby edges of adjacent panels may be brought substantially into line contact for film sealing.

JAMES E. MURPHY. HELMUTI-I W. SCHMITZ, ALEXANDER M. PEABODY.

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